Surviving in Satan’s Divided World: Our world seems to be falling apart! Winds of war are blowing in the Middle East, Europe, and Southeast Asia as heavily armed nations jockey for power. Within nations, politicians hurl insults at opponents; religious groups attack other faiths; racial, ethnic, and gender issues are ripping apart schools and communities; and families are being destroyed—but few realize why. Most simply do not know that Satan is the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and that he is the author of anger, hatred, and lies (John 8:44) that lead to chaos, confusion, division, and wars (1 Corinthians 14:33; James 4:1–5). Satan will foster these same attitudes even within congregations if we are not alert to his attempts to “dig up dirt” and divide (1 Peter 5:6–9; Proverbs 16:27–28). We need to understand how Satan operates and become peacemakers—so we can function in that capacity now and in the Kingdom of God. Don’t become a tool that Satan can use to foster division.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
Doug Winnail of the Living Church of God recently warned members about a world seemingly falling apart—wars brewing, politicians hurling insults, religious conflicts, racial tensions, and families disintegrating. He correctly notes that the Bible says Satan is the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4) who authors lies, hatred, and chaos. He urges alertness to Satan’s attempts to “dig up dirt” and divide congregations, calling members to be peacemakers rather than tools of division.
How convenient. In classic LCG fashion, the real problem always seems to be outside critics or questioning members rather than the group’s own failed prophecies, authoritarian controls, and documented issues. There is partial truth in the warning: Satan does sow discord and exploit sin. Yet Winnail’s framing leans heavily into the familiar Armstrongist playbook of fear, hyper-vigilance, and implied loyalty to the organization as the best defense. The New Covenant proclaims something far bolder and freer: decisive victory in Christ, genuine liberty from fear, and unity rooted in the gospel—not enforced silence.
According to Scriptures, Satan does exert influence. He blinds unbelievers, promotes deception, and stirs the “works of the flesh” that fuel conflict (Galatians 5:19-21; James 4:1-3). Nations, communities, and yes, even congregations can be torn apart by pride, gossip, and unresolved offenses. This much is biblical.
However, treating Satan as an ever-present boogeyman requiring constant organizational alertness and top-down control misses the New Covenant reality. The title “god of this age” describes limited, temporary influence over the unbelieving world system—not ultimate lordship, and certainly not a free pass for leaders to label any exposure of problems as “Satanic division.”
Jesus did not leave us to merely “survive” in Satan’s world like anxious end-time preppers. He came to rescue us from it. “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:4 NIV).
At the cross, Christ disarmed the principalities and powers, triumphing over them publicly (Colossians 2:15). He destroyed the devil’s power over death and freed those held in lifelong slavery by fear (Hebrews 2:14-15). God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves (Colossians 1:13). We are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). The veil is removed, and the light of the gospel has shone in our hearts (2 Corinthians 4:6).
In the New Covenant, the Spirit indwells us. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). We are no longer helplessly captive to Satan’s snares. God grants repentance so that people can “escape from the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:26). We resist the devil and he flees (James 4:7). This is not a call to endless demon-hunting or authoritarian crackdowns on anyone who notices inconsistencies. It is an invitation to stand firm in the finished work of Christ.
Winnail warns against becoming a tool of division by “digging up dirt.” In LCG and similar circles, this often translates to: Don’t notice or mention the failed dates, the top-down control, the declining membership, or the way dissent gets labeled as Satanic. True biblical peacemaking speaks truth in love. The gospel itself divides because light exposes darkness (John 3:19-21; Matthew 10:34-36). Calling out hypocrisy or demanding accountability is not “Satan’s work”—it’s often the work of the Spirit. Suppressing uncomfortable truths to preserve institutional “unity” is something else entirely.
Doug Winnail and the Living Church of God paint a picture of survival in a dangerous world where Satan lurks around every corner, ready to pounce on the insufficiently vigilant (or insufficiently submissive). The New Covenant proclaims something radically different: victory has already been won. You are not a helpless pawn in Satan’s game. You are not perpetually one misstep—or one honest question—away from becoming his tool. You have been delivered, transferred, and equipped.
The cross was the decisive blow. The resurrection sealed the triumph. The Holy Spirit empowers daily living. Fear of Satan often keeps people tethered to human systems, endless rules, tithing pressures, and suspicion—precisely the bondage the New Covenant was meant to shatter. Christ sets us free to live abundantly: loving our families, enjoying simple rural life with gardens and animals, speaking truth without paranoia, and resting in grace rather than the heavy yoke of old-covenant shadows or modern COG authority.
According to the Scriptures, Satan may still prowl and sow discord, but his ultimate weapons—condemnation, fear of death, and dominion over the conscience—have been shattered for every believer. We do not live looking over our shoulder or constantly scanning for “dirt-diggers.” We fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. We walk in the light, pursue peace where possible, and speak truth boldly even when it exposes division caused by false teaching or leadership failures.
The present evil age is passing away. The kingdom of our Lord advances, and we are already citizens of the unshakable one. You are not captive. You are not blind. You are a child of light, kept by the power of God. Greater is He who is in you. Stand in that freedom. Live without fear. Proclaim the gospel of grace. The God of this age has been judged. Christ has triumphed. In Him, you stand—fearless, free, and forever secure.
16 comments:
These so-called churches of God have somehow always attracted people who lack basic coping skills. And then, the leaders skillfully throw Satan into the mix, making members believe that their group alone holds the only solution.
Amazing!
Does Dougie let the flock read Harry Potter?
Oh-oh. Congregations beginning to "wake up"?
In these groups, members are supposed to be seen and not heard. As if they're invisible. This is an extension of how the family scapegoat is treated in toxic dysfunctional homes.
Put on that amour of God LCG. I'll tell you what's going on. See LCG is paying attention too much to the news media, domestic and news abroad. In their heart they are conservatives (no problem with that), but that is their religion and it frames their mind and perspective. Gotta come out of this worlds politics from the heart LCG, and that would be starting with the ministers, especially Douglass.
paint a picture of survival in a dangerous world>>The apostles method was to entrench paranoia among the flock designed to develop uncertainty while he pretended to have answers - which he never really did it was all a charade - so LCG are sticking to the old play book .
"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:..
Eric Hoffer in The True Believer his classic book on fanaticism and it movements, said while a fanatical movement may not believe in God, they always have to have a devil to be the enemy that must be fought day in, day out. It's sad that the AGOG's don't understand that Jesus and his angel already have that job. They need to pray to him to deliver them from evil instead of trying to take on Satan themselves.
All of the "people collectors" who are in the business of controlling others need a good "boogie man" in order to be effective. In traditional Christianity, God and Jesus are your friend, and Satan is the boogie man. In Armstrongism, they rotate, using God and Jesus as their boogie man for some applications, and Satan for others. All three are part of their power equation, misapplied by human leaders in order to control human followers.
What I've found both in Armstrongism and outside of Armstrongism is that there is good, and there is bad. They happen in random mixtures to all of us. There are measures humans can take to mitigate badness, or to capitalize upon goodness. For all of the times we were told by our Armstrongite controllers that Satan was attacking, I never really found evidence to support that. There were always logical explanations for things which happened, and these were educational in terms of helping people to prepare in advance, and to protect against future occurrences. Constantly blaming Satan mutes the lessons that bad events would teach us. It becomes a "dummying down" pattern, which is exactly what people who would exploit and control us need in order to spike their power. It is also way out of balance! God is vastly more powerful than Satan. One of the most memorable lessons of scripture is that of Jesus teaching Peter how to walk on water! Why Armstrongism insists on focussing on "the wind" is beyond foolish! Their eisegesis ices Jesus!
Since their "prophecy" is their main tool in their ministry,, all the demands to watch, watch watch (mainstream media) becomes "the wind" instead of focusing on Christ and actual faith.
Tank
Does Anon 7:40 realize that "boogie man" and "bogeyman" are two very different things? If Doug would find a good boogie man he might become a lot more balanced.
It can be spelled boogeyman, too, hence the confusion with boogie man. And the same pronounciation too.
Phinnpoy makes a good point about praying for deliverance. How many actually do that in the COGs when temptations come? This includes the ministers too. If you're not doing that, you're not a Philadelphian.
You're not getting into the kingdom unless you win the fight the way Christ did.
You have to strive to enter the strait gate (Luke 13:24), even if you think you are under grace.
Of course he does! He believes in taking stylized linguistic liberties as a matter of literary style. Boogie,Chillun!!! Let your children Boogie Woogie! Let their teachers Boogie Woogie! But never, EVER boogie down with the followers of Herbert W. Armstrong!
Oh, I see! God is not the author of confusion! So, we must clarify and distinguish one spelling from another. The original word, before man's degeneracy perverted it, was "bogey man". That spelling, with time, became corrupted into "boogey man." And then, it really took off when jazz musicians got hold of it, associating it, metaphorically, with illicit sexual activity while at the same time getting it past the dimwitted and rather prudish censors. By that time, it was commonly spelled "boogie".
According to the precepts of Armstrongism, and to avoid ungodly confusion, we must all go back to the original spelling for proper discussion. Spelling it the wrong way is the way of the world! It is also a subtle hint that you might just be Laodicean! Since we ought not to be even glorifying it in popular music, it is also a sign that the end is coming soon! Repent!
When you have attitudes such as "we are the true church, and there is no other' what do you need to be delivered from? Why pray of deliverance, when that's not even their focus. Their focus is escaping the european beast power and the great tribulation. They do need deliverance, we all do. But they need deliverance from Armstrongism.
Tank
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