Valley Gospel
A Pentecostal church experience.
Valley Gospel
Greater Is He In You
Uncover the true nature of Satan and arm yourself with knowledge against deception in this powerful episode. We promise you'll gain a deeper understanding of Satan's role as the adversary, grounded in biblical truths that differentiate God's omnipotence from Satan's limited power. Drawing insights from Valley Gospel Church in Springdale, Pennsylvania, this episode portrays Satan as a genuine entity in our world, exploring his predatory nature as highlighted in 1 Peter 5:8, while assuring believers of the protective shield offered by steadfast faith in Jesus.
Witness the dramatic fall of Lucifer, once a celestial being of perfection, now the embodiment of evil. Through texts like Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14, we trace his prideful descent and connect his story to contemporary issues of false prophets and deception in today's society. Our conversation examines Lucifer's initial heavenly role, comparing it to modern-day manipulations and the lasting impact of his influence, providing listeners with a theological lens to view these spiritual challenges.
Join us on a journey to understand the pervasive deception of Satan's earthly kingdom. We tackle the spiritual battles facing Christianity, from the allure of new-age beliefs to the distractions of prosperity gospel. By focusing on the triumphant message of Jesus' resurrection, we affirm the ultimate victory over evil and the promise of eternal justice. Concluding with a stirring celebration of God's greatness, we invite you to worship with us, feel the joy and peace of His presence, and embrace the assurance of His unending love and faithfulness.
But not because of you, but because he is good and you will not have room to receive Him. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, Woo, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Hello, welcome to Valley Gospel Church. We are a non-denominational Pentecostal church located in Springdale, pennsylvania. Our sole mission is to present the living truth of a risen Lord Jesus Christ to a remnant church and a lost world. So let's go into the service recorded live at Valley Gospel Church.
Speaker 3:I don't often preach on this subject because I sometimes feel that it gives a little too much glory to evil, sometimes the evil one, the usurper that, as I like to say, that split foot son of a serpent, is given too much publicity, too much acclaim. But any business owner knows that it's wise to know the competition. Any soldier knows that it's wise to understand and know the enemy. Some don't like using that term enemy, even when it applies to Satan. Some don't regard him as an enemy and just to be clear, he is the only being, along with his unholy trinity, that you and I, as Christians, are allowed to hate. He's the only one. Make no mistake, he is your enemy. I've heard through the years, and especially I had to rebuke a lady at Harmerville because in prayer requests she had a prayer request to pray for Satan, that he might receive redemption of some kind, that he would have a reunion, a joyous reunion with Jesus, and we'll talk about that reunion in a little while. But I'll just say don't waste your time, don't waste the effort. He is not a candidate for redemption. His faith is already sealed, his future is already determined. He's not eligible. In fact I might say that it would be blasphemous to pray for Satan's salvation. We would in fact be why you might ask that we would be in fact asking the Holy Ghost, who is a servant of light. Colette mentioned it this morning. A servant of light. Colette mentioned it this morning. A servant of light to deliver to Jesus from the darkness of hell. And that doesn't make any spiritual sense or common sense. Christy, let's go to work.
Speaker 3:Some deny the existence of Satan, say well, he's not really a person or he's not really an entity, while others elevate his power and influence to where he can get to Christians he can beat Christians. He can get to Christians, he can beat Christians. So to minimize his position or to maximize his position. Some say it's more of a state of mind. It's more of a state of mind. It's not of a state of mind. It's more of a state of mind. It's not really Satan. I've heard him explained as a virus, that he's kind of floating around there and if we catch him for a little while then we can go through this. I don't want to argue that point. But Peter says in first Peter five and eight and that's where we'll start today that it is far more personal than that, far more personal than a virus, an effect, a thought-provoking evil that we would encounter. So when you get there 1 Peter 5 and 8, would you please stand as Chrissy reads a single verse.
Speaker 3:A single verse Be sober be vigilant because your adversary, the devil, is a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour. He walks, he roars. He's like a predator. He devours people and families and nations. Be assured this was spoken of more than an influence. He is Lucifer. He is Satan, the devil, baal, beelzebub. He is the adversary. He is Satan, the devil, baal, beelzebub. He is the adversary. He is our enemy. He is the prince of the power of the air. He is the dragon, the serpent, the liar, the snake. He is the prince of darkness. Understand who our enemy is today. Understand who our enemy is today.
Speaker 3:He's spoken of more than 174 times in the word of God by one of those names, 174 times. He is the celestial potentate and, as an angel, he is called the son of the morning. The son of the morning. Well, I thought Jesus was the day star of the morning. Listen closely.
Speaker 3:Today there's a revelation in the message and I'll use for a subject Greater. Is he in you? Let's pray, heavenly Father. Thank you, lord. Is he in you? Let's pray, heavenly Father. Thank you, lord. Thank you for this somewhat dark exposition, lord. I thank you that you've allowed me to bring that which you would have said. Lord, I ask you to anoint every word that said. Let this word be a lamp in the light. It is in the name of your blessed son. We pray Amen and amen. Please be seated as Christians. Thank you, chrissy.
Speaker 3:It's really important to know that Satan is active, that he is active in the world, but he doesn't have the same attributes as his creator. And that's where we go askew, I think, because we attribute the same attributes that God has, that Jesus has, that the Holy Spirit has, to Satan. He is not omniscient, he is not omnipresent, he is not omnipotent, he's not all-powerful, can't be everywhere at once. He is an all-knowing, and that's important. And let me just deal with one of them. He's not omnipresent, he can't be everywhere at once. So he has to move about. He has to move about and certainly with the help of his myriads of demons and seeking whom he may devour. And just an understanding the interpretation of devour there in 1 Peter actually means to swallow whole, like a snake, like a python, just swallow it. Nothing left. No, they don't spit out the bones, don't spit out the tail, nothing left. He wants it all. He wants it all and he won't quit.
Speaker 3:But a born again, sold out believer, christ follower has nothing to fear, because Jesus has complete authority over Satan, complete and total authority, and he has given that authority to his followers, the same authority. We won't be overcome. We're overcomers. We won't be victims because we're victors. Glory, wait till.
Speaker 3:How many of you used to say in the schoolyard wait till I tell my dad, huh, wait till. I tell my dad, and your mother used to use that on you too. Wait till your dad comes home, right, well, I tell my dad. And your mother used to use that on you too. Wait till your dad comes home, right. Well, dad's already home, dad already knows. He doesn't need to be told. He already knows and he's already given you control and authority over Satan.
Speaker 3:So where did he come from? Where did he come from? That's always been a confusion, somewhat of a mystery, but we learn some things in the book of Ezekiel, ezekiel 28. Ezekiel 28 and 11, a little bit of a long reading, but I think it'll give you the gist. Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus and say unto him Thus saith the Lord, god, thou sealest up the sum full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been eaten the garden of God. Every precious stone was thy covering the sardius, the topaz, the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and carbuncle and gold. The workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou was created.
Speaker 3:Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth, and I have set thee so. Thou wast upon the holy mountain of God. Thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou was created till iniquity was found in thee by the multitude of thy merchandise. They have filled the midst of thee with violence and thou hast sinned. Therefore, I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God and I will destroy thee, o covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty. Thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness. I will cast thee to the ground. I will lay thee before kings that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled the sanctuaries by the magnitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic. Therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee and it shall devour thee and I will bring thee to the ashes upon the earth, and in the sight of all of them that behold thee One more, all they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee. Thou shalt be a terror and never shalt thou be any more.
Speaker 3:His origin somewhat of a mystery. We know that he was a created being, since everything that was created was created by Jesus. So Satan was in fact. Lucifer was created by Jesus. He was exalted, he was lifted up, evidence that he had a beautiful voice. Once led the choirs of heaven, he was the guardian, he was a protector of the throne room of God. Lucifer, perfect in his ways. In him, in him, created being was wisdom and beauty, until iniquity, sin was found in him. And I don't know. I think the Bible implies that it was that pride in his beauty, in his wisdom, his intellect, maybe his position as the guardian of the throne room of God, that caused his downfall.
Speaker 3:How many of you remember, we were studying false prophets and false movements I hate to use that term, but false outpourings and ministries and we studied a movement in Lakeland, florida, and Todd Bentley. Todd Bentley and churches from all around the area were sending people there that this was a true move of God, that this was from God, and really the Assembly of God in Monrovia was sending people in busloads for this outpouring and I remember at the time I warned, I just the Lord spoke to me regarding this Todd Bentley and said he's not of God, he's not of God. And I warned people but they laughed at me. But Todd Bentley, in Fresh Fire, he spoke that he had a personal angel. Her name was Emma, emma the Angel. That's pretty cool, emma the Angel. But this angel and I don't know where he got this either but I listened to the message that he preached that Emma had wings and on her wings plus, I never heard of a female angel. But be that as it may, but on her wings underneath and on top. But on her wings underneath and on top she was covered with gems the sardis, the topaz diamonds. Lucifer was clothed in garments of rare and precious stones sardis, topaz diamonds, sapphires, emerald all woven together with gold and incidentally, don't want to get too deep in the Bentley, but kind of getting out there again Lucifer Satan resided in Eden, the garden of God, and my study leads me to believe that it was the heavenly Eden, not the earthly Eden. Earthly Eden is in present-day Iraq, is where the garden of Eden was on earth and I, because the Bible says he dwelt in the paradise of God, he dwelt in the holy mountain. But what caused him to fall from his glorious, powerful position? And my, you can't get much higher than that the guardian of the throne.
Speaker 3:Isaiah 14 gives us some insight, as does Job 38, but and I'll just give you the cliff notes, we'll look at a couple. But because I don't want you to think this is some expose that I got out of my head as the world, as the earth, was being prepared for habitation, it says the morning stars sang together and shouted for joy, and some scholars, actually many scholars, say that Lucifer, the mighty archangel, was given authority at that moment over the earth. He was given earth as his realm and it was there that Isaiah and we will turn to Isaiah, because this is kind of big Isaiah 14. Isaiah 14. There it is. It was there that Isaiah made this particular declaration Isaiah 14 and 12. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How art thou cut down to the ground which did weaken the nations? For thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the most high.
Speaker 3:Now that understanding that Satan was loosed in the earth, given authority over the earth, would account for Satan's words to Jesus. Do you remember in the wilderness, when he tempted him and he said everything you see, I'll give you if you'll fall down and worship me Because, truth be told, it was his, it belonged to him. It was his, it belonged to him. It also accounts for his, satan's, fighting against all of humanity in this day, this time, this age, trying to retain his earthly possession, not sure exactly what his plan is for it or what his thought process is, but trying to retain what was once his. So where is he now?
Speaker 3:A common teaching is that Satan and his demons and imps some 757 trillion demons you think you get pestered a lot. 757 trillion demons. We know that from the fifth chapter of Revelation, when a third of the angel band fell into darkness. But some think he's at home in heaven, or in hell, or Hades or Sheol, whatever you would choose to call it. But check this out in Job 1 and 7.
Speaker 3:Job 1 and 7, and the Lord said unto Satan Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord and said From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it. Just skip up to 2 and 2. And the Lord said unto Satan From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord and said From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it. Angels appeared before the throne of God to give account for their activities and Lucifer appeared with them. He appeared with them to account for. The Lord says where you been In the earth, where you sent me, what have you been doing? I've been deceiving as many as I could along the way.
Speaker 3:Satan was at liberty in the earth then and had access to some extent to the heavenlies, and I believe today the same is true. Certainly access to the earth, but he also has some liberties in heaven. Look, satan's the king. We have to know that because he has a kingdom, that because he has a kingdom, I'm going to take the time, but let's go to Matthew 12. Again, I only go to the scriptures because I'm afraid we won't look them up later. You say, yeah, I don't know if my pastor is saying he's a king or has a kingdom. So Matthew 12, 24.
Speaker 3:But when the Pharisees heard it, they said but when the Pharisees heard it, they said this fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts and said unto them Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself. How shall then his kingdom stand? His kingdom consists of principalities and powers and rulers of darkness.
Speaker 3:His goal, his goal he's not just being mean, his goal is to further establish his kingdom, to fortify it by adding to it with non-believers, with backsliders, with those on the fence, by opposers, by anti-Christians. How does he do that? He does that with woke, atheistic policies. He does that through church failures and falls. He does that by leading generation after generation, away from the God of the Bible and into things, jeff, like we talked about this morning, things that really don't matter, away from God's Son, jesus Christ, the only means of redemption and salvation. It's why the name of Jesus Christ is so hated In the world, yeah, but in this country as well, and he uses that to move us toward social endeavors and climate and environment, all in an effort to get us away from Jesus Christ in order to increase the size of his kingdom and retain his possession. That's his goal.
Speaker 3:As believers, you and I, we reside in his kingdom. That's why the Bible said we're in this world, but not of it. We reside in his kingdom, but not subjects of it. We're not governed by his rules. We are not. We don't fall under his charter of life and death and male and female and gender. We don't fall under that. We're not in submission to his rule. You say, well, how can that happen? You say, well, how can that happen? We're not under that because we're under the blood. Amen, we're under the blood.
Speaker 3:Satan's greatest tool, his method, his greatest tool, is deception, deception. I think I only have one more scripture 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 4. How does he advance his kingdom. How has his kingdom moved forward? From when we were an 80% Christian nation a century ago to now we're in the 30s, 20s. Church attendance used to top 100 average, now it's 19. 2 Corinthians, 4, 3. 4 and 3.
Speaker 3:But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the gods of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe. Not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. Hmm, my. Firstly, he deceives his own, say. Well, they're already already deceived. He leads them further astray. He leads them further astray so that the light of the gospel can't even shine on them. Leads them into, into keeping them away from real churches. No, I like the music, I like the fog, I like the big bands. This is where I'll go. Yeah, but they're not preaching the full gospel. Yeah, I really don't care. They have a rock climbing mall and my kids like it, leading them to cults and Christian light.
Speaker 3:And half the truth hardens those that are in between, selling out to Jesus and Christmas and Easter type Christianity to get more cynical, more sarcastic. Yeah, see the Bible's full of flaws, full of inconsistencies. Show me one. Well, I don't have to show you anything. Moving them closer. Well, let me put it another way. Moving them away from a move of God, a touch from heaven, a revelation of truth, away from the blessing of the Lord, so that we can blame everything on God. And he gets, I'm going to say it, he gets intellectual pastors that are uncalled and not anointed, woke teachers to present another gospel. You say, well, that's just one. From these churches, from these intellectual churches, come more false teachers, more false preachers, deceiving and being deceived, forever learning, but unable to come into the knowledge of the truth.
Speaker 3:2 Peter says they bring damnable heresies into the house of God. They have degrees, they have diplomas, they have certificates, they lead large churches and small churches, yet they deny the virgin birth, they deny the deity of Christ, they deny his physical resurrection, they deny his bodily return. Be very aware of the one who can destroy the soul as opposed to the body. Be very aware of what Satan's plan is. Oh, he'll kill you along the way, but that's not what he's interested in. He wants to destroy the soul, he wants to cast it into the lake of fire. And Satan is subtle. He's subtle. Always have to be vigilant, always have to be on the lookout Because in his method of attack, his mode of subversion, your Bible said that if it were possible, he would deceive even the very elect, even those that we hold in high regard and high esteem.
Speaker 3:How? How? Mostly from within, from within, from within. There aren't a whole lot of darkness attacks from the outside. Mostly it's from within. Look, he knows the scripture, he knows human nature. He's been around a long time and don't forget who he was, don't forget what his job was. He knows the language, he knows what to say, he knows how to make us feel good in our humanity.
Speaker 3:He's deceiving the churches not just the pretend churches, and by that I mean green churches and environmental churches that don't mention the name Jesus, the Kiwanis with a cross. Those are the fake churches. Those are easy Churches in name only. You have a church at the end of your title. You're nothing, you're not a church at all. But you have a church at the end of your name. But he's deceiving even the hardcore denominational churches. Churches that profess to preach the word. Did you think I was going here today, jeffy? Just amazing. We were talking about this before service this morning. Churches that profess to preach the word, that possess his name on their documents, that say they exercise his wisdom.
Speaker 3:All right, buckle up. I'm not trying to disparage any denomination, any institution, but I am here to tell you the truth. I am here to tell you the truth. I've committed to tell you the truth, to deceive the spiritually needy, those that need to have something, a manifestation. He created spiritualism, new age To those wanting success and financial growth. He created positive confession and the prosperity gospel To question Jesus as a deity. He created Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons. They're Christian.
Speaker 3:Look, satan isn't just trying to eliminate the church. Maybe he knows that he can't do that, but he is trying to confuse it, pervert it, lead it astray. And maybe you're thinking, pastor, why do you lash out at other churches, denominations, institutions? Shouldn't we all be about unity and tolerance, and shouldn't we all just get along together as actually? No, no, I say unequivocally no, because people are being led down a false path, through a broad gate on a wide road that leads to destruction. The Bible is clear. Many go in there at.
Speaker 3:Satan knows if he can unify us on something that doesn't matter. If he can unify us on something that doesn't matter, if he can unify us and direct our attention to lesser things, to social things, to get our eyes off Jesus and onto wealth or prosperity or gold dust or finding gems in the pews. That's one thing I never understood about the Lakeland outpouring. Everybody was finding gold dust in their Bibles and they'd come into service and go oh my goodness, why wouldn't you just test it? Is it gold or is it plastic? But no, for years. Gold dust in the pews, diamonds in the parking lot Were they real or did God use a fake? Never understood it, never got that. Get our minds off the word of God and onto the words of men Through those outpourings, through books, cds, through the media.
Speaker 3:Satan believes that he can delay the evangelizing of the world, that he can delay an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He knows he can't stop it, but he can delay it. He can delay it because we're not on the same page In his mind. If he can delay that outpouring, if he can delay the harvest, then he can delay Jesus' return the harvest, then he can delay Jesus' return. If he can delay Jesus' return, then he can delay his own demise. He can put off his own casting into the bottomless pit and the lake of fire after that and a final act of vengeance after that. And a final act of vengeance, lucifer. Satan wants to take as many souls, jesus's inheritance, the souls that were given to him. He wants to take as many of them with him to the lake of fire. And it's not unique. It's not unique to this time or this place or the end times.
Speaker 3:This warfare is recorded from Genesis 3 all the way to Revelation 20. He gets Adam and Eve to fail in the garden right and sin enters the world. Worked well. He tries to prevent the promised seed and Cain kills his brother Abel it's not new. To prevent service to the most high. He gets the daughters of men to marry the sons of God I shouldn't say marry, to hook up with the sons of God. To prevent the Christ from coming into the world. He kills all the children under two years old. It's a pretty devious plan and it's ongoing. It was kind of a stop all to get everything.
Speaker 3:When Jesus was crucified, satan thought he won, got this. No, in fact not. Thought he knew he won. He won. He dead at long last. And on that first, on that Thursday morning, when the curtains were closed and the lights went out, satan led his demons in a dance of joy. Finally, the sons of God. The son of God was dead. Jesus's inheritance was now his, it fell to him. It defeated the one who created him. He had just defeated the one who bruised his head. Glory, the one who cast him from heaven, from the throne room, was finished. He was vanquished. God in the flesh was bruised and bloodied and broken and unrecognizable, and now a non-factor because he's dead. That's what Satan believed completely. But wait, wait, wait, wait, oh wait.
Speaker 3:Daylight came that Sunday morning, 08,. Daylight came that Sunday morning and as those rays of sunshine came over the hill of Golgotha, jesus come out of the tomb, leading captivity, captive, crying I am Alpha, I am Omega, I am beginning and end. Glory, and no power in hell or on earth could stop him. Sin, death, hell were defeated. Jesus is King of kings, lord of lords. Jesus will stand across the plain of Megiddo, unlike the Jesus that walked the shores of Galilee. He will stand across the plain, unlike the one who stumbled along the Via Dolorosa. This Jesus will be astride, a great white stallion, the final conflict. Eyes as flames of fire, hair like wool, robes shimmering, glittering, glistening white. You know there's some descriptions of that, that just they're like twinkle lights in his robes, garments dipped in blood on his thigh. King of kings and lord of lords, the lowly Galilean, the lamb turned into a lion.
Speaker 3:Hallelujah, we'll deal with this accuser that walks and roars and threatens and afflicts. This liar, this father of lies, the son of perdition listen to this falls to his knees and the first time since the fall in the garden, he tells the truth. First time he falls to his knees and says he is Lord, he is Lord, he is Lord. A mighty angel plucks him from the hillside of that battlefield with a great chain, binds him. How many of you know that chain has already been forged. It's already in existence somewhere. The Bible tells us that that chain has already been made, awaiting that day, and cast him into the bottomless pit where he'll remain for a thousand years.
Speaker 3:I won't take the time to do it today. Read Revelation 21 through 10 whenever you get a chance. At the end of the thousand years, he'll be loosed for a season. What's that about? You had him. Keep them. It's a topic for another day. He'll be loose for a season. Then he will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity, with every demon, into the lake of fire for eternity. Hallelujah. What do we always say? Eternity is a long, long time. It's why you and I can both say, on this Sunday of 2025, greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. Amen, amen. Thank you so much for listening.
Speaker 2:Thank you for listening to this week's podcast. We pray it was an encouragement and a blessing to you. You can contact us at Valley Gospel Church, 1069 Butler Logan Road, Springdale, Pennsylvania, 15144.
Speaker 1:We invite you to listen to this week's worship service that follows and tune in poured out on Sodom Mercy and grace he gave us at the cross. I hope that we have not too quickly forgotten our God is an awesome God.
Speaker 1:Our God is an awesome God. He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power and love. Our God is an awesome God. Sing it again Our God is an awesome God. He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power and love. Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God.
Speaker 1:You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace. The mountains and the hills will break forth before you. There'll be shouts of joy. All the trees of the field will clap, will clap their hands. Oh, hallelujah. Let's praise him this morning. Give him all the praise. He is the awesome God of Israel.
Speaker 1:You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace. The mountains and the hills will break forth before you. There'll be shouts of joy. All the trees of the field will clap, will clap their hands, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. And all the trees of the field will clap their hands. The trees of the field will clap their hands. The trees of the field will clap their hands, while you go out with joy, joy, have a new shot like him, have a new shot like him, have a new shot like him. Have a new shot, shot, shot. Oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, hallelujah. The zeal of God has consumed me and it burns in my soul, a driving force that cannot be stopped, a fire that cannot be quenched. A venu shalom aleichem, a venu shalom aleichem, not be quenched. Oh Hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah, you shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace.