Three Strikes – part one

“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Cor. 2:11)

In the past we have talked about the concept discussed in Matthew 12:43-45:

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

The Joseph Smith translation sheds even more light on it:

And he said unto them, When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and findeth done; but when a man speaketh against the Holy Ghost, then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth him empty, swept and garnished; for the good spirit leaveth him unto himself. Then goeth the evil spirit, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in and dwell there; and the last end of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Many people have asked for clearings in the past where all the evil and dark that was on and in them was cast out and sent to Hell, in other words they were “cleared” of their dark stuff. The problem was their habits didn’t change and the entities came back. Not the same ones, but stronger ones. As the above scriptures state, the person spoke against the Holy Ghost, or God, so the good spirit left him. Along comes the evil spirit and finds the place empty and cleaned out. Don’t think for a minute they only come back with seven friends, it is just telling us that more than one can and does come back. The real problem then is the new evil entities are more powerful than what was previously there.

It seems almost like a conundrum to me. If a person doesn’t clear themselves of all the evil and darkness on them, they will have problems in this life and most likely end up in hell. But if they do get cleared and don’t change, or repent, come unto Christ and truly become like Him, it will all come back and they will end up in hell anyway. Seems there is only one option. Is that option to honestly change or repent, clear ourselves, become like Him, and stay that way?

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. (2 Peter 2:20-22)

And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things. (Alma 24:30)

How does this pertain to us? I have a wonderful friend that asked me to help her if she ever had anything on her of a dark nature, in other words she wanted to be told. During a workshop she made some “interesting” comments and observations, things that really didn’t sound like her. Later that evening I asked in prayer and was told she had some dark entities on her, various earthbound spirits and demons. A while later she happened to be at my home with some others and I reminded her of the request she had made to be told. She remembered and asked me what I knew. She was informed that she had those entities on her. She immediately requested we lay hands on her and cast them off. In our enthusiasm to help her, we did.

Several months later she was at my home again and I realized they were all back, only they seemed stronger. Z happened to be there so we asked her to take a look. She confirmed that our friend had not changed her habits, things that were not Christ-like and the entities had come back to a swept clean house, only with new friends. We counseled with the Lord Jesus Christ and found that she needed to work on her habits and change them, create new ones. We have discussed these things in this blog. We are to repent and come unto Jesus the Christ, our true Lord and Savior, we need to change our habits. Until she did this we would not be allowed to cast out her new found “friends.” She worked on it for months and finally came back and had them cast out. Those that have come for clearings have been counseled that after some things or entities are cast out, they (the person) may feel lonely or empty and might be tempted to invite them back. They need to consciously fill this void with the Saviors love, ask Him to be in their life.

Many years ago a man brought his wife to my home and said for many years she had talked to four entities that were within or on her. She had enjoyed many years of “companionship” with them, but lately they had become belligerent and wanted to control her more than she wanted to be controlled. She told me she was to the point that she wanted them removed and out of her life. Because she asked, hands were laid on her head and they were cast out. She said she could feel them leave and was happy to have them gone. I cautioned her that she may be lonely, as they had been with her for many years and she needed to fill that void. I suggested she fill it with the Savior Jesus Christ, reading scriptures and with prayer. She assured me that she would be fine.

A week later her husband called and asked what would happen if she invited the entities to come back? I told him that the scriptures declare that stronger ones would come back and bring friends. He said that sounded about right. She had become lonely for them and had invited them back and was now in real trouble.

Why is all of this important?

Continued tomorrow in part 2