The Devil in the Details

[saint701]

Hello Christianity Oasis!

Happy Easter greetings to you all! We thank you Lord for coming in the flesh and dying for us to destroy our debt of sin and winning for us your life through your resurrection. Thank you for sending us of your Spirit! Amen!

The Devil in the Details


Blessings!

We've been discussing the Church at Ephesus and how it was they had left their love of God and replaced it with a profound fear of false teachers. Since we walk by faith in our Lord's commandment of love for Him and one another, and it is the Holy Spirit that sheds the love of God in our heart that we might keep His commandment, it is the Love of God that we must overcome our fears with. The Ephesians were in error in their walk because they allowed fear to replace their Love of God. Such is our view of the Church at Ephesus that the Spirit spoke to them.
However, we would be amiss if we did not address the issue of false teachers and prophets as we find them in our sphere of influence. Years ago when the Holy Spirit first began to teach me, He imprinted upon my soul the fact that when push comes to shove it is He that ever must be our foremost teacher.
In those early years I listened to the gospel on the radio as often as possible. I really didn’t care who was speaking because I was so eager to learn. But every time Peter Popoff came on the air I felt uneasy so I stopped listening to him. A few years later I learned the man was giving out false words of knowledge and wisdom. It seems the registration cards containing the personal information of those attending his meetings were being used to pass medical information via hidden microphone. It seems one of the questions on the registration card was something like, “What do you need to be healed or delivered from?”
Two weeks ago I received an emailed flyer announcing that Vassula Ryden, well known prophetess around the world, would be here in St. Louis to promote her new book. I was asked if I wanted to interview her for The Examiner. I thought about the opportunity for an hour or so, then decided to read what I could of her writings online to see if what she was selling might be worth buying…
Her background information told of her first encounter with an angel “Daniel,” that came to her one day and moved upon her to begin to put down on paper automatic writings she was to receive from God. Since that day she has been flying around the world promoting her prophecies whenever and wherever possible.
I spent a few hours over the course of a few days reading those automatic writings. Many of the words she channeled were from the Bible and used correctly…but…upon further reading I noticed she was channeling messages from the Holy Spirit that had their origin in the Holy Spirit. That grabbed my attention immediately.
If the Holy Spirit in me didn’t operate in me according to the words of our Lord in the gospel of John chapters 14-16 then I wouldn’t have a right Spirit. Not one word was spoken in the New Testament that channeling automatic writings from without the temple is a means of communication with us by the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord warned us of false Christs, teachers, and prophets as did Paul, Peter, and John. With faked words they will make merchandise of you we are told by our Lord. They will bring in damnable heresies. They will lie in wait to deceive.
Matt.7
[15] Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mark.13
[22] For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
2Cor.11
[13] For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Pet.2
[1] But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
1John.4
[1] Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
I read a book in the early 80s written by a former New Age proponent. When I read Matthew 7:17 above it reminded me of what our Lord showed the guy that converted him to Christianity…I apologize…I can’t remember the name of the book or the author…but do remember what brought him to repentance. The Lord tore aside the curtain hiding the creatures of darkness guiding him and let him see the disgusting scum dripping hideous ravenous demons guiding him into their marvelous light.
We mustn’t forget that the devil comes not but to kill, steal, and destroy or make a meal of us as a lion on the prowl. On the other hand we don’t want to become paranoid. The fear of spiritual things has kept many in darkness since the church began. Fear and faith do not work together anymore than fear and love work together. Perfect love casts out all fear.
I realize there are many out there vexing themselves night and day where false teachers and their teachings are concerned, not to mention the moral looseness now firmly entrenched around the world. However, keeping our mind on such doesn’t help us grow in love.
I also realize that as we mature as Christians it is still difficult to keep what is truth and what is error in focus. It would be great if we were all of the same mind and Spirit, all instructed in righteousness from the Spirit of our Lord. After all, it was expedient for our Lord to die for us that He might live His life in us as our Heavenly Dad lived His love life in our Lord.
Unfortunately such isn’t the case. We have 40 zillion different perspectives out there on what is valid Christianity. I have no clue how much of it is baloney, but I do have the Holy Spirit living within me, and I know Him even as I am known. That being said, I will make my case regarding the validity of what is being taught to us from those 40 zillion different sources.
1. If not born again such that old things indeed have passed away and all things indeed have become new, then seek to be born again of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2. If not filled with the Holy Spirit, seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit in the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Daddy! (Abba Father)
3. Desire the sincere milk of the word. Love the truth of God. Read His Book! Believe it all! Love it all!
4. Seek the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God from God so that you may understand what you read in His Bible.
5. Keep the Apostle John’s words to us in your heart where he wrote to us this fact. 1John.2 [27] But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
6. Do exercise your spiritual senses to discern good and evil. That is, examine every thought that passes through your mind. Some of your thoughts are from the flesh. Some of your thoughts are from the devil. Learn to ignore the thoughts of the flesh that lead to questionable behavior. Learn to confront thoughts that are contrary to scripture, not what you have been taught at church. If what someone says to you makes you feel uncomfortable, check it with scripture. If you are still uncomfortable avoid them.
7. Test the spiritual source of your instruction using the test the Apostle John gave us. 1John.4 [1] Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
[2] Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
[3] And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
In the writings of Vassula Ryden I found 3 instances where the spirit guiding her said the knowledge it was giving her to pass along was only for those that would not put it to the test. Should you find yourself in one of her meetings or swooning over her charisma walk up to her and demand in the name of Jesus to speak to the spirit channeling the so called knowledge of God to her. Whether it manifests or not, demand it declare Jesus Christ came in the flesh.
When I put a spirit to the test I seldom get a reply, but when I do get a reply it is anything but what I’ve demanded of it to confess. I always apply the test given us by the Apostle John above.

Blessings!



Love, In Christ Jesus, Saint701.