By Pastor Brian Phillips
Originally published as separate articles beginning in 1941, and published as a collection in 1942, C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters provide intriguing insight into temptation, the deceptiveness of sin, and the “schemes of the devil.” Recently, I concluded a rereading of Screwtape, including his magnificent preface and later essay, “Screwtape Proposes a Toast,” and was struck anew by its wisdom and warning.
It would require many more pages to collect my full thoughts on the book, yet my recent rereading of Screwtape – combined with a dramatic increase in fascination of demonic activity and the “spiritual realm” - compels me to offer two simple, pastoral instructions to those willing to read them.
Demonic activity is a reality of which every Christian must be aware
In his preface to the work, Lewis notes that one of the errors men can commit regarding demons is to “disbelieve in their existence.”
Additionally, Screwtape’s seventh letter begins: “My Dear Wormwood, I wonder you should ask me whether it is essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence. That question, at least for the present phase of the struggle, has been answered for us by the High Command. Our policy, for the moment, is to conceal ourselves...I do not think you will have much difficulty in keeping the patient in the dark. The fact that ‘devils’ are predominantly comic figures in the modern imagination will help you. If any faint suspicion of your existence begins to arise in his mind, suggest to him a picture of something in red tights, and persuade him that since he cannot believe in that (it is an old textbook method of confusing them) he therefore cannot believe in you.”
Not only do the Gospels bear out numerous examples of demonic possession and activity, but in Ephesians 6:12, the Apostle Paul notes, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” We are not permitted to be materialists, naturalists, or rationalists, denying the existence of the spiritual realm where real, fierce battles do take place. To do so would require us to abandon numerous warnings and commands in Scripture (more of these cited below), and even deny reality as God has made it.
This awareness, however, must be paired with a second bit of biblical and pastoral counsel…
Being overly interested or preoccupied with demonic activity is a great danger
Being excessively intrigued, interested, or enamored with the existence, activity, and presence of demons is foolish and dangerous. It is noteworthy and verifiable that those who open themselves up to interests in the demonic and paranormal often get far more than they intended, making themselves targets for such activity. When one looks for a demon behind every bush, he will eventually find a few. Again, in the preface to Screwtape, Lewis cautions:
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight. The sort of script which is used in this book can be very easily obtained by anyone who has once learned the knack; but disposed or excitable people who might make a bad use of it shall not learn it from me.”
Currently, in some circles of the Church, there is a noted increase of documentaries, podcasts, social media personalities, and other media focused on demons, demonic possession, various paranormal phenomena, UFOs and aliens (more on these in another essay), pagan rituals, the occult, and other strange things. The result is a growing number of Christians are becoming increasingly intrigued and, at times, overly preoccupied with them. Some give hours, days, even the bulk of their lives to the study of demonology, the pagan gods, enchantments, hauntings, and exorcisms. Some, it seems, speak as if they are jealous that they have not experienced such things themselves.
The general pattern, as I have found it, is that such devotees take a biblical allusion or term, attach tremendous significance to it, and attempt to find manifestations of it in contemporary contexts. This all plays on an all-too-common fault we have to seek the “grand” and “glorious,” the “exciting” and “mysterious,” though the thrust of Scripture is to daily faith and obedience – to fulfill the whole Law by loving the Lord our God and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
As noted above, Scripture commands us to be aware of the existence of and “schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11), to “resist the devil” (James 4:7), and to be mindful that our “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1st Peter 5:8). Yet, every one of those passages, without exception, directs our attention back to the Lord. Other passages allude to false gods or the gods of the peoples, but those allusions aim to draw attention to their weaknesses, their destruction, or the foolishness of those who serve them (Psalms 96:5, 97:7, 135:5, and others).
· “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11).
· “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7-8).
· “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (1st Peter 5:6-9).
We are not to allow our hearts and minds to dwell excessively upon the enemy and his distractions. After all, would the one who fell from heaven through treasonous pride and conceit love anything more than to occupy the imaginations and thoughts of his Enemy’s people? God’s Word calls us to dwell upon “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).
Additionally, Paul warns, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8). Why? As he wrote in the previous chapter, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (1:15-20).
In summation, the biblical instruction that we be mindful of the devil and his methods does not condone an excessive or unhealthy fascination with them. Rather, they are intended to swiftly drive us back to the Lord, His might, and our dependence upon Him.
