Overcoming Great Deception E-Book

Riaan Engelbrecht

• Herausgeber: Riaan Engelbrecht
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

More than ever we live in the reality of 2 Thessalonians 2, which refers to the great falling away or rebellion. The Greek word translated as “rebellion” or “falling away” in verse 3 of the Scripture is apostasia, from which we get the English word apostasy. It refers to a general defection from the true God, the Bible, and the Christian faith. In such perilous times of deception and spiritual corruption, a great need exists to seek the Lord, to follow His will, to obey His truths and to follow His narrow path of holiness. To restore the altar is truly to be a living sacrifice in service of God – a servant who will not compromise with the world and who seeks to only glorify God above all.

Leseprobe

Series of work by the same author:

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Perilous Times

In Pursuit of God

The Holy Spirit

The Disciple of God

Deliverance

Crossroads to Freedom

The Kingdom of God

The Prophetic

Apologetics

End-Time Remnant

Perilous Times Volume 1: Overcoming Great Deception

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This is a distributed edition from Avishua Ministries.

The author’s intellectual property rights are protected by international Copyright law. You are licensed to use this digital copy strictly for your personal enjoyment only: it must not be redistributed or offered for sale in any form.

Scripture from the New King James Bible, Amplified, and the New International Version

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Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

The danger of perilous times

The devil ever present

Perilous times as Truth is forsaken

Deception in the last days

For the sake of God, what is going on in churches?

Persevere and be steadfast like a good soldier

The devil’s dark knowledge

Overcoming in the strength of God

We are called to overcome, not to merely cope!

A call to fan the flame

Uphold God’s unity and separatism

Watch out for the wolves

Conviction in times of truth and error

The refiner’s fire and the word of testimony

Building according to God’s design and purpose

The credibility of the Church is under fire

Perilous times of not knowing God

Keep guard against infiltration of false doctrines

Keep guard against abominations

The church can no longer be silent

A spiritual drunkenness has befallen the people

God has the last laugh

Unhealthy fear and a false sense of peace

Perilous times of rumours, conspiracies and fake news

Author and finisher of our faith

Also By Riaan Engelbrecht

About the Author

The danger of perilous times

IN 2 TIMOTHY 3, APOSTLE Paul writes about the last days that will be perilous. And we should sit up and take note, because perilous denotes something which holds danger, thus there are things that will happen that will pose a danger unto believers, but at the same time, believers must also avoid such pitfalls lest they become perilous (a danger) to others. Perilous also speaks of great stress and trouble.

It says in John 16:33 (NIV): “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Yes, we will thus endure hardship, and we will face perilous times, but in God and in God alone we shall overcome and be victorious! This is after all the teaching on the Wise and Foolish Builders as found in Matthew 7, and only those who have built upon Jesus will survive the storms (take note, the parable makes it clear the storms will come but will not overcome).

Paul lists a number of behaviours, characteristics and moral failures that mark such days in his epistle to Timothy. And here they are (the words used in the Kings James and Amplified versions are mentioned in brackets):

1) For men will be lovers of themselves (narcissistic, self-focused)

2) Lovers of money (covetous, impelled by greed)

3) Boasters

4) Proud

5) Blasphemers (revilers)

6) Disobedient to parents

7) Unthankful

8) Unholy

9) Unloving (without natural affection, calloused and inhumane)

10) Unforgiving (trucebreakers, irreconcilable)

11) Slanderers (false accusers, malicious gossips)

12) Without self-control (incontinent)

13) Brutal (fierce)

14) Despisers of good

15) Traitors

16) Headstrong (heady)

17) Haughty (high minded)

18) Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

19) Having a form of godliness but denying its power

Paul goes on to say that those who are showing such signs which pose a danger, trouble or peril to themselves or others that one should turn away from such people. He writes: “For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.”

1 John 2 speaks of the antidote to guard against such perilous times: “15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

If one looks at the world today, there is without a doubt that we are already for a long time living in such perilous times. We are certainly in the times of 1 Timothy 6:10 which says “for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” We are certainly in the times of the Book of Jude, where it says “4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” In the same passage of Scripture it says “3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”

Yes, people in this world have become unthankful, greedy, covetous and unholy. Jesus taught in Mark 7 the following: 20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” Thus, perilous times is marked by rising immorality, of the corruption of character and the heart that continues to be deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9).

We read in “Ephesians 4:31-5:2 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” We are called to glorify God and His Kingdom, therefore to live not as the way that the world lives. May we continue to walk in the ways of God, always thankful, always praising and always loving for indeed let u give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Because of such perilous times, we read in “1 Peter 1:  13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in [j]sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides [m]forever, 24 because “all flesh is as grass, and all [n]the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

In 2 Peter 2 we find a plea from the disciple of God to guard against wicked behavior, thus men of perilous action:

Destructive Doctrines: 2 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

Doom of False Teachers: 4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, and self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

Depravity of False Teachers: 12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Paul also writes the following in "Romans 1: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

Take note how Paul describes those who did not like to retain God in their knowledge are those who walk in unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, and that they are full of envy, murder, strife, and deceit. Paul describes them as evil-mindedness, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, and unmerciful. Yes, very much what Jesus said, and thus a warning about what happens when we turn away from God to follow our own way.

Indeed, in such times we live where people pretend to be holy, pious and so religious, but deny its power. This means so many people are simply living for the Self, building their own ministries, yet they are not even connected to God! This reminds of the Pharisees and Sadducees, full of religion and they appear so clever and so full of knowledge, yet Jesus described them as whitewashed tombs see the seven woes of Matthew 23).

Indeed, it says in 2 Timothy 3:13 that evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. And there are such impostors even in the churches, deceiving and leading people astray (see also God’s judgement against the false shepherds in Ezekiel 34).

So why then is the perilous time so dangerous? Because we then walk no longer in the light, but in darkness. We no longer walk in truth, but in deception. We no longer walk in freedom, but slavery. And yes, our soul, spirit and body suffer damage. And we become subject to the mandate of John 10 where the enemy steals, kills and destroys. Perilous times mean we face danger in regard to our health, mental stability, the wholeness of the spirit and our redemption/salvation. The entire New Testament, from Jesus to the apostles, thus warns of the wicked actions of man, within and without the church that will contribute to the perilous times. Why? Because it puts man in danger for himself and from others! Jesus said in “Revelation 22: 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” Such times are indeed upon us.

These are days of great depravity, evil and wickedness. In 2 Timothy 2, Kings James uses the Greek word “Anemeros” which speaks of not tame, savage, thus fierce. And we are indeed living in such a time of fierceness, of savagery, where men are not tame. It is a time of excesses, of depravity, or carnality and where man does all kinds of wickedness, just as in the days of Noah. 2 Timothy 1:7 says: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” One can only survive such perilous times when you abide in God (John 15), for then you shall walk in God’s power and grace to survive the perilous time. Indeed, God gives us self-control to walk in His Spirit, and not in the carnality and excesses of this world. One of the characteristics of the perilous times is a lack of self-control, evident if you look at all the sexual immorality, debauchery, substance abuse, levels of violence and general wickedness in societies.

At the end of the age, Jesus said in Matthew 24: “9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” The fact that believers will be hated it because people will more than ever hate the Truth of God, for the Truth has become offensive to mankind. And we are seeing the world truly rebelling against God’s morality and holiness, choosing a path of lawlessness, lewdness and where love has grown cold. Thus Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4 that the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine (v 3). Yes, people will turn to all kinds of blasphemies, deceptions, and lies instead of being governed by the truth of God.

Indeed, everything Jesus said and as spoken by the apostles warned about the perilous days, and of its signs, and of the perilous behaviour of man. Paul spoke a lot about the nature of man and how believers should behave because truly a child of God must glorify God in spirit, soul and body. He wrote in “Romans 8: 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Thus perilous times is the times of the flesh. It is the times of carnality, and where seeks to turn away from the truth and purity of God.

It says in “Proverbs 6: 16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” This list is very much a summary of 2 Timothy 3! The word “abomination” in Hebrew is Tow`ebah, which means a disgusting thing. So such things disgusts the Lord, just as the perilous and lewd actions of man in 2 Timothy 3.

We read in “Deuteronomy 18: 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God.” The word abomination used in Proverbs 6 is the same as used in this passage of Scripture. So the practices of those who lie, deceive, cheat or sow discord are as disgusting as those practising the occult!

We need to understand the devil wants us to abandon the path of God to walk the path of the wide gate, thus abandoning the Truth, and the Way and the Path of Life. He wants us to step out into disobedience, rebellion and onto the path of iniquity. Why? For then we move into a state of no control, of immorality, of darkened minds, the bewilderment of heart and even spiritual blindness. Again, we need to remember John 10:10 which speaks about the enemy/thief (the devil) coming to steal, to destroy and to kill. The enemy, therefore, wants us to engage in perilous times and act upon such peril in order to cause division, strife, confusion, death and destruction. He is the serpent - deceiving, sly, manipulative and arrogant. We are called to resist the devil, for if we don’t, he shall make his presence known to destroy us.

Taking into consideration 2 Timothy 3 and Proverbs 3, let us visit Galatians 5 (KJV): 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such 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.

So we see the works of the flesh are:

a)  Adultery, sexual immorality, fornication

b)  Uncleanness, impurity

c)  Lasciviousness, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control)

d)  Idolatry

e)  Sorcery/ witchcraft

f)  Hatred, hostility, variance, emulations, wrath

g)  Strife

h)  Seditions, heresies, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies],

i)  Envying’s, jealousy

j)  Fits of anger

k)  Murder

l)  Drunkenness, riotous behaviour, revellings

These behaviour and practices are all manifested work of the flesh, which contribute to perilous times. In other words, the devil wants us to display and act upon the work of the flesh, for then we are open and vulnerable to strife, anger, division, carnality and immoral behaviour. Take note of how Paul writes in Romans 8 that to be carnally minded is “death”. And remember the wages of sin is death, and death comes in many forms, and it manifests in the spirit, soul (anxiety, fear, doubt, confusion, depression, disorders) and in the flesh (sickness, infirmities, restlessness).

The devil wants us to be subjected to perilous times, and even engage in it so that he can destroy, get into our lives, into our heads, and into our homes so that we drift away from the Truth until we rebel against God and until we rebel against His commandments. For then we become proud, boastful (just like Nebuchadnezzar), and filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness and also full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity. This is not the way of life but the way of death. Yes, the devil wants us all to forsake the truth of the Lord and engage in rebellion, strife, envy and confusion. He wants us to forsake our allegiance and loyalty until we are no longer worshippers of spirit and truth. The more we drift away from God, the more we drift into the realm of idolatry.

Paul made it very clear how we are supposed to conduct ourselves according to Ephesians 4:22-32, Ephesians 5:1-21, and Colossians 3:4-10. We are called to continually wear the full armour of God (Ephesians 6). We are called to constantly renew the mind (Romans 12:2) and guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23). We are called to be led by the Holy Spirit and to yield to the Spirit of the Lord. Only when we are completely submitted to the Lord so we will be able to walk in His life, light and truth and resist the devil and thus resist the manifested works of the flesh.

Indeed, we are living in times of the blasphemers and the revilers (abusers by the words spoken). These are indeed the days of the unholy, the impure, the unjust and the proud. Yet the Scriptures says in “Proverbs 16:18 pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” 1 John 2:16 makes it clear that the pride of life is part of those who serve this world. Also, take note of what it says in “James 4:1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” The devil wants mankind to destroy itself, and we have indeed been doing so successfully for such a long time, because of our carnal nature, our vanity, our arrogance and pride.

In Revelation 13 we read of the beast out of the sea: “6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.” This is the nature of the devil, and he wants mankind to rebel against God. Remember we read in 2 Peter 2:2 that “many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.” We also take note of “Luke 12:10: And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.”

In Titus 2, Paul writes the following regarding qualities of a sound church: 1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. 6 Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, 7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, 8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. 9 Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”

For Paul, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). For Paul, it was all about leading holy and pure lives, in proper conduct, seeking the Truth, seeking the Way of God and building structured lives and families and the Church on the solid foundation of Jesus. The apostles constantly taught and encouraged and admonished on leading pure and undefiled lives in the Spirit of God, for this is the only way to make sure that we walk in a manner that counters perilous days. Only in God can we truly walk in the fruit of the Spirit – love, kindness, meekness, gentleness, faith – which ensures that we do not step into the pitfalls of perils and dangers.

Indeed, we are living in perilous days. The devil wants us to be lawless, cold at heart, full of rage and full of ourselves. He wants people to turn away from God, engage in abominations, and become slanderous and blasphemers of the truth of God. He wants people to resist God, and not him, and he wants the world to burn in hellfire. And if we look at the world today, he has certainly fulfilled his mandate of John 10:10, so it now the task of the Church to counter such peril and danger by fulfilling the Great Commission and engaging in the proper spiritual warfare of 2 Corinthians 10 and Ephesians 6.

The apostle Paul also confirmed deception and perilous times at the end of the day. In 2 Thessalonians 2, he described distinct events that would occur on the planet at the very end of the age and continue with greater aggression and intensity. He stated that the world’s population would become so ensnared in deception that they would be controlled by a strong “delusion” (v. 11), so that according to verse 12 “they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” The word “delusion” in Greek is plane, a form of planao, the same word used in Matthew 24:4 (where Jesus warned that no man deceives you). In 2 Thessalonians 2:11, the Greek word “delusion” was instead used for “deception.” It, however, still warns us of perilous times where culture and society has strayed so far that it has become beguiled, bewitched, duped, and seduced into believing a lie in place of the truth. Indeed, we are living in such perilous times.

We are seeing it all around us where people are believing what is false over what is obviously true, even denying facts and truths that are common sense and that nature itself teaches (see Romans 1:20). This era of worldwide falsehood and deception is part and parcel of the perilous times. Thus perilous times are one of great deception and delusion. It is clear we are already seeing lawlessness, immorality, wrong belief and delusion pervading every realm of society.

We need to be thus alert as believers, lest we fall prey to the delusions, deceptions and dangers of such perilous times. We need to remain standing in the Lord, always praying, always abiding in God lest we are tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting (Ephesians 4). In the same passage of Scripture, Paul admonishes the believer to speak the truth in love, and to grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ. Yes, we need to remain in Christ, grow in Him and abide in the Spirit to know the truth, to walk in such truth and to overcome perilous times.

The devil ever present

INDEED IN THESE DAYS of peril and danger, we need to keep aware that the devil is ever-present. He was right there at the table when the Lord shared His last supper with His disciples, and he was present in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve enjoyed the company of God.  Very unlikely places, but the devil always lurks and wants to draw our attention away from God. Can you imagine walking around the Garden – a place of perfect order and no corruption – and encountering the serpent? Yes, right there in a state of bliss and perfection, the devil showed up with his lies.

This is why it says in “1 Peter 5:8: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” To be “sober” means not drunk. In other words, we are urged not to be intoxicated with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2). We are called to be well-balanced and self-disciplined in the Spirit, and to prepare our minds for action (1 Peter 1:13). Peter urges us to be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], because the devil is restless.

It should be a sobering thought that right there in the Garden the devil appeared, and right there at the Lord’s Table, but such is the nature of the serpent – sly, devious and lurking. While Moses was meeting God on the mountain, the devil was in the valley distracting the people and seducing them to build an idol. Yes, the devil is always working, always looking for how to crawl and squeeze his way into situations and bring forth his satanic suggestions. So we need to remain alert and on guard. Many think that right there in the church service, the devil cannot lurk, or show up where congregants worship, but he does. He wants to cause confusion. He wants to cause distraction. Thus, we need great discernment, and we need to be awake, functioning fully in the Spirit not to be caught unawares. Churches, revival movements and ministries have many times been destroyed because the presence, or the influence or the work of the devil was not expected, especially in unlikely places. The devil feeds on our levels of comfort and familiarity, or when we fall into a false sense of peace. The spiritual war still rages, so keep praying, keep reading the Word and keep seeking God’s will.

Yes, in the Garden of Gethsemane, as the Lord payed before His pending crucifixion, the “betrayer” showed up. It may have been Judas, but Scripture is clear that Satan entered Judas before the time. So right there, as the Lord was in fellowship with the Father and seeking the will of the Father, the devil made his appearance. Yes, he wants to steal our joy, and our peace, and he comes to sow destruction, chaos and calamity. And he loves to do so in the midst of God’s people. Adam and Eve serve as a very good lesson of his deception. 

We live in perilous times and we will succumb to such danger because we continue to underestimate the devil, misunderstand his tactics or think him to be a fool. So we remain blind to his presence, to his destructive work and sly operations. He wants to come into our homes, into our churches and into our lives, just as he made his home in a tree in the Garden, for then he can whisper his vile intent, spew his poison and weave his web of spiritual darkness. But because of our lack of knowledge of the spiritual, he often does find his way in. So be alert. Seek wisdom. Always listen to God. For the devil is never far away.

Perilous times as Truth is forsaken

THE CHURCH IS FINDING itself in deep waters of uncertainty, and struggling to truly make an impact in the world. There are many reasons for such challenging times. This includes the exaltation of selfish needs, desires and kingdoms above the Kingdom of God; the advocating of immorality and impurity; lack of true discipleship; traditions and legalisms that curb true spiritual growth; and a distressing flourishing of deceptive, erroneous and false doctrines.

The church is also struggling tremendously because of division, and today there is little unity to be found among believers. Sure, we are all different as human beings, with different personalities, callings and the way we relate to God, and to society. A lot of division is actually trivial, such as when we deal with dress code, or what instrument may to may not be played in church services. Such division is based on carnality and the flesh, yet some divisions are serious, for it directly impacts ones’ spiritual growth and causes harmful separation.

Such division revolves very much around the differing opinions, views and perspectives regarding Scripture, which has formed doctrine and dogma. And if we look at the state of the church today, with all its varying doctrines, ideas and ‘truths’, we are then in trouble. Why? Simple because Jesus is the Truth. He is not divided in truth. We are in trouble because a lot of doctrines, ideas and ‘truths’ are therefore false, and anything which is not the truth is dangerous for it sows deception, and such deception leads us away from the liberating truth of God. Such deception only creates bondages, thus it enslaves. Sadly, as Jesus spoke the woes over the religious leaders of Matthew 23, just so false doctrines by design, be it intentional or unintentional, “shut up the kingdom of heaven against men.”

In John 3:16 it is stated clearly that the Spirit was poured out to lead us in all truth. How then is the Church then so divided regarding doctrine and what the Scripture says? It is actually very simple. We are not completely and utterly led by the Spirit in the Truth. Many doctrines are thus the result of humans applying their own imagination, perspective, opinion and idea, thus it is not God-inspired. And this can easily happen, for the flesh at times can be strong, and the spirit weak. We also cannot ignore the reality of “1 Timothy 4:1: Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”

It says in “2 Timothy 3:16: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” God’s Word is infallible. It is everlasting. It is the truth. Of Jesus, we read in “John 1: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” The Word of God is the Truth. It is Life. It is Jesus. Yet we are so divided because of our approach to the Word, and the way we interpret and determine its value. After all, we even live in times where many in the church have dismissed the Old Testament in its entirety, saying it is obsolete! Some have simply placed very little value on the entire Word of God from Genesis to Revelations.

It says in Ephesians 4: 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [e]edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Indeed, God does appoint certain workers in certain ministries with certain gifts and purposes to equip the saints “for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” And as the saints are equipped with the truth of the Word, they can properly disciple others to fulfil the Great Commission. Yet, here is the crux of the problem. It also says in Ephesians 4 that the purpose of such equipping is “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.” Yet it is because of erroneous, false and deceptive equipping of the saints (thus the trickery of man) that the saints remain “children” in the spirit, tossed to and fro by such deceptive teachings! How can this be when the equipping of the saints is actually supposed to protect the saints from deception and train them as disciples to walk in truth? Those who God ordained for such a task of sacred equipping of the saints for the work of the Kingdom – thus discipline and fulfilling the Great Commission – have actually become the ones who have desecrated this sacred duty and thus have forsaken the Truth of God. Indeed, they have not remained guardians of the Truth, but have abused it, and manipulated it, causing saints to be equipped in deception, and thus we have a Body of believers that have not grown into the fullness of God but have become slaves to trickery and bondages.

In the 1992 American legal drama, A Few Good Men, there is one scene in the courtroom where the accused says to the lawyer that “he cannot handle the truth”. It is an iconic moment in cinema history. Still today, it seems as if the church is also struggling to handle the truth. Are we truly offended by it, for maybe it makes us feel uncomfortable? Do we truly know the Truth, after all, it is the Truth of God that sets us free (John 8:32). But it also says in verse 31 that if we abide in Him then we shall be His disciples indeed. See also John 15. We can only know the Truth, walk in the Truth and defend the Truth when we are in the Truth – Jesus. If we are not in Jesus through the indwelling presence of the Spirit we are not in the Truth.

Jesus always applied Scripture. In Matthew 9, Jesus is found “reclined at a table in the house” with tax collectors and sinners (v. 10), which stirred up controversy amongst the Pharisees. They ask his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” (v. 11). How does Jesus respond? “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (vv. 12-13, NIV). Jesus used Hosea 6:6, the very scripture the Pharisees preached, to challenge their hardened hearts. Later in Matthew 12, Jesus uses the same scripture from Hosea to challenge the Pharisees: “If you had known what this means...you would not have condemned the guiltless” (v. 7). Scripture remains the guiding light of the Church. It is the Truth of God.

In Mark 12, the Sadducees challenged Jesus about the resurrection. Jesus said to them in the wake of their ignorance: “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? (verse 25). You see, we need to know the Scriptures. We need to know the power of God, lest we also walk in deception and apply the Word of God incorrectly. We need to be careful of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16: 6), thus mixing error with truth. After all, it says in Galatians 5:9 that a little leaven leavens the whole lump, thus even a little error can cause massive deception and spoil what may seem right and true.

Just based on the simple conclusion that if we are not entirely led by the Spirit of God when it comes to the Scriptures, the reality of such implications should leave us cold. For the Spirit of the Lord is supposed to guide us in all matters of the Kingdom. The Spirit of the Lord should be our ultimate guide when it comes to Kingdom wisdom, knowledge, understanding and counsel. He should be the power to empower us to serve the Kingdom as true disciples. Yet, if we are not led by the Spirit, which is clearly evident in all the different doctrines and interpretations of the Scripture, then what does this say about the ability of the Church to walk in wisdom, to walk in God’s character, to walk in holiness, purity and truth? Clearly, we are not united in the Truth of God for we are not united with God in His Truth. Thus, we are hardly making an impact to first win the inner war of the soul and the spirit, and then win the lost at any cost.

Indeed, we are living in the days of 2 Timothy 3 where it says: “1 But know this, that in the last days, perilous times will come.” It will be trying times, and times of great stress and trouble. ‘Perilous’ also speaks of something which is dangerous, savage and fierce. We are indeed in such days for the truth of God has already been savagely mauled, and these are indeed dangerous times where people within the church will be led astray by all kinds of deceptions. Thus trying times to hold onto the Truth like never before. 

Of the first disciples, we read in “Acts 2: 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Right in the beginning, the disciples were still united in the Truth of God. The apostles had learned directly from the source – Jesus who is the Truth. There was not yet any time for such Truth to be distorted, twisted and manipulated for own gain. The first Church in the days of Acts flourished because it preached the Truth of God and no other truth. They stood upon it, they fought for it, they died for it and they defended it.

And such a source has never changed. Jesus remains the source. He is the head of the church. But this is where the problem has slipped in. Man so often has taken the place of Jesus when it comes to ministry, coveting the “seat of Moses” just like the Pharisees and Sadducees. Now man’s opinions, ideas and truth enjoy priority even over Scripture! And if deny such a truth, then we certainly have become blind guides ourselves, for so many believers these days are following the pastor instead of Jesus, and are hanging onto every word of the pastor instead of weighing every word against the teachings of Jesus. Even the Apostle Paul never contradicted Jesus. Never. And never can we preach Pauline doctrine as the highest authority, supplanting Jesus. But this is what has been happening in churches – man has taken the ‘seat of Moses’, and has now coveted the rightful place of Jesus for man seeks to influence, to be known, to be adored and seeks to be loved. Ironically, the devil tried to take such a seat. Yes, many are wanting to take the seat of Jesus, and so we even sit with strange doctrines where man see themselves as little gods, and where man in his ego and pride now want to command angels and can supposedly wield the authority to bring forth out of nothing anything they want and desire (for is then the will of man overriding the will of God).

Jan Huss, one of the early Reformers, wrote: “Therefore faithful Christian, seek the truth, listen to the truth, learn the truth, love the truth, speak the truth, adhere to truth and defend truth to the death. For the truth will set you free from sin, the Devil and the destruction of the soul, and ultimately from eternal death which is eternal separation from God’s grace and the joy of salvation.” What was this truth Huss so fervently defend? Yes, the truth of God, and no other truth. It is the same truth of the Gospel of the Kingdom as written by Paul in “Galatians 1: 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”