Demonology 301 (Part 1)

Speaker 20:08

Are you interested in angels, demons, ghosts, spirits, and monsters? Are you curious about their origins, influence, <span data-t="20.

6">and how to protect against the unknown? If so, then welcome to Southern Demonology, the podcast that explores <span data-t="31.

0">all of this and more.

Speaker 30:36

Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Wandering Road Podcast. I'm your host, Chris, and <span data-t="42.

3">joining me today is JJ from the Southern Demonology Pod. Alongside JJ, we have a couple of special <span data-t="48.

9">guests with us, Father Michael Birdsong and his son, Deacon Josh. And for today's show, we're going back <span data-t="56.

0">to school for Demonology 301, where we're gonna discuss the concept of free will and the demonic. How <span data-t="65.

0">does the demonic influence our free will to do bad things? How y'all doing today, gentlemen? Doing great.

Speaker 21:12

Yeah, doing good. Actually, I wanted to frame the conversation if you don't mind a little bit. Absolutely.

Oh, I do mind. Okay, I don't care. I want to do it anyway. So, my initial supposition <span data-t="86.

5">for because Chris and I were talking about oh, hey, we've got some time this weekend. Should we <span data-t="93.

9">do an episode? And so we started battering around what we wanted to talk about, and I proposed <span data-t="102.

8">this topic mainly for a very selfish reason. And the reason is is that we have I have <span data-t="114.

1">talked ad nausea about free will being not in absolute but a protection against the intrusions of <span data-t="128.

1">the demonic, ways that they can get around that, yes, but it's still there. And the question I <span data-t="137.

0">have always had and have not been able to answer is why is that the case? The Bible <span data-t="145.

8">does not talk about free will, it does tangentially, but there's no words that directly correlate to that.

Now, there's a lot of things that come afterwards, whether it would be through rabbinical debates <span data-t="163.

0">or through the council of Trent, among others, but there's nothing that's directly mentioned, so I've always <span data-t="172.

2">been curious about the origins and how this works, and that's why I wanted to get Father Mike <span data-t="180.

2">and Deacon Josh into the conversation as well, because they can have some great insights into this, <span data-t="187.

9">and then I want to follow that up with some readings from hostage to the devil. Also, I <span data-t="197.

1">may have been thinking about this in the wrong way.

Speaker 13:20

Well, if you guys don't mind, and and I really truly do not want to take over <span data-t="207.

7">the show, but take away, take away. Well, when when I got the invite earlier in the week, <span data-t="215.

2">I immediately went to prayer, and because it is a subject that we're not only discussing on <span data-t="222.

8">here today, but JJ U and I are discussing, and I'm actually having classes at the church uh <span data-t="230.

9">once a month for this purpose, and uh it's just I believe it's very, very important, but only <span data-t="237.

5">subject to free will. I'm so glad that you brought that up. And if you don't mind, I <span data-t="243.

8">have I have just a few scriptures that I would like to read to you both and Joshua <span data-t="249.

8">as well, to kind of spur this conversation on, because I believe it's very important, and I <span data-t="256.

4">believe that our Lord laid it upon JJ's heart to talk about this for such a time as <span data-t="263.

1">this, because the enemy, whether we realize it or not, but I'm sure you guys have noticed, is <span data-t="270.

5">right in your face now. There's no more hiding, if you will. It is there, it's in your <span data-t="277.

3">face, and it's like, challenge me if you dare. And so, but if he gave us a will <span data-t="337.

5">to do our best to honor him and to love him and respect him and to worship him, <span data-t="343.

7">God is being glorified in that, and Christ is being first served in that. So God gave us <span data-t="351.

2">that free will, if you will, to love him and to follow that first and greatest commandment, to <span data-t="359.

0">love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and <span data-t="362.

4">with all your strength. And plus, not to forget the second one in which all the law and <span data-t="367.

3">the prophets hang on, you know. Love your neighbor as yourself. Christ said, On these two hang <span data-t="373.

8">all the law and the prophets. And that's what I want you to get into your heart before <span data-t="380.

6">I even begin to read this. But listen very closely, and I will make this very brief, but <span data-t="387.

4">I entitled this little short couple of pages as considering the cost or my will to accept the <span data-t="396.

3">cost. Because when it comes to free will, there's two things there's a choice and there's a <span data-t="402.

4">consequence, and you have to be willing to partake of the cup of Christ when you go down <span data-t="410.

6">this road, and I think that's very important. But Philippians chapter 1, verses 29 and 30, it <span data-t="416.

8">says this for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in <span data-t="423.

4">him, but here we go, guys, but also to suffer for his sake. I want that word suffer <span data-t="430.

3">to break into your heart for just a moment. Continuing having the same conflict, there's another key word.

Number one was to suffer, and now, number two, we see the word conflict, which you saw <span data-t="443.

7">in me and now hear in me. And in our free will, we have a choice to make, <span data-t="449.

8">and each one of us will make it. I don't care who you are, where you are, what <span data-t="456.

1">you're doing, you are going to make this choice to be with God or not. And both of <span data-t="465.

8">those decisions, if you will, when it comes to free will, they both have a temporal and eternal <span data-t="475.

4">consequence. In other words, if your free will is, I'm gonna follow God with the best of what <span data-t="481.

0">I got, you know. I mean, that's kind of like Christ on the cross when he said, Father, <span data-t="485.

5">forgive them, for they know not what they do. If you want me to break that down in <span data-t="490.

3">southern redneck English, is Father forgive them because they're doing the best they can, you know. But <span data-t="497.

2">but they're there, no matter what choice you make, either for the kingdom of God or the kingdom <span data-t="503.

7">of hell, both of them have a temporal and eternal contact. In other words, a right now and <span data-t="509.

4">then forever where you are, but the choice is yours, and one way can give that instant <span data-t="517.

9">gratification, if you will, but the other may or can give instant suffering. And when it comes <span data-t="526.

3">to the things of the kingdom of God, we must ask ourselves this question, JJ. Are we willing <span data-t="533.

1">to fulfill the last beatitude from the Sermon on the Mount? What is that last beatitude? I'm <span data-t="540.

7">glad you asked because I got because I got the answer right here. In Matthew, in Matthew <span data-t="546.

4">chapter 5, 11 and 12, it says this blessed are you when they revile and persecute you. I <span data-t="554.

4">could stop right there and say, All of you know, sometimes when I choose the right decision, it <span data-t="561.

7">still bites me in the ass. Would you agree? Dear Lord, yes. Exactly. So he says, Blessed are <span data-t="568.

1">you when they revile and persecute you and say all kind of evil against you falsely for my <span data-t="575.

0">sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Now that part really upsets me because when I'm being persecuted <span data-t="583.

8">and I'm going through these trials and tribulations, and I and somebody's done got on my last nerve.

The last thing I want to do is rejoice about it, JJ. But he goes on to <span data-t="594.

2">say, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

And so there we have to we have to make that decision, unfortunately, out of time, that <span data-t="610.

2">the choice has to be made, whether you realize it or not. And that affects our free will. <span data-t="616.

5">And there's only one circumstance that I can think of that affects free will, and it's the one <span data-t="623.

1">and only choice, the choice that we will make concerning our soul. That's what it boils down to.

When it comes to free will and and making that choice, whatever we decide is going to <span data-t="636.

7">affect our immortal soul. How can you say that, Mike? Once again, I'm glad you asked. Because <span data-t="644.

4">in Deuteronomy chapter 30, verse 19, it says, I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against <span data-t="654.

5">you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and cursings. And then, and then <span data-t="663.

0">Chris, God gives us the doggone answer. Therefore, choose life that both of you and your descendants <span data-t="672.

2">may live. The same thing, the same concept is spoken by our Lord in Saint Matthew when he <span data-t="681.

3">says, But Jesus answered, You do not know what you ask. The disciples came to him and was <span data-t="687.

3">wanting to be with him and wanting to be by side and wanting to be all this with Jesus.

And Jesus is telling the disciple, You don't even know what you're asking, bud. And then he <span data-t="698.

5">says, Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink and be baptized with <span data-t="704.

2">a baptism that I am being baptized with? They said to him, as each one of us would <span data-t="710.

8">say right now, if we were standing before Christ, we would definitely say we're able, because we <span data-t="717.

9">think we are. But I'm gonna I'm gonna stop there on my part, and and it may open <span data-t="723.

7">up to where I can share more in a few minutes. But I just wanted to bring that <span data-t="728.

3">in, that in our free will, and I think that's kind of like what JJ was saying in <span data-t="733.

8">the beginning, and what God was really trying to show JJ. Yes, we have free will, but you <span data-t="740.

6">know what? You got to be careful sometimes what you ask, and you have to ask yourself, am <span data-t="745.

3">I willing to count the cost to say yes all the way? Because there is consequences. We're we're <span data-t="753.

3">opening our in our saying yes to the Lord, we're actually also opening ourselves up to the <span data-t="763.

0">infernal for a greater level. However, God is faithful to strengthen us because when I find myself <span data-t="771.

3">weak, when I find myself that I can't do it, and I realize that I've been trying to <span data-t="776.

7">fight demons in my own strength and wind up in a damn wheelchair, all of a sudden think, <span data-t="782.

7">well, wait a minute, I'm trying to do this on my own. And so, me knowing that I <span data-t="787.

4">have a choice to make, I can say, okay, I continue to try to do this on my <span data-t="791.

8">own, or I trust God that He'll keep me through the suffering, even until the point to where <span data-t="798.

3">I've opened myself up so much that if I'm in the middle of an exorcism, we don't give up.

But even into the point to where the thing may try to take over me, I got <span data-t="809.

8">to know that I know that I know that when I'm weak, and from that free choice that <span data-t="815.

3">I made, that Christ is in me and strengthens me to battle. Even even the one that is <span data-t="822.

3">possessed, they can in the middle say, choose Christ. Does that does that automatically mean that all <span data-t="829.

2">of a sudden everything's going to be okay and there's not going to be any more battles? Of <span data-t="834.

4">course not. It may drive up a couple of notches between the person exor the person that is <span data-t="841.

0">possessed and the exorcism. Because with following Christ, there's a cost, there's a temporal cost, but the <span data-t="849.

1">eternal cost is so well worth it. It's so well worth it. So I'm gonna back off here. <span data-t="856.

2">I got a page and a half left if we get to it, but we don't have to, <span data-t="860.

3">but I'm gonna back off here, and I think I probably spurred a good conversation.

Speaker 214:25

Father Mike, I got two things to say first. First, you are an army of rhetorical questions, <span data-t="871.

9">and I love it. And the second is, and this is a lot more personal for me, but <span data-t="878.

4">when I was watching your video feed as you were talking, especially when you're at the part <span data-t="885.

8">where you're talking about the physical challenges and how you can do it. I swear to God, I <span data-t="893.

7">saw my uncle, who was like a dad to me, speaking. Your eyes were the exact same. Well, <span data-t="902.

5">it I almost bust out in tears just right then and there. Because it was it for a <span data-t="908.

2">moment, and only for a moment, the resemblance was uncanny. And I swear I was seeing my uncle <span data-t="914.

6">speak to through you. Anyway, sorry.

Speaker 115:17

Well, one one thing that I will say to you, JJ and Chris, guys, I know you're <span data-t="923.

0">a man, but never hide your emotions. Don't ever do it, don't hide them because they're a great <span data-t="929.

0">tool and they show the heart of man.

Speaker 215:31

You know how it is in the South. You can always hide.

Speaker 115:35

Oh, yeah, we're we're taught to suck it up.

Speaker 315:38

Yeah, I know. Yeah, I come from a Caribbean household, so I know that all too well.

Speaker 115:43

Absolutely, yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 215:45

Chris and I often share TikToks going over how the the concept of being a man overrides <span data-t="954.

1">everything else.

Speaker 315:55

Gentlemen, the reason that JJ and I we picked this topic, and Father Mike, thank you for <span data-t="961.

8">sharing your thoughts there earlier. We really appreciate that. I think that had to be said, you <span data-t="967.

7">know, because a lot of folks like to ask, well, the question of like free will is a <span data-t="972.

6">free will, how is that explained? How can it be affected? So that uh I think is helpful <span data-t="979.

1">for folks to get a better understanding. But when it comes to free will and the infernal, the <span data-t="985.

8">demonic will folks will use those words interchangeably throughout the show, possibly. My question is well, it's <span data-t="993.

6">it's a question, and also I view it in I like to use this analogy of let's say <span data-t="1001.

8">you're walking down the street and you see like a billboard or someone advertising like a gentleman's <span data-t="1009.

9">club, and they're like, Okay, I'm really interested in this, but you know deep down inside, like <span data-t="1015.

7">what's really going on in there, right? That's not necessarily like if you choose to go, you're <span data-t="1022.

6">not really being your free will is not being like directly, you're not being directly controlled to <span data-t="1028.

3">go, you're actually making the choice, but yes, you're being nudged in a particular direction, and that's <span data-t="1035.

7">how I view and correct me if I'm wrong, Father Mike, because you actually have done battle <span data-t="1041.

7">with the enemy of how they influence people.

Speaker 117:25

Right. There's a there's a very distinct separation when it comes to affecting someone's free will <span data-t="1055.

5">versus affecting the sins of the flesh. And I believe it's in the uh the first letter <span data-t="1063.

4">to the Corinthians. I don't know, it may, it may be the second, but Saint Paul is <span data-t="1068.

8">is talking about that, and he he warns us that the temptations, if you will, let's let's <span data-t="1078.

2">get the word uh free will out for just a moment and let's talk let's talk about <span data-t="1084.

1">the flesh of man and the soul of man. We have to understand that we have been <span data-t="1090.

7">affected from creation, especially in the Psalms, we read that we were we were born into sin. <span data-t="1099.

3">In other words, we were born into original sin that took place with Adam and Eve. We <span data-t="1107.

6">have to remember that and that free will, uh, as I said before, it uh or that <span data-t="1115.

4">uh excuse me, that state of uh sin that we're in, original sin that we're in, affects <span data-t="1122.

9">the uh the flesh versus the things of the spirit. And Saint Paul, he's very faithful to <span data-t="1131.

0">list those things, Josh. If you will look it up, the just just Google works of the flesh.

And those are the things that naturally and in our in our sin nature that affects <span data-t="1147.

5">us in some ways to make a decision to sin. I know that don't make sense right <span data-t="1154.

1">now, but as soon as Josh finds this, it will. And so that is continuously in battle, <span data-t="1160.

7">the works of the flesh that is in our soul, is continuously in a battle of the <span data-t="1168.

2">things of the spirit. And if you continue on in that, in those verses, he spells it out.

Okay, here's the works of the spirit, and what he means by that, the spirit of <span data-t="1179.

8">righteousness that comes from Christ, versus the things of the flesh of man or the the spirit <span data-t="1191.

7">of man itself that's in original sin. But Josh, do you have that up yet?

Speaker 419:57

Yeah, I do.

Speaker 119:58

Read that and let the guys continue on with that. But this is the works of the <span data-t="1204.

2">flesh versus the works of the spirit, and you can't you can't in this, JJ, say, of <span data-t="1213.

8">course, there is a free will, but as we've talked about before, there's there's a difference that <span data-t="1219.

8">the term free will is taken out of the concept. When it comes to we have free <span data-t="1225.

9">will, most of the time it is tied to a major life decision. So we have free <span data-t="1236.

2">will in our daily actions. However, I want to say in my own ignorant way, because I <span data-t="1244.

6">don't have the answers, there's there's a difference or there's a level of difference that we use <span data-t="1251.

9">in free will. I can uh case in point, I'm faced with a decision to where I <span data-t="1259.

4">can have everything good right now and enjoy my life and the quality and the the quantity <span data-t="1267.

0">of life, even, versus I just die right now. And those are the things that when it <span data-t="1275.

0">comes to the quote unquote the demonic, that's the level of free will that we're talking about. <span data-t="1281.

6">But it it does stem from this root, and we have to understand that. Josh, go ahead <span data-t="1288.

1">and read that while I put some liquid on my vocal cords.

Speaker 421:32

Right? It's actually in the book of Galatians. That's it, that's it. Now the works of <span data-t="1297.

8">the plash are evidence of sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of <span data-t="1307.

6">anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these, I warn you, as I <span data-t="1317.

0">warned you before, that those who do such things will not. At the kingdom of God. But <span data-t="1321.

8">the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against <span data-t="1330.

1">such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh <span data-t="1335.

4">with his passions and desires.

Speaker 122:17

Alright, so so with that being said, we can see where the line has been drawn, so <span data-t="1344.

2">to speak. So then we have to we have to make a choice. And the easy choice to <span data-t="1351.

2">where we don't have to fight any battles, JJ, is to continue in our nature, our original <span data-t="1360.

9">nature, so to speak, in the works of the flesh. If it feels good, do it. In <span data-t="1366.

6">other words, eat, drink, and be merry. You know what I'm talking about? However, on the spiritual <span data-t="1372.

9">side of those things, there's a price to pay in doing so. And that also affects our <span data-t="1380.

6">free will, so to speak. That I'm gonna follow the straight and narrow road. I'm gonna go <span data-t="1387.

8">the road to where it was easier for a camel to enter into the eye of the <span data-t="1393.

8">needle, so to speak. And but anyway, I can see behind the H JJ's wheels are turning. <span data-t="1403.

6">So I'm gonna back off on that.

Speaker 223:26

I was wanting to bring in little Malachi Martin.

Speaker 123:30

Oh, yes, absolutely.

Speaker 223:33

Because I have been rereading the appendices to hostage of the devil.

Speaker 123:41

Awesome.

Speaker 223:41

Where he brings in a lot of the theology behind the uh this idea. Because in, for <span data-t="1430.

9">example, if you go and look up free will and the Wikipedia, then you'll only get the <span data-t="1441.

6">really kind of pat answer. Well, really, the Bible doesn't talk about it, and it was instead <span data-t="1448.

6">introduced probably through stoicism.

Speaker 124:12

A very, yes, a very clouded explanation. I got you.

Speaker 224:16

And I'm like, okay, that doesn't really answer anything. So I started to cast my net wider.

And this is what Martin, a few of the things Martin has to say on it. God's <span data-t="1472.

0">decision to create intelligent beings, humans and spirits, free to love him and free to reject him, <span data-t="1479.

6">was intimately linked with his decision to become a human being.

Speaker 124:45

Yes, yes.

Speaker 224:46

But in speaking of that decision of God, we have to make the distinction between the <span data-t="1492.

6">way we understand we talk about it and how God made and implements it. Our understanding of <span data-t="1500.

6">and speech about this decision is a step-by-step process. First, creation of the spirits, then their <span data-t="1510.

0">rebellion, then the creation of mankind, then mankind's revolt, then the conception and birth of Jesus, <span data-t="1519.

4">then the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus and the consequent salvation of mankind. Then the life of <span data-t="1528.

6">men and women beset by those spirits who revolted. We have to think of this in our <span data-t="1535.

0">way, but that is our limitation.

Speaker 125:38

JJ, you're my hero.

Speaker 225:40

I don't know about that, but uh and he continues for God, there was and is no <span data-t="1546.

3">step-by-step process. He did not, as it were, first decide to create the spirits, then afterthought to <span data-t="1553.

0">create humans, and then on further reflection to become a man. Creation did not proceed like topsy, <span data-t="1560.

4">it was one decision englobing spirits, humans, and God made man. It was a decision not made <span data-t="1569.

7">at any given point in time, but in eternity. God was never without decision, and this means <span data-t="1577.

2">that his decision was integral in cause and effect from the start. He his view of what <span data-t="1583.

2">everyone would do at any given moment was identical with his view of what everyone did, does, <span data-t="1589.

8">and will do until the end of all time and space. That view was complete always, and <span data-t="1597.

5">every detail of the decision was taken integrally and wholly from eternity in view of every possible <span data-t="1605.

8">human action and reaction and result.

Speaker 126:49

I like that very much. To me, it is kind of straight and to the point that <span data-t="1616.

2">you have to come to a place to I'm gonna say a place of understanding. Would that <span data-t="1621.

4">be right, JJ? Yes. Those of you that know me, I always go back to the scripture. <span data-t="1627.

2">But while JJ was reading that, I was reminded of the minor prophet Hosea, chapter four, verse <span data-t="1635.

5">six, I believe. He says, he says, speaking of the Lord, my people are being destroyed for <span data-t="1643.

0">a lack of knowledge. Now we can stop right there or we can go forward. But going <span data-t="1649.

7">forward, it gives you the reason why that my people have rejected the knowledge, and that goes <span data-t="1656.

4">right back to the I'm gonna say the ever so innocently, but the nature of free will, <span data-t="1664.

2">because sometimes I think that we get so wrapped up in things that we don't even really <span data-t="1670.

1">understand at times the decisions that we are making. We just do it on the fly. I've <span data-t="1677.

2">said this many times, JJ. If you remember the way conversations go these days, that we are <span data-t="1685.

0">truly not listening. We're listening to give an answer, and we're not listening to understand. Does that <span data-t="1691.

9">make sense?

Speaker 228:12

It plays hand in hand with what Alistair McIntyre, a famous philosopher from Vanderbilt, would often <span data-t="1701.

4">say, we have forgotten how to have moral conversations.

Speaker 128:27

Exactly, exactly. And I would dare say, JJ and Chris, that when it comes to this type <span data-t="1716.

5">of listening, even into this type of conversations that people have, we our free will at that <span data-t="1725.

4">time is to is to listen to give an answer and yet not really care. Or are we <span data-t="1731.

0">listening to make a difference and even listening to strengthen our own self of what is going on?

And so when it comes to the free will of man and the infernal, sometimes we're <span data-t="1748.

1">hearing it and making a decision, but not really hearing it to understand what really is going on.

You know what I'm saying?

Speaker 229:16

Yeah, let me actually reframe rephrase that into our current situation. Please do. So Chris and <span data-t="1766.

2">I, we run actually, all of us here, we run podcasts, we have conversations to hopefully have <span data-t="1775.

7">entertaining and educational things to put out to show people, you know, to maybe educate them, to <span data-t="1784.

3">maybe make them laugh along the way and think, etc. Absolutely. You know, that could be the <span data-t="1791.

0">end all be all. Oh, we want to just get some content out there, we want to <span data-t="1796.

5">have some fun while we're doing it, and yeah, on on the surface level, that may be <span data-t="1801.

2">true, but I approach this very differently from most other types of conversations that I may have. <span data-t="1811.

9">Yes, and that is it almost felt like this entire day has been one of going to <span data-t="1821.

6">church in the sense that I spent the morning in research, contemplation, in prayer, and then I <span data-t="1832.

6">came to this conversation as one amongst peers and friends and brothers to not to try not <span data-t="1844.

3">only to answer a vital question, one that has been buzzing around in my head for a <span data-t="1851.

6">number of years, but to take inspiration from and to learn from each one of you, and <span data-t="1859.

3">that is the kind of choice. Do you want to go through life fulfilling the superficial, or <span data-t="1868.

2">do you want to dig deeper? And I think that's where the genius of Malachi Martin kind <span data-t="1876.

2">of comes into play. Yeah, because when I was reading the these appendices, the hostage of the <span data-t="1882.

9">devil, he did not couch it in terms of free will, rather, he framed the conversation in <span data-t="1892.

6">the sense of the thing that makes us human, our humanness is really all about the nature <span data-t="1904.

5">of Christ. Yes, the closer that we are to being human, the closer we are in the <span data-t="1912.

8">spirit of God, and then he directly contrasts that to the enemy. And I'm go, I'm gonna <span data-t="1920.

8">read one more piece here if you don't mind. Yes, I've actually got a few, but please <span data-t="1925.

6">do rebutting those who harassed him on the streets of Jerusalem and who reviled him as an <span data-t="1933.

6">evil man, Jesus said fiercely, You belong to your father, Satan, and you are eager to gratify <span data-t="1942.

2">the appetites which are your fathers. He from the beginning was a murderer, and as for truth, <span data-t="1950.

5">he has never taken his stand on it. When he utters falsehood, he is only doing what <span data-t="1957.

8">is natural to him, he is all false, and it was he who gave birth to falsehood. <span data-t="1968.

0">Yes, and on the lips, and he goes on further to say that the term murderer doesn't <span data-t="1974.

8">have that kind of legalistic sense that we have now, but rather it's more of a connotation <span data-t="1980.

7">of our blasphemy and desecration, and you know, he then goes on to say that the second <span data-t="1986.

7">aspect of Lucifer's rebellion was one of falsehood. Again, on the lips of Jesus, this word referred <span data-t="1993.

8">not so much as lying by words to fibbing as to what we would call pretense, deception, <span data-t="2000.

1">and false claims. The emphasis of Jesus is quite clear. Lucifer was and is the originator of <span data-t="2008.

2">all blasphemy and deception in the universe of spirit, which God has created, to the point that <span data-t="2015.

0">which all those who practice deception and who commit the ultimate blasphemy are merely reproducing Lucifer's <span data-t="2023.

0">appetites for falsehood and blasphemy in some mysterious way. They all share in and augment Lucifer's <span data-t="2031.

3">falsehood and blasphemy. You belong to your father, Satan.

Speaker 133:55

That's very good. Very good.

Speaker 233:57

So, in essence, we are kind of just like the the echoes that you know, if you <span data-t="2045.

5">follow the good path, then you are echoing our you're reaffirming our humanness by echoing and mirroring <span data-t="2054.

1">Christ. And if you do the opposite, then you are embracing the evil, right?

Speaker 334:20

Yeah, that yeah, that makes sense. Well, I spent my morning at the gun range, so I <span data-t="2065.

6">don't know what's what this says about me.

Speaker 134:28

Hey, that's you say gunnery, that's a good place to be, my man. Yeah, right up my <span data-t="2075.

7">alley.

Speaker 334:36

Yep, yep. We were at the we're at shooting off some rounds at the range this morning. <span data-t="2080.

7">That's how I spent my morning preparing for today. So I don't know what that says about me.

Speaker 234:45

Well, I was also watching anime, so it's not like it was all pure and holy things.

Speaker 134:51

Well, you can you can say, Chris, that you spent your morning getting prepared for spiritual <span data-t="2097.

4">warfare, so that's why you went to the armory, right?

Speaker 335:00

Yeah, that's the good way of putting it.

Speaker 135:02

If uh if uh you don't mind, I want to echo real quickly on what JJ's brought, <span data-t="2107.

6">and sure, sure it can it can shorten everything up real quickly, but when when the rubber <span data-t="2115.

0">meets the road, as we say in the south, each and every one of us is in a <span data-t="2119.

8">spiritual battle, whether we realize it or not. Would you agree with that, JJ? Yes, we are <span data-t="2125.

1">at a point every day that we are held accountable and we have a choice, and I <span data-t="2133.

3">and I may be wrong, but I I think this is why we we wanted to address the <span data-t="2140.

2">subject of free will is to make it understandable that when it comes down to it, guys, <span data-t="2146.

7">we really don't have a choice but to choose one or the other. That's our free will. <span data-t="2151.

8">Our free will is to make a choice. And each day, each morning that we wake up <span data-t="2159.

8">and before we go to bed and sleep, we are surrounded by such a great warfare, a <span data-t="2168.

5">spiritual warfare for the soul of man. Well, I can't see it taking place. You know, you <span data-t="2174.

8">know, things of the spirit, you're not always gonna see it happening. It may, the things of <span data-t="2180.

5">the spirit in this warfare may flesh out in your mind or your will or your emotions. <span data-t="2187.

6">And JJ, I tell you, in my case, things have fleshed out in my physical body, but <span data-t="2193.

8">doggone it, there's a war going on for the soul of man, whether we want to acknowledge <span data-t="2201.

2">it, whether we want to receive it, or even if we want to believe it. And what <span data-t="2205.

5">JJ just read is so important because we not only have a chance to respond on a <span data-t="2213.

9">more worldly, broader base, but we also have to make a decision that's very small, but greater <span data-t="2223.

3">than any other decision in our own life. Am I going to? Well, let's just let's just <span data-t="2229.

6">cut it down to what it really is. Satan came to kill, steal, and destroy, right? That's <span data-t="2234.

2">what the scripture says. And we also know that if he can't destroy you, he will try <span data-t="2241.

5">to deceive you. If he can't deceive you, he's gonna try to distract you. And that number <span data-t="2248.

6">three is probably, if I had to say so, it's probably the number one spot in America <span data-t="2257.

0">today to distract that little bitty seed or that or that little fox that the Song of <span data-t="2265.

4">Solomon brings up when he says it's the little foxes that spoil the vine, it only takes <span data-t="2273.

5">one, and if that one that is not making a decision, Chris, my not making a decision, <span data-t="2281.

6">because I really can't understand it, that's how innocent this is, but it is through my actions <span data-t="2290.

0">that affect the fruit, and the fruit, the fruit of our life is going to affect the kingdom.

And that is something that I would dare say, Chris, that you know, we don't even <span data-t="2303.

4">want to think about it that way. How can how can I just one person affect the <span data-t="2309.

9">kingdom of God? Well, the answer would be Genesis, that God created me in his own image <span data-t="2317.

6">to be like him. And so, yes, God gives us free will to love him because of <span data-t="2325.

3">that free will that we're giving and the love that we're getting. He is glorified and he <span data-t="2330.

7">and he loves it and he gives back gifts. Another reason of that is is me and <span data-t="2337.

6">my free will choosing to obey God because when I obey God, you know, do you guys <span data-t="2344.

5">remember the opening prayer? It is through that obeying God and submitting myself unto Him that I <span data-t="2352.

2">can pray that prayer with the assurance that is going to be guarded and protected. The free <span data-t="2359.

6">will of man, so to speak, is nothing more than making a choice to be in covenant <span data-t="2367.

5">with God and with one another. So, anyway, I'm getting started, but anyway, JJ, Chris, Josh, y'all <span data-t="2376.

6">got it.

Speaker 239:41

Thank you for listening to Southern Demonology. Find us online at Southern Demonology.com, which offers links <span data-t="2390.

0">to all of our social media and episodes. Southern Demonology is only only produced and edited by myself.

And the intro and community are completely by me as well. If you have a moment, <span data-t="2405.

8">please wait, like, and share this podcast. As this is the best way to help support my work.

As always, I am DJ, and it has been a pleasure to speak to you today.