Greg’s words are in line with the premise behind my novel Lord Foulgrin’s Letters: given demons’ insights into reality and their plot to deceive and destroy us—this is one conspiracy theory that’s right on target—wouldn’t it be a major coup for us to place a wiretap in hell’s war room? What if we could plant a bugging device where we could overhear our enemies assessing our weaknesses and strategizing how next to attack us? The book contains letters written by a demon to his subordinate Squaltaint. Lord Foulgrin advises Squaltaint how to tempt and deceive Jordan Fletcher, the human “vermin” or “sludgebag” to whom he’s assigned.
Lord Foulgrin’s Letters isn’t necessarily dark, though it is very sobering at points. There’s satisfaction in knowing you’ve heard the opposing coach sketch out his plays for the second half and you know what to expect, how to fight back and win.
Here’s an excerpt from the book:
My impudent Squaltaint, You admit Fletcher’s been praying “deliver us from the evil one”? He’s even taped a card on his dashboard saying, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”? You complain this makes you jumpy. You whine that with everything going on in his life, sometimes you can hardly stand to hang around him.
Oh, you poor devil. You have my deepest sympathy.
Moron! Whatare you looking for, group therapy? Erebus has no counseling department. Get over it, fool.
Your reports are woefully incomplete, but it’s obvious the Enemy is accomplishing far too much in Fletcher. You gloat that although he was on his knees forty minutes, you managed to distract him most of the time from focusing on the Enemy. But you minimize the monumental—the man was on his knees forty minutes?
I fear no prayer spoken to some vague “higher power” who’s nothing more than an invention of their own minds. But since Fletcher’s view of the Enemy is being shaped by the forbidden Book, it makes his prayers dangerous. The threat of forbidden talk isn’t in what they’re saying as much as who they’re saying it to. This is why the posture of his prayer concerns me. If he’s on his knees or facedown on the floor, he may begin to believe in his own unimportance and the greatness of the One he prays to.
Make them think they’re “just” praying, as if it were not action of the most potent kind. Prayer isn’t simply preparation for battle, it is the battle. I fear nothing of prayerless studies, prayerless work, or prayerless parenting. I laugh at their most diligent efforts and most profound insights when disconnected from prayer. The forbidden talk is what infuses them with the Enemy’s presence and power. Minimize it at all costs.
You brag you’ve befuddled him in his daily Bible study. What will you boast of next— that you made him hungry while he’s fasting? The fact he’s having a daily Bible study shows your failure. Even if forbidden talk and Bible study seem fruitless for a while, if Fletcher keeps at it, the Enemy will suddenly set his study and prayers on fire. Before you know it, the sludgebag’s heart will burn with praise, adoration, and every foul thing you can imagine.