OP-ED BY DR. ROBERT KENNEDY
The phrase “under Satan’s control” came up in a reading done on our early morning prayer line today. It has allowed me to be thinking of the many events that have been taking place around us, and I mention three of them here.
1. The reported group of persons at the CPAC meeting who laughed that President Biden did not reach 70% of his projected vaccination goal.
2. The assassination of the President of Haiti and the shooting of his wife with life-threatening wounds. These acts were carried out by individuals from at least four countries who thought to seize power to rule Haiti.
3. The insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The video releases of the events are so painful to watch.
Anyone with a good conscience, seeing or hearing about these incidences, have to be more than convinced that those who have been participants in them have been UNDER SATAN’S CONTROL. If you think the incidences that I have referenced do not bear the mark of Satanic control, think again.
You might choose some other incidences, for there are many to choose from across the United States and in multiple other countries of the world. Whether we might find the incidences in the reaction of crowds seeking their freedom or in groups seeking to bring control and oppression, the situations seem to be the same – Satan is getting into people and stirring up things so he can bring people under his control.
I have been taking a closer look at the States Assemblies and our Congress here in the United States, and I am more than convinced that Satan is having a field day in taking over the minds of some of the representatives. It seems to me that some have handed themselves over “To Serve the Devil” to use Saul Landau’s book title.
Think of how some do not care about the negative things they are doing to oppose one another. Think of the policies that they are voting or not voting on to hurt their opponents. I do not need to say more on this score, for it is obvious that whether we wish to call it “under Satan’s control” or not, there is a demonic force at work, and it is winning over the hearts, souls and minds of persons, in so much that we might say they are demon-possessed.
And this reminds me of what happened when Jesus Christ was here on earth. According to the Gospel record, the first day of one week, called Palm Sunday (see Matthew 21:1-9) by some Christians, a large crowd gathered for Passover in and about Jerusalem and called for Jesus to be crowned as a king.
However, by the sixth day of the same week, called Good Friday, many of the same crowd joined with a new crowd to call for the crucifixion (Matthew 26:16-26; Mark 15:7-15; Luke 23:18-42; John 18:40).
And what is of greatest interest is that the crowd was inspired by some of the leaders of the religious council called the Sanhedrin. The High Priest, Caiaphas, head of the Sanhedrin, had previously called for the one man to die for the nation. His call ended in the crucifixion of Jesus. The quotation that drew my attention states it thus:
“These priests and rulers had come entirely under Satan’s control, yet they were so deceived that they were well pleased with themselves. (Moreover) they thought of themselves as patriots seeking the nation’s salvation.”
Talk about the crowd “Under Satan’s Control,” the one that precipitated the crucifixion of Jesus was one of them. The one that triggered the insurrection of January 6 has to be another of them. And, as I stated, we can list many other crowds with the same description.
But while we focus on the crowds, we need to focus on individuals in the crowds or individuals acting in small groups and even by themselves. The Gospel of Luke (8:26-39) speaks of a demon-possessed man who lived among the tombs in Gadara. The Gospel of Matthew (8:28-34) gives a shortened version of the story but states that it was two men, not one. However, it was, the fact of the possession is not contested.
The above leads me to a summation, that Satan has been bringing people under his control for a long time. And unfortunately, he has been using them to terrorize and destroy a multitude of communities. While he is using the secular-minded people under his control, the most frightening fact is that he is also using religious extremists.
As you reflect with me, let me ask about your allegiance. Where do you want to find yourself? Are you willing to be under the Divine control, or are you allowing Satan to come into your life and bring you under his control? Satan can tempt you, but it is up to you to allow him to use you as his instrument.
