A Warning Call: The Pitfalls of Seeking Wisdom on Evil from Ex-Satanists

I vividly recall a time when I was captivated by stories and testimonies from individuals who claimed to have emerged from the depths of devil worship and occult practices. 

I immersed myself in countless accounts, eagerly devouring books such as “He Came to Set the Captives Free” by Rebecca Brown, “Unmasking the Devil” by John Ramirez, and “Seven Years in Hell, A Few Minutes in Heaven” by Patrick Wandera. These books, with their gripping stories and sensational portrayals of spiritual battles, held an irresistible allure for me.

Through these stories, I gleaned what I believed to be profound insights into the workings of Satan, demons, and the dynamics of spiritual warfare. Each testimony seemed to offer a window into a hidden world of darkness and supernatural encounters, compelling me to delve deeper into the mysteries of the spiritual realm.

Today, many believers, like I was, are being drawn to these stories in search of deeper insights into spiritual warfare and the supernatural realm. But while they are undoubtedly captivating, they also carry the risk of skewing our perception of spiritual realities and shifting our focus away from the Scriptural truths about these topics.

Therefore, in this blog post, I aim to explore the implications of relying on stories from ex-Satanists. We will examine the potential risks associated with these narratives and emphasize the importance of anchoring our understanding of spiritual warfare in the sufficiency of God’s Word.

1. Lack of Credible Evidence

The truth is that stories from people claiming to have been involved in devil worship or occult practices often lack credible evidence. It’s not to say that all claims are false or fabricated (although some are).  However, the challenge lies in the difficulty of substantiating or verifying these experiences.

Consequently, we’re left with nothing but their personal testimonies to rely on. What’s more, these experiences are very subjective in nature. As someone who has explored these testimonies firsthand, it becomes evident that no two stories are ever quite the same.

Each account offers unique descriptions of encounters with Satan and demons. Which leaves one wondering, who is telling the truth? Whose interpretation of the demonic aligns with reality?

In light of this, discerning the truthfulness of stories from ex-devil worshippers becomes a daunting task. 

Furthermore, I think it’s crucial to consider that Satan is the father of lies. In John 8:44, Jesus describes Satan as follows: “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Given Satan’s nature, it becomes even more important for Christians to exercise discernment. Since Satan thrives on falsehoods, it’s reasonable to suspect that he also deceives those who worship him.

Therefore, testimonies stemming from such backgrounds are more than likely distorted or embellished. And Satan can exploit such narratives to sow confusion or lead astray those in search of spiritual understanding.

2. Distraction from Christ

One thing I know is, stories from ex-satanists can be incredibly captivating. It’s so easy to get caught up in a binge of videos or books recounting these tales without even realizing it. However, immersing ourselves in narratives of devil worship and occult practices can draw our attention away from the Gospel.

We risk having an unhealthy preoccupation with darkness and the schemes of the enemy. Furthermore, the more we delve into these accounts, the more Satan’s role and influence will be magnified in our minds. 

From experience, I’ve seen how this can foster fear, anxiety, and perpetuate beliefs or superstitions that lack support in Scripture. Such fear can paralyze believers and distract them from confidently trusting in God’s supremacy and protection.

It can rob them of the joy, peace, and assurance found in walking with Christ, leaving them constantly on guard against perceived spiritual threats or attacks.

However, our primary focus as Christians should always be on Jesus Christ and His victorious work on the cross. We should, therefore, fix our eyes on Him and confidently rest in His power, knowing that He has already overcome the world (John 16:33) and that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39).

3. Feeds the False Idea of Dualism

Dualism is a belief in philosophy and theology that says there are two powerful forces in the world: good (like God) and evil (like Satan). This belief suggests that these two forces are equally strong and always fighting against each other. 

When Christians learn from stories that give an exaggerated perception of Satan’s power and influence, they risk embracing a dualistic perspective. 

From experience, even if ex-devil worshippers acknowledge the power of God over Satan in their testimonies, the dramatic recounting of their involvement with devil worship often conveys a sense of God being somewhat helpless against the enemy’s schemes. Only ultimately prevailing through mere chance or luck.

Contrary to Scripture, they often portray Satan as an omnipotent adversary who holds a level of sovereignty or power that rivals or surpasses God’s authority.

However, this undermines the fundamental truth of God’s sovereignty and supremacy over all creation including spiritual entities (Isaiah 45:5-7; Colossians 1:16-17). Scripture consistently affirms that God alone is the ultimate and unrivaled power in the universe. And Satan is a created being subject to God’s authority (Job 1:6-12; Luke 10:18; Revelation 20:10).

Moreover, the New Testament declares Jesus Christ as the victor over sin, death, and the devil (1 Corinthians 15:57; Hebrews 2:14-15; Colossians 2:15). Jesus’ triumph on the cross decisively defeated the powers of darkness, demonstrating God’s unparalleled power and sovereign rule.

However, a dualistic mindset influenced by such stories diminishes God’s omnipotence and mistakenly attributes undue power and significance to the enemy. This distorted perspective leads to a skewed understanding of spiritual warfare.

4. Unbiblical Teachings on Hell and Satan’s Fate

Most stories shared by ex-Satanists, often portray Satan as the ruler of hell, where his demons actively torment souls for eternity. However, it is essential to recognize that this depiction contradicts the clear teachings of Scripture regarding the fate of Satan and the reality of hell.

Contrary to popular belief, the Bible does not present Satan as God’s superintendent in hell, but rather as one who will be subjected to its torment. Revelation 20:10 explicitly states that Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire, where he will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Moreover, the Bible affirms that it is God, not Satan, who holds authority over hell and enacts judgment upon the unrighteous. Matthew 25:41 describes hell as an eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. This indicates that it was never intended as a kingdom for Satan to rule over.

Instead, hell serves as a place of divine judgment, where God will administer justice upon Satan, demons, and all who have rejected His provision for salvation through Jesus Christ.

It is also noteworthy to mention that, according to the Bible, Satan has not been to hell yet. Scripture reveals that Satan currently roams the earth, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8; Job 2:3).

Also, in the book of Job, Satan presents himself before God, suggesting that he still has access to heaven (Job 2:1-3). Revelation 12:10 further confirms this by describing Satan as the accuser of the brethren who accuses them before God day and night.

Revelation 12:12 adds insight into Satan’s whereabouts by stating, “Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!“

5. Misleading Teachings on Spiritual Warfare

As ex-Satanists recount their experiences, they often attribute their freedom to specific rituals, prayers, or actions they believe were instrumental in their deliverance. From experience, they present these actions as essential components of any “deliverance” process. Hence, implying that others must employ similar methods to achieve spiritual victory over demonic forces.

However, most of them are at best suspect since they often don’t align with how the Bible teaches believers to approach spiritual warfare.

Again, this is not to say that are lying; rather, I wish to remind us that at the end of the day we should prioritize the sufficiency of God’s Word in shaping our understanding of spiritual warfare and guard against adopting extrabiblical practices.

Extrabiblical practices often lead to a works-based spirituality. In this case, believers may be led to believe that their deliverance or spiritual protection hinges on their performance of certain rituals or practices prescribed by ex-Satanists.

Hence, fostering a legalistic mindset that promotes the belief that one’s spiritual standing or victory in warfare is contingent upon human effort.

Furthermore, most ex-Satanists proceed to teach and propagate unbiblical forms of spiritual warfare.

A notable example in my experience is John Ramirez, whose dramatic conversion story has garnered attention within Christian circles. However, despite his conversion, Ramirez has ventured into teaching doctrines and practices that deviate from biblical truth.

For instance, he advocates for the idea that Christians need deliverance. A topic that I discuss at length in our blog post on A Close Look at Deliverance Ministry: Is it Biblical?

Needless to say, the concept of deliverance, as presented by Ramirez, promotes the belief that Christians need to undergo deliverance rituals to be freed from demonic influence.

Similarly, authors like Rebecca Brown, known for her book “He Came to Set the Captives Free,” have also ventured into promoting questionable teachings through works like “Unbroken Curses.” In this book, Brown explores the concept of curses and attributes suffering in believers’ lives to factors such as trespassing on the devil’s territory, generational curses, and handling unholy (demonic) objects.

However, such teachings stray from what the Bible teaches about the reality of suffering in a believer’s life. 

Related: A Christian Perspective: What Does the Bible Say About Suffering?

We Should ONLY Rely on Scripture for Understanding of Spiritual Realities

As Christians, our understanding of demonology (the study of demons) and Satanology (the study of Satan) should be solely based on the teachings of Scripture. The Bible is the inspired Word of God, containing everything necessary for our faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Therefore, our doctrine concerning these matters should be firmly rooted in the teachings of Scripture. 

When we supplement or replace biblical teachings with stories or testimonies from ex-satanists, we run the risk of distorting our understanding of spiritual warfare.

Yet, the Scriptures offer clear insights into the nature of spiritual beings, the reality of demonic influence, and the victorious authority of Christ over all powers and principalities (Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:15).

The Bible presents Satan not as an equal adversary to God but as a fallen angel who rebelled against God’s authority (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17). The demonic realm, while real and influential, is also depicted as subordinate to God’s sovereignty and subject to the power of Jesus Christ (Luke 10:17-20).

Furthermore, the Scriptures equip believers with practical wisdom and strategies for engaging in spiritual warfare. These strategies emphasize the importance of prayer, reliance on the Holy Spirit, resisting the devil, being watchful, putting on the full armor of God, and taking every thought captive to obey Christ (Ephesians 6:10-18; James 4:7-8; 1 Peter 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ).

Ultimately, the emphasis in Scripture is not on rituals, practices, or formulas but on the victory secured by Christ’s death and resurrection.

So rather than being swayed by any extrabiblical knowledge that may be presented by ex-Satanists, we should remain anchored in what Scripture says. By relying solely on God’s Word, we guard ourselves against deception and cultivate a steadfast faith in the victorious power of Jesus Christ over all spiritual forces.

Conclusion

While testimonies from those claiming to have left devil worship or occult practices can be intriguing or even serve as cautionary tales, we should exercise wisdom in how they engage with them.

And while it’s not sinful to listen to them, our priority should be to grow in our knowledge of spiritual realities through the teachings of Scripture alone.

Let us, therefore, seek to grow in faith, knowledge, and discernment through the teachings of Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.