by André van Heerden
Why Are You Letting This Happen God?
The pit of my stomach churned, ready to expel any food
or drink I placed in it. Time seemed to linger, making the agony of my
pain and loneliness last so much longer. I could feel my body in shock--hands
trembling, heart racing, heavy limbs--all I wanted was to fall asleep.
The separation from the one I loved had shattered a life that I had lived
for over four years--a life I was comfortable with, and although I had
often taken it for granted and not appreciated it as I should have, the
shock of losing it was devastating. The future was black and unapproachable.
The emptiness that replaced the frequent visits and times together was
overwhelming. It was like a part of me had died. Everything I viewed was
different--my work, my surroundings and my associations with people. Dark,
heavy feelings pressed me down to the point where death seemed dearer than
dealing with whatever lay ahead. "Why God? Why did you let this happen
to me? I don't deserve this. I know nobody in this town. I'm alone now.
If only I can get back with the one I love. Please God, please get me out
of this. You can't let this happen. I can't cope. I think I will die if
you don't do something!" My desperation and despair destroyed my logic.
The "why's, where's" and "when's" tumbled through my mind in a mixed and
random order. Over and over again, with no breaks for me to rest. As night
finally approached, sleep would not come to suppress the milling memories
and the constant questions. I would lie down, only to toss and turn for
hours, and when I could stand it no longer, I would get up and pace the
confines of my small bachelor apartment till I was tired enough to lie
down again. Would there ever be a way out of this?
All over this planet, people are facing a personal crisis unique to their circumstances. At one point in their life or another, each individual is cornered by disturbing dilemmas or crushing calamities. The gruesome graphics that crowded the Television screens in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, was a visible portrayal of what so many people have to deal with. Prior to this event, and in the days following it, people around the world continue to be bombarded with unsettling, sad and sorrow-filled situations. (See picture below)
People facing broken relationships that end up in divorce
and separation; people losing their jobs and having to cope with financial
pressures; people having lost loved ones through terminal diseases, natural
disasters or fatal accidents; people so stressed by their circumstances
that their minds slide into deep, dark depths of depression--not able to
react to everyday situations in a normal, rational way; people addicted
to substances ranging from alcohol to tobacco, from anti-depressant medication
to hardcore cocaine; people using religion to conceal the struggles within
themselves regarding their confusion between right and wrong, and criticizing
everyone around them that do things they themselves would like to do; people
enslaved by an unseen compulsion to satisfy themselves, but not knowing
what it really is that would bring them satisfaction. As the darkness and
despair surround people in their "custom cut" circumstances, uniquely tailored
to touch the tenderest terrain of their existence, the common cry echoes
out, "Why God, why did you let this happen to me? I don't deserve to suffer
like this. People around me are enjoying their lives, and here I sit, suffering
in misery."
The Culprit Behind Each Crisis
As I look back on one of the darkest times of my life,
July 1990, when I lost someone I loved more than I can express, I can now
see who the culprit of my crisis was. God in His mercy reached out and
saved me from wanting to kill myself. At this lowest of low points in my
life, I picked up the phone and called one of the only friends I knew would
be there for me. When he heard the choked up voice on the other end of
the phone, and he responded promptly to come to my aid. Although it was
Christmas time, he left his family behind and drove 6 hours to come spend
time with me. As we spent time together, he showed me from the bible what
it takes to know God. This beautiful
study can be found by clicking here, (for web readers), or in Appendix
A of this book. From that day, I have searched the scriptures every day
in order to know God better and be aware of who is the real culprit behind
every crisis. You see, there is an unseen force out to destroy you and
I. It's not too clear, because this force wants to remain hidden and invisible.
Studying the bible daily is the only way a spiritually blind human can
begin unmasking the true enemy behind every emergency and destructive disaster.
This is what I learnt.
(In the book of Esther, Haman erected gallows especially to kill Mordecai---but his plot went much further than that!)
I was reading the book of Esther--for the third time. The first couple of times I saw the book of Esther as a touching romantic story where a woman of integrity saves her people from extinction, and demonstrates a "Messianic" prototype. Reading the book of Esther this time was different. I saw something that horrified me and simultaneously simplified a mystery that I had wrestled with for many years. You see, the way I study the bible opened up a comprehensive understanding as to who is the true culprit behind every crisis. (Click here to view the way I study the bible, or view it at the end of the beautiful study my friend showed me). The stage is set in the book of Esther by the dismissal of Queen Vashti by King Xerxes the king of Medo-Persia. The Israelites had been captured by the Babylonians and were living in this foreign country. The Medo-Persians had conquered Babylon and controlled the then known civilized world. The king now sends word throughout his kingdom for all young virgins to audition for his harem, one of which would be chosen as queen. Well, without getting too carried away with the finer details of the story, it is important to see that Esther is sent to the palace by her uncle Mordecai, who was an attendant that sat at the king's gate. One of the king's nobles named Haman, was honored by the king and made higher than any of the king's nobles. All the people paid homage to Haman by bowing down as he passed by, except Mordecai the Jew, who only bowed down to his God. This enraged Haman, who plotted to kill Mordecai by hanging him on the gallows. Now read this in Esther 3:6, "Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes." I was stunned. "All Mordecai's people? Just because one man wouldn't bow down to another man? Diabolical! Evil! Wicked! Corrupt!
The next day when I read through my new testament passages, it all made started making sense to me. Haman wasn't really Mordecai's enemy, he was just the 'front man' that the true enemy was working through. Read the following text:
Ephesians 6:12In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul expands that thought by saying that our fight is not against flesh and blood, or in other words, against other people around us. No our fight is against the unseen evil forces that work through other humans. The insight that the book of Esther brings to us is this. As the whole drama unfolds, Esther exposes Haman's evil plot and the King is informed as to who engineered the decree to have the Jews annihilated. The king turns around and has Haman hanged on the very gallows that he built for Mordecai. You see, Satan didn't just want Mordecai, Esther and the Jews destroyed, but if at all possible, he wanted the king, Haman and the Persians destroyed. We'll look at this aspect a little later in more detail. For now, we need to see that Satan is out to destroy mankind--good, evil, rich, poor, male, female, slave, free, and yes, you and me--everyone!
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
(If Satan had his way, he would have destroyed the whole of New York, Washington, and cities in Pennsylvania---actually the whole of the United States)
As we dust off the history books and flip through their
tragic pages, we can see that Satan has no favorites. His goal is to destroy
all mankind. One would think that Satan wanted to destroy only the Jews
in the Holocaust, and favor Hitler and all his diabolical officers, the
apparent masterminds behind it all. Wrong! Satan was the mastermind behind
it all and he wanted Hitler and his officers dead too! One would think
that Satan favored the Tutsi tribe in the Ruandan genocide where hundreds
of thousands of Hutu's were slaughtered. Wrong! Satan made sure that the
Hutu's came back and massacred thousands of the Tutsi tribe. One would
think that Satan is on the side of the Muslim extremists that killed over
five thousand innocent people in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Wrong! Satan wants them dead too, and those who piloted those planes are
dead, and that's just what he wanted. He is the one inflaming the mind
of Osama bin Laden with the sinister schemes to destroy any life in the
free world, knowing full well that the USA and Britain will react with
war and wipe out thousands of Al Qaeda and Taliban forces. Satan's mission
is accomplished: Destroying as much of mankind as he can but their own
free choosing.
The Cause of His Compulsion
There you sit, confused, bewildered, wounded. "My
loved one hurt me," you say, "It wasn't Satan." Someone else says,
"My boss unfairly fired me, it wasn't Satan." And so countless people
divert the blame to where they think it is coming from--parents, pastors,
teachers, marriage partners, family members, close friends, neighbors,
or on a bigger scale, nations look to other national leaders and governments--no-one
looks to the unseen, evil fiend that lurks unnoticed in the background--influencing,
instigating, infiltrating. Take a look at the evidences that the scriptures
give that Satan is truly the 'conspirator' behind every hurtful and harmful
incident. You see, something happened in his past that made him opposed
to anything and everything that has God's fingerprints on it. Satan used
to hold the highest position among the angels. He was their magnificent
and talented leader. He held the respect and honor of all the angels and
met with Godhead regularly. Nevertheless, when he was excluded from being
able to perform the Mighty Acts of God, such as creating the worlds, he
was venomously jealous and embittered.
(Satan wanted to be above God and perform the works of God---like creating the wonderful works like God did---when he couldn't, he was venomously embittered against all of God's creation)
He began spreading inflammatory messages about the work of the Godhead and incited a coalition between himself and the angels against God. He accused God of not being fair in His dealing with His creatures and that it was impossible to adhere to God's system of government--a system where the Creator and Leader of the Universe was the servant and least among His creatures . . . a system that functioned on unconditional love and unfathomable generosity and kindness. This was the government that Satan formed a rebellion against--a rebellion born because he couldn't advance higher in a system where the greatest was the least. Read what the scriptures say about Satan's quest for equality his desire to rise above God:
Isaiah 14:13Lucifer's ambitious pursuits for God's power and position were futile. As a created being, he could never be God or acquire God's abilities. The only way to vent his deep seated anger that came from his covetous exploits, was to muster the largest possible rebellion in heaven. God would not destroy this uprising, but, in keeping with His government of love, He banished Satan from the heavenly courts. He allowed him access to the newly created paradise--the creation of which, he Satan, wanted to be a part, but could not.
You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascent above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
Satan's Primary Goal--Total Annihilation of Mankind
Satan, restrained by God's control and protection of
the newly created inhabitants, was allowed to test their freedom of choice--but
his hatred for anything that God had made and initiated could only escalate.
From the time Satan was banished to our planet, he has loathed and despised
everything that came from God's Hand--all creatures, all of nature, all
marriages, all abilities, all potential to grow toward Godliness. See what
scripture says about Satan, his work and his attitude toward us:
1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.Revelation 12:9, 12
The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil or Satan, who leads the whole world astray . . . woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has done down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.
(This lion looks tame in comparison with the
wild fury that Satan wants to tear you and I apart with)
The story of Haman's plot to annihilate the Jews is symbolic
of Satan's plot to annihilate mankind. If Satan had his way, he would destroy
you in a heartbeat. If Satan had his way, he would bring the sun thousands
of miles closer to the earth and burn it up in a hellish holocaust--or
steer the sun thousands of miles further in it's orbit and destroy our
planet in a fatal freeze. Whether by natural disasters or nuclear devastation,
Satan wants everything that has come from God's hand obliterated--not only
God fearing people, but his own dedicated followers, the ignorant and those
he has mislead--all those created by God. The unbelievable, cowardice,
devastating events of September 11, 2001, are minimal compared to what
Satan wants to accomplish. If he could have had a nuclear bomb on board
each of the four planes, and vaporized New York, Washington D.C., and a
city in Pennsylvania, he would have been happier. The more death and destruction
he can deliver, the more delighted he is.
Satan's Secondary Goal--Total Infiltration
If Satan cannot orchestrate a plot of total annihilation
of mankind by any means, he will go ahead and summon his unseen servants
to infiltrate every possible situation with satanic influences. His strategy
is simple and effective. As Roger Morneau, a convert from Satanism quotes
a Satanic priest saying:
More Incredible Answers to Prayer - Roger J. Morneau p. 58
"At that time," the priest said, "the master (Satan) stated that he and his angels would make themselves invisible to human beings also, thus leaving people free to live their lives as they wanted to. He emphatically argued that the only fair way for supernatural forces to influence human conduct should be by flashing thought images into individual minds."
Ellen White uncovers more of Satan's strategy in the
following quote:
Great Controversy, p. 516-517How ingenious! Now wonder the masses walk blindly into the lethal traps that he sets for them--think of how your life has been afflicted by the unseen thought images and masked evil attacks through the lives of people around you. If Satan cannot succeed in a scheme to kill you, he works at the recurrent raids on your mind, on disrupting the intimate associations that are dear to you, and plaguing you with constant temptations in the areas you are the weakest. Oh, he doesn't face you down man to man--even if he is far, far stronger than you are. No, he brings unseen attacks, he trips you up when you're not looking, he invades your mind when you're asleep, he strikes you with blows that come from another vulnerable victim--someone close and precious to you. Yeah man, talk of a force that is much more powerful than any human force, but yet stoops to cowardly tactics to trick and entangle it's victims.
"None are in greater danger from the influence of evil spirits than those who, notwithstanding the direct and ample testimony of the Scriptures, deny the existence and agency of the devil and his angels. So long as we are ignorant of their wiles, they have almost inconceivable advantage; many give heed to their suggestions while they suppose themselves to be following the dictates of their own wisdom. This is why, as we approach the close of time, when Satan is to work with greatest power to deceive and destroy, he spreads everywhere the belief that he does not exist. It is his policy to conceal himself and his manner of working . . . And it is because Satan can most readily control the minds of those who are unconscious of his influence, that the word of God gives us so many examples of his malignant work, unveiling before us his secret forces, and thus placing us on guard against his assaults."
(Satan wants people to carry on with their lives as if he doesn't exist---then, unseen and without warning, he attacks)
What a tragedy. To see the millions of people, unsuspecting of the lying legions that lead them into crisis after crisis and into being captives in their circumstances of calamity.
The Desire of Ages, Ellen White, p. 341Who or What Are You Fighting?
Satan's influence is constantly exerted upon men to distract the senses, control the mind for evil, and incite to violence and crime. He weakens the body, darkens the intellect, and debases the soul. Whenever men reject the Savior's invitation, they are yielding themselves to Satan. Multitudes in every department in life, in the home, in business, and even in the church, are doing this today. It is because of this that violence and crime have overspread the earth, and moral darkness, like the pall of death, enshrouds the habitations of men. Through his specious temptations Satan leads men to worse and worse evils, till utter depravity and ruin are the result. The only safeguard against his power is found in the presence of Jesus.
(Who are you fighting against? Have you identified the true enemy, or are you tricked into fighting someone or something that the true enemy is behind . . .?)
Are you battling against a person in your family, an ex-husband or wife, a supervisor at work, or with someone at your church? Are you at war with horrific memories from past childhood abuses, whether they be physical, sexual or emotional? Are you angry and bitter because of neglect and lack of opportunity in your life compared to so many other people that have prospered due to support and good fortune? Are you pinned in a deadlock in your attempts to wrestle an addiction to something in your life--something secret and personal, or something seen in public? Are impure, evil thoughts infiltrating your mind and overpowering your attempts for purity and holiness? Are you dominated by the desire for position and prosperity to the point where spirituality has become a small priority? My friend, it's time to back off from your struggle against whatever or whomever you have been battling against and confront the true enemy. In order to win a war, you have to isolate and identify the enemy. Satan, in his brilliance, has managed to fool us into believing that he is far removed from the trials and tragedy in our daily lives. He has got us blaming God and fighting each other. Wow! He couldn't have a better platform to operate from. Perfect! Scrupulous! Demonic!
The question I want to ask you and repeat to myself is, "Are you and I going to let him continue with this cunning conspiracy that either God or our fellow comrades are responsible for our suffering? We cannot. If we do, we have lost any chance of resisting his assaults and winning the war against him. We have to constantly be aware that those who we think are our enemies are NOT! He is the enemy working through communities and circumstances to destroy us. Why do you think Jesus was so repetitive and emphatic about our enemies? Why did Jesus gasp in the agony of the most extreme suffering a human could endure, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do?" Why? Jesus knew who the true enemy was. He knew that these poor children of God were pawns in Satan's control, performing the very tasks that he wanted them to perform. With this in mind, read the passages below that point us to a totally new approach to our enemies:
Matthew 5:43-45You see, we need to pray for those who abuse and harm us because they too are God's children--only they have been overpowered by Satan and hence their hostility and hatred toward us. Once again, instead of fighting them, we need to fight Satan and his evil forces who are controlling this child of God--our apparent enemy. Let me ask you this question. If a massive space ship landed in Afghanistan, and twenty feet tall, armor-clad, alien soldiers disembarked and started vaporizing United States, British, Taliban and Al Quaeda soldiers . . . would they continue warring against each other? They would be foolish if they did. No! They would need to unify their strengths against these inhuman, powerful, robot-like, aliens. As a matter of fact, with an alien invasion as forceful and powerful as this, the whole world would need to unite to stand up against this threat. Palestinians should unite with Israelis, Muslims should unite with Christians, Arabs should unite with the Jews, Black Africans should unite with White Africans--all united against this common, destructive force that is annihilating the inhabitants of our planet. Well, my friend, this is exactly was is taking place. Yes, supernatural aliens have invaded our planet and are bent on the total annihilation and/or infiltration of mankind--supernatural aliens with thousands of years experience in defeating mankind and plotting their ruin. What are we doing to combat this? How will we survive this titanic onslaught?
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
(The Scriptures provide the weapons we need to fight our true enemy---weapons more powerful than man-made weapons)
Conquering the Real Enemy
Divinely inspired authors of the scriptures give us the
war plan for conquering the unseen enemy behind all the disguised onslaughts
against us. Just after Paul tells us that our fight is not against flesh
and blood, but against the powers of this dark world, he tells us to "put
on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be
able to stand your ground." Note what the full armor of God is:
Ephesians 6:-17The belt of truth = The word of God
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests.
The breastplate of righteousness = Righteousness gained by believing God's promises, (Romans 4:18-22)
Feet fitted with the gospel of peace = The word of God
The shield of faith = "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)
The helmet of salvation = "God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth." (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
The sword of the spirit = The word of God
Since ancient times, Satan has been keeping man from partaking of the word of God. He knows that within those holy pages there is a power that neutralizes his efforts to deceive and destroy mankind. Satan distracts man with activities and responsibilities that keep him busy through every moment of every day. He doesn't care if people are busy with good things, like church work, humanitarian operations, or family commitments--anything to keep people from isolating themselves to focus on and ingest the word of God. Notice what happens when we neglect putting time alone with God first in our lives:
The Desire of Ages, Ellen White, p. 324As man reads the very words of God, the Holy Spirit fuses them into his mind. This process turns the focus of man toward the deeper spiritual things and immunizes him to the temporal, earthly things. The Spirit elevates man to a higher more noble dimension that brings a rich and rewarding state of mind we call peace. Man is drawn more and more toward the economy that God controls, and is repulsed more and more by the way Satan orchestrates his economy. Man gains a clearer vision of the wonderful, kind and loving God who created the universe in an environment of service and self-sacrifice--simultaneously discovering the greedy, lying, and destructive demon who disrupted the newly created paradise into a domain of selfishness, villainy and death. The word of God facilitates the miracle of an affinity toward God and a repulsion toward evil. Just as darkness cannot exist in light, so evil cannot stand in the presence of God. Note the quotes from one of the most inspirational books on the life of Christ:
It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.
(The Holy Scriptures is "The Word of God," and this is the same word by which God spoke the worlds into existence---when this word is part of our lives, Satan is powerless to destroy us)
The Desire of Ages, Ellen White, p. 123Everyone who daily studies the word of God will receive counsel and comfort, no matter what crisis they are going through. The Holy Spirit will fill each hurting heart with a tangible divine presence--the evidences will be indisputable. He will instill the realization that Satan is the instigator of all the suffering, and were it not for God, the crisis would be infinitely more severe. A grateful closeness will be felt with God for keeping His protective Hand in the midst of the crisis. Instead of a sorrowful, negative, limited, human mind set, the word of God creates a joyful, positive, open-ended, divine mind set, bringing a new platform to launch varied solutions--solutions incorporating the way a Infinitely Wise God works--not bound by time, space, beginning or end, but merely speaks His words . . . and it is so . . . and it is good.
God reaches for the hand of faith in us to direct it to lay fast hold upon the divinity of Christ, that we may attain to perfection of character. And how this is accomplished, Christ has shown us. By what means did He overcome in the conflict with Satan? By the word of God. Only by the word could He resist temptation. "It is written," He said. And unto us are given "exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter 1:4. Every promise in God's word is ours. "By every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" we are to live. When assailed by temptation, look not to circumstances or to the weakness of self, but to the power of the word. All its strength is yours. "Thy word," says the psalmist, "have I hid mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee." "By the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." Ps 119:11; 17:4.The Desire of Ages, Ellen White, p. 258
In the days of Christ the leaders of Israel were powerless to resist the work of Satan. They were neglecting the only means by which they could have withstood evil spirits. It was by the word of God that Christ overcame the wicked one . . . Those who turn from the plain teaching of Scripture and the convincing power of God's Holy Spirit are inviting the control of demons . . . The defenses of the soul are broken down. He has no barrier against sin. When once the restraints of God's word and His Spirit are rejected, no mans knows to what depths of degradation he may sink. Secret sin or master passion may hold him a captive as helpless as was the demoniac of Capernaum. Yet his condition was not hopeless. The means by which we can overcome the wicked one is that by which Christ overcame,--the power of the word.
