Part I: “I am no devil, for there is none.”

(Post one in an intended series)

As Nietzsche observed : “the rise of science, mathematics, and philosophy arose across Europe to displace Christianity as the guiding authority on truth about life and the universe,”¹ which caused a great destabilizing of values — to move from “an absolute incontestable authority telling us how to live our lives,” to not knowing “how we should go about living.” For Nietzsche, the question became: “How can we evolve our values to avoid slipping into meaninglessness and nihilism?”²

Most are familiar with Nietzsche’s statement that “God is dead,”³ but have we ever pondered the equally humanistic⁴ erasure of Satan by the “Enlightenment.” Of course, most religions think they have rejected both the death and erasure notions, but when we compare what science thinks about “Satan” with what the Word of God / scripture reveals, where might we and our churches sit on the continuum? — nearer the science end?

Yes, we lament about all the crime, corruption, and evil in the world; we lament about the failings, pains, and sorrows in our own families and communities, but where do we look for cause? for remedy? for healing? To science, medicine, psychiatry, big pharma? Do we blame human nature? chemical imbalance? bad parenting? personality trait? trauma? pollution? religion? society? culture? and on and on?

This is not to say that Satan is the cause of all trials and tribulations for there is probably parallel in this observation and counsel to do “all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils” (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 46:7).

​But if Satan’s purpose is to destroy the agency of man as scripture tells us,⁵ how conscious are we of his interference with our daily life; with our life’s mission and purpose?⁶ How do he and his servitors – the enemies of all righteousness⁷ — spend our / their days? Whispering?

22 And behold, others he [Satan] flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance^[8] (Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 28:22)

Can we acknowledge how much whispering goes on? What do we imagine to be the primary source of persistent, oppressing spirits? Have we ever felt the awful chains of

depression              anxiety
worry                       impatience
confusion                doubt
fear                           anger
pain                          illness
disease                     anguish
hopelessness           obsession
invasive, unwanted thoughts
and on and on.

But how does our enlightened science assess oppressing spirits? What do many of our pastors and ministers counsel? Do they acknowledge or practice what Jesus did⁹?

Asking and answering these questions may help us see where we are on the science vs. Word of God continuum as it relates to unseen spirits. And questioning may also help us know what we can do — what authority we have — as believers in Jesus Christ, His Words, and His Way.

Until the next post, you can review in footnote 10 below many scripture verses concerning the interference, oppressions, possessions, activities, and realities of the thief who seeks “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”¹¹ If we ignore or are ignorant of Satan's devices does he not gain the advantage as the Apostle Paul warned?¹²

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1. According to Jack Maden at https://philosophybreak.com/articles/god-is-dead-nietzsche-famous-statement-explained/
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Meaning intended here: "an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems." (From a google search "humanism meaning”)
5. Pearl of Great Price | Moses 4:3 - 4
   3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;
   4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.
6. Old Testament | Jeremiah 29:11
   11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
7. Book of Mormon | Mosiah 4:14
   14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.
8. In the context of gospel gestalt, there is no deliverance if there is no repentance, but there is with sincere repentance in a timely way.
9. https://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.com/2016/12/what-did-jesus-do_16.html
10. Old Testament | Job 1:7
   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. (Job 2:2)
Old Testament | Isaiah 14:12 - 17
   12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
   13 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:
   14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
   15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
   16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
   17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
Old Testament | Zechariah 3:1
   1 AND he [the angel] shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
JST New Testament | Matthew 4:1-2
   1 Then Jesus was led up of the Spirit, into the wilderness, to with God.
   2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, and had communed with God, he was afterwards an hungered, and was left to be tempted of the devil.
New Testament | Matthew 4:24
   24 And his [Jesus’] fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
New Testament | Matthew 8:16
   16 ¶ When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
New Testament | Matthew 9:32 - 33
   32 ¶ As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
   33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
New Testament | Matthew 12:22
   22 ¶ Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
New Testament | Matthew 17:15, 18
   15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. ...
   18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
New Testament | Mark 4:15
   15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. (Mark 4:15)
New Testament | Luke 11:14
   14 ¶ And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.
New Testament | Luke 13:11 - 16
   11 ¶ And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
   12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
   13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
   14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
   15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
   16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
New Testament | 2 Corinthians 2:11
   11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
New Testament | 1 Thessalonians 2:18
   18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
New Testament | 1 Timothy 4:1 - 2
   1 NOW the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
   2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
New Testament | 1 Peter 5:8 - 9
   8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
   9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
New Testament | Revelation 2:10
   10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
New Testament | Revelation 12:9
   9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 11:31
   31 And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 2:27
   27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 26:22
   22 And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.
Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 28:21 - 22
   21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.
   22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.
Book of Mormon | Mosiah 4:14
   14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.
Book of Mormon | Mosiah 16:3 - 7
   3 For they are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over them; yea, even that old serpent that did beguile our first parents, which was the cause of their fall; which was the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, devilish, knowing evil from good, subjecting themselves to the devil.
   4 Thus all mankind were lost; and behold, they would have been endlessly lost were it not that God redeemed his people from their lost and fallen state.
   5 But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him. Therefore, he is as though there was no redemption made, being an enemy to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God.
   6 And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption.
   7 And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.
Book of Mormon | Alma 12:4 - 6
   4 And thou seest that we know that thy plan was a very subtle plan, as to the subtlety of the devil, for to lie and to deceive this people that thou mightest set them against us, to revile us and to cast us out—
   5 Now this was a plan of thine adversary, and he hath exercised his power in thee. Now I would that ye should remember that what I say unto thee I say unto all.
   6 And behold I say unto you all that this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might bring you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you about with his chains, that he might chain you down to everlasting destruction, according to the power of his captivity.
Book of Mormon | Alma 10:25
   25 But Amulek stretched forth his hand, and cried the mightier unto them, saying: O ye wicked and perverse generation, why hath Satan got such great hold upon your hearts? Why will ye yield yourselves unto him that he may have power over you, to blind your eyes, that ye will not understand the words which are spoken, according to their truth?
Book of Mormon | Alma 28:13
   13 And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of men.
Book of Mormon | Alma 30:60
   60 And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell.
Book of Mormon | Alma 34:35, 39
   35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked. ...
   39 Yea, and I also exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you, that ye may not become his subjects at the last day; for behold, he rewardeth you no good thing.
Book of Mormon | Helaman 3:29 - 30
   29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—
   30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.
Book of Mormon | Helaman 5:12
   12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
Book of Mormon | Helaman 16:22
   22 And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come.
Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 2:2
   2 Imagining up some vain thing in their hearts, that it was wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing.
Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 6:15 - 16
   15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world.
   16 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years.
   17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year—the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should—and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.
Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 7:22
   22 And as many as had devils cast out from them, and were healed of their sicknesses and their infirmities, did truly manifest unto the people that they had been wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and had been healed; and they did show forth signs also and did do some miracles among the people.
Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 9:2
   2 Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen!
Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 11:29
   29 For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 10:5
   5 Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 29:40
   40 Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation.

Doctrine and Covenants | Section 35:9

   9 And whoso shall ask it in my name in faith, they shall cast out devils; they shall heal the sick; they shall cause the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak, and the lame to walk.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 46:7
   7 But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 52:14
   14 And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations—
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 76:25 - 39
   25 And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son,
   26 And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him—he was Lucifer, a son of the morning.
   27 And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning!
   28 And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old serpent, even the devil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our God and his Christ—
   29 Wherefore, he maketh war with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about.
   30 And we saw a vision of the sufferings of those with whom he made war and overcame, for thus came the voice of the Lord unto us:
   31 Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power—
   32 They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born;
   33 For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity;
   34 Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come—
   35 Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to an open shame.
   36 These are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels—
   37 And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power;
   38 Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.
   39 For all the rest shall be brought forth by the resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 84:65 - 73
   65 And these signs shall follow them that believe—
   66 In my name they shall do many wonderful works;
   67 In my name they shall cast out devils;
   68 In my name they shall heal the sick;
   69 In my name they shall open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf;
   70 And the tongue of the dumb shall speak;
   71 And if any man shall administer poison unto them it shall not hurt them;
   72 And the poison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them.
   73 But a commandment I give unto them, that they shall not boast themselves of these things, neither speak them before the world; for these things are given unto you for your profit and for salvation.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 86:3
   3 And after they have fallen asleep the great persecutor of the church, the apostate, the whore, even Babylon, that maketh all nations to drink of her cup, in whose hearts the enemy, even Satan, sitteth to reign—behold he soweth the tares; wherefore, the tares choke the wheat and drive the church into the wilderness.
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 124:98 - 100
   98 And these signs shall follow him—he shall heal the sick, he shall cast out devils, and shall be delivered from those who would administer unto him deadly poison;
   99 And he shall be led in paths where the poisonous serpent cannot lay hold upon his heel, and he shall mount up in the imagination of his thoughts as upon eagles' wings.
   100 And what if I will that he should raise the dead, let him not withhold his voice.
Pearl of Great Price | Moses 6:15
   15 And the children of men were numerous upon all the face of the land. And in those days Satan had great dominion among men, and raged in their hearts; and from thenceforth came wars and bloodshed; and a man's hand was against his own brother, in administering death, because of secret works, seeking for power.
Pearl of Great Price | Moses 7:24 - 26
   24 And there came generation upon generation; and Enoch was high and lifted up, even in the bosom of the Father, and of the Son of Man; and behold, the power of Satan was upon all the face of the earth.
   25 And he saw angels descending out of heaven; and he heard a loud voice saying: Wo, wo be unto the inhabitants of the earth.
   26 And he beheld Satan; and he had a great chain in his hand, and it veiled the whole face of the earth with darkness; and he looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced.
11. New Testament | John 10:10
      10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I [Jesus] am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
12. New Testament | 2 Corinthians 2:11
      11 [Forgive] Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.