The Description of Demons

We are looking at the subject of demons, which is a subset of what the Bible teaches about angels. Demons, as we have seen last week, we talked about their reality and their origin, where they came from. So demons, as we saw last week, are originated as good angels. They were created as good angels, and they fell along with Satan and his rebellion against God and became Satan's angels, his angels, or demons. So we've looked at that part of our study of demons. Tonight, we're going to begin probably a two-part, maybe three-part study on the description of demons, and we'll talk about several things in relation to how the Bible describes them. We'll talk about their personality, we'll talk about their properties, and we'll talk about their powers. So we'll begin tonight with the personality of demons, and as we have done before, in our doctrine of the Holy Spirit, what the Bible teaches about the Holy Spirit, what the Bible teaches about angels, good angels, and what the Bible teaches about Satan. When we talk about the personality of these beings, we're not talking about whether or not they have a pleasant personality, outgoing personality, withdrawn type personality. The word personality is not used in that way. We're talking about the fact that they are genuine persons. They are not just forces of nature, either in the physical realm or the psychological realm, and a lot of people believe that demons are just psychological forces. That it's all in people's minds, and there's nothing really to demons as actual personal beings. So we're going to see that the Bible teaches that they are indeed personal beings, just like Satan, just like the angels, and even to some extent, like the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is often thought of also as a force or a power and not a personal being. And so the Bible teaches that all of those beings are personal in nature. Any question about that? What we're talking about before we jump into it. Let's talk about the personality of angels then. The fact that they are personal beings. We're going to begin with the fact that there are parallels in proving that demons are personal beings. There are parallels with the angels personality. The fact that they are personal beings. Since demons are fallen angels, then we would expect there would be a lot of overlap and similarity between what we saw about angels, and what we saw about Satan, and what we would expect to see about demons. There was a lot in common with them. They were all created in the image of God, so they were created as personal beings with intellect, emotion, and will. They had moral responsibility, so just like the good angels, since they were originally created good angels, we would expect that same thing that we saw about angels would carry over to demons. And indeed it does. They were good angels, and so the same things we said about angels, good angels, would apply to demons as well. So we're not going to go back over all of that. What I would like to do is take a few minutes to talk about the particulars of demons' personality as described in the Bible. There are some specific ways to see not just comparing them to good angels and Satan, but some specific ways to see how the Bible addresses demons as personal beings with intellect, emotion, will, and so forth, moral responsibility, all of that. There are at least six ways that we'll put on the screen, and I have to turn around to see that screen since the one in the back is down, and you thought I knew all those verses by heart, didn't you? You just blew my cover. Guys, but there are several ways that demons are described specifically as persons in the Bible. One way is personal pronouns are used of demons, and the story I want us to look at this evening, because we'll draw a lot of information from this story, is in Luke 8. It's the story that we've referenced already several times in our study. The story often referred to as the demoniac of Gaudera, the demon possessed man who dwelt in the tombs, and was just severely oppressed by demons. Now once you've noticed as we read part of the story, the personal pronouns that are used in regard to the demons, verse 26 of Luke 8 says, they sailed to the region of the garrisons or the gatorines that can be translated either way, which is across the lake from Galilee, verse 27. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, what do you want with me, Jesus, son of the most high god? I beg you, don't torture me. For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man, many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon in the solitary places, Jesus asked him, what is your name, Legion? He replied because many demons had gone into him and they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the abyss. Now, the thing that's a little tricky about this story is that, for instance, back in verse 28, when Jesus seized the demon possessed man, the demon possessed man cries out, falls at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, what do you want with me, me as a personal pronoun? Jesus, son of the most high god, I, personal pronoun, I beg you, don't torture me against speaking of a person, and then in verse 30, Jesus asked him, what is your name, personal pronoun, you or you? Now, the tricky thing about this is it really sounds like, well, wait a second, that's not the demon, that's the man, right? Who is speaking? But in reality, it is the demon speaking through him because Jesus is addressing the demon. Jesus is not talking just to the man, he's talking to the demon. It's the demon he's dealing with or demons plural that he's dealing with because he's asking them, what is your name speaking to the demon and the demons respond Legion? There are a lot of them, and so Jesus really is addressing the demon. So the tricky part of this passage is trying to figure out who's really talking here, is it the man or is it the demons speaking through him? Obviously, when they recognize Jesus and ask that question, what do you want with me, Jesus, son of the most high god, when they recognize who he is, there would be no way for this man to look at Jesus and know who he is without having some prior introduction to him or someone explaining to him who these people are that have landed in this territory where Jesus has never ministered before. And so for him to recognize Jesus by name and that he is the son of the most high god, that's the demon speaking through him. So the personal pronouns I think can legitimately be applied to the demons and not just to the man himself. When Jesus is speaking to you and the demons are saying, I and me, that's a conversation with the demons and not just with the man. Okay, any comments or questions about that? Very? Yeah, good point. I mean, these are former good angels. They were in heaven before they fell and knew Jesus there knew the son of god there. Obviously, they didn't know him in his bodily form, but they knew who he was. And in all likelihood, knew of the plan of God to send him to the earth. So yeah, good point. Okay, anything else they certainly do. They do recognize his power. They're very fearful of who he is and what he is capable of doing to them. Aren't they? They're afraid he's going to torment them and remember, Legion means there are probably thousands of these demons. And yet even as a group, they don't have the power to overcome Christ. Yes, yes. Yeah, the torment of hell is real and even a spirit being here recognizes that possibility of torment. Okay, personal pronouns that are used of demons and then secondly, a personal name is used of demons in verse 30. Jesus asked him, what is your name? Legion? He replied because many demons had gone into him again. The man is replying, but it is evidently the demons who are being named as a group. Legion, personal name and then just the idea of speech, the fact that demons can speak in verse 28, they shout at the top of the man, chants at the top of his voice, but then what comes out is clearly the the speech of the demons as they recognize the son of God. And again, in verse 30, when they answer as to what their name is, let's hold your place here and turn back to chapter 4 where we see Luke 4, where we see another story that is even maybe a little more clear that the demons themselves are speaking. Verse 31, Jesus has gone down to cappernum on Sabbath. He taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching because his words had authority and they'll give us 33. In the synagogue, there was a man possessed by a demon and impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, go away. What do you want with notice us? plural, Jesus of Nazareth, have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the holy one of God. Be quiet. Jesus said sternly, come out of him. Now who is Jesus addressing here? Very clear, isn't it? It's very clear he's talking directly to the demon. So it's the demon that has spoken because Jesus says come out of him speaking to the demon and he says to the demon, you be quiet. So it's the demon that obviously has spoken in verse 34. It's very clear from this passage. Let's get down to verse 41. Moreover, demons came out of many people shouting, you are the son of God, but he rebuked them. We would not allow them to speak because they knew he was the Messiah. So obviously again, the demons are the ones shouting, you are the son of God. So demons can speak. They had the ability to speak which indicates their personhood. In fact, they are persons. He questions or comments about that passage or that story. Okay, the fourth evidence in a particular specific way about demons, a personhood in the New Testament is they have intelligence. They knew who Christ was in both of the stories that we've read. They identified who he was. They knew him by name, but they also knew that he was the son of God. And they called him the holy one there in Luke 4. So they know who Jesus is. Another passage that we'll put on the screen indicates the same kind of knowledge in Acts chapter 16. Paul is in Philippi. And as he's ministry in Philippi, he is encountered. He encounters this young lady. Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave. I noticed who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. This is a demon that gave her the ability to predict the future, kind of like a medium of some kind. Fortune teller, that kind of thing. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us shouting, these men are servants of the most high God who are telling you the way to be saved. Now, there are two things about those verses and that encounter that indicate the intelligence of demons. First of all, they were able to give her knowledge, which enabled her to be able to foretell the future. So that obviously indicates demons have intelligence. Now remember demons are not omniscient like God. They don't have all knowledge, but like their master Satan, they've been around a long time. They've seen a lot of human behavior. They can foretell certain things with pretty good degree of accuracy. So that's probably what was happening, but that shows intelligence. And then the fact that they recognize Paul, these men are servants of the most high God who are telling you the way to be saved. Now that's correct information. Paul and Silas were servants of the most high God and they were telling the correct way to be saved. So the demons know that. They know the truth. Now if you remember the rest of the story and even it's indicated here that Paul, we'd have to read a few verses more. Paul casts the demon out of her and does not want the demon talking about who he is. Why? Why would he not want? I mean, what the demon is saying through this one is true. Wouldn't this be a good affirmation for the people in Philippi that Paul really is true servant of God and the way he's telling them to be saved is real. Don't you want that kind of affirmation? What? Not from her, not from a fortune teller. What does that do to the testimony of Paul? Yeah. I think that's the tie and that's what all of you are indicating. You don't want your credentials to be established by Satan. You don't want to be in league with him. You don't want to be seen as doing the same work or on the same team. That would be catastrophic for the purity of the gospel. And so that's why Paul wanted nothing to do with this demon saying who he was and that he was telling the right way of salvation. Even though the information is true, Paul does not want to be linked with demonic forces because what's going to happen when Paul leaves town, then people are going to say, well, you know, they were on the same team. Let's keep going to this lady. And they're still involved in demonism. So that's not that's not a good combination. But the demon did demonstrate intelligence knowledge. Okay. The fifth particular of demons personality is emotion. Back in Luke 8, verse 28, when he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell of his feet shouting at the top of his voice. I mean, this is pure fear shouting at the top of his voice, what do you want with me? Jesus, son of the most high God, I beg you don't torture me. That is strong emotion, isn't it? Emotion of fear. James 2.19, the verse will be on the screen for you. It shows us again the fear that demons have. You believe that there is one God good. Even the demons believe that and shudder. Okay. The demons believe that there's a God. That's that doesn't save anybody to believe in God does not get anybody to heaven. The demons believe in God. So when you're talking to someone about whether or not they're going to heaven and they say, oh, I believe in God. I've always gone straight to this verse and I would encourage you to do the same. For in that's not enough. Even demons believe in God. And they know enough about him to be afraid of him. They know enough about his character, his nature, his judgment, his holiness to shudder because they know what's coming for them someday. So that's fear. Demons, demons fear God in an emotional way, not in a trusting way, but in an emotional way. So demons certainly do have emotion and then six, the demons have will back in the Luke eight story. They appeal to Christ to allow them to enter the swine. That's their desire. That's where they want to go. So that indicates a will that has desires and wants to move a certain direction, but they recognize that they are under his authority. They must obey him. And so they ask permission to go into the hogs. But it does indicate to some degree at least they have a will to choose. They they can recognize options and make choices as to what they want to do. So those are some of the particulars that show demons are not just mental forces. They're not just a figment of our mind that's twisted in some way. These are real personal beings that are spoken of in personal ways with personal pronouns, personal names. They can speak. They have intelligence. They have emotion. They have a will. Okay, comments or questions about the personhood of demons. Okay. Let's talk about their properties, the properties of demons. And again, we're describing them. So these are some descriptive qualifiers in the Bible as to what they are like. We're going to talk about three of them. One of them quite extensively given whatever time we have tonight. We'll get as far as we can. First of all, demons are spirit beings. They are spirit beings just like good angels, just like Satan. They are spirit beings. They are called spirits. We've already seen that, but just to remind you of these verses again, Matthew 816. When evening came, many who were demon possessed were brought to him and he drove out the spirits. So they're demon possessed, but then they're called spirits. So the demons are spirit beings also in Luke chapter 10 when Jesus has sent out his disciples two by two to minister in the villages and goutly. They come back to him and say, Lord, even notice the demons submit to us in your name. Then in verse 20, Jesus says, however, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you. So again, demons are called spirits by Christ. So demons are spirit beings, which means they do not have a body normally by nature. They are spirit beings. Another way we can see that is in Ephesians 6, 12. They're contrasted with flesh and blood. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but contrast against the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world, spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. We've already seen those are the evil angels. So the contrast is with flesh and blood. That's not our enemy. Our enemy is spiritual in nature, spiritual forces of evil. So there are spirit beings, but remember, they are creatures. Although they're spirit beings, they're creatures, which means they're created beings. So that means they are limited in space and time and power. They are not like God. Just because they're spirit being does not mean they can be everywhere at the same time or they have all power or they have existed forever. They are created beings. They were created at a point in time, just like all the other angels were. So they are limited, but they are spirit beings. Okay, that makes sense. How those two go together? Okay, any question? Yes, Gene? So the interesting question, Gene is asking, are they completely controlled by Satan? Do they have any will of their own that they can choose? They do have will, so they can make choices, but they are under the supervision of Satan. He is their king, their prince. He oversees them. How much he controls their actions and their choices is hard to tell. Whether or not that is a complete control or like a ruler that lays down the law and they'll be punished if they don't obey it, but they can choose to if they don't want to. I would think it would be more like that, but they both have the same nature. They both have the same desire to do ultimate evil, so they're pretty much in sync with each other. Okay, the second property of demons that we're going to spend a little bit of time on is that they are morally perverted. Now, the word perverted simply means twisted. That's what that word literally means. So it means they are twisted, which in moral terms means that God wants you to think and act and live in a certain way. And morally, that is turned to where it's the opposite. It's twisted from its original design. And so all evil, whether engineered by Satan or by demons or by our own simple nature, it takes what God has created and God has made and twisted. Twist it for an evil purpose or an evil motive or somehow twists it to do evil. That's what we're talking about by being perverted morally. They are perverted. We're going to see three ways that they are morally perverted. First of all, in their persons, in who they are, they are morally perverted. They are spiritually and morally unclean since their rebellion with Satan. Since they chose, since the time that they chose to rebel with Satan in their very nature, in their very person, they are morally and spiritually unclean. Everything about them is twisted and perverted. They're intellect, their emotions, their will. And so when you see a person that is what we would call demon possessed and we'll get into that, what that's all about a little bit later in our study, when you see a person that is oppressed or controlled by demons, their personalities controlled by demons, one of the evidences of that is they will be morally perverted in every part of their being. They're intellect, all they can do is think evil. They twist everything to evil. No matter what it is, no matter what is said, no matter what is being talked about, they have an almost infinite capacity to twist it to evil. That's a characteristic of demons. They also are perverted in their emotion. They rejoice and find great pleasure in things that are morally bankrupt and evil. And they hate things that are morally good. That's evidence of demonic influence at the least and maybe even control and possession. Their will, their choices are always bent toward evil. Now obviously we have a lot of that in us without any satanic or demonic influence because of our fallen nature. But demons, their whole nature is shot full of that. And so that is by nature, their their bit, 100% is to be morally twisted. Now there are lots of evidences of that in scripture. First of all, they are called in Ephesians 6, 12 will bring that verse up again. They are called powers of darkness and spiritual forces in the evil realms, powers of this dark world or darkness and spiritual forces of evil. So by their very nature, they are twisted and bent toward evil purposes and thoughts and emotions and choices. They are also called many times in the Bible, unclean or impure spirits indicating their spirit beings, but at core they are impure, unclean, depending on which translation you have. Again, just look at these verses quickly. We have looked at most of them before. Mark, Matthew 10, 1, Jesus called his 12 disciples to him, gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and then Mark 1, 23, same thing. And there's synagogue who is possessed by an impure or unclean spirit. Then Luke 11, 24, when an impure spirit comes out of a person that goes through arid places seeking rest does not find it. Then it says, I will return to the house I left. The word impure or in some translations, unclean spirit, the idea is by nature, through and through. They are morally perverted, simple, evil. They are also literally called evil spirits, Luke 7, 21. At that very time, Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits. So unclean, impure, evil spirits, their spirit beings who are characterized by everything that is impure, unclean, simple. Now, that is often manifested in morally depraved behavior on the part of those who are influenced by demons. The emphasis in demon possession is moral impurity, moral uncleanness, moral perversion. Now, little spoiler alert here, little clue here, the more and more you read in the news about what God created to be pure sexuality between husband and wife, the more you find that being twisted, the more morally unclean and impure our society becomes. It is an evidence that Satan is really getting his program done. And the influence and oppression of demons in our culture is growing. I don't say that is some kind of mystic or alarmist. It's just clear from scriptures, the way scriptures describe demonic oppression, it is clearly manifested in human behavior in moral depravity. In the kinds of things you read in Romans chapter 1. So when you see that more and more in our culture and being accepted more and more, it is just a sign that demons are in control, at least of that particular ideology and those particular folks who express life in that way. In their persons, they are morally perverted demons are. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying every person that struggles with homosexual desires or leanings is demon possessed. It's not that clear an equation. But I am saying that as moral perversion becomes more pervasive, that it does demonstrate an increase in demonic activity. I'm convinced of that. I met with a pastor yesterday who is experiencing severe spiritual attack in his own family. He is convinced it is the attacks of demons on his ministry and on his own family. This is very real. As we talked about this and so forth, it's scary. It's especially scary when it's your own family that is under attack. But it's very real. Yes, it is. It's not just an attack on people. It's really more the framing of a worldview, a way of looking at life so that you interpret life differently than what the Bible teaches. You interpret human sexuality in a perverted twisted way and think that's right, that's okay, that's normal. That's what Satan wants because if he's captured your mind, then everything else goes. It's not just, yeah, it's a good point Bill, it's not just him controlling behavior or influencing people. He's after the mind. He's after people's mind the way they think. And that's the scary part that more and more our culture is becoming so conditioned toward immorality to accept it as normal and as appropriate behavior. And it shows a twisted thinking really does. Okay, they are morally perverted in their persons. Secondly, demons are morally perverted in their doctrine. They very clearly and powerfully promote Satan's system of lies and calls people to turn their back on the word of God. We're going to look at a couple of passages. These are a little too extensive to deal with on the screen. So we're going to look at first Timothy chapter four, look at first Timothy chapter four verses one through three. And you'll see that doctrinal twisting of the scriptures, doctrinal perversion is also motivated by demons, first Timothy four verse one. The spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and notice and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. This is doctrinal truth. These are ideas that purport to be biblical ideas, but they have forsaken the truth of God's word. Paul says these are teachings that are promoted by deceiving spirits and they are things taught by demons. Verse two, such teachings come through hypocritical liars whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. Okay, these are the human instruments that are used to promote this false teaching. They are hypocritical liars. In other words, they promote themselves to be people of God. They claim to be religious teachers and yet they're really tools of Satan and of his demons. So that's the hypocrisy of it and that's the lie behind it. To claim to be doing something for God, but deny his word, twist his word, that's demonic. Okay, so he goes on to give some examples in that day, verse three, they forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. Everything God created is good. Nothing is going to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving because it is consecrated by the word gun prayer. Paul is addressing a particular false teaching that was common toward the end of the New Testament era and it developed even more into the second century and became known as Nosticism, which basically grew out of Greek philosophy. It was the idea that the human body and all of its desires are wicked and evil. It came straight out of Plato. Plato's dualism was the Greek philosophy behind it. Everything physical and material is evil. So only that which is spiritual is good. So the body is evil. It's desires are evil. So the only way to reach God, the only way to get to heaven is by denying yourself. Go live in a cave somewhere. He's addressing an early form of that kind of teaching that was already in place when he wrote to Timothy. It's a system of lies. It is false teaching which promotes itself as spirituality, promotes itself as the way to God, and basically every religion, major world religion, teaches some form of the same kind of thing. That you in some form of self denial and following certain steps to work your way into some level of spirituality, you can get to heaven and be like God. That's what basically every other world religion teaches some form of this kind of combination of self denial and elevating yourself to a spiritual realm. Paul says it is deceiving spirits and truths taught by demons or doctrines taught by demons. Well, look at 1 John 4. John talks about this also in his first epistle, 1 John chapter 4. In much the same way that Paul does, 1 John 4, 1, difference do not believe every spirit. But test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. The same spirit that will find its ultimate culmination and expression in the literal Antichrist and the Tribulation. That same spirit was already at work at the end of the first century when John wrote this letter. And it's at work through false prophets, false teachers. And John, Paul addressed more of the behavior side of it and what is taught about denying certain practices and teaching works to get you to heaven. By the time John wrote some 30 years after Paul wrote first Timothy, the real defining doctrinal characteristic of this kind of cultic teaching was the denial that Jesus had actually come in a human body. Now remember what I mentioned about Plato's philosophy, all that is material and bodily is evil. So these people began to teach. Certainly the Son of God could not have been in a human body, human body is evil. God cannot contaminate himself in that way. So they did not believe that Jesus was human. And that's why the first heresy in Bible times about the doctrine of Christ was not to deny his deity but to deny his humanity. And that's why John says every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. See that was the issue in that day, not the deity of Christ but the humanity of Christ. And they taught that Jesus could not have had a real human body. He was just an apparition of some kind. And he did not really have a human body. So that that John says is a part of the false teaching. Now those kinds of things have been twisted and turned different ways down through the centuries, but every major false religion and cult deviates from the scriptures on the person and work of Christ. That is the critical issue. And every one of them will depart from the true teaching of the scriptures about Christ. And so that's really the hallmark sign of a culture of false religion. Okay, so basically John says also test the spirits, the way you test them is by the word of God and what they believe about Christ because not every spirit is a good spirit. There are some evil spirits out there that are teaching doctrine. Now those are demons that are behind this kind of teaching. Let's look at this real quick before we go. Second Peter chapter two. What does look real quick at Peter's description of false teachers and it is clear that there is demonic influence involved. Just in the way that he describes it after you see what we saw in first Timothy in first John. This is going to sound very familiar. So this comes from those evil spirits just to pick out a few verses here. It's a long description of false teachers. Second Peter to verse two. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into this repute. So a combination of immoral perverted behavior along with false teaching. Okay, that sounds familiar, doesn't it? Paul dealt with the impure behavior side of it. John with more of the false teaching side of it. Look at verse three. In their greed, these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them and their destruction has not been sleeping. Notice that in verse 10. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings. So combination of immoral behavior, lifestyle and false teaching, false doctrine is true in these false teachers. Verse 13. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to corrals in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. In other words, while they come to your love feast, your fellowship meals, they claim to be Christians, but they're living in immoral behavior all the time. All the while. Verse 14. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning. They seduce the unstable. Their experts in greed and a cursed brood. And in verse 18. This final description. They mouth empty, boastful words. And by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. So it's clear that this combination of immoral behavior, perverted moral, moral behavior and false teaching is exactly what the New Testament describes as both the behavior, the nature and the teaching of demons. And so these false teachers, even though it's not specifically mentioned, they're controlled by demons. They fit all the earmarks. They meet all the characteristics. So demons are morally perverted in their persons and in their doctrine. We'll look next time at their perversion in their conduct. And then we'll talk a little bit more about what kind of beings they are. Questions or comments before we close? All right. Well, let's pray. Father, this is in many ways a difficult subject to deal with. It's dark. It is unclean. And we know that even in talking about these impure unclean spirits and their teaching, we must be careful not to be drawn to what they teach as a moth would be to the flame. Help us not to be in any way drawn to the behavior or the teaching of evil spirits. Help us to maintain our focus upon you and upon the blessed knowledge that we have of our Savior, the Lord Jesus. Keep us close to yourself. Keep us from evil. Keep us from being a bloc on the testimony of Christ. We ask in Jesus name, amen.