From a Darkness to the Light

By ScVerlin Barton

"Even as a seminary trained Bible professor this message was new to me."
J. Carl Laney, Th.D.

"This totally changed my perspective about reality.
Susan Goodman

"This timely book is a valuable hermeneutical tool for us upon whom the ends of the ages have come."
J.S. Hargis, MD

"This explains why I'm here!"
Camilla Clymer

"This doctrine is significant for all creation!"
Dave Homer

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9781490811109

ScVerlin Barton

ScVerlin Barton has spent his life questioning the information presented in this book. After a business career he attended seminary. He holds degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma and Western Seminary. He founded Things Above Ministries for the sole purpose of researching and teaching on the God-Satan conflict. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

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Copyright © 2014 ScVerlin Barton.

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

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Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture quotations marked GW are from GOD’S WORD Translation Copyright © 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-1109-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-1108-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-1110-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013918348

WestBow Press rev. date: 1/27/2014

Table of Contents

Foreword

Dedication and Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1: Confused and Hazy

Chapter 2: A New Perspective Needed

Chapter 3: A Heavenly Perspective

Chapter 4: Our Place and Value

Chapter 5: Our Responsibilities

Chapter 6: God’s Provisions

Chapter 7: Satan’s Attacks

Chapter 8: Now What?

Appendix

About the Author

To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness

to light and from the dominion of Satan to God.

—Acts 26:18

Foreword

ScVerlin Barton is a man with a message! He has been developing this message since his student days at Western Seminary. I was first introduced to this message as ScVerlin’s prof when he wrote and submitted papers in my Bible Class. Even as a seminary trained Bible professor this message was new to me. Yet as I interacted with ScVerlin regarding his insights on the God-Satan conflict I was impressed with the biblical and theological foundation he set forth for his views.

ScVerlin believes that God and Satan are engaged in an on-going conflict and that we as believers are on the front lines of that dispute. Ignorance of this conflict and its implications for believers has led to lots of confusion, disappointment with the church and spiritual defeat. ScVerlin’s book is a call to arms for believers to recognize that we are in a battle and view our earthly experience from a heavenly perspective. Knowing that God is working everything to resolve eternal issues can give believers a sense of purpose and confidence as we anticipate the ultimate victory of King Jesus.

This book will better equip you to prepare for the battle, stand firm against Satan’s attacks and glorify God through your faith and obedience. May the Lord bless you as you read and study the message of this important book.

J. Carl Laney, Th.D.

Western Seminary

Dedication and Acknowledgments

It was by God’s grace and design that I met the Bible teacher J. Carl Laney, who encouraged and strengthened me to do my own research rather than follow the paths carved out by popular theologians. Without his encouragement this book would not have been written. I would like to have dedicated this book to Carl but since this book is the firstfruit of my public writing efforts, that dedication goes to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I want to acknowledge and thank all the students and friends who read the various manuscripts and gave invaluable feedback. I also thank Janene MacIvor for all her editing not only on this manuscript but on various research works. Without her efforts this book would not properly convey my intended meaning to its intended varied audience.

Thank you all!

Introduction

by

Claudia Lovejoy

Sunday Morning, USA

Check out the man standing numbly by the church coffee bar talking about his impending divorce. Listen to the voice of the Christian mother as she asks people to pray for her teenage son who has just been arrested on drug charges. Then take a moment to watch the expressions on these same faces as they settle in for a sermon on how to become a better spouse… a better parent… a better you. What’s wrong with this picture? Why aren’t things getting better? You don’t have to be a modern-day prophet to hear all the unanswered questions burning in the minds of American believers. Many of us seem to be silently repeating the words from Jackson Browne’s song The Pretender:

I want to know what became of the change we waited for love to bring…

What about that change we waited for God’s love to bring? What happened to the zeal we once knew as we reached out to grasp the pearl of great price? We felt incredible feelings, sang inspiring songs, listened to awesome testimonies, experienced spiritual revelation, and absolutely believed in miraculous intervention.

Why then have so many of us lost our focus? Or could it be that, like the Galatians, our focus has been misplaced? Would the apostle Paul say to us, Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3). I believe my answer (along with many of you) would have to be yes.

When I became a Christian twenty-five years ago, I lived and moved and found my being in Jesus. I believed in the rising of the Son more than the coming of the dawn.

But as the years went by, churches split. Plans failed. Leaders lied. Christians stumbled. Ministries tumbled. Disappointment after disappointment, I stopped focusing on the wounds of Christ and started tending to my own.

This didn’t happen overnight, but year after year, my reckless trust in the things of God began to diminish. Like so many in my generation, hope deferred had made my heart sick, and so I began to protect myself, rely on myself, comfort myself, and medicate myself with food, fun, friends, and feelings. Having begun in the Spirit, I now chose to put my confidence in the flesh.

Then I started listening to the teachings you are about to read. To put it bluntly, the lights in my darkened understanding began to flicker. Suddenly I realized how much my focus had shifted to the things of earth rather than the things above. Whereas my greatest desire had once been for Jesus, it had gradually morphed into a desire to create a better planet upon which my better self could live.

Instead of focusing on the host of the armies of heaven, I remade Christ into the host of Let’s Make a Deal. Instead of reaching out for the keys of the kingdom of heaven, I wanted Him to hand me the key to Door #3—the one with Abundant Life written on it in big gold letters.

I couldn’t wait to open that door, because inside I was sure to find health, wealth, happiness, and the love I deserved. But I forgot one essential truth. Being a Christian isn’t about being healthy, wealthy, or happy. It’s not even about finding true love. It’s about following Jesus. "The world behind me,