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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4b
his faithfulness to God the cause of his destruction. Evil angels laid
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out the plan for them, and these agents readily carried it into effect.
The king was ignorant of the subtle mischief purposed against Daniel.
With the full knowledge of the king’s decree he still bows before his
God, “his windows being open.” He considers supplication to God of
sufficient importance to sacrifice his life rather than to relinquish it.
On account of his praying to God he was cast into the lions’ den. Evil
angels accomplished their purpose thus far. But Daniel continues to
pray, even in the den of lions. Was Daniel suffered to be consumed?
Did God forget him there? Oh, no; Jesus, the mighty Commander of
the host of heaven, sent his angel to close the mouths of those hungry
lions that they should not hurt the praying man of God, and all was
peace in that terrible den. The king witnessed his preservation, and
brought him out with honors. Satan and his angels were defeated and
enraged. The agents Satan had employed were doomed to perish in the
terrible manner they had plotted to destroy Daniel. The prayer of faith
is the great strength of the Christian, and will assuredly prevail against
Satan. This is why he insinuates that we have no need of prayer. The
name of Jesus, our advocate, he detests, and when we earnestly come
to him for help, Satan’s host is alarmed.
It will serve his purpose well if we neglect the exercise of prayer,
for then his lying wonders are more readily received. Satan accom-
plishes his object in setting his deceitful temptations before man, that
which he failed to accomplish in tempting Christ. He sometimes
comes in the form of a lovely young person, or in a beautiful shadow.
He works cures, and is worshiped by deceived mortals as a benefac-
tor of our race. Phrenology and mesmerism are very much exalted.
They are good in their place, but they are seized upon by Satan as
his most powerful agents to deceive and destroy souls. The detector,
the Bible, is destroyed in the minds of thousands, and Satan uses his
arts and devices, which are received as from Heaven. And Satan here
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receives the worship which suits his Satanic majesty. Thousands are
conversing with and receiving instructions from this demon-god, and
acting according to his teachings. The world, which is considered to
be benefitted so much by phrenology and animal magnetism, never
was so corrupt. Satan uses these very things to destroy virtue and lay
the foundation of Spiritualism.