Translated by The Semone Translation Mission Center
355-356 Shingil 3-Dong, Youndeungpo-Gu, Seoul 150-849, Korea Tel: 82-2-831-3851 Fax: 82-2-831-3854
* Overseer, 21st Century Berea Missions Seoul Sungrak Church, Seoul, South Korea * Honorary and Founding President, Berea International Theological Seminary, Seoul, South Korea
All Scripture quotations, unless noted otherwise, are from the New King James Version (1982).
PREFACE 3 Those who belong to Christ Jesus call God, “Father,� and live as children of God. Thus, our environment is not another culture but the spiritual world. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning (I John 3:8).
The Bible explains that the origin of sin is the Devil. Therefore, the absence of the knowledge of the Devil is the absence of the will to battle against sin. Jesus Christ overcame sin, and He suffered and died on the cross to destroy it. Jesus resurrected because God raised Him from the dead. Those who are of this Christ Jesus should know about the Devil’s original connection to sin. Without knowing about the Devil and his involvement to sin, the problem of sin just becomes a conceptual or religious issue. Knowing that the Devil is the originator of sin will help believers to understand that sin is a spiritual issue. Nevertheless, Christianity today is spiritually ignorant. They only acknowledge the Devil as a conceptual being and fall into the danger of suffering at his hand. For the last fifty years, I have continued my ministry handling this issue of the Devil as a real spiritual being and the origin of sin. I have stood my ground even in the midst of adverse persecutions and misunderstandings because the Bible teaches thus so. I was able to submit a more comprehensive collection of seminars and transcripts for a better-revised version of this book. My deepest appreciation goes to evangelist Ki Taek Lee, who was instrumental in providing in-depth materials to complete this project. My thanks also go to the Berea Press for their diligent work. I earnest pray that Christians would humbly kneel before the
Bible, that they would read and verify the contents of this book as Scriptural, and more than ever be empowered personally and in ministry. July 2007 Ki Dong Kim
PREFACE 2 God is almighty. With His power, God created the heavens and the earth, destroyed the works of the Devil, and made us as children of glory. God is our eternal Father. God planned all things in order to judge and destroy Satan who rebelled against God and desecrated the Heavenly temple. And thus, God planned to establish the kingdom of the Son of God. This book was written to glorify God’s supremacy, power and authority. Regardless of the continuing widespread misunderstandings, I patiently submit a revised version. Knowing the identity of the Devil is the power to overcome him. It is the right of the redeemed to know the Devil. It is also the power to overcome temptations. The title of this book is “Devilology.” Yet, this book is a collection of my sermons on the topic. I am a preacher. I am a preacher that must faithfully preach on the pulpit. As a preacher, I humble submit a manual on how to overcome the Devil. However, it is my hope that a better treatise or more powerful manuals by others can be written. My sermons are my claim on this subject. I do not argue that my sermons and claim are the only way. I do hope and wait for a better manual than mine. It is not noble to impetuously ignore or judge another’s claim. I hope and desire that a better treatise with more anointing can arise. I submit this humble book to the world so that the church can use it as a manual to defeat the Devil. I desire that this book can help ministries and individuals to overcome the Devil. I exhort you to continue reading the second and third books in the series. Thank you. January 31, 1993 Ki Dong Kim
PREFACE 1 God is the only self-existing One. All things were created and still continue to exist through Him. One of the angels rebelled, was cast out from His presence, and became Satan, also named the Devil, the one who tempts the world (Rev. 12:9). He sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8). He was a murderer and a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). To appease God’s anger against the Devil, Jesus was sent into the world to destroy him (1 John 3:8). And now, God has allowed anyone to overcome the Devil through Jesus Christ. The Devil has been sentenced to eternal punishment and will soon eternally suffer in hell. Until then, God is exposing the Devil’s kingdom and his final stand. Too many Christians are suddenly falling away from the faith because they do not know the truth. No matter what others might say, I curse the enemy and denounce any unbelief. I want to warn against becoming ineffective in God’s Kingdom because one cannot distinguish between his lack of faith and the Devil’s character. This book treats a real and diverse problem from a practical perspective instead of arguing a theological or biblical viewpoint. Is it not more precious to know the truth and be victorious with the power of God that we already posses? Statistical information on spiritual phenomena can be acquired through other sources, but this book has a different purpose. I believe that the book that you are holding now can be a great help to your ministry. It can also benefit any Christian who desires to be alert and victorious in life. Devilology, the study of the Devil, is a series divided into three parts: 1st-Wht is the Devil, 2nd-What are Deceiving Spirits, and 3rdWhat are Demons. I challenge you to read them in this order. Rather than being a source of disputes, we trust that you will receive this series wholeheartedly to be victorious in your
spiritual walk. As we recommend the first book, we do believe that you are aware of our credentials in this field of study. Readers! Let’s be victorious. Let’s be victorious throughout our lives and bring glory to our Lord Jesus Christ. This is His command to us. 1985 October Ki Dong Kim From His Office
Translators’ Note Pastor Ki Dong Kim has written over 250 books to date. Translating these books has been a true blessing for us. We know that it will bless you too! The following are a couple of things to note as you read this book. This book is a transcript of a training seminar that Pastor Ki Dong Kim has done in the past with the theme, “Devilology.” Thus, we have tried to preserve even the way the pastor speaks. This book repeats many concepts for emphasis. They all have been preserved because Pastor Kim has spoken them by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This book has been written for ministers and even for laypersons who want to know how to live and serve powerfully according to God’s will. Please take a good time off out of your schedule to focus as you read through this book. We pray that you will be touched and transformed! Amen.
June 2013 From The Semone Translation Mission Center
Table of Contents
1. The Authority that Overcomes the Devil 13 2. The Origin of the Devil 3. The Personality of Angels
29 55
4. The Judgment of the Devil and Man’s Role 67 5. The Devil’s Ministry and Administration 81 6. The Angels and Deceiving Spirits Near the Saints 105 7. The Authority of the Devil Who was Judged 125 8. The Cursed Spirit 139 9. The Identity of Demons 159 10. The Authority to Cast Out Demons 171
The Authority that Overcomes the Devil
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)
What is Devilology? Any theory must be supported by scholarly research and scientific proof. Because the Devil is an invisible spiritual being, his operations cannot be fully explained. From a scholastic point, Devilo-logy, the study of the Devil, has its limitations. (There is no official word for the study of the Devil, but for the purpose of this book, we have cautiously coined the term, Devilology.) Among the diverse topics in systematic theology, pneumatology (the study of the Holy Spirit) also carries a similar limitation. Since the Holy Spirit is invisible, man can only record and study various accounts of people’s experiences of the Holy Spirit. To be more precise, the term pneumatology is not appropriate because man cannot study the Holy Spirit from a scientific standpoint. Christology, on the other hand, is somewhat different. The person and the deeds of Jesus Christ can be objectively studied because Christ came as a Man. Pneumatology or Devilology both lack scientific research because they both deal with spiritual and immaterial beings. Yet, studying about the Devil is easier than studying about the Holy Spirit because he is a creation just like man. However, because the Devil is not a physical being, Devilology cannot be a comprehensive study. The treatment of Devilology in this book comes from definite experiences of the spiritual world and concrete Scriptural expositions that support them. The Bible is the absolute foundation for our spiritual lives. It is also the only validation for all of our experiences. When our experiences validated by the Bible accumulate over time, we discover undisputed principles. To give a clearer illustration, a sniper lines up the rear and front sites to aim at a target. No matter how far away the target may be, as long as the sniper properly lines up the rear and front sites of the rifle to the target, he can always hit the bull’s eye. Target
Principles
The Front Sight
Experiences
The Rear Sight
The Bible
The Bible is the rear site. Our experiences are the front site of the rifle. When both line up correctly, we can discover unquestionable principles to be applied in our lives.
Sound Principles The Bible serves as the only fundamental basis for discovering sound principles. But promoting the written word of God while denying the experiences will result in an incomplete understanding. God has given the Bible for us to receive His words. The Holy Spirit was sent so that we can experience His words. Those experiences then become the guide to discovering sound principles. All fields of study develop based on sound theories. A study is discovering principles by applying newly discovered theories to fundamental basics. Devilology is no different. The Bible provides the fundamental basics. With experiences based on the Bible, we can develop correct understanding of the Devil and his works. However, many people try to interpret the Bible while they completely ignore experiences that the word of God offers. They end up with theories that cannot be proven. What I teach in the Berea Academy1 is first based on the Bible, and then on my experiences that are grounded on the word of God. So those who take the Berea courses manifest the same signs and wonders I have experienced. This same principle applies to anyone who desires to teach another. He must use the Bible as the fundamental basis for learning. He must then experience what he has learned from the Bible. Without such experiences, he cannot be an effective teacher. The Bible calls these experiences as evidence, proof, witness or testimony. When we have these testimonies in our lives, we possess the power and assurance to teach others. Without such evidences, we cannot lead people to experience the power of God.
The Purpose of This Book As it says in the title of this book, What is the Devil, the objective is to learn Berea Academy was established in 1973 at Seoul Sungrak Church for the purpose of following the Bereans, who were mentioned in the Book of Acts 17:11-12. The Academy’s main goal is to proclaim about the universal availability of the works of the Holy Spirit and God’s power through three core courses, which are “The Proper Lens for the Bible,” “The Picture of God’s Will,” and “The Mediation of the Gospel.” 1
about the Devil. Yet, learning about the Devil is not the sole purpose of this book. The overall purpose is to know God and His words. The knowledge of the Devil can be in the proper perspective only with the backdrop of the Bible and the knowledge of God. Otherwise, the purpose dangerously becomes all about the Devil. Berea Academy has been accused of centralizing its teachings only on Devilology. Learning about the Devil is only a small portion of what is taught at Berea Academy. Actually, the main purpose of Berea Academy is to teach the Picture of God’s Will. It is impossible not to mention about the Devil when teaching from the Bible because there are so many references about him. For example, any conversations or battles are possible only when there is another person or a nation. The events in the Bible reveal the only enemy behind them, expressly the Devil. The Bible mentions about salvation, but what are we saved from? We are saved from sin. Where then is sin from? The Devil! The Bible shows that behind all the works of God, the Devil stands as the enemy. However, it does not mean that the Devil is in equal status with God. God does not fight with him; He just condemns and judges the Devil.
The Primary Starting Point For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8b).
The Picture of God’s Will uses the above verse as the starting point to expand on it further. When reading a map, a bar scale is needed to calculate the distance. Likewise, a correct scale is needed to understand God’s works in the Bible. Berea Academy uses 1 John 3:8 as a scale to develop the picture of God’s will. The Bible has various records of people’s experiences. One sentence clearly summarizes all of these events. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me (John 5:39).
The Bible bears witness of the Son of God who came into the world. He came with a distinct purpose, to destroy the works of the Devil. Therefore, you cannot fully know Jesus without knowing the Devil. This is because the knowledge of one is contingent on the knowledge of the other. Today, many people who proclaim that they know Jesus do not really know Him because they lack the knowledge of the Devil. How can they say that they know Jesus when they do not understand the reason why He came into this world? Healthy people cannot comprehend the effectiveness of even the best medicine. Only the terminally ill can appreciate it. Likewise, only those who understand the Devil and his works can value what Jesus has done on earth. The world did not welcome Jesus when He came. People treated Him with contempt, anger, and hatred and eventually beat and killed Him. All that the Son of God received from man was suffering and condemnation. The world proved itself to be wicked and condemned in the presence of the only righteous One. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8a). Not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother (1 John 3:12).
Where did man’s wickedness originate? The Bible clarifies that the mastermind behind man’s action is the Devil. He is the prime enemy. Technically, man crucified the Son of God, but the Bible specifies that behind man stood the Devil.
The Authority to Overcome the Devil Man does not possess the ability to tear down the Devil’s power. Only through the Son of God can the works of the Devil be destroyed. That is why the Bible says that there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which anyone can be saved (Acts 4:12). The Devil’s kingdom is actually mighty and impregnable by any other in the world. So the Son of God had to come in person to tear down the Devil’s kingdom. Man cannot escape out of the Devil’s hand by himself. The Devil’s
dominance over man is too powerful. And (Jesus) release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Heb. 2:15).
If man has the power to overcome death, then he has the ability to escape out of the Devil’s grip by himself. Yet, since man does not possess such power, he has to remain as the Devil’s slave. Jesus came into the world to give man the authority to overcome death. He also abolished the Devil’s power over death forever. Just as a judge determines clemency or punishment with one word, Jesus abolished the Devil’s authority and gave man the authority to overcome death. This authority can also be restated as “the authority to life.” Man can now condemn and mock the Devil. You silly Devil! Hasn’t my Lord Jesus pronounced His verdict? Your power has been destroyed! Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to bear witness of this authority. The Holy Spirit indwells those who acknowledge that they have the authority to overcome death. He indwells and never leaves them. So the believers possess this authority forever. Those who do not acknowledge this authority will only perish. They will continue to live under the fear of death, being enslaved to the Devil.
Why Learn Devilology? Many profess to know the Bible because they have read it so many times. However, if they do not know the authority that Jesus already gave, then they really do not know the Bible. Only when you know and use the authority that comes from Jesus can you really say that you know the Bible. Power can be manifested only when authority is acknowledged. For example, if the president appoints a common farmer as a Minister of Agriculture, then he can start working right away if he accepts the position. But if he says, “I’m just an uneducated man who doesn’t know better,” and rejects the offer, then he would forfeit his assigned position. Faith is acknowledging the authority that has already been given. We must admit that Jesus has given us the authority to overcome death. What is your motive in learning Devilology? If you do not understand the
authority that the Lord has given, then you will only end up fearing the Devil. The main emphasis of this study is to help every believer realize that he possesses the Lord’s death-overcoming authority. Anyone who does not acknowledge this authority cannot receive any benefit from the Bible, regardless of how many times he has read it. Many Biblical scholars have researched the Bible in detail. Sad to say, they still do not acknowledge the authority that the Bible introduces. What a travesty! Even in ministry, many pastors do not acknowledge that the Lord has given the death-overcoming authority. Thus, the ministry becomes too exhausting and soon fails at the end. In my ministry, I thoroughly teach my members that each believer has this authority. Every member in my church has the boldness and the power to cast out demons in Jesus’ name. To the Sungrak Church saints, it is an obvious manifestation. They boldly use this authority anywhere they go and signs automatically follow them. Thus, the church experiences constant revival. What leads me to rejoice is that wherever Sungrak saints go, demons are cast out and sicknesses are healed in Jesus’ name. These manifestations occur because they acknowledge this death-overcoming authority endowed by the Lord. Many people come to receive prayer personally from me. At times, I entrust them to my associate pastors. But they stubbornly refuse to get prayer from anyone except me. I know that such a person is not a Sungrak member. All Sungrak Church saints cast demons out of each other. They do not try to meet a pastor who is already busy with so many duties. I cannot be any happier to know that they are walking in God’s power. Actually, I encourage them more to manifest in greater signs and wonders. To experience God’s greater signs, everyone must acknowledge that God has given them this death-overcoming authority.
The Source of Death-Overcoming Authority Where does this death-overcoming authority come from? And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day (Jude 6).
God kept the fallen angels in darkness. This darkness is not just an absence of physically created light, but also an absence of God’s light, namely His glory! Glory is God’s light (John 1:4, 14). God’s light is His life. His life is in the Word. 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (John 1:1-4). Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth (John 17:17).
To explain further, the Word that was with God from eternity past is the truth, light, and life! Physical light refracts. However, God’s light never diverts. This glory is the immediate way to come before God’s presence. Therefore Jesus said, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
God imprisoned the fallen angel under darkness. This darkness has no glory. It is not a physical darkness. The absence of light means the absence of life and truth. Since life and truth do not exist, only death and lies dominate. The darkness that imprisoned the Devil is where death and lies reside. Thus, the Bible teaches that the Devil is the one who has the power of darkness (Col. 1:13) and the power of death (Heb. 2:14). He is also the father of lies (John 8:44). To overcome the power of darkness, glory has to appear. To overcome the one who has the authority of death, life has to come. To defeat the father of lies, truth must arrive. Therefore, the Devil was utterly crushed when Jesus Christ arrived as the light, the life, and the truth. The moment light shines, darkness disappears. Even the greatest darkness cannot overwhelm the light. We, who are united with Christ, have the authority to dominate the Devil. We must acknowledge this authority. No matter how much we study about the Devil and read the Bible, it means nothing if we do not acknowledge it in our lives. For example, the president can appoint anyone as a Postmaster General, even though he has never delivered a package in his life. Though he does not have any
experience in the postal service, he must accept his authority and position once he is appointed. Then, the experienced employees would follow his leadership as the new director. The Devil had authority on earth, but the Lord Jesus destroyed that authority. He then gave us the death-overcoming authority to dominate the Devil. How awesome is this! When the disciples rejoiced that the demons were subjected to them, Jesus said, Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20).
Some people use this reference to argue that it is wrong to rejoice when demons are subjected in Jesus’ name. But Jesus was not rebuking the disciples because of their joy in casting out demons. To Him, there was nothing greater than defeating the demons on earth, but this was so basic for every Christian. But Jesus was showing that there was a greater joy in Heaven, the joy of being part of the Kingdom of God. Needless to say, the promise of Heaven that Jesus gave is the greatest news. It is a great joy on earth that believers now have the authority to conquer the Devil, the one who had the power of death. When did any of the prophets possess such authority? Did the rich ever dominate the Devil? We now possess what no one has ever dreamed of! Can there be another joy or blessing in this world? People waste so much money looking for the best hospitals when they are struck with a disease. The best hospitals have doctors whose credentials come from over ten years of dedicated studies and experiences. Yet, they do not guarantee complete healing. When a believer obeys God’s commands instead of medicine and rebukes the sickness, the sick is healed. This is impossible without the authority of God. We need to acknowledge and receive this wonderful authority! Glory, life, and truth are all in the word of God. Darkness, death, and lies dominate in the absence of God’s word. Once the word of God appears, all darkness, death, and lies immediately flee. The world initially did not have God’s word. In this world, God created a spiritual being and bestowed His words in him, namely Adam. A spiritual being needs both physical food and “life-giving spirit.”
Jesus said that His words are spirit and life (John 6:63). The Devil became so jealous that he tempted Adam to cut him off from God’s word. When man separated himself from God’s word, he automatically became the Devil’s property. The Devil ruled over man because he was apart from the word of God. Where then is the power to overcome the Devil? Of course, the word of God! The glory, truth, and life exist where the word of God exists. In the presence of God’s word, the Devil cannot display his authority.
What Exists In Us Through Christ Jesus Christ is the Word become flesh. He is the glory, truth, and life! He came into the world to destroy the works of the Devil. He came as the glory and condemned the authority of darkness. He came as the truth and judged the father of lies. He came as life and destroyed the one who had the power of death. Because we are in Christ, His glory, truth, and life also exist in us. If we acknowledge this fact, then demons would definitely flee from us. For example, batteries manufactured from one company properly function in any electronic equipment, wherever they might be installed. In the same way, anyone who has accepted the Son of God possesses the same authority of God. Without acknowledging this amazing truth, no one can use this authority or experience God’s power. We must acknowledge what we have in Christ! “I have God’s glory!” “I possess God’s truth!” “I have God’s life!” We have the glory of God. This glory is not like the created light. Physical light is fast but it would take billions of years for light to travel through space. Yet, God’s glory opens an instant communication between God and us. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:13).
When we pray in Jesus name, the Father receives the glory. This means that our prayers are offered to God through His glory. His glory is the mode of
transportation and communication. If we believe in Jesus, then we would also see the glory of God. This means that we would receive the answers to our prayers through God’s glory. Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40).
Our prayers reach God through His glory; His answers also come through His glory. If we have to rely on physical light as the mode of communication, then it would take billions of years for one answer to come from the throne of God. But we possess the glory of God! So our prayers are offered and answered in an instant. It is amazing that we can possess and use this glory! We also possess the truth of God. Demons are able to deceive people because they have no truth in themselves. The power to overcome their deception is the truth of God. If we have the truth, then we can easily overcome unclean spirits. The fact that we cast out demons show that we are not deceived. If we cannot cast them out, then we are already in deception. We must not be deceived. Our knowledge and understanding of the truth of God is our protection against demon’s deception. God’s life is in us. Death and sickness have to flee from the presence of God’s life. When I pray for the sick, I definitely acknowledge the fullness of His life in me. The signs and wonders manifest when believers acknowledge that the life of God is in them. We must acknowledge this amazing authority! God’s power cannot manifest when we do not acknowledge His authority. Whether people mock and ridicule you, honor the authority in you! Regardless of what others say, respect and esteem the glory, truth, and life of God in you. The Devil fears the truth because he is the father of lies. His armor has been stripped away in the presence of God’s life because he only holds the power of death. The Devil cannot stand before God’s glory because he is only a prince of darkness. Just as the snowman’s greatest fear is the warmth of a sunlight, the Devil cannot stand before the glory, truth, and life of God. We must acknowledge this important revelation!
Our Most Important Response As we study about the Devil, the important thing is not accumulating more information about him. The most important response of a believer is to confess that he has the entrusted authority of the Lord. Everything else will not benefit at all. There once was a woman in Korea who was appointed as the highest minister in the government under the president. However, not one director under her came to greet her even after a week of her appointment. When the minister asked why people were giving her the cold shoulder, she was told that the male cabinet members’ pride was cut. No one wanted to submit to a woman. So the minister quickly called for an official meeting of all the directors. She said, “I am a minister appointed by the president. Though I am a woman, I have dedicated my life and exceeded the work done by many men. If you do not want to welcome me because I am a woman, then submit your letters of resignation. I will gladly accept and put others in your place.” From this point, the directors who stubbornly ignored her started to accept her leadership. When she understood and acknowledged the authority she had, others also submitted themselves to her. The Devil is afraid that we will come to know this authority. He knows that before the truth of God, his lies are exposed. Truth triumphs over lies. Life conquers death. Light conquers darkness. Darkness cannot argue against His glory. Death does not argue with life. Lies cannot fight with the truth. Glory can cast out darkness, but darkness cannot drive out the light. When glory is absent, darkness has absolute power. But when light shines, the darkness automatically dissipates. The Devil can act tough when the Son of God is absent. But before the Son of God, the Devil perishes! The Bible says that the Son of God came to destroy the works of the Devil. The moment we acknowledge the authority that is in us, God’s powers start to manifest. Just as an inexperienced Secretary of State can use her authority once she is appointed, we can use God’s entrusted authority if we acknowledge it. “The Son of God is in me!” “The truth of God is in me!” “The life of God is in me!”
“The glory of God is in me!”