Next Wednesday, October 31,  is Halloween of which I am sure you have all heard.  It is another of those annual pagan days celebrated by many in England and around the world.  Television and other advertisers lure those wishing to celebrate it to buy from them.   Just as they do for other celebrated days and periods as Christmas, Easter, Mother’s day etc.  None of these are Yahweh God’s,  have anything to do with Him or holiness.  In fact they are quite the opposite.  Promoting beliefs in things contrary to Yahweh.  Participation in them go beyond the monetary.  By choosing to participate in them one is choosing to honour satn the deceiver over Yahweh our creator.

Halloween is not the main topic of today; but a summary of it for those of you who would like to know is:- 

The proper name for Halloween is “All Hallow’s Eve”.  The day before or eve of “All Hallows Day”.  Hallows meaning saints.  Hence today’s name for the Catholic “All Saints Day” held on the 1^st November. 

Halloween’s origins can be detected in  the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia.  Most scholars believe that All Hallows' Eve was originally influenced by western European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead with pagan roots, particularly the Celtic Samhain. Others maintain that it originated independently of Samhain.

Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (also known as "guising"), attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, or playing pranks.

In many cultures a single event, Festival of the Dead, lasting up to 3 days, was held at the end of October and beginning of November; examples include the Peruvians, the Hindus, the Pacific Islanders, the people of the Tonga Islands, the ancient Persians, the ancient Egyptians, the Japanese, ancient Romans, and the northern nations of Europe.  These festivals of the dead are held by many cultures throughout the world in honour or recognition of deceased members of the community, generally occurring after the harvest in August, September, October, or November.   In Japanese Buddhist custom the festival honouring the departed (deceased) spirits of one's ancestors is known as Bon Festival.   In Inca religion the entire month of November is 'Ayamarca', which translates to Festival of the Dead.

As said, Halloween  is more typically linked to the Celtic or Druid festival of Samhain", which comes from  Old Irish language for "summer's end".   Druidistic religious practices was a religion of nature and had two major feasts: May day, the spring festival known as Baal Fire and the autumn festival known as Samhain held on 31 October and was their New year’s eve.  It signalled the end of summer and the beginning of winter in which they celebrated the bounty of harvest from the sun god and placated the Lord of Death.   He supposedly released the spirits of relatives who died during the previous twelve months to visit their living relatives.   You should note the clocks by which all in England synchronise their movements, go back one hour this weekend. 

Samhain (pronounced SAH-win or SOW-in) was the first and most important of the four quarter days in the medieval Gaelic (Irish, Scottish and Manx) calendar.  It was held on or about 31 October – 1 November and kindred festivals were held at the same time of year in other Celtic lands.  It marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the 'darker half' of the year.   In much of the Gaelic world, bonfires were lit and there were rituals involving them.  Some of these rituals hint that they may once have involved human sacrifice.   Divination games or rituals were also done at Samhain.

Samhain (like May day) was seen as a time when the 'door' to the Otherworld opened enough for the souls of the dead, and other beings such as fairies, to come into our world.  The souls of the dead were said to revisit their homes on Samhain. Feasts were held, at which the souls of dead kin were beckoned to attend and a place set at the table for them.  I.e. a "feast of the dead and fairies".   However, harmful spirits and fairies were also thought to be active at Samhain. People took steps to ward-off these harmful spirits/fairies, which is thought to have influenced today's Halloween customs.  In Ireland, people went about before nightfall collecting for Samhain feasts and sometimes wore costumes while doing so.  Wearing costumes may have originated as a means of disguising oneself from these harmful spirits/fairies. Other ways of escaping the haunting of these dead spirits were to wear crosses as protection from supernatural powers.  This was because the Druids associated the reflection of the sun’s rays on water with the cross.  Carved pumpkin lanterns to scare off spirits as also lighting bonfires.

In the 19th century on Ireland's southern coast, a man dressed as a white mare would lead youths door-to-door collecting food; by giving them food, the household could expect good fortune from the 'Muck Olla'. In Moray during the 18th century, boys called at each house in their village asking for fuel for the Samhain bonfire. Trick-or-treating may thus have come from the custom of going door-to-door collecting food for Samhain feasts, fuel for Samhain bonfires and/or Samhain offerings for the spirits and fairies.  

The day following Halloween is All Saints Day and was introduced in the year 609 A.D.  It was originally celebrated on 13 May; but in 835, it was switched to 1 November (the same date as Samhain) at the behest of Pope Gregory IV.    

By the end of the 12th century they had become holy days of obligation across Europe.  Scotland and Ireland  had been celebrating Samhain and Halloween since at least the early Middle Ages (5^th- 15^th Century).  They took it to north America during the mass immigration in the 19^th Century from where it spread across USA.

The entire concept of these various religions festivals for the dead is the notion there is life after death before the second coming of Yahoshua.  Whether as a saint or evil spirit and these beings can relate to and affect the living. This is contrary to Yahweh’s scriptures i.e Acts 24:15; 1 Thes 4:16.  For an after death study see page 175 of the book Have I Got it Right God”.

_____________________

The topic for today is How do we fight evil including any evil associated with these pagan days, monuments or beliefs?  Before we fight something or someone we ought to identify it.  It’s strengths and weaknesses.  Or we may be making the situation worse like pouring water on some fires, or thinking we are beating it out when we are actually supplying it with more oxygen. 

Add comment on ; Acts 17:22-30; 19:26

Mar 7:20  And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

Mar 7:21  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Mar 7:22  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: Mar 7:23  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Mat 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in  his heart.  Gen 6:5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Pro 12:20  Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

Heb 3:12  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Heb 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water..

Evil is in peoples’ hearts; so to fight evil we have to convert their hearts  otherwise as Yahoshua says, less they hear and (understand) perceive and be converted.  

Rom 10:13  “For whosoever shall call upon the name of Yahweh shall be saved.”  Not on the name of any god that is not a god.  That cannot hear, see, or do anything.  Rom 10:14  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? Rom 10:15  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!  1Co 1:19  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 1Co 1:20  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe

I submit evil is of the devil and is anything from him.  Things anti God.  Some may think there are various levels of evil; but as Yahshua said.  If one breaks one commandment they break them all.  Nor should we break one of the least of them or teach others to do so. 

So what is of the devil?  Sin.  Transgression of God’s laws.  The devil spreads evil by teaching people to break them.  We can fight him by teaching people to keep them.  If they want eternal life, it comes through keeping Yahweh’s law (Luke 10:28). Teach them to build their lives on the solid foundation of God’s laws so that the rain of the devils deceits would not tear them down.  Teach them the history and illogicalness of these pagan beliefs.  That anything or anyone created cannot be a god.  The real God is He that created.  Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.

In the time of Noah God, destroyed earth’s inhabitants for their continuance sins.  In the time of Nineveh He would have done the same save for the message from Jonah turning them to repentance.  From the king to the animals. So if we want to save England or any city from God’s wrath, teach and turn them to repentance.

What to teach them

Pro 16:6 “…by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil”.   The fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom.  Fear and put your trust in God not the deceiver.

God hints in Eze 14:14 and 20  even if the three Godly men of Noah, Daniel and Job prayed  for a wicked nation, He would not save it.   So the way we save a country is blow the trumpet as Ezekiel,   turn them to righteousness through education as people die for lack of knowledge.  Hos 4:1  “Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land”.   So we reverse this lack of knowledge to counter evil.

As God said to Abraham unless he can find 50, 40 or even 10 righteous, He would destroy Sodom.  In a big affluent country as U.K.  God may say unless He sees 50%, 40% or even 10%, He will  not save it from His judgement which they have earned.  How many people in U.K. keep any of Gods, holy days?  How many call on His name rather than the imposters?  How many credit His name or son’s name for what they have done rather than Lord or Jesus as their saviour?   These are teachings we need to spread to get our 10%.  The real gospel of the real vine to counter satn’s minister’s of apparent light.  We can prophecies against all the pagan altars; but if the people remain unrighteous, what is the point.  Who have we saved and from what?  Where is our fruits of 100, 60 or thirty fold from the talents and knowledge we were given?    By spending time engaged in battles that are not ours but God’s, the deceiver has won.  He either wants us or prevents us spiritually saving others by showing them the way to Yahweh.  He has thus accomplished his aim of keeping us from being effective stewards of our time, preaching the true gospel in every available minute. Prevented us from being good labourers in God’s harvest of lost souls as mentioned in Luke 10:2 and 11:23.

Luk 3:9  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.   Our unproductive labours could send us to share satn’s fire.

We are not merely to treat others with “love”  in the sense of how the world sees showing love. Eating, greeting, communing together and sharing lives.  As the Bible says even the publicans (ungodly) do the same.  And we see that in our society. People chill out,  mingle etc together after work or share social activities.  They even drop into each others homes for a game of wii. Dominoes, computer game or share a movie.   We are to teach them to love and fear  Yahweh.  The first and greatest commandment.  Which means have no other god or idol than Him.  As the repercussions for not doing is, His wrath.  As in the days of Noah.  Eating, drinking and trading.  2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

So when the end of these come, it could be by the hand of God and we may be interfering with His judgment by trying to prevent of limit it.  Remember God raised up Babylon to discipline His people, then raised up subsequent nations to discipline Babylon.  The economic situation and riots may be His judgment on materialistic individuals to make them turn to Him.  The best thing people can do with their possessions and life is dedicate them for God’s use.  How many keep Pro 3:9  Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: Pro 3:10  So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

The only danger of these idols and monuments is that they draw people away from the knowledge and worship  of God.  That is why they should be torn down.  Gideon and some good kings did the same to pagan idols.  Tearing down groves and high places that are in Jerusalem and promised land so their sons and daughters would not be snared to follow or enquire of them.  Not in Egypt.  We do not hear of Moses or others tearing down idols in foreign lands.  They were strangers in that land under the authority of those kings.  They simply did not bow down to them as Mordecai, Daniel and the 3 Hebrew boys.   In UK we are strangers in a foreign land. We should not  go around tearing down the two Spinks on the Embankment or the Gerkin building or Obelisks monuments.  We simply do not conform to them or honour them in any way.  Be in the world or country; but not of the world or country.  Hos 6:6  For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

How did Elijah fight the evil of Ahab and Jezebel?  By proving to people Yahweh was the real God of power.  Now we may not be able to call down fire from heaven to prove our point; but we can persuade people to call on Yahweh in their hour of need and experience His power for themselves compared to calling on any other so called deity.

Paul is fighting evil the apostles way.  He was changed to saving heathen souls through education on Yahoshua .  Saving lives, or property of heathen does not profit God.  He used Samson to pull their Olympic arena down.  He used heathen nations against each other (Babylon, Media Persia, Greece, Rome).  Even got them to kill each other

 (when woke were dead corpse) ie each man killed other with their sword. 

God’s punishment for idolatary

God knows the beginning to end of each nation and when that nation’s iniquity has reached an intolerable level He will destroy them.  Neither the prayers of Moses, Daniel or Job will be able to save them.

Gen 15:16  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them.  Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith Yahweh  GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I Yahweh will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; Eze 14:5  That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

Eze 14:6  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith Yahweh  GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. Eze 14:7  For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I Yahweh  will answer him by myself:

Eze 14:13  Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: Eze 14:14  Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith Yahweh GOD.

Eze 14:15  If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: Eze 14:16  Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith Yahweh GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Eze 14:17  Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: Eze 14:18  Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith Yahweh GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. Eze 14:19  Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: Eze 14:20  Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith Yahweh  GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. Eze 14:21  For thus saith Yahweh GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? Eze 14:22  Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.

Eze 14:23  And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Yahweh GOD.

God’s people have nothing to fear

Job 3:25  For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

Do not let the deceiver get a stronghold in your mind through fear of things that have no life.  Keeping you busy on your fear rather than doing God’s gospel preaching.  In so doing you are letting satn control your actions.  Put your faith in Yahweh, doing His commandments and living the lifestyle he prescribes cancels the need for our wasted actions and concerns.  Fear is the opposite of faith!  Mar 4:40  And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

If a country  is  bad i.e. Sodom, God takes his people out before destroying it.  Or He protects them with a seal or  marking on their doorposts or  foreheads if they are to remain.  He does not send people in to tear down the pagan altars in pagan countries only in His peoples land, i.e promised land as Gideon.   The beliefs of unholy people have no spiritual power and is the same with their imaginary gods (Rom 13:1 “there is no power but of Yahweh God”).  So we are not to fear their words, actions or prophecies.  They may have earthly manipulative powers as far as creating fear whether for the economy, events or our lives; but only to the limit of Yahweh’s permission.

Eze 9:4  And Yahweh  said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

Jer 46:27  But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. Jer 46:28 Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith Yahweh: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

Jer 10:1  Hear ye the word which Yahweh  speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

Jer 10:2  Thus saith Yahweh, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. Jer 10:3  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. Jer 10:4  They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. Jer 10:5  They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go.

Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

Jer 10:6  Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Yahweh ; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

Jer 10:7  Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

Jer 10:8  But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

Jer 10:9  Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

Jer 10:10  But Yahweh  is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

Jer 10:11  Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

Jer 10:12  He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

Jer 10:13  When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

Jer 10:14  Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

Jer 10:15  They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

The deceiver would love us to believe as his  worshippers do, that these innate stone, wood or other monuments have power, even as channels for evil.  That may make us his, believing his  lie when Yahweh tells us otherwise.  That they are lifeless.   Satn’s worshippers move  monuments  from around the world as Egypt or replicate them and set them up, i.e. in England similar to the silver brought from Tarshish.  Evil is not in the monuments; but in satn, who is everywhere.  We can therefore stay where we are and rebuke him as Yahoshua did with Peter and Angel Gabriel with satn in Jude 1:9 when contended regards Moses body.   Those who exalt themselves against Yahweh with their secret ceremonies shall in this life or the next come to realise there is no other god than Yahweh.  No force or power stronger than or equal to His.  As did Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazar in Dan 5:22.  Every knee shall bow and tongue confess… (Isaiah 45:23; Rom 14:11, Phil 2:10).  Ecc 8:8  There is no man that hath power  over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Dan 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

Joh 19:11  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in Yahweh, and in the power of his might.

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:   Jam 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

So you see, we have only to protect ourselves with the scriptures not travel around to pagan monuments speaking against them.  Not forsake the gathering together with brethren of similar beliefs and similar trials.  A three fold chord is not easily broken and in times of adversary, you would know to whom you can turn and trust.

1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

2Co 10:4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2Co 10:6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

God turns enemy’s plans or curses against you to your benefit.

Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;

Dan 4:35  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Yahweh’s people do not have to be vigilant of everything of their enemies plans against them.  His angels have your back, and front, and all over.  Remember the conspirators of Daniel and Mordacai?  Who ended up in the fire or hanged on their own gallows?  The intended curses of Balaam.  Could he curse who God has blessed?  So we can go about preaching God’s true gospel in peace rather than be tied to our homes (Ex 34:24).

Yahweh made a covenant with Abraham and he kept it in bringing Israel out of Egypt with the gold of their captors. Similarly the account of Joseph shows all things work together for the good of God’s children (Rom 8:28). God has the sovereign ability to use the plans of evil men to carry out His eternal purpose.  Yet he stops man’s evil ways when necessary.  He used the three wise men to equip Joseph and Mary to flee to Egypt when Herod ordered all make children under 2 yrs killed (Matt 2:8).  The plotter became the provider.

God has a purpose in allowing evil to proceed on earth.  God will allow satn to carry out many evil plans; but through them God’s people will be tried and strengthened (Jame 1:2-4), God will be vindicated and His wisdom acknowledged in the end.  Luk 22:53 Yahoshua said to those coming to arrest him in garden… “but this is your hour, and the power of darkness”.  And we know this event was planned by God since Gen 3:15.  

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Rom 11:25  … that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor?

We do not serve a God distant from the earth and its minute by minute affairs.  No not an impotent God; but an all powerful one whose plans are neither  hindered nor stopped by His created, satn or man or nature.  Pro 21:30  There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. Isa 14:27  For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

 So brethren, take comfort and sleep in peace that Yahweh God is in control despite appearances.  As we know they can be deceiving.   Psa 127:1-2 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.   It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

THE EVIL that Yahoshua fought was that of saving individuals from possession not of any believed devil’s strongholds.  And these miracles were to turn the peoples focus onto God through him.  To bring glory to His Father that they believed.  We should do likewise.  Focus on saving individuals souls rather than material possessions.

So in short conclusion.  We have seen evil is in people’s hearts, their lack of knowledge or acceptance of Yahweh and His ways.  We should reverse or stem this by educating them as it is the lack of knowledge and fear of Yahweh that kills.  Failure to keep His commandments especially in respect of idolatry.  Those who do fear Yahweh and keep His ways have nothing to fear as He is the only one that can allow the devil to harm you.  Infact, unless He is testing or refining you for His purpose or new earth, He may turn evil plans against you to your benefit.  So no matter how many of the world’s population, whether as enterprises or individual’s fall for the deceivers lies, they have no power over God’s protected.  They may belief there are other gods, make idols to them, have encrypted logos or secret gestures; but these are mere identification between themselves.  There is no power in them nor their prophecies as all power comes from Yahweh. They hear not, see not etc only manipulate earthly events for their earthly gain.  So I suggest not to fear their apparent spells.  Nor do we have to follow their example in countering their spells.  This is a custom of paganistic belief  between themselves.  In Acts 8 Simon a sorcerer was thought to be a powerful influential man; but even he had to recognize he could not come against the Holy Spirit.  In Acts 28 the barbarians interpreted the sign of a viper on Paul’s hand in a certain way. But this was a false sign as Paula man of God, was unaffected. 

Each individual has the power of their own spiritual life or death.  Obedience to God is the choosing of live.  Disobedience the choosing of death.  And when sufficient numbers of them in a nation choose death, Yahweh obliges and no amount of prayers may save them.  Pro 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. We are to save ourselves and attempt to save some through the preaching of the true gospel of the true vine.