Doctrines of Demons, The Screwtape Letters — Part 3

Posted on April 3, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Doctrines of Demons, from C. S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters – Part 3

The following points are from notes I took while reading C. S. Lewis’ book, The Screwtape Letters. The book is a compilation of thirty-one letters from a demon named Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood. In it Screwtape gives instructions to his nephew on how to seduce and take down certain humans, mostly new Christians. I think it is an excellent manual on the doctrine of demons (but of course, it is according to one human’s perspective, C. S. Lewis; hence, we can’t be sure it is perfectly accurate). The following points are ways the demons will draw a person over to the evil path.

They (the demons) make it their business to get us away from the eternal present and into the past or the future; both of which will cause us anxiety.
(p. 72) They say that if a human can’t be cured of church going, send him to other churches more lacking in faith and that are more party churches. The more lukewarm he is the better.
On gluttony. They desire that the belly dominate the whole life of the human.
In gluttony, they say that excess of food is less powerful than wanting (lusting after) certain tastes of food. They say that this is a good preparation for attacks on chastity.
They feed us the lie that “being in love” is the only ground for marriage and if lost the marriage will no longer be binding.
They will try to persuade a Christian to marry someone who will be difficult.
They may try to persuade a single human that chastity is unhealthy; and they will try to use unchastity to land a desirable marriage.
(p. 93) They will try to direct men to more desirable (sexual) woman.
They will prepare the human for sexual temptation by darkening his intellect (fill it with deceptions).
They will fill the human with ideas that “my time is my own.” And when anyone invades his time he is angered.
They fill men’s beliefs with false ideas that they “own” their bodies.
(p. 101) They are revulsed at the pleasures that God gives His own, especially young couples in love.
(p. 107) They want believers to treat Jesus only as a great man, but not someone who is divine. This will destroy their devotional life.
(p. 110) They will continue to haunt a good person until they find a chink in their armor—to create in them pride or bitterness or lust.
(p. 115) They want a Christian to be of a mind of “Christian and.” That is, to add something to their faith, like psychology, or faith healing, or vegetarianism, etc.
Instead of asking the question: “Is it righteous, or is it prudent?” they would rather we ask, “Is it in accordance with the general movement of our time?” As a result, they have a better chance to bend our thoughts to what they want for us.

Doctrines of Demons, from the Screwtape Letters — Part 2

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Doctrines of Demons, from C. S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters – Part 2

(p 36) They know that it is during the low periods (more than the high periods) that we will grow.
They know that our prayers offered up in a state of dryness are those that most please God.
They realize that we learn to walk in the Lord when God takes His hands off us—and He is pleased even when we stumble. (But He will not let us be cast down, Ps 34:24).
(p 40) They know that the low periods in humans provide an excellent opportunity for sexual temptation.
They realize that humans are stronger when they read more (keep knowledge flowing).
(p 49) They say consisting scoffers are progressing toward Satan. They are glad when we do this.
As for humor, they encourage virtue as funny and ridiculous.
(p 53) They will introduce a change of direction in the young believer—but they do not want him to suspect where he is headed—downhill!
They will encourage him to dislike any religious duties and prayers.
They know that pleasure temptations cut off real happiness.
They seek to have him waste his time doing menial things for long periods of time: TV watching, etc. They want him to avoid healthy and outgoing activities.
They want him not to do what he likes to do.
They want to steal away a person’s best years.
They know that the best thing they can do is separate the human from the enemy (God).
(p 57) They recognize when humans repent and are renewed, and they are discouraged by it.
They know that there are times when they can’t get through—due to the fact that God is directly present with them.
(p 58) They count it a defeat when the human reads books they enjoy and does things they enjoy, like nature walks, etc.
They count it a defeat when the human abandons his self-will.
They will try to eradicate from a person his personal hobbies—all things he enjoys, because they will be a source of innocence and humility and self-forgetfulness. They will endeavor to force upon them more “important things”, more “righteous things,” things that if not accomplished will be a great source of guilt and an entrance for sin.
They are in favor of getting the human to not apply things that they read—to keep it out of his will. They are in favor of keeping them from developing habits.
(p 62) They hate it when we stop thinking of our virtues—thinking of how good we are becoming. They want us to think of how humble we are, how wise we are, so that we become proud. They love to see us become proud.
They want us to endlessly think upon ourselves.
They know that God wants us to think of all humans as glorious and excellent, so they try to remove this truth from us. But they may try to get us to think too much of ourselves and putting ourselves above others.
They want us to continually think of our sins—how bad we are, instead of thinking of the Saviors love and forgiveness.
(p. 67) They want us to be tortured by fears.
They know that God wants us to live in eternity or in the present. For in our meditation with God in the present, time touches eternity and God brings us in union with Him.

Doctrines of Demons, from The Screwtape Letters

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Stephen Nielsen

Doctrines of Demons, from C. S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters

The following points are from notes I took while reading C. S. Lewis’ book, The Screwtape Letters. The book is a compilation of thirty-one letters from a demon named Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood. In it Screwtape gives instructions to his nephew on how to seduce and take down certain humans, mostly new Christians. I think it is an excellent manual on the doctrine of demons (but of course, it is according to one human’s perspective, C. S. Lewis; hence, we can’t be sure it is perfectly accurate). The following points, in three parts, are ways the demons will draw a person over to the evil path.

They (the demons) want us to stay clear of arguments (or debates) because they will awaken reason; they prefer jargon.
They prefer we read about and speak of experiences over teaching—that is, the demons will try to draw a person into stories rather than sound teaching in order to convince a person to go the wrong way.
They prefer casual talking over science.
(p 11) They want to keep our mind hazy, not to have a clear mind, esp. for the new converts.
They want to keep us disappointed in ourselves.
They want us to depend on our emotions, so we will be easier to tempt.
They want us to be wondering what other people in our church are like, and what they do secretly.
They want us to think of ourselves as very religious and humble, better than most.
They will try to produce in people mutual annoyances.
(p 16) They want us to pray not about bodily pain but over sins—so to remind us of our sins.
They work on things that irritate—tone of voice, twitches, things that the other dislikes.
(p 20) They want to keep us from serious prayer.
They would rather we pray our childhood, parrot-like prayers.
They would rather we not pray directly to God but to our soul to have a “spirit of love.”
Instead of true prayer, they would rather we try to produce in ourselves certain desired feelings—that we try to feel forgiven.
Instead of praying to God in heaven, they would rather we pray to a picture of Christ or to a cross.
(p 24) The goal for them is to secure the soul of humans to the devil.
Their business is to undermine faith and to prevent the formation of virtues.
Their refreshment is to produce any fear and suffering, but in the end it must also bring their soul to the devil.
They may reason that it is better (for the dark side) for humans to die in costly nursing homes that to die in wars.
(p 28) They want us to be filled with uncertainty and contradictory pictures of the future.
They want our prayers to be drawn away from the Father and unto ourselves.
They want our mind to go toward itself and to insults, or to a woman’s body (to lust).
(p 32) Their policy for now is to conceal themselves.
They say that they are helped when they are perceived as comic figures.
They want religious meetings, pamphlets, movements, causes, to matter more for us than our prayers.

Latest Update

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Stephen Nielsen

I’ve been reading the story of Corrie ten Boom. I was surprised at the information told regarding Hitler and the Third Reich—from Corrie’s perspective. Back then they didn’t have up-to-date news as we do now, so the takeover of Hitler was quite a shock to the European people. Here are a few quotes.

A growing evil appeared on the eastern horizon…a socialism of the most heartless kind (this seems much like we feel now in America).
It is called the National Socialist German workers Nazi party.
They were called progressives (sound familiar?). In this Nazi party the poor, the old, the feebleminded, and the handicapped were enemies of progress. And soon the Jews became enemies too.
The leader among the Nazi party, Hitler, appeared laughable at first, comical, then maddening.
This man Hitler sounded like the devil himself…he was afraid of no one…he was diabolically shrewd.
They walked into Czechoslovakia and took over the entire country. They invaded Poland, Norway, and Denmark.
The Dutch people of Haarlem (where Corrie lived) walked the streets in a daze. Within two days the Dutch army surrendered.
The Germans were very well-organized.

Of course, the worst of it was quite hidden from everyone—the concentration camps and the brutal extermination of so many Jews. In my reading, I’m just getting into the parts when they were hiding Jews behind fake walls. It was quite an operation—a labor of love!

My Work

I just finished a long painting job, taking all of August and into Sept. The job had good points and bad point. I’ll get the bad points over first. There were a lot of high areas where ladders and roof jacks were involved and as a result I now have some rib injuries; but it is healing up. And painting the high fence around the yard was not fun—trying to get in behind the flowers and tall bushes.

But the good points I think far out-weighed the bad points. The people, which I have known for over thirty years, are very kind., They invited me for lunch every day, and they also were very complimentary of all my work and paid me well. I will keep them in my prayers as they are very old. I have been retired for a about ten years—but still working. Maybe now, after my rib injuries, I will start taking my retirement more serious

Dead Men Preach to Them

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Stephen Nielsen

I have been reading a biography on Jonathan Edwards. What a dedicated and holy man! He has been called “The Great Awakener,” and was the primary vehicle in the American Revival of the mid-1700’s, along with George Whitfield.

Midway through this biography, George Whitefield, upon returning from America to England summarized the American situation. He said, “I am greatly persuaded that the generality of preachers talk of an unknown, unfelt Christ. And the reason why congregations have been so dead is because dead men preach to them.”

After reading this quote my mind went to Romans 8:6— “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mindset on the Spirit is life and peace.” Hence, I conclude that many preachers in that day were preaching in the flesh and were dead in the Spirit. And that is also true today.

But this was not true of Jonathan Edwards. I was sparked in my reading with the following words of inspiration:

Edwards viewed the work as a minister to call men to recognize their need to know God personally.
Edwards believed that his own knowledge of God should be first before preaching to others.
He set time for prayer, solitude, meditation, and earnest study—13 hours every day!
He recognized that the plain man (in his congregation) was reached best by the plain style of preaching.
He said that Christians are to be people of prayer.
He was all for Spirit-anointed preaching and he set out in his style to address the conscience of men.

Back to Romans 8:6. “The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” I have been thinking about that verse for some time now, and I think it has been helpful because of its truth. How often during the day I catch myself thinking of fleshly things and have to change my thinking. Everything in the World is of the flesh you know. And so, a Christian must be watchful and prayerful and diligent to set his mind back on the Spirit—to find life and peace.

Update: Mostly about John Wesley

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Stephen Nielsen

I will start with my writing. I’m writing every day. My new book project is on Heaven. So far, I’m still doing research. Also, at the same time I’m redoing a few books—mostly book covers. Oh, I also have a new publishing name: Zenyl Publishing. What do you think of the name?

John Wesley

I have about a dozen Heroes of the Faith books that I’m reading. I recently read about Martin Luther and William Tyndale. Now I’m reading John Wesley—almost finished. John was an interesting character. His parents, Samuel and Susanna, were hard working farmers, and Samuel was a preacher. All of their ten children (7 girls and 3 boys) were well educated at home. I was amazed at their very strict and early education schedule. “Every minute of every day was planned.” John in particular was very studious. From age five he started to read (from the bible). He also learned Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, along with the regular courses like math, history and music. Then in 1720, at seventeen, John went to collage in the town of Oxford in London, where he was schooled mainly in the classics.

It was during this time that he decided to become a cleric like his father. And he also began to lead a group called “The Holy Club.” Everyone in the club had to abide by a very strict and moral code.

Well, to my surprise, even as John was brilliant in his writing and preaching, and even in his holiness, he had serious doubts about his salvation. And this was revealed to him mainly because of his fears of death (during a few skirmishes with enemies). But, in God’s providence, he had certain Moravian friends who had no such fear of dying. Hence, through the private tutoring of these Moravians and by his own prayers, John came to have an assurance of his faith; and he grew into a very dynamic preacher; and even though he was often pelted with stones, nearly to death, he had no fear!

And besides his fears (which he overcame) he had another weakness. For some reason he thought he had to minister to, and tutor, every young woman that he was attracted to. And he fell in love with them all—but never could commit to any of them because of his ministry commitments. I counted six women. But the seventh one his brother Charles convinced him to marry. Well, he did marry her, but not for love; and she soon left him in a rage because of his lack of attention to her.

Well, as we know, those holy clubs developed into a movement called the Methodists; and John was its leader. I don’t know much about the Methodist church—except that they are quite liberal. I don’t think they are anything like what John intended them to be. At first I’m sure the Methodist were a godly people, and I suppose that many of our true Christian churches came from those Methodists. But if there is one thing I am grateful for it is the hymns that John and Charles wrote that are still in our hymn books.

The Power of the Word

Posted on February 5, 2024 by Stephen Nielsen

I have been reading on Martin Luther. His whole life he clung to the power of the Word of truth. For example, during the Peasants Revolt in the mid 1500’s (against the rich upper class), Luther faced the movement not by violence, but by speaking the truth. He said,

“I will preach, speak, write, but I will force no one; for faith must be voluntary. Take me as an example. I stood up against the Pope…but without violence or uproar. I only urged, preached, and declared God’s Word; nothing else.”

Luther also said of the devil when he sees men using violence: “He sits with folded arms behind the fire of hell, and says with malignant looks and frightful grin: ‘Ah, how wise these madmen are who play my game…But when he sees the Word running and contending alone on the battlefield, then he shudders and shakes for fear.”

Luther said: “The Word is almighty, and takes captive the hearts.

In reading these words, I thought of what my part is. Instead of taking part in demonstrations and marches, I think it is better to continue with blogs to spread the good Word of God. I will continue to write books (mostly for my benefit) but always with blogs. I think it is a more peaceful way. This is a world now of social media, and we need more Christian influence. And we know that the Word will not return void. As Isaiah wrote,

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,

And do not return there,

But water the earth,

And make it bring forth and bud,

That it may give seed to the sower

And bread to the eater,

11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void,

But it shall accomplish what I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isa 55:10-11)

Update: The News

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

News

The top of the news is the war in Israel. It seems that all nations are against what Israel is doing. I think the main reason why so many Palestinians are being killed is because Hamas is not letting them out and hiding behind them. It’s a shame. But most Palestinians, even those who are not tied to Hamas, are also against Israel. They have been trained from a child to hate the Jews.

I think the war is going well, and I wish the US and all other nations would let Israel alone and let them fight their own war. I know that if Trump were the Pres. He would support them in whatever they would want and also aid them.

I am most disappointed in the elite colleges like Harvard who aren’t doing one thing to put down the antisemitism and marches. They are getting a very bad reputation as being very liberal and anti-Jewish. Sad!

Both Biden and Trump are on the hot seat. Biden could be impeached for his criminal history—I hope. It’s a different story for Trump. He is wrongly judged for so many things. The New York AG is making it her amusement to get rid of Trump. I guess she is trying to build up her own image and popularity with the people. Sad.

Prophetic Horizons

In just the last few years Russia, Turkey and Iran are coming together and making plans to war together against Israel. This is exactly what the Bible says will happen in the last days (read Ezek. 38, 39). This latest Israel/Hamas war is also prophetic, because it is bringing out so much animosity against Israel. It is shocking to me how many are declaring their hatred against the Jews. It is Satanic. He is working hard to eliminate the Jews. But that won’t happen.

My Reading

I just finished reading about William Tyndale. What a brilliant and dedicated servant of God. Now I’m reading about Eric Liddell, a champion Olympic runner and a missionary to China (from 1923 to 1945). He was such a humble man. He ran for the Lord and used his running fame as a platform to evangelize the lost. He really cared nothing for his own fame; he did everything for the glory of God.

This and That

I’ve been feeling sickly—trying to exercise more and eat better. I didn’t feel like going to church, but I still wanted to and so I did. And it helped me. The fellowship with believers always lifts me up. Church is so necessary for these times (Heb. 10:24-25).

It’s rather warm here is MN—in the 40’s! and no snow. Very odd for Mn.

Cloud Formations

Posted on November 21, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

When the sky is bright and partly cloudy with gusts of wind, cloud formations can be very beautiful. Lately, I have been thinking of writing on the subject of heaven. And when I look heavenward through the clouds it gives me a greater incentive to write on that subject. For when He comes in His glory and when we go to meet Him it will be “in the clouds.” (1 Thess. 4:17; Acts 1:9; Rev. 11:12)

Witches and Witch Hunters

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

I have heard about the “Salem witch trials,” but I have not known the details. Now I do—after reading Killing the Witches, by Bill O’Reily. It’s quite a story. Dreadful!

Before reading this book I read the book, Mayflower, by Nathaniel Philbrick. So I was well informed of the Mayflower pilgrims and their strict ways. In some respects, they were admirable people, studiers of the Scriptures and wanting to do right. But, the way I see it, they were also very legalistic and hypocritical. They did not allow the celebrating of Christmas and Easter; they were not to sing hymns or express joy in song; displays of affection, even for married couples was not allowed and was punished; there was a strict dress code; toys for children were not allowed. Anyway, you get the picture.

The power structure of the Pilgrams ultimately came down from the Kings and Queens of England, but there were also powerful enforcers that came over from the Mayflower, like William Bradford and Captain Myles Standish. They were there to keep the people pure and “sinless.” And the punishment of sins were quite brutal, in some cases deadly.

The anti-witch movement began in England, but soon came to New England by the English Kings, esp. King James, who had an irrational fear of witches. But the English Kings were not worried because the new land had installed excellent witch hunters, namely the preacher and scholar Increase Matther and his son Cotton Mather. Cotton was especially dedicated to witch hunting; and he made it his goal and life achievement to rid the new land of witches. And he had a group of young witch hunters, mostly teenage girls who made a game of finding and accusing anyone they didn’t like of being witches. As far as I could see from the reading, these girls were liars and probably themselves demon possessed. They would bring accusations to anyone they had a grudge against—like their teachers, and the elderly, and even godly ministers.

These young, mischievous girls made a game of pretending that these people whom they accused were afflicting them with spells; and in the court room, whenever the accused would look at them, they pretended that they were being afflicted by witchcraft. Hence, the judges used this acting out by the girls as proof that the accused was a witch. Over and over again, false accusations were made. And in my opinion, all who were accused were innocent. In fact, it was the witch hunters and the accusers who were the guilty ones—even witches and demon possessed.

Shockingly, the law in those days offered no protection for anyone who was accused of a crime. They were declared guilty until proven innocent. And they were not allowed to make their own case or to have anyone speak for them. It was all one sided. And the unfortunate result in Salem, Massachusetts was that many hundreds were accused of witchcraft, and of those many were brutally tortured and were hung by their necks until dead.

Now, as Bill O’Reilly pointed out in his book, no one these days is executed, but many are wrongly accused of crimes, and their lives are ruined.

And who would you say are the innocent victims? and who are the witch hunters? It is clear to me that Donald Trump has been wrongly accused ever since he became President in 2016. True, he isn’t perfect—no one is; but he has been the victim of incredible lies. We can also add Christians as a whole, and Jews, to that list of victims.

And who would you say are the witch hunters? The obvious one is Hilary Clinton; also Barak Obama; and most of the media; and of course the Democratic party. They are all tied together in the big witch hunt. The big fake witch hunt.

And isn’t it interesting that the witch hunters, the ones that are accusing people of crimes, are the witches! It was true in 1692 in Salem, and it is still true today in 2023 in America.

Stephen Nielsen

My life story, my work, my views, my interests, my writing, my struggles.

Category Archives: Books I’m Reading