1 Peter 5:8-9 ... Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist
stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are
accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Exhortation: Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
How does the devil destroy an individual?
The devil brings thoughts to our minds. (Also the Holy Spirit brings thoughts to our minds.)
The thoughts brought by the devil will be opposite to the way of God.
The thoughts brought by the Holy Spirit searches the heart of God in each issue of this life to show us what God thinks about that which we are doing or thinking of doing so we can go in the way of God.
John says: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God ... I Jn. 4:1
Please read: How to try the spirits to see if they are of God.
Paul says: 3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; I Cor. 10
We have to know if the idea that came to us is from the Spirit of God or the devil. Sometimes it is obvious. Other times the devil tries to make it seem like God is leading us, sort of a "religious" thought ... We see example of the devil sending "religious" thought to Jesus ... but Jesus knew it was devil imitating spiritual things.
Mt. 4 ... 3And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
I find many people today who followed the voice of devil into the ministry, thinking it was God showing them to do these "good" works. There are a great many religious spirits speaking ideas to the minds of men and women today.
I've had multiple people tell me they want to be ministers. Some actually try to do this but usually they end up begging other humans for money to pay for their works. This is rampant. It fits what Jesus said would happen in end times ... The disciples came to Jesus and ask HIM what would be the sign of the end times and the first thing Jesus told them to look for is the following ... Mt. 24 ... Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
If they were to come saying Buddha is Lord, you would not consider listening to them. Instead they come saying "Jesus is Lord" and many listen because they say this. This is a sign of the end times. Mt. 24
They come doing "many good works" which often seem right.
But Jesus also said following showing us these works were not good although they came professing to us that their works are good ...
Mt. 7 ... Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many 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? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
As new Christians, most of us encountered people (ministers) that we thought were of God but now we know these persons were not of God. As we look back we realize this. God pulls us away from them by His Spirit. Sometimes we recognize them as they twist various scriptures. Sometimes they blatantly do evil works while saying Jesus is Lord.
Certainly if we belong to God, having HIS Spirit, God has a way to make these people known to us.
In 1980, I attended a church in Dallas where there was much evil being done by the pastor. I really loved the pastor. I didn't see the wrong until God gave me the following dream ... In
this dream, I went into a room where a meeting was going on. There was
one vacant seat on the aisle and I sat down and began listening to a
man who was speaking to the group. Another man rushed and went to the front of the room and said, "Stop ... wait ... can't you see ... It's too late! It's already begun."The
first man resumed speaking to the group. I looked out the window and
was shocked at what I saw. There was a tall, civil defense type pole
with a yellow warning speaker on top of the pole. Out of the speaker
was coming a poison gas. I knew it would kill the people and
shockingly the gas was coming from our own speaker which was supposed to
warn us. I looked at the man who was sitting next to me. He was
sitting upright. He had a big smile on his face. He was looking
directly at the speaker in an attentive way. But this man was a corpse. He was dead though he looked alive. Then
I looked at people around the room and they were already dead also.
And as I sat back in my seat, I felt myself falling asleep, dying as I
listened to the speaker.
Several months after receiving this dream, I attended the church group that I had been attending. I looked at the man seated next to me and he seemed "dead", though he looked alive. I looked around the room and the people looked like they were dead although they had big smiles on their face. It was just like the poison gas dream. I got up immediately and went into rest room and began praying. I said to God, "I think you are telling me to leave this church group. I'm going to drive away but if you want me to return I will return." I went to my car and drove away.
After that, God begin showing me various errors in the doctrine being taught us that that church group.
Several months after I left that group, many sins being done by the pastor were even printed in secular newspapers and aired on TV for all to see. It was terrible and very shocking. But it fit Mt. 24 exactly.
The pastor that I loved so much was Robert Tilton. (If you want to read about him, type his name into computer and read the Wickipedia article.)
Please read: Evil from pastors