What are the desires of Satan? It is for people to not follow Jesus or be part of God’s church, but to do their own thing. However, was he winning the battle up until the mid-1800s? Yes, through Mohamed and others. However, this time the devil found a young man named Joseph Smith who he could use to lead millions of people to follow another gospel. This began the day that Joseph Smith was praying in the woods and his evil presence actually came upon him. It reads, “but, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.” (Joseph Smith History 1:16) Wow! So number one. He was praying and after feeling an evil presence a pillar of light appeared above him. Of which goes with what Paul said, when he wrote, “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14) Therefore, Joseph Smith noticed the evil presence that was upon him, but then allowed himself to be his tool. I say this because this light that appeared in front of him was not God the Father and Jesus, but demonic spirits. Even the same type of Demonic forces caused Mohamed to write his book, the Quran, which has caused billions of Muslims to go astray.
This story of what Joseph Smith said he saw continued, of course. It reads, “It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith History 1:17) Wow! And people actually believe this to be true? Of course this was Satan using his demonic angels to deceive Joseph Smith into believing a lie. Did you not know that the Bible says, “no man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” (John 1:18) Therefore, for Joseph Smith to say that he saw both Jesus and the Father, is ridiculous and goes against what Jesus said about His Father. So again, what Joseph Smith really saw was two personages of light that appeared to be of God, but was really of Satan. And what do you think Joseph asked them? It reads, “my object in going to ainquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.” (Joseph Smith History 1:18) He wanted to know what church he should attend. The response he got is crazy wrong.
These two demonic forces from Satan did answer Joseph Smith. It reads, “I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” He again forbade me to join with any of them.” (Joseph Smith History 1:19) And again, this is exactly what Satan wanted Joseph Smith and the future followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormonism) to believe. This way they would never want to look at other churches for truth. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) And for every Mormon who is a part of this false religion, I tell them just like Paul did, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-8) There are great Bible-believing churches that Satan doesn’t want you to know about. And salvation comes through Jesus, not a church.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, I pray that members of the Mormon Church will come to a realization that their church is false and founded on lies. That they will understand how Satan was the cause of Joseph Smith’s deception from the beginning. How the devil knew that if he could lure this one man into believing a lie, then millions of other people would follow him. How conniving and malicious his desires have been from the beginning. And even now do I know that many of my family members are on this same path of destruction. Because they have been fed the various lies and false teachings in Mormonism, they are now much different Christians in their theology and religious practices. Surely, their other books have twisted scripture in a way that their beliefs are now built upon men’s ideas instead of Your own understanding, God. I am amazed at how people could have believed Joseph Smith when he said that he saw the Father and to join no other church, but the one he was going to build. For one, You said it, Jesus, that nobody can see the Father, and I believe it. Also, You said that “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) The enemy may have caused a stir in the church, by bringing about this cult and others, but this was known to happen. Even Paul predicted that people would fall away from Your church, which is Your body, Jesus. And that people would go after other gospels that look and appear so good unto men. Lord, I am saddened to know that a lot of my family is a part of the Mormon cult. I wish I could reach them, but for so long the doors have been closed. May You open those doors, Jesus, that I may lead them to You. Then, will their eyes be opened to the truth, while showing them what is false. I love You. Amen.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t attack people. Not only that, Joseph identifies this entity as the ‘enemy’. What could be more plain?
In addition to this event, there was a demonic attack when JS gave the Priesthood to two of his followers.