​                                                                            That Derangement Syndrome

      What is a syndrome? Webster’s Dictionary says, “a set of concurrent emotions or actions that form an identifiable pattern.” So, a derangement syndrome could be a specific negative irrational attitude towards something or someone. Maybe like an obsession – (obsession also by definition includes demon activity or influence.) We live in an age where a certain person is commonly hated by lots of people, Namely the U.S. President Donald Trump.
    Now I wonder if it’s healthy or rational to identify oneself by what we hate? Maybe we hate rottweilers. Or we hate Muslims. Or we hate a certain city or state. Maybe the police. Maybe construction labor, homeless people, politicians, lawyers, spiders, snakes, etc. etc. It appears that some humans have a need to be identified by what they hate. And too often this “hate” syndrome becomes life dominating. Sadly, this irrational & unhealthy syndrome is thriving today. See “Love & Hate” G-note 124.
      As a Bible student of over 50 years, I believe this “derangement syndrome” has deeper roots than any target person or subject today. There is a scripture in the book of Revelation that may give a clue on this. It refers to the end time release of demons to come down to earth to reap havoc “because (their) time is short” (Revelation 12:12). I see havoc all around, and hatred of all sorts today. Russia hating the Ukrainians. Iran hating Israel. And this one may "take the cake" - the Iranians (and others in the middle east) systematically teaching their children in school to hate the Jews AND Americans from early youth. (But it appears their hate game has BACKFIRED on them in a big way.) Then advanced party warfare & hate in U.S. politics. Hateful riots against federal policies. I don’t remember a time when so much hate was in the air. I suspect D. Trump is just a convenient target of hate in the U.S. at this time.
       The Bible is a book that has answers on many subjects. And it gives a clear reference to the world’s adversary of love, peace & order in our lives. John 10:10 states that Lucifer’s purpose is to “steal, kill, & destroy.” There’s that hate in a nutshell. Well in the last days (we are there folks), hate will be more common than ever. And it appears that too many people fall into that spiritual poison called hate. I see that poison in today’s “derangement syndrome”. If people could get back to God’s value system, there would be MUCH LESS hate in the air, and more folks could experience God’s freedom. (See G-note #51 “Being Your Own Boss”).  
         Here’s a few scriptures that expose today’s “derangement syndrome”:
-  Revelation 12:12 “. . . 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!”
-  John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and          have it abundantly.” This is Jesus giving the contrast between spiritual evil and God’s desire to save &      bless people - (“the cross”).
-  Ephesians 2:2 “… in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of        the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.”
-  Ephesians 6:12 “For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities,              against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of        wickedness in the heavenly places.”
-  1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking        someone to devour.”
        For over 50 years I have been aware of the hostile schemes of our spiritual adversary. (See G-note #43 which opened my lost eyes in 1969). Since then, God has shown me tons of penetrating spiritual “stuff”. Today’s “derangement syndrome” is a spiritual problem, and obvious as the smell of an open sewer. Don’t be fooled into that “hate game”, or any other satanic scheme. Choose Jesus & His Freedom. They bring “the Victory”. (G-note #103) “The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

Other interesting titles: www.gospelnotes.org                                                            * * Fred J. Stone * *
                                                                                                                                                          #208