Sanctified ignorance and materialism: The real nature of satanism.
We often think of satanism as a strange cult followed by necessarily evil people involved in some obscure ritualistic practices that may include such abominable acts as human sacrifices, children abuses, orgies and other hideous activities in some remote ugly compound. So much so that, from our condescending stand, in a rather clean environment of a sympathetic place of worship filled with nicely dressed folks with a rather fine look, we are invincibly convinced that we worship God.
We unquestionably believe we serve God because we use His name in our prayers. We preach, teach and even evangelize in the name of Jesus Christ. Some of us even speak in tongue, cast out demons, perform miracles, etc. While displaying undeniable signs of a particularly “blessed” life. Such signs of blessedness generally include earning a generously substantial income, driving a particularly nice sedan (not without air-conditioning), having a good-paying job no matter in which area, ideally in a mainstream bank, holding a highly-regarded political position in the government, owning a spectacularly gracious three-story townhouse under a munificent mortgage in a great city in some Western country, last but not least, being a venerated pastor in a big Church in a Western megalopolis. The list is not exhaustive. To fan envy among their sheep, pastors in our communities generally compete with talent when it comes to enumerating the material vantages which they assimilate to blessings. In their acts of fervent worship and praise, through their prolific prayers, they deploy an impressive energy to bring to fruition the multiple desires of their church members for material easiness. Without ever questioning the legitimacy or the ends of such requests. They generally refrain from requesting the fulfillment of the will of God. It always sounds complicated, at the least. Their love for a Western world they came to live in with its material comfort is beyond any measure. Not even those who are native of that world and are generally labeled as unbelievers are capable of such. As the acquisition of most of the items that are the cause for adulation for us is considered trivial in the materialistic mindset of most such Westerners.
The bible says in Luke 4:5-8 (KJV)
5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the LORD thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
The interesting thing this passage of the bible reveals, especially in verse 5 and 6, is that the kingdoms of the world which are best represented today by the Western world with its inseparable attributes of power and glory, are not only the temple of materialism, they are under the dominion of the devil. The prince of this world. The fact that the devil had to take Jesus up into a high mountain to show him all the kingdoms of the world suggests that they are of a lower nature, i.e, materialistic. As opposed to the heights of a spiritual world allegorically represented by the mountain top that we need to reach in order to acquire knowledge and wisdom (Exodus 24:12).
In Haggai 1:8 (KJV), it is said:
“Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.”
In this verse , it is clearly explained that the mission assigned to man on earth is the building of the kingdom of God in a way that He might be pleased with it and be glorified. For that purpose, he has to climb the heights of spiritual realms in order to acquire the equally necessary spiritual materials.
The work of an enemy, according to verses 6 and 7 in Luke 4, suggests the opposite to the mission assigned by God to man. It suggests the acquisition of spiritual powers for the satisfaction of materialistic needs for the glory of him to whom belong earthly kingdoms. It now clearly appears that materialism, to the extent it only opposes spirituality (John 4:24 KJV), is actually the true nature of satanism as it maintains man distracted from the acquisition of the necessary spiritual tools for the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. By the desires of material things for the sake of their possession, man unwittingly devotes himself to the perpetuation of the dominion of Satan over the material world.
The Christian who fervently goes to Church each Sunday for the manifestation of his materialistic “blessings” may actually be involved in a higher - if not the highest - form of satanism. More than the folk who chooses to worship the devil undisguised through clearly identifiable obscure rituals of unquestionably lesser power. Compared to someone who chooses to use the Word of God by “going to the mountains” of the spiritual power of a Church (Haggai 1:8) only to achieve Satan’s goals of pure materialistic satisfaction and self-glorification, the satanist folk clearly has no such power of action. By the adulation of these “blessings”, in the sanitized comfort of a sympathetic Church in which some even choose to “serve”, many end up worshiping the devil though unwittingly. This is sanctified satanism. We may argue that it is impossible to worship the devil while serving in the house of God. The truth is, we serve in the house of God without necessarily serving God (Luke 4:8). And as the Word goes in Matthew 7:22-23 KJV:
“Many will say to me in that day, LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
As Christians, we are surprisingly quick to judge others by pointing out in others what appears to be a mote in their eye while arrogantly ignoring the beam in our own eyes. Satanism is the dedication to the supremacy of the material world over the spiritual. The idea is simple: block the rule of God which operates in heaven to maintain man in slavery on earth.
Now, this is not to condemn the material world and the pursuit of some comfort that can be provided by the West to fellow Christians. Particularly those in our Southern communities. Especially when we know the level of material desolation in which our so-called third-world countries are plunged. The LORD says:
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:32-33
We may genuinely pursue the material acquisitions the Western world consistently displays to man. Remember, the goal is to make the earth a heavenly place (Matt 6:10 KJV). Not to forsake it to the devil while persistently denigrating “the world” and desperately trying to board in the first flight to heaven. This is sanctified ignorance (Matt 11:19 KJV). It’s satanism. However, only when we are armed with wisdom, overshadowed by the glory of the LORD with enough zeal of His house to be eaten up by it (John 2:17 KJV) that are we entitled to use the forces of the Gentiles and suck their milk (Isaiah 60 KJV). Otherwise, we are kindly warned not to go in the way of the Gentiles (Matt 10:5 KJV). A purely materialistic endeavor ignoring the kingdom of God and His righteousness is not only satanic, it is automatically doomed at its very inception. It is written:
“Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.” Haggai 1:9 (KJV)
Anything that is built which is not aimed at the building of the kingdom of God is programmed for a certain destruction because it is inescapably satanic.
4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Haggai 1:4-6 (KJV).
Outside His kingdom and righteousness, it’s the dungeon of the enemy with its disenchantments. True enjoyment of our “blessings” comes only through the building of the house of God. This supposes effective steps for humanity. Attending some Church is indicative neither of our holiness nor our commitment. The LORD Jesus has revealed to us the real Satan. The one which dwells in the mind. We can then guess what is real satanism:
“But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” Matthew 16:23 (KJV).
Bukoko Ikoki, Ordinary citizen.
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As of Christ, we do not accuse. Neither do we judge, nor condemn. We do not stone. We do not curse. We bless our enemies and persecutors. While we let the dead bury their own dead, as we pick up our Cross, we revive our loved ones from lethal errors.