The War Room of Satan

The cavernous chamber is cloaked in penetrating darkness; as grisly figures cringe fearfully before their summoning god.

Although unseen, this is a true story and reflects Satan's plan of attack.

The Conflict of the Ages

What trick would Satan withhold while stalking the sons of Adam? Which of his powers would he hold back for the sake of a sporting hunt? Which of God's powers would Satan most want to diminish? In eternity's contest, Satan's tactics have never changed. He is the original deceiver who continues in unabated fraud.

God has empowered Christians with a Hell robbing, ultimate weapon. This implement of war is the Good News of Salvation in Jesus Christ. Watch out! Our enemy is attempting to corrupt Christ's Gospel while masking his own identity. He hopes that people will fail to perceive both his presence and deception. If Satan is successful, effective prayer might not be offered and the pure Gospel will not be shared. Alas, a war not waged shall not be won. However, if Christians unite in spiritual prayer and biblical witness, we will quickly turn Satan's kingdom upside down! In our day of testing we shall be victorious.

The Hidden Foe

I have a story to tell you about a cunning plot to disarm Christians for today's battle. Our opponent's first strategy is to camouflage his identity. "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14) If Satan can hide himself before the coming of the Lord, he will be able to take more effective action against Christians. He will catch many in his snare. Consequently, many who should have been saved will be lost. A soldier who can not see his enemy remains in mortal danger. "For lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. 3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalms 11:2-3)

We will discover that the modern plot to obscure Satan's identity is like an ancient bone dipped in fresh paint. It shimmers in the light but retains death. Remarkably, Satan has been using this trick to hide from Evangelicals for over 100 years. For over 500 years prior to 1830 all Born Again, Evangelical-like Christians easily identified their enemy. What forged the change in our modern discernment? Who initiated this revision and for what purpose? What might be the outcome of this shift? We will answer all of these questions in this volume.

Foundations First

The plot we are disclosing is simple. The Roman Church was trying to reverse the Reformation and recapture the masses that had escaped its authority. Therefore, the two main pillars of faith that validated the Reformation were attacked. If either of these pillars were damaged, the Reformation would become like a one legged man and thus, a breakable foe. To accomplish this assault, a small but cunning revision of the Protestant view of prophecy was widely published.

The Two Chief Pillars

of the Reformation were:

Old Protestants all believed if the Roman Catholic Church were the creation of Christ, withdrawal would be unthinkable. However, the description of prophecy and the fiendish deeds of Catholicism confirmed that she was a part of the prophesied apostasy known as Mystery Babylon! Since this world Church was not the creation of Christ, it must forever be abandoned.

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A Productive Attack

Few Evangelicals remember that during Rome's attempt to undo the Reformation, prophecy became a principal target of attack. A Jesuit monk introduced some key points that are embraced in today's popular prophetic thinking. This Jesuit monk was trying to weaken our Evangelical message and bring us back to the Vatican. Because of his partial success, we Evangelicals have largely abandoned the second pillar of the Reformation.

Thus, most believers no longer identify the Roman Church as a foretold apostasy but rather, a separated member of the Christian community who must be embrace and finally married. Rome is now elevated to a friendlier position and our Gospel of Salvation through faith moves into danger of decay. Remember, Rome still maintains that the Pope alone holds the keys to Salvation. Evangelical conversion is never included in true Roman teaching. Thus, many millions are now awash in the sorrows of Hell because Rome has continued to deny and hide the Gospel and the New Birth. Prophecy calls all converted Christians to pull away from all apostate groups and to enter into a new fellowship! Born Again Catholics and Protestants need to obey God's Word. All churches that forsake scriptural faith must be cast aside! The early Evangelicals knew if the Pope was God's minister he would lead his church to heart conversion and forbid idolatry. He would point men to the Rock Christ Jesus and not to Peter. (Isaiah 8:14 Psalms 62:2) If the Pope were Christ's Apostle he would preach the Gospel of Salvation rather than advocate a physical world power. Truly, the rationale that first initiated the great exodus from Rome and the rise of Evangelicalism still remains valid.

The Field of Battle

The Target of Assault

Here, we shall consider three schools of prophetic thought. Reviewing their origins will demonstrate the scheme to which we are referring. The events that spawned each line of thinking are not hidden but are recorded in many reference books. I will refer to some of these books and tell you where you can verify the information for yourself. Jesus strongly encouraged diligent study and reflection in such matters.

1. The Amillennial View

This view was attributed to Augustine in his book called The City of God, during the 5th century, and was well received by the Roman Church. Through the centuries Augustine's Amillennialism placed the Roman Church in a favorable light. The Amillennialist see the Roman Church as the ever increasing Kingdom that grows until the whole earth comes under its dominion. This Church is first seen defeating ancient heathen Rome and finally taking control of the world. The visible Church is understood to be God on Earth and holds absolute claim to all spiritual and temporal government! (This means the Roman Church claims the right to rule the world with the Pope as its head.)

Some modern Evangelicals follow a type of Amillennialism. The major difference between Protestant Amillennialists and their past cousins is the identity of the Church. The new Amillennialists see the kingdom in the hearts of men and that Kingdom filling the earth through their God assisted efforts. This differs from the old Roman Catholic view that sees their church as the only true church.

Although, there is a certain attraction in the Protestant Amillennialism, I cannot embrace it when weighed against all Scripture and the realities of life. When this viewpoint is fully developed, Satan is believed to be bound, and the wickedness of this life comes only from degenerated human hearts. I am in favor of winning the world but do not yet discern Satan's absence!

Fly in the Ointment

Because of great persecution in the First Century, masses of people were converted to Christ. It seemed for a time that the Gospel might fill the earth. The more that people died for Christ, the larger the Church grew. Then, an unexpected but prophesied turn of events occurred.

Following a Roman civil war in 311 AD, the new Emperor Constantine declared an end of Christian persecution. The Church was suddenly correct and old Rome was no longer the enemy. Christianity was soon declared the official Roman religion. At last, the worshipers of Greek Mythology were the scorned. This should have been an occasion to rejoice and celebrate. However, imagine this taking place today.

What if everyone in your city was suddenly proclaimed Christian? What if this decree placed everybody under the authority of one denomination that cast aside heart conversion? The consequences of these happening are easily foreseen. False churches would grow and multiply, while men of earthly importance and learning would rise to leadership. The poor of this world who are rich in faith would be scorned. The voice of the prayer warrior would be silenced. The Bible preaching man of God would be set-aside as unqualified and narrow-minded. What if separate denominations was no longer legal? The Dark Ages would reappear!

Following the official establishment of the Roman Church, all manner of idolatry and heathen corruption flooded in. The Emperor Constantine retained his title as head of the Heathen "Church" and of the Christian "Church" until his death. Idols were changed in name during this great Roman conversion. Men no longer prayed before Zeus and Hercules. Now men prayed before Peter and Mary, while seeking special favor for their prayers. The situation became so bad after a time that, it was counted an act of sacrilege to pray directly to Jesus. People were again burned for calling on the name of the Lord, as they had been in old Heathen Rome. The spirit of Heathen Rome had returned in the false Christian Church! {This information is standard knowledge and can be found in many reference books under Church History for the period of 300 AD and under the Reformation and the causes of the same. Foxe's Book of Martyrs is quite strong on this subject and is a necessity for Bible loving Christians!}

The True Church?

Therefore, we conclude the Roman Church was not the Church Jesus established. Satan's kingdom could never bring Christ's true Church to such evil actions. This counterfeit Church was the governmental creation of man and NEVER had any connection to the true invisible Church of Christ. The visible Church was a political power and money machine from its inception. Wicked men used it for the ends they hoped to achieve.

This false Church soon persecuted Christ's true followers, just as they had also been by old Rome. Thus, the door of Salvation was hidden, while the god of this world did all he could to hinder God's Word. The most amazing element of this story is that it was predicted in Daniel and Revelation! (More on that later.)

2. The Protestant View of Prophecy

The Protestant view was birthed into a world of monstrous darkness. Because of the continuing wars, persecutions, and holocausts, instigated by the Roman Church, someone had to conclude the Church was misnamed. Modern critics rightly point a finger of accusation at the "Church" and make note of the unmeasured carnage it caused throughout history.

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Authors have given this view several names including: Historical View, Continuous View, Traditional View, and Reformed View. I am simply calling it the Protestant View because all Evangelical-Protestants followed it for hundreds of years and without it's unique prospective, the Reformation would not have occurred. Not all followers of the Protestant view of prophecy have seen every point alike but they have all held to a central core of beliefs. (See Appendix F. Protestant View.)

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Immense wrong was carried out in the name of Christ and Christianity. For example, Crusaders entered Jerusalem covering their faces because of the holy sight. In the darkness of that night they ate their captives and slaughtered their opponents. All though Christian History, true Born Again Christians were pursued and martyred in Europe and elsewhere. In the 500's, the Irish were a nation of true Christians. They sent missionaries abroad, they possessed scriptures and joyful Salvation. They were attacked, subjugated, and corrupted in faith by the Roman Beast.

Persecution from Rome has continued through the centuries. Peter of Bruis was burned for loving the Scriptures in the early 1100's. His disciples were called Petrobrusians. Peter Waldo also embraced the Scriptures in the late 1100's. Thus, those that professed Waldo's faith were hunted and exterminated for many generations. These martyrs are understood to have first hidden in the mountains of Italy in time of Constantine. They were forced to escape into the wilderness because they rejected the idolatrous Church of Rome. Additionally, the first Europeans to settle in the North American wilderness were eradicated, because they were Born Again believers! In 1565 A Spanish criminal called Melendez was hired by Rome to destroy these French Evangelicals. They had come to Florida to escape the Catholic holocaust in France.

Multiplied millions of Christians have died for their love of Jesus throughout Church History. Revelation speaks of an unnumbered multitude who were martyred for their testimony. Satan alone is the author of this continuing destruction and the False Church has acted as his executioner.

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

Daniel, Revelation, and the Gospels all predicted the great last day persecution of true believers. Remember, the last days started no later than Jesus' time. (Acts 2:17, Heb. 1:2)

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A Star in the Night

In the l300's, John Wycliffe's writings became a breaking light in darkness. Wycliffe thundered from within the Roman Church proclaiming a "New View." (Of course I use the term "New View" rather loosely. Through many centuries this concept was the continuing belief of Born Again Christians who fled the false Church's idolatry and persecution.

1. Wycliffe preached Salvation through Christ alone and not through any other man.
2. Wycliffe said the Pope and his Bishops were antichrist. Through their opposition to Christ's Gospel, multitudes were in Hell. He said that the religious antichrists should be sent out of our kingdom.

Wycliffe's last work was named "Antichrist," which was speaking of the Popes. Wycliffe and all the successive Reformers observed that Rome had become the seat of the worst evil in the history of humanity. The "Church at Rome" was the living fulfillment of the prophesied Whore of Revelation. Using the Name of Christ and Church, these false religious leaders propagated the most hideous deception the earth might ever see. Wycliffe's ideas embody the quintessential foundation of the Reformation and without them we would certainly not have our Bibles or Salvation!

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How our Reformation Fathers

Understood Prophecy

To the Reformers, Ancient Rome was represented by the Dragon which tried to destroy the man child Jesus. Rome next dawned a mask of false Christianity and became the Roman Catholic Church who was the Beast and Mystery Babylon of Revelation. This drunken woman of Rome sought to destroy all that was true and of

God. Her period of controlling influence was limited to 1260 years. When those years were ended, her power was broken and scattered abroad. Rome's final destruction must occur at Christ's return.

The Reformers believed Rome's re-emerging spirit has remained unrelenting throughout history. It continually rides the shifting sea of human governments. This wicked spirit sits in the temple of God by living in the hearts of men. According to Scripture the heart of man comprises the only "true" temple of God on the Earth.Therefore, antichrist retains control of governments and churches via the heart throne of humanity. He thus establishes his global kingdom of darkness.

The Reformers perceived the Gospel Age as containing many chapters with four abiding players. These ageless players were: God verses Satan and the true Christians verses antichrist. To them every generation faced the same temptations and tests. (1 Corinthians 10:13-14) Antichrist was not one future individual but an embodied spirit living in every generation. His manifestation was foretold in Daniel and Revelation and the Gospels.

The Reformers have shown us how that Satan buys fresh slaves in every generation. He leads them to oppose Christ and his teachings. Christians contain the Mystery hidden from the Ages, which is Christ in you your hope of Glory. Conversely, the people of Satan, embody the spirit of antichrist. Through antichrist's spirit many are linked to the great Mystery Babylon. Although people do not live in the day of Babylon's physical reality, their hearts carry its full evil. This will be explored further in the chapter called "The Book of Revelation."

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Antichrist

Here is every verse in the Bible using the word antichrist. Consider if the old Protestant view agrees with these texts. Does John ever portray antichrist as a future individual? Could it be that Satan is hiding his person to disguise the seriousness of this hour?

I Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time

I Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

I Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

II Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

"Those Old Fogies weren't so Smart!"

I know some will make this comment about the Reformers. After all, they weren't: Full Gospel, Whole Gospel, Charismatic, Holiness, Fire Baptized, Fundamental, Evangelical, Strangely Warmed, Second Blessed, Deaconized, members of our Church. We are younger and, therefore, understand more than they!

Think about what the Reformers did. These old "salts" were on board the good ship Zion, sailing on a sea of martyr's blood. They split the greatest darkness since the time of Christ and sealed their convictions in the opening of their own flesh. Except for God's love, you cannot get any closer to Jesus! They understood the identity of the enemy of their soul better than we. These men faced Satan's hungry maw and felt his slashing claw. They were not only roasted in word but burned in flesh. They stood victors to the end and passed to us the rich inheritance called the Word of God!!

Their Children aren't so Rugged

We should not scoff too quickly at their views. Read Fox's Book of Christian Martyrs if you have the courage. Most modern Christians cannot bear reading about the sufferings recounted there. Consider the power of God upon old Christians that lived many unspeakable tribulations. In their last hour, these faithful saints clearly identified the murderous antichrist. Why should we presume to have clearer vision than martyrs who recovered the message of Salvation afresh and sealed its truth with their blood? They procured for us the Scripture and Gospel of Salvation!

Today, many Christians enjoy a gospel of physical prosperity. Soul salvation is echoed across to include salvation for fleshly comfort. The joy of heaven has been enlarged to embrace the pleasures of this life. Are we hearing the true message of Christ? Are we forgetting the great commission? Have we fallen under a spell? Is antichrist truly absent? God help us.

3. The Futurist View

The Futurist view teaches that Antichrist and Tribulation are things that shall only be found in the future. Most Futurists teach that these horrors shall be preceded by the Secret Rapture of the saints. After the Antichrist enjoys a short reign, known as the Great Tribulation, Christ shall return in judgment. Who wouldn't like this train of events?

Illustrating Prophecy