Angels, Aliens and Satanic Delusions pt. 1

Mark Finley: What is faith? It is believing and trusting the promises of God. It's being anchored in Christ, anchored in his word.
Guest (Female): This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, Angels, Aliens, and Satanic Delusions, part one. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: There was a time that we used to think that anybody that talked about UFOs, unidentified flying objects, must be some crazy wild-eyed fanatic. But have you noticed that there is an increasing interest in extraterrestrial events and affairs, UFO sightings, and unidentified flying objects? People worldwide have actually reported encounters with these UFOs over the last few years. If you know anything about the movie scene, and I hope you don't know too much about it, you'll notice the movies that are on UFOs, unidentified flying objects, space travel, blockbuster hits, generating millions and millions of dollars. But government officials in the United States and many other nations have investigated these unidentified aerial phenomena and they've begun declassifying documents and declassifying videos and producing reports for a curious public. And so, so you have to ask yourself some questions. Are extraterrestrials really visiting our planet? Does the Bible say anything about these beings from other planets? Are they real? Is this some big hoax? Is it, will we ever have contact with beings from outer space? Are these sightings real or just some grand hoax? Now recently, and this is what kind of prompted me to prepare this message this morning, recently the Pentagon has unclassified a number of documents on unidentified flying objects. The news media picked up the story and here's what we know. If you followed the news at all, you've noticed that you've noticed that Congress has passed a 2.3 trillion spending bill on Coronavirus relief package. It was passed in December of 2020. But did you know that in that package, tucked away, there was a stipulation requiring the Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to deliver an unclassified report on unidentified flying objects to Congress within six months. They were to compile what the government knows about these unidentified flying objects that are rocketing over American airspace. Now, the long awaited report was just released. It only has nine pages. But it tells us more about this subject than anything that the American public has ever known before. As I was reading it, I was quite shocked and amazed at what the government actually knows and the report that was given to Congress. The first thing that was interesting and here's what we know. Over the last few years, the government has reported 144 contacts with these UFOs or unidentified flying objects from military pilots. In addition to that, most of these came from 2004 to 2021, but the large amount were in the last couple years. Now, as they looked at these 144 reports from military pilots, they could only identify one that was kind of a deflated balloon that was flying in the sky, somebody thought that was an unidentified flying object. But the rest remained unexplained. Now, in a total of 18 of these reports, according to the report released by the Pentagon, just a few weeks ago, that they reported that these UFOs had unusual flight patterns, that they could resist great wind, blow, the wind blowing against them, that they could speed very quickly away with no record or no indication of jet propulsion, that they could go against the wind. They began to also notice that on a number of them, a small number, that the military had picked up radio frequency energy coming from these sightings. In 11 instances, United States airline pilots said that they had near misses with UFOs. Now, one of the basic questions we need to raise is, has this planet ever been visited by aliens or beings of any form from outer space? Are we in this universe alone? Is planet earth the only populated planet in our universe? If there are beings on other planets, what are they really like? And what does this all have to do with you and me today in this battle between good and evil, in the great controversy between Christ and Satan? Now the Bible does not give us all the answers about unidentified flying objects. But it does reveal that our planet is in the midst of a cosmic conflict between good and evil, and that we are not the only created beings in the universe. Good and evil angels battle for our minds. They battle for the supremacy of the world. So let's look for a few moments at the evidence in the Bible for life on other planets. Let's look at that evidence in scripture. Now, is it possible that in this battle between good and evil, that the devil may be using extraordinary paranormal phenomena to prepare for a last-day deception that he'll break upon the world? So first, is there evidence for life on other planets? And if there is, what kind of life is that? Is it fallen beings? Is it unfallen beings? You're going to the book of Job, Job chapter 1. We're looking there at Job the first chapter to try to get a picture of this great controversy between good and evil. Job chapter 1, you're looking there at verse 6. Now, there was a day, now there was a day, in the far distant past, in the millenniums in the past, in thousands of years in the future, in in the past that relates to our present future. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. And Satan also came from among them. And the Lord said to Satan, "Where do you come from?" So Satan answered the Lord and said, "I from going to and fro on the earth and from walking back and forth on it." So here you have a text in the Bible that says there's this meeting in heaven. And in this council meeting in heaven, the sons of God, and we need to find out who they are. They're obviously not fallen beings, because if they were fallen beings, they wouldn't be called the sons of God, right? So it says, the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came from among them and the Lord says to Satan, "Where'd you come from?" And he said, "Well, I've come from the earth." So evidently Satan is the Prince of the Power of the Air, he's the Prince of this world. You remember Jesus said the Prince of this world comes and he has nothing in me. So evidently Satan represents this planet, but these sons of God must represent other unfallen planets in the universe that God has created. You find this in Job chapter 2 as well. Job chapter 2 describes this again. And it says, Job 2:1, "Again there was a day," so this is a different day, "that the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also from among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come from?' So Satan answered and said, 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down upon it.'" So you have these two council meetings in heaven, sons of God come, meet before the Lord, Satan comes as a representative of earth. The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Old Testament by 70 Jewish scholars. When the Septuagint translates this expression, the sons of God, looking at the Hebrew of that, it says the angels of God. So evidently, God created angelic beings, and these angelic beings inhabit different places or planets in the universe, someplace, far beyond our solar system. Satan comes representing the earth. Now, does the Bible teach that God created worlds and not only this world? It does. You look at Hebrews chapter 1, Hebrews chapter 1, if you have your Bible, take it and take a look at Hebrews 1. So we're setting forth the fact that God has created varying worlds in the universe. And that there is biblical evidence for those worlds. And that there's a host of good angels, angelic beings. We're going to study about these angelic beings this morning. And we're going to look at the good and evil angels and see this conflict between good and evil. In Hebrews chapter 1, verse 1 and 2, it says, "God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets." That's the prophetic word, the prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, "has in these last days spoken to us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things." Now read the last phrase with me. You ready to read? "Through whom also he made the what?"
Congregation: Worlds.
Mark Finley: The what?
Congregation: Worlds.
Mark Finley: The worlds. So, according to the Bible, there was a time that the sons of God came to appear before him. These sons of God are angelic beings. They appear before God. Satan comes from planet Earth to appear before God. In Hebrews chapter 1, it says God created the worlds. So, in these angelic worlds, in these galaxies far distant from ours, they're not fallen by sin. The Earth is the only planet the Bible says has fallen by sin. It was here to this earth that Christ came.
Guest (Female): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.
Mark Finley: But the Bible speaks about an innumerable company of angels, Hebrews 12:22. The Bible speaks about 10,000 times 10,000 angels, in Daniel 7, verse 9 and 10. In Genesis 28, the Bible speaks of, remember about about Jacob fleeing from his brother Esau, and he sees this ladder come down from heaven as he's praying, and angels come up and down on that ladder. We have been visited by beings from outer space. They are not beings in some flying saucer, but they are rather angelic beings. If you could sweep the curtain aside, and we could see with eyes divinely anointed, we would see good angels coming and visiting planet earth. We find these good angels throughout the Bible. They are sent on messages of mercy to the people of God. To Abraham, they came with promises of blessing. You'll recall Abraham met two strangers approaching his home. The strangers were angels, and Abraham entertained them and blessed the entire household. Angels approached Lot and hastened him out of Sodom before its fiery destruction. Angels nourished Elijah when he was about ready to perish from weariness and hunger in the desert. Angels angels protected Elisha from, and remember they gave him a vision. Elisha is trapped in this city, and his servant says, Elisha, we're going to be attacked. We're going to be destroyed. And Elisha says, with eyes divinely enlightened, "They that are with us are more than they that are with them. Open your eyes!" And there were chariots of fire with angels all protecting them. Angels appeared to Daniel when he sought divine wisdom in Babylon. Angels shut the mouths of lions when they wanted Daniel for lunch and they weren't vegetarians. Angels delivered Peter when he was doomed to death in Herod's dungeon and directed him also to Cornelius to lead the Roman Centurion to truth about Jesus. Angels visited Paul in prison and Paul and Silas saw the prison knocked down. Holy, righteous angels are God's ambassadors sent by heaven to guide, protect, impress, strengthen, and deliver his people. Angels loyal to God are God's ambassadors in this conflict. Are you not thrilled with the sense that the good angels outnumber the bad angels two to one?
Congregation: Amen.
Mark Finley: And I'll show you that later from the Bible. Aren't you thrilled to know that the God that sent angels to protect, guide, direct, and strengthen his children is not asleep up there someplace? And as we seek him in prayer, he sends heavenly angels to us today to beat back the forces of hell so that we can triumph in the conflict between good and evil? Every asset that God could provide for our salvation, he has provided. Here are three powerful passages on angels, two in the Old Testament, the other in the New. Psalm 91, verse 11. Psalm 91, verse 11. You're taking your Bibles, going back to the book of Psalms. We are not alone in the struggle. We are not alone in the conflict. The God of heaven has sent forth angels. Psalm 91, verse 11. "For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways." Angelic beings sent from heaven have charge over us to protect, to guide, to strengthen. Psalm 34, verse 7. I picked up a a real nice nuance of this verse in the New Living Translation. I'll read it in the New King James, then I'll go back to the New Living, and I think you're going to really grasp something from that. Psalm 34, verse 7. "The angel of the Lord camps roundabout those who fear him and delivers them." Here's what the New Living Translation says, "For the angel of the Lord is a guard. He surrounds and defends all those who fear him." So when the devil comes upon you with the hellish forces of evil, when the devil comes upon you with the demonic forces of darkness, remember, Psalm 34:7, "For the angel of the Lord is on guard, and he surrounds and defends all those who fear him." Hebrews 1, verse 14. Three powerful passages, three powerful passages on the righteous, holy, good, just angels, that surround us, protect us, defend us. Hebrews 1, verse 14. "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" Some passages read, "for those who are inheriting salvation." So these good angels surround us. These good angels guide us. These good angels protect us. As you kneel in prayer, thank God for his love. Thank Jesus for the message of salvation. Thank the Holy Spirit for convicting your heart and thank God for the heavenly angels. Those angels that surround and protect and guide us. Now the Bible teaches that there are not only righteous angels loyal to God seeking our good, but that there are evil angels seeking our destruction. The Bible teaches that one third of the angels listened to Satan's lies, were deceived by Satan and fell. We find that in Revelation 12, verse 7 to 10. It was so beautifully read in our scripture reading this morning. Revelation chapter 12, you're looking there to start at verse 7 to 10, and then we're going to go back to verse 4. Revelation 12:7 to 10 and then back to verse 4. And war broke out in heaven, a strange place for war. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought, and they did not prevail. You want to circle those four words, you want to underline them, and you want to have them deeply indelibly impressed in your consciousness. They did not prevail. The evil angels that battled against Jesus in heaven did not prevail there and they will not prevail in your life.
Congregation: Amen.
Mark Finley: The evil angels did not win that battle, and through Christ, they're not going to win the battle in your life. Jesus cast the evil angels out of heaven, and he'll cast the evil influences out of your life. They did not prevail. Nor was a place for them found anymore in in heaven any longer. So the great dragon, that's Satan, was cast out, the serpent called the Devil and Satan. Now, notice the devil's called the dragon, and he's also called the serpent. He's called the dragon because he destroys and the serpent because he deceives. He deceives those who he wants to destroy and destroys those whom he has deceived. So the great dragon was cast out, the serpent called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. If the devil had followers in heaven, in a perfect world, and he deceived one third of the angels, would you not conclude that his deceptions are very very seductive and very cunning? Would you not then conclude, if he can deceive angels in a perfect world, that we must clearly understand how to overcome his wiles as they are trying to destroy us and deceive us? Now, how many of the angels were cast out of heaven? You go back to verse 4, speaking in verse 3, "Another angel appeared in heaven, behold a fiery red dragon, having seven heads and 10 horns." And it says there, "and seven diadems on his head. His tail, that's the dragon's tail, drew a third of the stars of heaven." Stars of heaven are the angels, "and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her child as soon as it was born." So how many of the evil how many of the angels were not loyal to Christ, but were cast out of heaven? How many of those?
Congregation: One third.
Mark Finley: One third. How many of the angels remained loyal then?
Congregation: Two thirds.
Mark Finley: You're good mathematical students, I knew that. Two thirds of the angels, see, they were loyal to God. So here's the incredible good news. However many evil angels Satan had, however many thousands they are, we don't know, God has twice as many good angels.
Congregation: Amen.
Mark Finley: However many evil angels Satan has, God has these good, righteous, holy angels to surround and protect us. Now, Satan is a great deceiver. He deceives a third of the angels. And we're in a battle. This is a conflict between good and evil. This is a great controversy. Ephesians 6, verse 12. We're in a great controversy between good and evil. And we want to discover this morning, in this battle, how can we be victorious? How can we we take advantage of everything that Christ has provided for us? Ephesians 6 and verse 12. We are in a battle. And as we enter the final days of human history, the devil's attacks will not become any less, they will become fiercer. He will use his deceptive, cunning power to mold our minds to conformity to this world, to lead us to temptation, to separate us from Christ. But we need not fear, because Jesus is more powerful than the evil one. We have heavenly angels that have come to our aid to enable us to triumph over the powers of darkness. Ephesians 6, verse 12. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against what? Principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age." Who are the rulers of darkness of this age? They're the evil angels. "Against spiritual hosts of wickedness." Who are the spiritual hosts of wickedness? They're the evil angels. "In the heavenly places. Therefore take on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand an evil day and having done all to stand." So here we battle, we wrestle, not against flesh and blood. There is a battle. And the battle is for your mind. The greatest battle in Earth's history is not going to be some battle in the Middle East between opposing forces there. It's not some battle for for for Jerusalem. It is the battle for the human mind. And the devil is doing everything he can to capture your mind. He's doing everything he can to influence your thoughts. He's doing everything he can to dislodge your affections from Christ, because the devil wants as many people lost as possible. But thank God. Jesus has provided salvation for all.
Congregation: Amen.
Mark Finley: Thank God, the Holy Spirit has provided power to overcome. Thank God, there are heavenly angels to guide and to assist even in the most difficult times, even in the hardest places, even in the most unusual circumstances.
Guest (Female): You've been listening to Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at hopelives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.
Mark Finley: It is a solid bedrock faith that cannot be moved in spite of everything around you that is appealing to your senses to surrender your faith. Paul tells us in Ephesians chapter 6, verse 14. Paul tells us just how to survive in the last days. You and I can be survivors and not statistics. You can I and I can survive the overwhelming deception that's coming upon this world. Heaven has provided every resource for us. "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, taking above all the shield of faith." "Stand therefore, girding your waist with truth."