Overcoming Evil

Yesterday we had a fire going in our fire place. I took a picture of it, and when I did, I all of a sudden saw in the picture an image of what looked like an angry dog with his mouth open, and he appeared to be snarling (roaring) or growling (barking). Then, in the middle of this picture, but more faint than the other image, I saw what appeared to be a skeleton head of a dragon.

I shared this picture with a sister in Christ who also saw the dog, but she saw the dog as a gargoyle (1). And, she also saw a dragon, but to the left of the dragon head that I saw. And, when I looked where she saw the dragon, then I saw another image, which appeared to be a double image of something round with a face on it, which seemed to be attached to what appeared to me to look like a squirrel or a pig (or a combination of both).

So, I drew out what I was seeing in the fire, and as I began to pray over what all this could mean, then I realized that the scripture for today was about false prophets and evil spirits of the antichrist, and so I believe the Lord was showing me these evil images in the fire to illustrate the message in this passage of scripture as is applied to our world today.

1 John 4:1-3 ESV


In the scriptures, false prophets are sometimes referred to as dogs (Phil. 3:2; 2 Pet. 2:22), literally “a spiritual predator who feeds off others” (2). So, I believe this image of the dog in the fire represents false teachers who are spreading their false gospel message, which is of Satan (the dragon head). But, the head was a skeleton, which represents death, but is also some kind of structural framework (agenda) of this dragon, i.e. of the antichrist.

A head is a symbol of authority, but it is also a symbol of our minds, our thinking, believing, and attitudes. These heads also had faces, and a face usually has to do with our character and our make-up, which is also our spirit. And, we are told here to test the spirits, which is not just evil spirits, but it is the thinking, the believing, the attitudes and the character of those who are spreading these messages, and of the messages themselves.

My sister in Christ saw the dog as a gargoyle, so I looked it up, and it fits with the character, the nature, and the spirit of the messenger and of the message, too. For, a gargoyle is a distorted, twisted, falsified, deformed, unnatural human or animal which throws water clear of (away from) a building. This is a false teacher spreading a false gospel, in other words.

And, in scripture water is a symbol of spiritual cleansing from sin, the Holy Spirit, and of eternal life with God, all of which are being thrown away from the building (the building up of one another in the faith to maturity in Jesus Christ, and the building being the body of Christ). For, this false message of this “dog” (what is filthy and immoral) requires no death to sin, no walk in the Spirit, and no submission to Christ as head of his church.

1 John 4:4-6 ESV


So, this false prophet/teacher (dog/gargoyle) with his false message, which is the message of this dragon (Satan), was aimed in the direction of these other two images which appeared to be two-in-one. When I read “they are from the world,” I immediately saw this other dragon head, which I saw as the head (authority, mind) of this squirrel/pig, which appeared to be attached to this round figure which appears to represent the world of sin, i.e. worldliness, i.e. meaning this pig/squirrel/dragon is from the world of sin.

I noted that the squirrel/pig figure had puffy cheeks, which then translated to prideful, exaggerated, and escalated boldness, cheekiness, and disrespect. I also noted that a pig is often a symbol of an unclean spirit, or of a greedy, gluttonous and contemptible person. And, a squirrel is a symbol of someone who hides things, who puts them away, who stores up things. And, this brought to mind those who store up wrath against themselves.

But, it also brought to mind those who store up hatred, unforgiveness, resentment, jealousy, bitterness and secret sins and lies to cover them up. And, this fits with the fat belly that I saw on this pig/squirrel, too, for a fat belly has to do with an insatiable appetite for sin, i.e. this is someone who lives by the lustful desires of the flesh which are never satisfied.

But, this is not a singular individual here. This is a body with Satan as its head, i.e. this is the false church which is from the world of sin which does not honor Christ as Lord, and which does not turn away from sin, but which holds on to it, and then lies to cover it up.

This is the false church which has bought into the lies of this false prophet (dog/dragon), and which has adopted its ways. For, it is convinced that faith in Jesus Christ requires no repentance, no obedience, and no submission to Christ as Lord.

One other thing I saw with this round face that looked like the world with a friendly face on it, is cyclical patterns, things that go around and round, i.e. habits, i.e. this is sinful addiction. Those who have bought into the lies of Satan and of his false prophets who are giving out a false gospel are not free from their sin, but they are still in bondage to their sin and bound for hell. It looks friendly and inviting, but it will bite you in the end if you believe it.

So, if we are going to overcome these false teachers with their false messages, then we have to test these spirits which are of the spirit of the antichrist, with the dragon (Satan) as its head. And, so we have to biblically and prayerfully discern truth from error, for error is disguised as truth and is made to look inviting. So, we have to study the scriptures (in context) so that we can discern truth from error.

And, just know that these false prophets/teachers disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, as the Lord’s sheep, but they are really wolves in sheep’s clothing. So, an outward confession of Christ as Savior and Lord does not mean that person is a true follower of Christ or a true messenger of the gospel of Christ. And, that is why we have to test the character of what they are proclaiming as well as their own character to see if they are of God or if they are of Satan but disguised as messengers of the light.

1 John 4:7-12 ESV


This love is not human love. It is God-like love which submits to God and which prefers what God prefers, which is what is holy, pure, honorable, trustworthy, faithful, honest and upright, etc. So, it is not going to willfully and habitually sin against others knowing that what it is doing is harming and hurting other people and that it is opposed to God and his holiness.

Jesus equated this love with obedience to his commands, too. So, this love is the opposite of what those false teachers are spreading which teaches no necessity for repentance, obedience or submission to Christ as Lord. And, the false gospel gives free license to continue in habitual sin, which does not act in love towards others, but which willfully causes others much harm.

So, if the message coming from the mouths of these teachers who say they are proclaiming the gospel of our salvation does not love others with the love of God in all his holiness and righteousness, but it teaches the opposite of love for God and our fellow humans, then it is not of God, but of Satan.

So, be discerning and don’t believe the lies which are not of God. But, believe the truth and live the truth and you will have the hope of heaven.

When I Go Home

By G. M. Eldridge

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes…” Revelation 21:4

In the moment He appears
And the light from heaven shines,
I’ll forget ev’ry fear,
Ev’ry pain I’ll leave behind.
Then I’ll see Him as He is
And I’ll know Him as I’m known.
Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.

Ever present is the tho’t
That a moment waits for me
When unworthy as I am,
His glory I will see.
I will empty all my praise
Before my Father’s throne.
Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.

If the trial I endure,
And your presence I can’t find,
Be near me, Lord, I pray,
Bring back unto my mind
That your promises are firm
And I’m never on my own.
Ev’ry tear wiped away when I go home.

Caution: This link may contain ads

Copyright 2019 by Acapeldridge
All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission
Acapeldridge - Classic A Cappella Hymns by G.M. Eldridge

(1) Gargoyle - Wikipedia
(2) Strong's Greek: 2965. κύων (kuón) -- a dog