DOES THE DEVIL Make us Sick?

Conclusion of How Does Satan Work?

Satan tried persuasion with Job too.  Robbing him of his family, his wealth and he health was not enough.  Job was also given very bad counsel by his wife when she said:  "Curse God and die!"  (Job 2:9) Then he was visited by three  "friends"  who made a concerted effort to convince him that he was to blame for his sickness.  (Job 19:1-3) In this way Satan took advantage of Job's weakened state to try to discourage him and shake his confidence in Jehovah's righteousness.  Yet, Job continued to lean on Jehovah as his only hope. -Compare Psalm 55:22.

When we are sick, we too may become depressed.  In such a situation, Satan is quick to try to make us act in some way that will compromises our faith.  Hence, when illness strikes it is important to keep in mind that the basic cause of our suffering is likely inherited imperfection rather than some uncanny influence.  Remember, faithful Isaac became blind a number of years before his death.  (Genesis 27:1) The cause was not wicked spirits but old age.  Rachel died while giving birth, not because of Satan, but because of human frailty.  (Genesis 35:17-19)  Eventually, all the faithful ones of old died-not because  of spells or curses  but because of inherited imperfection.

Imagining that unseen spirits have a direct influence on every sickness that befalls  is a snare.  It may inspire a morbid fear of the spirits.  Then, when we become sick, we might be tempted to try to appease the demons instead of keeping far away from them.   If Satan can scare  us into resorting to spiritistic practices that would be a betrayal of the true God, Jehovah.  (2 Corinthians 6:15)  We should be guided by a respectful fear of God, not by a superstitious fear of  of his Adversary. -Revelation 14:7.

Little Owmadji already has the best possible  protection against wicked spirits.  According to the apostle Paul, God considers  her "holy" because she has a believing mother, and her mother can pray for God to be with her daughter by means of holy spirit.  (1 Corinthians 7:14)  Blessed with such accurate knowledge, Hawa was able to seek effective treatment for owmandji instead of relying on amulets.

Next time: Various Causes of Sickness

Watchtower, 1999

Who Is Really Behind the Occult?

Who Are the Demons?

Long before Jehovah formed humans, he created an untold number of intelligent spirit "sons of God" in heaven. (Job 38:4, 7) Like humans, they are free moral agents, and for a long time, they all remained loyal to God. But that happy situation came to an abrupt end. How so?

After God created humankind, one spirit creature began to covet something to which he was not entitled-worship. Using a serpent the way a ventriloquist might use a puppet, this wicked angel seduced the first woman, Eve, into disobeying her Creator. (Genesis 3:1-6) The Bible calls that rebellious angel "the original serpent,the one called Devil and Satan." (Revelation 12:9) Jesus described him as "a manslayer" Who "did not stand fast in the truth," adding: "When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition because he is a liar and the father of the lie." -John 8:44.

In time other spirit "sons of the true God" joined Satan in his rebellion. ( Genesis 6:1, 2) They are later referred to as "the angels that sinned" and "the angels that did not keep their original position but forsook their own proper dwelling place," or their assigned place in heaven. ( 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) They came to be called demons. (James 2:19) Moreover, they are determined to turn as many humans as possible away from true worship, as they did many Israelites in Bible times. (Deuteronomy 32:16, 17) Similarly today, as in the past, Satan and the demons cleverly employ religious lies. - 2 Corinthians 11:414, 15.

Next time: Shield Yourself!

Watchtower, 2011