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The lady about whom this book was written looked back over her life and saw how she had become possessed of seven demons and observed how and when each one had taken up residence in her life. This story on the surface does not appear to have any obvious demonic demonstrations involved, but under the surface of what looks like a typical life, both worldly and then religious, it is revealed what was really going on.
I wanted to take the time this morning to list out the identity and nature of these demons and their lies that she identified because I believe that it is very important and helpful to be more cognitively aware of these deceptions. While I do not believe that it is terribly helpful to spend a lot of time dwelling on the dark side, it is also important to not be ignorant of Satan's devices. (2 Cor. 2:11, Eph. 6:11)
These are taken from the book, A Heart of Flesh by LaVonne Neff. It is a story about Rebecca, a Russian girl of an immigrant Jewish family who had a very physically abusive childhood and a very colorful life. She identified very intimately with the life of Mary Magdalene and in this book identified the nature of the seven demons which over time came to possess and control much of her life. Here is a list of the seven demons and the lies which allowed them to maintain residence in her heart.
“People are just things so you can treat them that way. People are to be valued only for what they can do for you. If they do you harm, they can be shed casually, like a sweater on a hot day.” (p.56, 57)
Covet material things themselves. This works very closely with the first demon. “You can use people as things to get money to get their things. Get everything you want in material possessions to make you happy.” (p. 58)
The family name for this series of demons is Proponents of Bodies as Things. It usually involves sex but it can range from having sex with every meal to believing that sex itself is a dirty word. He works with demon 2. “You deserve to have fine clothing and a good time and I know how you can get them.” The person uses other people as things and turns their own body into a thing to earn money for the material things they no longer can live without. (p. 58, 59)
“Life itself is a thing.” This is a brother of the 3rd demon, part of the Bodies are Things family. This allows one to abort a fetus as just another thing or to take a life, whether your own or another's. (p. 61)
“You can succeed in being good yourself. You can reform your life – you have what it takes inside of you. God is stern and harsh and just, but He will see what a fine person you really are down deep where it matters, and He will reward you for your efforts. If you can be good like the rest of them, God will surely notice you and love you. But you will have to work harder than they ever did because you have been worse than they ever were. Don't let your guard down, because God is interested only in people who behave. If you falter, He will kick you onto the trash pile. Work – work harder!” This demon says that God thinks of people as things. (p. 63)
“Promises are things.” This builds on the demons who taught that bodies are things and people are things. “A promise is good when it serves you and makes your life easier. But when it gets in the way of a good time, of your deep needs, then it should be discarded. Don't live your life on the promises you made to a community, or even to your spouse. Promises are only a tool for helping you get what you want.” (p. 63, 64)
“You've done it this time. You've gone just a bit too far. Look at what you've done. For once in your life you had the opportunity to start over, to live a good life, to come clean. And you botched it. You're finished, completely, totally finished. There's no hope left for such as you. You might as well just give up and do what comes naturally, because you'd better believe that God won't look at you in your condition.” (p. 64, 65)
What I find helpful is to realize the falsity in many of these lies that seem to feel true. Exposing them to the light for what they really are as deceptions is helpful to see by contrast what the real truth is. I highly recommend this book. It is a very fascinating story and very easy to read. I was surprised how quickly I finished it but I know it is going to have a lasting impression on me.
