TORMENTING SPIRITS - NYOBS 83.22

TORMENTING SPIRITS

Does God send Tormenting Spirits,Trouble and EVIL as punishment to people?

First Word

·         I have written on spirits, both good and bad, many many times, but this one is especially controversial because the Book says that an evil tormenting spirit was SENT BY GOD to King Saul to fill him with depression and fear.

·         The question that must be asked; Is God the source of tormenting spirits in our lives? --  NYOBS 11.16 - DEMONS; FAMILIAR SPIRITS -- NYOBS 42.26 – NECROMANCY; COMMUNICAING WITH THE DEAD -- NYOBS 76.11 - GHOST BUSTERS -- NYOBS 75.15 – PRE-EXISTANCE -- NYOBS 59.02 – SHEKINAH GLORY -- NYOBS 20.19 - HOLY SPIRIT-- NYOBS 75.36 – SPIRIT FILLED  

·         I had a water leak that messed up our kitchen flooring.  I was so focused on the Insurance policy that said that they would cover the cost to repair the primary water leak that I missed the part that said that they DID NOT COVER secondary damages, like to the floor. 

·         In this story of the tormenting spirit and Saul, just like the insurance company we are so focused on the Primary Story that we miss the Secondary Story of God’s actions.

·         To address this controversial subject, I must take you “Around the world in 80 days” to explain not only the answer, but the WHY of the answer.

·         NOTE:  When God allows trouble in our lives, you should look for something else going on.

1 Samuel 16:14-23 – God sent a Tormenting Spirit to Saul
¹⁴ NOW THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD HAD LEFT SAUL,

and the LORD sent a TORMENTING SPIRIT that filled

him with depression and fear.
²³ … David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better,

and the tormenting spirit would go away. (NLT)

Setting the stage

·         I want to first go back and look at the story of Job; God said Job was blameless, a man of complete integrity who feared God and stayed away from evil.  Satan wanted to sift Job like wheat and asked God to put him to the test and God said “SURE” you have my permission.  NO… THAT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.  God said, Behold, all that he has IS in your power.  

·         Job was already in Satan’s hands and Satan did not know it.  Job confessed how it all went down in his own words. – “The thing which I GREATLY FEARED is come upon me”.  Job was operating in FEAR and the Book records many times to NOT FEAR… Without exception, every time an Angel appeared, the first thing out of their mouth was, “FEAR NOT”.   Fear was the Sin that allowed the snake Satan to slither in.

·         THE SIN TRIFECTA; Fear leads to Doubt then to Unbelief. -  It’s when we SIN that Satan can get a foothold in our life. - Hold that thought -  NYOBS 02.37 – WHY DID GOD TEST JOB

1)   Primary Story – All creation watches God letting Satan attack Job.  (But with preset limits.)

2)   Secondary Story – All creation sees the example of Job’s patience in waiting on God’s plan.

·         Story of Ananias and Sapphira who were both filled with the spirit of Satan, brought money to the church, but lied about the circumstances.  GOD STRUCK THEM BOTH DEAD in front of the church congregation.

1)   Primary Story – God’s sent the punishment of death for lying to the Holy Spirit.

2)   Secondary Story – The Early church received an up close and personal extreme EXAMPLE of the fear of the Lord and the reverence for His Holy name and His sovereignty.  

·         Story of a man in the church at Corinth was in an adulterous incestuous relationship with his stepmother and God speaking through Paul, commanded the leadership to throw him out of the church and HAND HIM OVER TO SATAN.

1)   Primary Story – God through Paul commands that this man is to be “handed over to Satan” because of his Sexual immorality as he was representing himself as a member of the church.

2)   Secondary Story – The hope is to bring the man to his senses; to destroy his sinful nature and save his soul before the great day of the Lord; and provide the church an example.

·         Story of the Apostle Paul; God gave permission to a messenger of Satan to TORMENT Paul, the very Apostle that He predestined before he was born to be a light to the Gentiles.

1)   Primary Story – God allows Satan to buffet and torment Paul with a “THORN IN THE FLESH”.

2)   Secondary Story – The “THORN IN HIS FLESH” was to keep Paul from thinking too much of his own self, to keep him from becoming conceited because of the surpassingly great revelations that had been revealed to him - NYOBS 13.02 - HEALING SCRIPTURES

• NOTE: To use this scripture to say that it is sometimes “God’s will” for you to be SICK; you must ask yourself this question. - Has God given you any surpassing great revelations? - Have you rote any extraordinary miracles?  - If not, then this scripture does not apply to you.

·         Story of Jesus casting out demons.  A man was possessed with a legion of demonic evil spirits and Jesus cast them out into a herd of some 2000 pigs and DROWNED them.

1)   Primary Story – Jesus cast a legion of demons out of a possessed man and sent them into pigs that went crazy and killed themselves. - NYOBS 60.02- ET’S UFO’S & PORTALS

2)   Secondary Story - Jesus shows that he has authority over demonic evil spirits by sending them into the very swine that the Jews were forbidden to eat.

·         Story of my wife making a wrong turn and she pulled over on the side of the road to look at the map.  Just then three trucks pulled off the road right behind her.  Running up to her door they told her the car was on fire under the hood and they put it out.

1)   Primary Story – Trouble - Wrong turn and pulled off the road.

2)   Secondary Story – Worst Trouble - Car was on fire and God sent people to put it out.

·         When stuff happens to you look for the Secondary Story.  Look for God’s sovereign hand working on behalf of your life even when you are in dire circumstances.

Job 1:1 - Job was blameless with complete integrity
¹ There once was a man named JOB who lived in the land of Uz.

He was BLAMELESS—a man of COMPLETE INTEGRITY.

He feared God and stayed away from evil. (NLT)

Job 1:12 – LOOK; Job is already in your hand
¹² And the LORD said to Satan,

BEHOLD, ALL THAT HE HAS IS IN YOUR POWER; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. (NKJV)

Job 3:25 - The thing which I greatly feared
²⁵ For the thing which I GREATLY FEARED is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. (KJV)
2 Timothy 1:7 – The spirit of fear is not from God
⁷  For GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (NLT)

Genesis 15:1 – FEAR NOT
¹ After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “FEAR NOT, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (ESV)  

Luke 22:31 – Satan wants to sift the believer like wheat
³¹ Simon, Simon, SATAN HAS ASKED TO SIFT

EACH OF YOU LIKE WHEAT. (NLT)

Acts 5:1-11 – Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit
¹ But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property.
² He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.
³ then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? YOU LIED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, and you kept some of the money for yourself.
⁴ the property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”
⁵ As soon as Ananias heard these words, HE FELL TO THE FLOOR AND DIED. Everyone who heard about it was terrified.
⁶ Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.
⁷ About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
⁸ Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?” “Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”
⁹ And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.”
¹⁰ Instantly, SHE FELL TO THE FLOOR AND DIED. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
¹¹ Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened. (NLT)

1 Corinthians 5:1-5 – God hands an immoral man over to Satan
¹ I can hardly believe the report about the SEXUAL IMMORALITY going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is

LIVING IN SIN WITH HIS STEPMOTHER.
² You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship.
³ Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man
⁴ in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus.  Then
⁵ you must throw this man out and HAND HIM OVER TO SATAN so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns. (NLT)

Acts 19:11-12 – Because of extraordinary miracles

11 God did EXTRAORDINARY MIRACLES through Paul,

12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him

were taken to the sick and their

illnesses were cured and the EVIL SPIRITS left them.

NIV

2 Corinthians 12:7-8 – Because of surpassingly great revelations.

7 To keep me (Paul) from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a

THORN IN MY FLESH, A MESSENGER OF SATAN,

TO TORMENT ME.

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

NIV

Mark 5:1-13 – Jesus DROWNS and KILLS 2000 un-kosher pigs
¹ So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes.
² When Jesus climbed out of the boat,

A MAN POSSESSED BY AN EVIL SPIRIT

came out from a cemetery to meet him.
³ This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain.
⁴ Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
⁵ Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.
⁶ When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him.
⁷ With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!”
⁸ For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”
⁹ Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?” And he replied,

“MY NAME IS LEGION, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY OF US INSIDE THIS MAN.”

¹⁰ Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.
¹¹ There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby.
¹² Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”
¹³ So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of

2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and DROWNED in the water.

(NLT)

God delves out Punishment

·         I would like to digress here for a moment and LOOK at examples of God sending disappointment, stress, anxiety and storms into believer’s lives as PUNISHMENT.

·         JONAH AND THE WHALE is a well-known story.  Jonah was commanded to go to Nineveh and preach to them, but instead he went the other way and hopped a boat in the opposite direction.  GOD SENT A BAD STORM AND A BIG FISH TO EAT HIM.

·         Primary Story – Rebellion; Jonah disobeyed God and did not go to Nineveh, he was thrown overboard, swallowed by a whale and puked up on the dry land of a bank. 

·         Secondary Story – Obedience - Jonah finally obeyed and went to Nineveh and preached and the people repented of their sins and God did not destroy their city.

·         The story of Moses and water from a rock. At one point God had told Moses to STRIKE a rock with his rod to get water for the people of Israel.  But the next time He told him to SPEAK to the rock to get water. - Moses reasoned with himself and thought that speaking to the rock would probably not really make it gush forth with water, that he should help God by hitting it.  - So thinking his plan was better, he did as he had done before and struck the rock, but this time he hit it twice for good measure.

·         Primary Story - Disobedience - Moses beat the heck out of the rock to get water.

·         Secondary Story – Punishment – MOSES WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GO INTO THE PROMISED LAND after 80 years of preparation because he disobeyed.

·         When you read the Book, you will see over and over again, obedience is what God wants.  The story of Moses is an example for us that God wants obedience in the smallest of things.

·         Now we can talk about King Saul and the tormenting evil spirit that was placed on him by God. – Look for the Secondary Story.

Jonah 1:1-17 – God sent a storm and a huge fish to EAT Jonah
¹  The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:
²  “GO TO THE GREAT CITY OF NINEVEH AND PREACH

against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
³ But JONAH RAN AWAY FROM THE LORD

and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.
⁴ Then THE LORD SENT A GREAT WIND ON THE SEA,

and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.
¹⁵ Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. .
¹⁷ THE LORD PROVIDED A HUGE FISH TO SWALLOW JONAH, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (NIV2011)

Jonah 2:1-10 – Jonah vomited onto dry land
¹ From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.
² He said: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and

He answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead

I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
¹⁰ And the LORD commanded the fish, and it

VOMITED JONAH ONTO DRY LAND. (NIV2011)

Jonah 3:4-5 - The Ninevites believed god
⁴ Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”
⁵  THE NINEVITES BELIEVED GOD. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. (NIV2011)

Exodus 17:6 – Moses commanded to Strike the rock
⁶ I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai.

STRIKE THE ROCK, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on. (NLT)

Numbers 20:8 – Moses commanded to Speak to the rock
⁸ You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, SPEAK TO THE ROCK over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.” (NLT)

 Numbers 20:11-12 – Moses disobeyed and Struck the rock
¹¹ Then Moses raised his hand and STRUCK THE ROCK TWICE with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron
¹² “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel,

YOU WILL NOT LEAD THEM INTO THE LAND I AM GIVING THEM!” (NLT)

Saul’s Disobedience

·         The Book comments on King Saul, indicating that He had disobeyed God on at least two occasions allowing the snake Satan to slither into his life and like yeast permeating a loaf of bread, Satan finally had permeated Saul’s whole life and God departed from him. – This is important; because of the Sin of disobedience; God had left King Saul.

·         Satan wants to sift us like wheat and now God is simply giving Satan permission to do so.

1 Samuel 13:5-14 - FIRST TIME Saul’s disobedience
⁵ The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore! They camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven.
⁶ The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns.
⁷ Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead. Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear.
⁸ Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away.  So he demanded,
⁹ “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!”

And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.
¹⁰ Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him,
¹¹ but Samuel said, “WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE DONE?” Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle.
¹² So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the LORD’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
¹³ HOW FOOLISH!” Samuel exclaimed.

“You have NOT kept the command the LORD your God gave you. Had you kept it, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
¹⁴ But now your kingdom must end, for the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because

you have NOT kept the LORD’s command.” (NLT)

1 Samuel 15:3-35 - SECOND TIME Saul’s disobedience
³ Now GO AND COMPLETELY DESTROY THE ENTIRE AMALEKITE NATION — men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”
⁷ Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt.
⁸ He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else.
⁹ Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.
¹⁰ Then the LORD said to Samuel,
¹¹ I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the LORD all night.
¹²… Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal.”
¹³ ... Saul greeted him cheerfully. “May the LORD bless you,” he said. “I have carried out the LORD’s command!”
¹⁴ Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Samuel demanded.
¹⁵ It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the LORD your God. We have destroyed everything else.”
¹⁸ And the LORD sent you on a mission and told you,

‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.’
¹⁹ Why haven’t you obeyed the LORD? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the LORD’s sight?”
²⁰ But I did obey the LORD,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else.
²¹ Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.”
²² But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
²³ Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, HE HAS REJECTED YOU AS KING.”
²⁴ Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the LORD’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded.
²⁵ But now, please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the LORD.”
²⁶ But Samuel replied, “I will not go back with you!

Since you have rejected the LORD’s command,

HE HAS REJECTED YOU AS KING OF ISRAEL.”
²⁷ As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of his robe. And Samuel said to him,
²⁸ “THE LORD HAS TORN THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you.
³⁵ Samuel never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for him. And the LORD was sorry he had ever made Saul king of Israel.

(NLT)

The Story

·         Because of Saul’s sin of disobedience, God removed Himself and His hedge of protection from Saul leaving him to go his own way.  As punishment, the Sovereign God sent Saul a willing EVIL MALICIOUS SPIRIT that wanted to harass and torment him.  – Satan and Evil are not autonomous to do what they want; there are certain things that they must get permission from God before doing.

·         Saul’s servants noticed that he seemed to have a mental malady, a spiritual sickness and knowing that music had the power to tame the mind, they suggested a contest to find the best musician that could play the harp and David was selected.

·         Note:  Saul was NOT demon possessed, the tormenting spirit was only temporary as it came on multiple occasions and as David played his lyre, the tormenting spirit would depart from him and Saul would feel better.

1)   Primary Story - An evil tormenting spirit is introduced into King Saul’s life by God as punishment for his disobedience.  - Pain is God’s Megaphone to get Saul’s attention to get him to stop being disobedient.

2)   Secondary Story - The tormenting spirit was used as the vehicle to get David introduced into Saul’s life.

·         David had already been anointed with oil to be the next King of Israel and God was just beginning to introduce him into the king’s palace. – David himself went through many difficulties that almost took his life as God’ plan worked out to put him on the throne.

1)   Primary Story – David was hunted down many times by Saul to kill him.

2)   Secondary Story – David was being positioned to be the next King of Israel.

·         I was suddenly terminated from my job and I chose to work out my two week noticed with integrity, and on Friday of the very last day at 5:00pm, I received an unsolicited phone call and was offered the JOB OF MY LIFE to start Monday morning with an increase in pay. – God is both in the Primary Story as well as the Secondary Story.

1 Samuel 16:14 – God sent a Tormenting Spirit to Saul
¹⁴ NOW THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD HAD LEFT SAUL,

and the LORD sent a TORMENTING SPIRIT that filled him with depression and fear.

(NLT)

1 Samuel 16:15-16 – Find someone to play the harp to sooth
¹⁵ Some of Saul’s servants said to him, “A TORMENTING SPIRIT from God is troubling you.
¹⁶ Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the TORMENTING SPIRIT troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again.”

(NLT)

1 Samuel 16:21-23 – David play the harp; tormenting spirits left
²¹ So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer.
²² Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, “Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him.”
²³ And whenever the TORMENTING SPIRIT from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the TORMENTING SPIRIT would go away.

(NLT)

1 Samuel 19:9-10 – Hurled a spear at David, but missed
⁹ But one day when Saul was sitting at home, with spear in hand, the TORMENTING SPIRIT from the LORD suddenly came upon him again. As David played his harp,
¹⁰ Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night. (NLT)

1 Samuel 16:13 – Samuel anointed David as King
¹³ Samuel took the horn of oil, and ANOINTED HIM

in the midst of his brethren: and

the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon DAVID

from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

(ASV)

Acts 13:22 – David is made their King
²² After removing Saul, he MADE DAVID THEIR KING. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse,

A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART; he will do everything I want him to do.’ (NIV2011)

Sidebar

·         If you have not yet selected a Bible, I urge you to consider the New Living Translation NLT as it is not a paraphrased Bible, but a full translation that reads easy like a novel.

Romans 15:9 – The chief end of man is to glorify God
⁹ He also came so that the Gentiles might GIVE GLORY TO GOD for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: “For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles;

I will sing praises to your name.” (NLT)

The Take Away

·         It is certainly possible for a believer to be troubled by demons, but Jesus made it clear that it is NOT GOD'S WILL for His people to be oppressed, troubled or harassed by evil tormenting spirits.

·         God is sovereign and has authority over everything as well as Evil. - God uses evil as well as evil people in His plan to get man’s attention back on Him and to bring them to their senses so they might have an opportunity to choose good.

·         King Nebuchadnezzar was the EVIL enemy of God and of God’s people, yet God called him “His Servant” and used him to bring punishment against Israel.

·         When we are enduring hardships we are often tempted to dismiss anything unpleasant that we feel as being from the hand of God, but the Book is clear that God does condone and allows discipline for His children.  

·         No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening — IT’S PAINFUL! - But soon afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in THE WAY. DON’T REJECT THE LORD’S DISCIPLINE, and don’t be upset when he corrects you.  - The LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

·         You must get this; you can disobey and rebel against God for just so long and just like Saul, God will eventually leave you to do your own thing, and it’s all over.  You get what you want and you will be separated from God for eternity.

·         If you have a tormenting spirit, it just MIGHT be God trying to get your attention; I encourage you to look at your life, confess your sins and pray for wisdom and knowledge to know how to turn your life around. – Read the Book, Submit to God and then Trust Him.   

Hebrews 12:10-11 – The end of discipline is a peaceful harvest
¹⁰ For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us,

so that we might share in his holiness.
¹¹ No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—IT’S PAINFUL! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. (NLT)

Proverbs 3:11-12 - Don’t reject the LORD’s discipline
¹¹ My child, DON’T REJECT THE LORD’S DISCIPLINE, and don’t be upset when he corrects you.
¹² For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. (NLT)

Jeremiah 25:9 – I will use Nebuchadnezzar to punish you
⁹ Behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the LORD, and for NEBUCHADNEZZAR the king of Babylon,

MY SERVANT, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations.

I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. (ESV)

Acts 10:38 – God’s WILL is for the believer to not be oppressed
³⁸ And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and HEALING ALL WHO WERE OPPRESSED BY THE DEVIL,

for God was with him. (NLT)

In the multitude of counselors,

there is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:14

I am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical

information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders

                         and see further that I otherwise ever could have.              

                                                                                                                                     

A Commentary; Critical, Experimental and Practical - Eerdmans

Antiquity of the Jews – Flavius Josephus Matthias

Apocrypha – Goodspeed

Baker Commentary on the Bible – Elwell

Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenney-White

Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer

Bible Dictionary – Harper and Row

Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s

Dake’s Annotated Bible – Dake

English Standard Version Bible – ESV

Expositor’s Bible Commentary – Frank E. Gaebelein

Forgotten Books of Eden; The – World

Gospels Interwoven; The – Karmit Zarley

Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The – Tyndale

Interlinear Greek-English New Testament – Baker

In Touch – Dr. Charles Stanley

Invisible War; The – Donald Grey Barnhouse

King James Version Bible – KJV

Lost Books of the Bible; The - World

Lost Books of the Bible; The - Bell

Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan

Missing Books of the Bible; The – Halo Press

Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest

Nag Hammadi Library; The – James M. Robinson

Nave’s Topical Bible - Zondervan

New International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas - Tenney

New International Version Bible (2011) – NIV

Now that’s a Good Question – R.C. Sproul

NOTE: The “new” NIV has been corrupted & made GENDER NEUTRAL.  AVOID IT.

New Living Translation Bible - NLT

Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls – Hugh J. Schonfield

Thru the Bible – J. Vernon McGee

Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament – Mac Donald

Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner

Wycliffe Bible Commentary; The – Pfeiffer & Harrison

Wikipedia –

Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The – Tenney