THE SPIRIT CALLED HOLY AND THE SPIRITS CALLED EVIL (44 OF 56)
Scripture: Acts 19:1-20
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The Spirit Called Holy and the Spirits Called Evil (44 of 56)
Series: The Church in ACTSion
Wyman Richardson
Acts 19:1-20
Read Acts 19:1-20
In 1986, a Christian novel was published that gripped the imagination and attention of large swathes of the evangelical world. It was written by Frank Peretti and was entitled This Present Darkness. I would go on to sell 2.5 million copies and become a genuine publishing sensation.
The general spiritual theme of the novel was spiritual warfare. It told a story on two levels: the ground level of the happenings of the lives of the characters in the story and the upper level of the spiritual dynamics going on around and behind these happenings. Peretti's point was that we should appreciate the existence of an unseen spirit world and we should recognize that the forces of light (in the book, angels) and the forces of darkness (demons) are constantly vying for the soul of mankind.
I remember the stir that this novel caused. A lot of people swore it represented solid biblical truth. Other Christians criticized it on various grounds, not the least of which was the idea of territorial demons that controlled certain geographical areas. As with lots of Christian bestsellers, some folks seemed to idolize it and others seem to demonize it (for lack of a better word).
My purpose in mentioning this title is not to argue for or against the merits of the book. My purpose is simply to say that, whatever its strengths or weaknesses - and I suppose it had a measure of both - the book seemed to strike a chord by reminding people that there are indeed powerful spiritual happenings going on all around us. I will not vouch for Peretti's particular take, but I will say that it is a truth we all feel and it is jarring to be reminded of it in unsettling ways.
There is a world around us that we do not see. We should, I would caution, restrict our ideas about this world to what scripture plainly says about it, but what scripture do ...
Series: The Church in ACTSion
Wyman Richardson
Acts 19:1-20
Read Acts 19:1-20
In 1986, a Christian novel was published that gripped the imagination and attention of large swathes of the evangelical world. It was written by Frank Peretti and was entitled This Present Darkness. I would go on to sell 2.5 million copies and become a genuine publishing sensation.
The general spiritual theme of the novel was spiritual warfare. It told a story on two levels: the ground level of the happenings of the lives of the characters in the story and the upper level of the spiritual dynamics going on around and behind these happenings. Peretti's point was that we should appreciate the existence of an unseen spirit world and we should recognize that the forces of light (in the book, angels) and the forces of darkness (demons) are constantly vying for the soul of mankind.
I remember the stir that this novel caused. A lot of people swore it represented solid biblical truth. Other Christians criticized it on various grounds, not the least of which was the idea of territorial demons that controlled certain geographical areas. As with lots of Christian bestsellers, some folks seemed to idolize it and others seem to demonize it (for lack of a better word).
My purpose in mentioning this title is not to argue for or against the merits of the book. My purpose is simply to say that, whatever its strengths or weaknesses - and I suppose it had a measure of both - the book seemed to strike a chord by reminding people that there are indeed powerful spiritual happenings going on all around us. I will not vouch for Peretti's particular take, but I will say that it is a truth we all feel and it is jarring to be reminded of it in unsettling ways.
There is a world around us that we do not see. We should, I would caution, restrict our ideas about this world to what scripture plainly says about it, but what scripture do ...
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