By One Spirit — Holy Ghost Ministry

Lary and his beloved dog Champ welcomed by Jesus into a radiant garden of flowers, waterfalls, and golden light
Remembering the ministry and teachings of Lary R. Hale

Faith carried forward

By One Spirit is a lasting home for Holy Ghost ministry, preserving the teachings of Lary R. Hale and the memories of the people whose lives he touched.

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Legacy · Q&A

Is Satan the one who is responsible for the bad things that happen to God's people?

Raphael-inspired painting of a pilgrim climbing a rocky hillside through blue mist toward the light.
© By One Spirit Ministries

Question:

Is Satan the one who is responsible for the bad things that happen to God's people?

Answer:

As with every Bible topic, we need to let the Scriptures answer this very important question for us. And even more pointedly, let's tap into the mind-sets of some of the wisest and most significant people of faith in all the Bible, to see what they understood about this issue. Joseph is someone who had to endure great suffering by means of the malicious spirits of unjust men, but he consistently confirmed that it was God, and God alone Who brought him into great affliction for a very wise and good purpose (Gen. 45:5; Gen. 50:18-20). He never blamed the devil or even his brothers for the things that he was made to suffer. David was another example of this truth. When an enemy bitterly cursed him and cast stones at him, hurling misguided accusations in his direction, David plainly stated that God was the one Who had sent this man to curse him (II Sam. 16:5-13). Like Joseph, he never mentioned the devil even once. He knew Whose hands his life was in, for better or for worse, and he knew how great and all-encompassing those hands were and are.

Job also knew and understood the true omnipotence of God. After suffering unheard-of calamity in a day's time, he painfully and humbly worshipped God, acknowledging that He alone was able to bring either good or bad upon his life (Job 1:20-22). And after suffering further pain and loss, when his friends/persecutors came to him, neither he or they ever confessed anything other than God being responsible for the great affliction suffered by Job. In fact the first chapter of Job actually shows how God used Satan in this particular situation to carry out His own determination, and also how that Satan confessed and understood that only God could decide what could happen to Job, whether for good or for evil (bad). Job graphically confesses his knowledge of this powerful divine reality in Job 23:13-15.

Jesus certainly suffered greatly at the hands of unjust men, and He had full assurance of Who was in charge of His afflictions: "And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" ... "Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (Mat. 26:39; Jn. 18:11) And also: "Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above:" (Jn. 19:10,11). Peter also agreed that Jesus' sufferings were ordained and brought to pass by "the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23).

The Scriptures continually bear witness to us that God is in full control of all of His creation at all times, and that He uses it all to carry out His own unfathomably wise and righteous purposes (Rom. 13:1; Eph. 1:11; I Pet. 3:22; Psm. 62:11; Psm. 105:7; Job 12:9-25; etc., etc.). The Bible also constantly confirms that God is the only power Who can bring either good things or bad things to pass at any time (Lev. 26:14-42; Deut. 28:15-68; Job 2:10; Psm. 119:75; Eccl. 7:14; Isa.45:7; Lam. 2:1-8, 17; Hos. 6:1; Amos 3:6; Jonah 1:4, 15-17; etc. etc.). The only way that "all things (can) work together for good to them that love God," is if a good God is continually in control of all things. And being the creator of all things, there really is no other possibility. So we need to stop blaming the devil and anyone else for our hardships, adversities, etc., and start realizing that we are called to be a tried and proven people, and that it is the Lord alone who tries us, as Job said, "every moment;" for the purpose of our betterment across the board (James 1:2-4; Rom. 5:3-5; I Pet. 4:12, 13; Psm. 11:5; Psm. 66:10-12; Job 7:18; etc., etc.). You can further reference this divine truth in our article called Faith and Politics.

From the Preserved Writings of Lary R. Hale

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Jesus Is All

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In loving memory

Lary R. Hale

Lary smiling with his beloved dog Champ
Lary with Champ

A Hero Finally Rests.

Lary Redman Hale of Louisville, KY entered into his greatest joy, the presence of King Jesus himself, welcomed by the cheers of angels and the saints of God on Sunday night, April 21, 2024.

What the outside world would see as the untimely passing of a humble, local minister, heaven saw as the triumphant finale of a valiant warrior's life. He fought the good fight, having kept the faith, and received what Christ himself called "The Champion's Wreath of Victory".

Lary was born November 13, 1954 to Marvin and Norma Hale. Being the youngest of his siblings ensured he had lots of time with his loving mother, from whom he undoubtedly developed his profound sensitivity, heartfelt sentimentality and emotional comfortability - characteristics that were trademarks of his life. He grew up surrounded by cousins and classmates that became his best friends.

At his 50 year class reunion he was overjoyed and excited to catch up with so many of them, smiling and laughing more than he had in a long time. He would often tell stories of how he treasured those times as a young boy riding bikes, shooting B.B guns and playing with his childhood dog Peanuts; all while getting into assorted harmless mischief. He cherished the time he spent living on his parents houseboat and helping his dad, a united states marine veteran, take care of the boat and dock.

His relationship with his dad was only strengthened in their later years as they watched boxing matches almost every weekend for the remainder of his dad's life. He admired his brother Gary for his athleticism and industrious attitude, and thought his sisters Vicki and Mila had hearts of gold just like his mother. In his teen years Lary developed three of his lifelong loves: swimming, cool cars and lifting weights.

Some people said Lary was part fish because of how well he swam, but Lary would correct them, he was actually part dolphin. As a young man he managed a health club where he helped multiple people lose weight and counted that a huge joy. He loved nature and taking photos of it, honing his skills and knowledge in cameras. His vocabulary was second to none and he enjoyed learning new words and using them especially in his writings.

Before he passed he still exercised as much as his body would allow and he longed to return to the ocean and the white sands of Destin, Florida.

Like most disenfranchised teens in the early 70s, Lary indulged in countless vices that left him empty and searching for more. Although his long black curly hair, loud clothes, muscles and muscle cars made him the envy of the boys and the heartthrob of the girls, none of these things satisfied his heart. He pursued a college education briefly, desiring to be a marine biologist or philosopher but found that this was not what he was missing either - he longed for true fulfillment.

Depressed, empty, and feeling hopeless, Lary heard about a particular beautiful girl he had a crush on that was attending a small church where the "Spirit of God" was changing people's lives. After wondering why someone like her would attend a church like that, he began to attend also.

After a few months, he made a simple prayer on his hands and knees, saying "God I can't stop smoking, drinking, raging or any of the other countless vices I have - but if you can set me free from these things, I'll know you're real and that you want me to serve you". The next morning Lary woke up and described the next few hours as "walking on air" realizing he was, in his words "delivered" and never going back to those vices.

This began his life long commitment to glorifying Jesus, the king of glory, for how he transformed Lary's life from darkness to light. Lary would marry that same beautiful girl, the love of his life, Fay Kustes, and they would have two sons together, Benjamin Isaac and Elisha Daniel. Lary's greatest joy in life was being a husband and father.

He was happiest when he was sharing what he was learning in the bible with his family, and teaching them that knowing God was simplistic and yet powerful - that God was not merely a religious concept, but a powerful savior on a day to day basis. As Lary made it his life's goal to find "the lost sheep", he would tap into his multifaceted creativity that went largely underappreciated.

Lary produced well over a thousand episodes of gospel presentations: self-producing, mixing, editing and encoding both a radio and television show. Between the two, he broadcast for over 30 years. All of this in the analog age, where self produced radio and TV shows were nearly unheard of, especially without any budget whatsoever.

Lary was an evangelist in Louisville and southern Indiana, being asked to preach and teach in multicultural and multi-generational churches across the city. The churches he was most loved and welcomed by were the African-American Baptist and Pentecostal churches that loved and welcomed his passionate, excitable and action packed style of preaching.

Once the dawn of the internet came, he immediately worked to have a website published, making his literature and gospel teachings available. Eventually he'd use social media to teach, preach and encourage believers all across the world. He would spend every night praying with and encouraging christians from every nation until the end of his life. Many of which saw him like a second father and all of whom greatly mourn his passing.

Even though he produced over a thousand episodes of media, taught in multiple churches, mentored in multiple countries, and had multiple printed works of literature, he considered his greatest life's work to be his two sons. One of their earliest memories is Lary saying "the most important job in the world is not preaching the gospel, it's raising kids in the gospel". This threaded through his entire life.

In his final week on earth, he reminisced on his life saying "I see my life as the highest success, because my life's work are my two sons, who I am so incredibly proud of - not for their natural achievements but for their love, humility and personal faith in Jesus that is not only evident in their lives but also in their love. Because of them, I know my life is a true success - and I credit Jesus for all of it".

His sons today see him as the most successful man they will ever know. He succeeded in loving them and never hurting them. Leading them and never controlling them. Being there for them and never leaving them. He was a man that would apologize quickly, forgive quickly, and always encouraged his sons to "get up and go from here". He succeeded in teaching them faith, hope and love in a world starving so badly for all three. His ministry lives on in them.

The lives of everyone touched by their lives are forever indebted to this humble, prayerful man of faith.

He is preceded in death by his father Marvin, mother Norma, sister Mila, sister-in-law Marlene, nephew Adam, aunts, uncles, treasured cousins, and his beloved dog of 18 years, Champ.

Until they are reunited in the glory of heaven, he is survived and will be missed by his sons, Benjamin and Elisha (Katrine), his wife of 30 years, Fay, his brother Gary, His sister Vicki (Dan), his cousins, nieces, nephews, his friends, and those that called him their pastor and teacher.

"The righteous perish, and no man lays it to heart: merciful men are taken away and no one considers that the righteous person is being spared from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: he shall rest in his bed, having walked in uprightness." Isaiah 57:1&2

A life in pictures and film

Watch the tribute video shared with Lary’s obituary. It brings together moments from his life and footage of the man so many loved.

Video hosted by Tribute Slides through Newcomer Kentuckiana.

Original obituary at Newcomer Kentuckiana

Memories of Lary