CONFUSION OF FORCES

Concerning the arena of error, we can never be too cautious.

Deuteronomy 13:1-3 “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder.
And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
Thos shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

We live in an age of such deception and campaigning for the hearts of men, that to navigate in the flesh is impossible. One of the most dangerous situations is that of supernatural manifestations that are apart from God. There two sources of supernatural power. Authentic miracles and signs come from God. These will result in true deliverance, revelation, restoration, and what have you. In these cases, the name of Jesus will be glorified, the fruit of the Spirit will be manifest, and souls will draw closer to God. False wonders, on the other hand, have but one purpose; to lead folks away from the truth. As we consider the scope of deception manifesting in this generation, we can become overwhelmed in our attempt to process it all into a coherant flow. Further complicating this is the amount of time that we must devote to the daily grind. The manifold obligations of 21st century survival often mandate that we dwell on the prevailing agendas of this life for large stretches of time. This can leave us even more vulnerable to deception and / or “something slipping past our spiritual radar.”  

Sadly, these conditions will intensify as the end of the age draws “closer by the moment.”

On the evening of December 27, I listened to a broadcast featuring Dr. Pat Holliday , who operates in the realm of deliverance ministry. She discussed something that I had never heard of before, but became prominent recently at what was considered by many to be a revival. (This revival has since been exposed as not being what many were claiming) She talked about a “kundelini spirit” that brings deception to Christians on a level that makes it very difficult to identify. As this phenomenon was explained I became astonished as considerations of how dangerous this could be ran through my mind. If a person places a “spiritual experience” in higher esteem than seeking the presence of the Lord,  they can open themselves up to this. Or if they don’t “by reason of use” have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:18) they can be deceived by a counterfeit manifestation.

Writing about this is like walking through a linguistical minefield because  I “do not” want to mis-identify anything. I am “doctrinally “pentecostal and embrace all of the gifts of the Spirit. I know that the Lord can heal, restore, and deliver from all the power of the enemy. I know that the gift of tongues is still in play (Acts 2:39 and I Corinthians chap 14…this chapter lays out the guidelines) and that the prophets still prophesy. (Although the ministry of prophecy is somewhat different than in the old testament.) But while I can adequately defend the authentic, I’ve never thought much about false signs and wonders, other than a general acknowledgment that they do transpire. We know that the enemy comes in disguised as an angel of light. Therefore we shouldn’t be surprised if he attempts to offer up a falsehood to those who place emphasis on seeing something. He will approach us from the venue where he has the best chance of succeeding and he “knows what makes us tick” so to speak.

When we are uncertain about something, the best course of action is to confess “I don’t know.” Then go to the Lord in prayer and search the scriptures until understanding is granted. It’s astonishing at how often people (even christians) will haphazardly spout off without understanding that to which they are giving commentary on. For weeks, I’ve been prayerfully striving to grasp the scope of the battle that we are in and how to place it into words. As we consider the scriptures that portray life in the final moments of the age, a dire picture begins to manifest. From false messianic figures showing great signs and wonders (Matthew 24:24) to a great falling away of many who once walked in truth but went astray. (II Thessalonians 2:3-10) The nature of this demands that we take it seriously. Eternity is forever and if ones embracs a falsehood and ends up taking the mark, none of the arguements that they use to justify their actions will hold water.

Matthew 24:4 “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.”

One thing is in need of mentioning as we consider the need for discernment. There is one manifestation that will always reveal the true nature of a thing and that is the fruit. Regardless of what we see, or what a person professes, if they are living in habitual sin and void of the fruit which characterizes one who is filled with the Holy Ghost, we can be sure that something isn’t as it should be. I began this post with Deuteronomy 13:1 because in it, the children of Israel are instructed not to follow someone just because wonders are performed. They had seen more supernatural happenings than most of us would see in a hundred lifetimes, and yet, this wasn’t the test for discernment. God told them not to follow any who instructed them to follow after another, even if supernatural manifestations were a part of the package. We have a formidable adversary and we cannot be too careful when it comes to discernment. This week I’ve been listening to some of Pat Hollidays messages which reveal just how perilous the times are.

It should probably be noted that a person can appear very spiritual and yet be following a falsehood. I cannot remember where I heard it, but a pastor was explaining that, when new-agers come into a congregation, they may appear to be really close to God. Folks will comment “that person is really spiritual” and may desire to hang with them. (Just as we tend to gravitate toward people who love Jesus in spirit and in truth. There is a profound “sweetness” in the fellowship between people who continually abide in heavenly places.) But regardless of how spiritual a person may appear, if they are following another Jesus it’s a show and, the fruit in their lives will tell a different story.

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and the like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

The words “as I have told you in time past” reveal that Paul had addressed this issue before with the Galatian church.

Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

The conclusion of this post is that we must stay in prayer and stay in the word of God if we’re to stand in the hour of temptation; a truth that is emphasized throughout scripture and that we would all agree to. We must ensure that we’re following the Lord completely and with all sincerety. Well I need to be going for now. This new site has now become my primary blog and all future postings shall be done here. The old blog site, “Grace County” contains 458 posts and represents fifty one months of blogging activity. (Sept 2006-Dec 2010) However, this is a new season and the things placed on my heart are of such importance that a fresh forum seems appropriate. Ending Grace County seems bittersweet, however, we know that, at some point, all of us will embark on our final voyage into cyber-space. Lord willing, I’m looking forward to the unfolding of this new site.

Blessings always in Jesus name.