The DestroyerIt was late afternoon. Birds were singing. Kids were playing. Suddenly, the serenity was broken by the sound of squealing tires and a loud crash. There was silence for a few minutes, and then the familiar sound of sirens filled the air.
Tragedy had struck! Two people were dead; others were injured. As people gathered around, doing what they could to help, bits of conversation could be heard:
“Isn’t that Brother and Sister So-and-so? I just talked with him yesterday.”
“They were such good people. What a tragedy!”
Then the inevitable question – a question that will be asked many times, before and after the funeral: “Why did this happen to them? They were such good Christians!”
It is best not to try to answer such a question. The answer could be harder to believe than the accident itself. In this life, no one may ever know the true answer for sure. Most people try desperately to help God out of what appears to be a bad situation by giving their own opinions, based on their religious ideas.
They very often come up with such statements as: “Well, God knows best. You know what the Bible says, “all things work together for good to those that love God.” This is too often the case, and God is left looking like a killer. Small children grow up believing that God is responsible for such tragedies.
What does the Bible really say?
Is God the destroyer? Is God a killer?
In answering this, the words of Jesus ring very clear:
The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
The Greek word translated destroyer means “ruiner; specifically, a venomous serpent.”
Satan is the Destroyer
In such tragedies, it might be years later before some important information comes to light. No one mentioned it at the time because they thought it unimportant; but a distant relative casually mentions that he remembers hearing them say they prayed that they would die together.
This then raises another question: Did God answer that prayer; or did they open the door to the destroyer?
The Need for Knowledge
Brother John Osteen made a statement that I will never forget. He said, “God’s people don’t need so much inspiration as they need information!” What a profound statement for the day in which we live!
In Hosea 4:6, God said:
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I well also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of God, I will also forget your children.
Here God reveals the major source of destruction: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. A person cannot believe any further than he (she) has knowledge. He can have great zeal; but without knowledge to go with it, his zeal will be misdirected.
Lack of knowledge is probably the number one reason tragedy comes to many Christians. This lack of knowledge causes people to fall into needless problems, troubles, suffering, sickness, and destruction.
Second Peter 1:2 tells us that grace and peace are multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. Grace is God’s willingness to use His ability on your behalf, even though you do not deserve it. According to this verse, God’s willingness is multiplied to an individual as he gains the knowledge of God.
And in the next verse, 2 Peter 1:3 it says:
…According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us to glory and virtue.
All things that pertain to life and godliness are already ours; but in order to enter into these things that pertain to life, we must have knowledge of it!
…by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4)
It is by the divine promise that we are made partakers of the divine nature of God. Again, verse 3 say, His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. It is God’s divine power that gives us these things. How? Through the knowledge of God.
Copyright © Charles Capps Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Destroyer
It was late afternoon. Birds were singing; kids were playing. Suddenly, the serenity was broken by the sound of squealing tires and a loud crash. There was silence for a few minutes, then the familiar sound of sirens filled the air.
Tragedy had struck! Two people were dead; others were injured. As people gathered around, doing what they could to help, bits of conversation could be heard:
“Isn’t that Brother and Sister So-and-so? I just talked with him yesterday.”
“They were such good people. What a tragedy!”
Then the inevitable question – a question that will be asked many times, before and after the funeral: “Why did this happen to them? They were such good Christians!”
It is best not to try to answer such a question. The answer could be harder to believe than the accident itself. In this life, no one may ever know the true answer for sure. Most people try desperately to help God out of what appears to be a bad situation by giving their own opinions, based on their religious ideas.
They very often come up with such statements as: “Well, God knows best. You know what the Bible says, “all things work together for good to those that love God.” This is too often the case, and God is left looking like a killer. Small children grow up believing that God is responsible for such tragedies.
What does the Bible really say?
Is God the destroyer?
Is God a killer?
In answering this, the words of Jesus ring very clear:
The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10).
The Greek word translated destroyer means “ruiner; specifically, a venomous serpent.”
Satan Is the Destroyer!
In such tragedies, it might be years later before some important information comes to light. No one mentioned it at the time because they thought it unimportant; but a distant relative casually mentions that he remembers hearing them say they prayed that they would die together.
This then raises another question: Did God answer that prayer; or did they open the door to the destroyer?
The Need for Knowledge
Bro. John Osteen made a statement that I will never forget. He said, “God’s people don’t need so much inspiration as they need information!” What a profound statement for the day in which we live!
In Hosea 4:6, God said:
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I well also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of God, I will also forget your children.
Here God reveals the major source of destruction: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. A person cannot believe any further than he (she) has knowledge. He can have great zeal; but without knowledge to go with it, his zeal will be misdirected.
Lack of knowledge is probably the number one reason tragedy comes to many Christians. This lack of knowledge causes people to fall into needless problems, troubles, suffering, sickness, and destruction.
Second Peter 1:2 tells us that grace and peace are multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. Grace is God’s willingness to use His ability on your behalf, even though you do not deserve it. According to this verse, God’s willingness is multiplied to an individual as he gains the knowledge of God.
And in the next verse 2nd Peter 1:3 it says: …According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that called us to glory and virtue.
All things that pertain to life and godliness are already ours; but in order to enter into these things that pertain to life, we must have knowledge of it!
…by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature. 2nd Peter 1:4
It is by the divine promise that we are made partakers of the divine nature of God. Again, verse 3 say, His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. It is God’s divine power that gives us these things. How? Through the knowledge of God.
Know It. Believe It. Act on It. Receive It
These things come by knowing, believing, and acting on these promises, Then you partake of God’s divine provision.
Know it. Believe it. Act on it. Receive it. God has offered it to you; but if you don’t know that, you will not enter into it. You may believe the lies of Satan and fall into needless problems, hurt, harm, and trouble.
Without the knowledge of God, you will believe the things you have heard through religious circles: that God sometimes sends tragedy to teach you and make you stronger. This will seem right to you, but it is not right. It is not what God’s Word says.
Someone has made the statement: “The devil is no more than unwilling servant of God.” In other words, the devil is performing God’s work, causing people to grow stronger by tempting, testing, and trying them. That same individual said, “God never did promise to deliver us out of troubles. He always send troubles to make us stronger and more like Jesus.”
This kind of thinking sounds good to the religious mind, but it is a lie of the devil !
Psalm 91:7-10 brings light to this subject.
[A thousand may fall at your side. And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge. Even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.]
Some people do not know that God is their habitation, that God is the deliverer. The individuals who believe that the devil is dong God a service are opening the door to tragedy and inviting Satan into their lives. There is no defense for them.
They reason this way: If Satan is doing it for God, then who am I to resist God?
But, Satan is not doing it for God; he is doing it to destroy God’s creation. He is an enemy of God and man!
[10, No evil shall befall you. Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11, For He shall give His angels charge over you. To keep you in all of your ways. 12, In their hands they shall bear you up. Lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13, You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14, Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15, He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16, With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation. Psalm 91:10-16]
Certainly, God said He would deliver us out of trouble. That is the will, the purpose, and the plan of God for our lives!
Speaking of Jesus, Galatians 1:4 says: Who gave Himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.
In other words, it is the will of God that we be delivered from this present evil world, or the evil that is in the world! Is in not God’s will for us to go through all the evil – problems, test, trials, troubles, tribulations – that the devil has to offer.
We have heard many sermons about how God led the children of Israel in the wilderness; and most of these sermons seem to convey that the “wilderness experience” was to perfect them or make them stronger. But it did not make them stronger. It did not perfect their faith. It was not the will of God that they be in the wilderness all those years.
Their “wilderness experience” was not God’s blessing, it was a curse!
It was not designed to make the children of Israel stronger. It was designed to kill them – and it killed all those over twenty years of age. The “wilderness experience” killed the doubters.
The knowledge of why Israel was in the wilderness will give you a different perspective of God.
Charles Capps is a retired farmer, land developer, and Bible teacher who has traveled extensively throughout the United States and several foreign countries sharing the truths of God's Word. He has taught Bible seminars for over 35 years, emphasizing the authority of the believer, faith and the power of words.
Charles and Peggy both have their roots in the rich farmland of Lonoke County, Arkansas. Having been raised by parents who were farmers, Charles began farming cotton, soybeans, and rice immediately after graduating from high school and marrying in 1951.
Peggy, being 3 1/2 months older than Charles had to sign as the adult on his behalf when he wanted to begin flying lessons at the age of 17. They joined an organization known as the Flying Farmers and gained experience going to "fly-ins" and national meetings across the United States. Neither knew that this skill of flying would be such an asset later when Charles began teaching personal evangelism in the 1960's. He spoke on the subject of soulwinning in churches not only in the US, but flew his twin engine Piper Comanche to the Bahamas to teach students of Youth With a Mission how to share Christ with others.
After reading a book by Kenneth E. Hagin entitled, "Authority of the Believer", Charles and Peggy's life took on a new dimension of travel and ministry as Charles became known for his teaching gift and insight on the subjects of faith and confession. Invitations to minister to the Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship International (FGBMFI) began to pour in, eventually leading to the publication of his teachings in book form. "The Tongue a Creative Force" and "God's Creative Power(r) Will Work for You" became bestsellers after Buddy Harrison, Kenneth Hagin's son in law, launched his publishing company with these two classics. These two books have sold millions (the God's Creative Power(r) series has sold over 5 million copies) and are still much in demand today.
We celebrated Charles' promotion to heaven at 5:15 pm Sunday, February 23, 2014. He informed the family and close friends on Friday that he would be going home to heaven in 3 days. After having some final words with family and friends on Saturday, he went to bed, went to sleep and never awoke. (He kept saying, "I want to go in my sleep.") His wife and daughters had the privilege of being with him as he finally got that glorified body he always talked about. Charles Capps was a man of integrity, a man of his word and he got what he said. He called those things that be not as though they were.
Charles Capps broadcast called, "Concepts of Faith", continues a daily national radio broadcast and a weekly television broadcast aired over several networks, satellite, and the internet. Click on the Radio or TV link to find the broadcast in your area.
Peggy continues to reside in Arkansas. Both Charles' and Peggy's daughters, Annette and Beverly are involved in the ministry.
