In a May, 2002 Word of Faith monthly publication, Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin made the following statement reflecting a doctrine that has been held sacred in the Word of Faith circles. I preached it myself for many years.
“Satan was not originally the god of this world; Adam was. In Genesis, God...made His man Adam and said, ‘Adam, I give you dominion over all the work of My hands. You dominate.’ Or, in other words, ‘I am making you god of this world. You run it.’ But Adam committed high treason and sold out to the devil. He did not have the moral right to do it, but he did have the legal right. Then the devil began to dominate upon the earth. He became the god of this world...the bible record of the temptation of Jesus sheds light...Jesus did not dispute for a moment that the world was delivered unto Satan...Who delivered it unto him? Adam did.”
From his book, The Father and His Family, E.W. Kenyon writes,
“Adam evidently had a legal right to transfer this dominion and authority into the hands of the enemy. God has been obliged through a long period of human history to recognize Satan’s legal standing, and legal right and authority...We have shown how Satan obtained this authority,; let us now note some facts in regards to it...Before he committed sin, man had dominion over all angels and demons...God had conferred upon him the legal authority to rule the universe...The effect of this treason was that it gave Satan universal dominion over God’s creation.”
E.W. Kenyon continues, “
Satan came to Jesus and declared to Him that the authority and glory of the inhabited earth had been delivered unto him and that he could give it to whomsoever he willed. If the Devil lied to Jesus and Jesus knew he lied, then it was not a genuine temptation...we believe it was a bona fide temptation. If that be true, the Jesus recognized that Satan had authority and dominion over the kingdoms of the world, authority which he could transfer at will to whomsoever he wished. This is a hideous fact to contemplate: That the human race had been under the dominion of the Devil, that his dominion is a legal dominion, and that God is unable to break it until such time as the Adamic lease expires. Satan is the god of this world.”
According to both E.W. Kenyon and our leading “faith” teachers, Adam was given authority in the earth, making him the god of this world. He “sold” out his dominion when he obeyed the suggestion of Satan in the garden. According to this doctrine, at the time Adam did this he committed treason and delivered his authority (and god-ship or sovereignty) over to Satan, thereby making the devil “god of this world.”
They believe this was what Satan made reference to in Luke 4:5-6 “And the devil...shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world... 6) And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.”
They believe that when Satan said, “for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it,” he was referring to Adam having “delivered” to him the authority and glory of the world. That since this was a legal transfer of authority, the devil could legally give it to whomsoever he willed without regards to Almighty God’s say or approval.
In this teaching, Dr. Don G. Pickney introduces something else into this “word of faith” discussion. If what Satan said to Jesus was true, and if he gained supreme power over the earth, from Adam in the Garden, and if it is his until the end of a so-called “Adamic lease,” then what about the following event?
Daniel 4:13-17 KJV “I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; (14) He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches… (16) Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him…. (17) to the intent that the living may know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.”
Daniel 4:24-26 KJV “This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: (25) That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field… till thou know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. (26) And… thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.”
Get ready for much revelation as we unfold this important teaching.
