Do Not Be Deceived
Hi Friends,
I hope all is well with you. Life is complicated, and relationships can be difficult, but when we stay grounded in the word of God and draw close to the Lord, he will give us peace. I am writing today about a vision that the Lord gave me a few days ago while praying. The subject of the vision is deceit. How do we deal with deceit? It is all around us, nearly every avenue, nearly every place we go, and with every person we encounter there is the potential for deception.
The Vision
I saw a letter, handwritten in script. The letter was either written to Silvia or from Silvia.
I wanted to know what the name Silvia meant, because I believed that it might reveal the significance of the letter. I looked up the meaning and found it to be: “from the forest.”
Instantly, I knew that the forest, meant deception. If you would like to read about an interesting vision that I had posted, it is called: The Forest of Deception
In that vision, there was a beautiful woman dressed in a long white gown, standing just outside a tall iron gate, which led into a very dark and foreboding forest. She had a look of innocence upon her face. She held her hand out with the expectation of receiving something. In front of her was a wolf standing on his hind legs, appearing as a man. He held out a key, as if to give it to the woman. In the vision, the wolf represents the devil, the woman is the church and the key, is the lie, enticing her to open the gate and enter into the forest of deception. His plan was to get her forever entangled in lies, so that she could not find her way out.
If Silvia means “from the forest,” which in turn means “deception,” then a letter written to Silvia, would have been written to deceive her. If the letter was written by Silvia, then the letter was written to deceive someone else. There is one instance in which I believe both can simultaneously be true. It involves writing, or journaling. It is something which I experienced recently with others in the church. It is not the ordinary Christian journaling, where one writes revelations, visions, prayer requests and praise reports. It is called spiritual journaling, which I believe is altogether different.
It is possible that I may offend someone with what I am about to write, but I believe I must present it, regardless. I believe if the Lord gives me a vision, then I must interpret it properly, and view it as an important matter to God. That is what I am attempting to do.
First of all, let us establish this truth from scripture: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9
This scripture speaks of the desires of the heart. If the heart in this passage, refers to the soul and the flesh, (the mind and the body), then we can easily see that the passage reflects the truth - our hearts are deceitful. And who do they deceive - why ourselves of course!
The scripture above came from the book of Jeremiah which was written before the Holy Spirit came to indwell believers. Yet the truth concerning our hearts is universal to both believers and unbelievers. Our hearts are deceptive.
Our thoughts, our wills and our emotions can affect our resolve to follow the Lord. We can be led astray by our egos, by flattery, or enticements. These desires come from the flesh. As long as we are living on the earth in these bodies, we will still feel pain, pleasure, fear, frustration, love, joy and shame. We will still be affected by the words and actions of others, bringing upon ourselves honor and praise, or displeasure and embarrassment.
What the scripture above really says, is that we can fool ourselves. We may not really know our own hearts. We can justify our behaviors, and attitudes by commending ourselves rather than acknowledging our weakness, insecurities, or wickedness. By doing so we indulge the flesh, comfort our insecurities, and disguise the wickedness in our innermost thoughts.
Well, I know I must address this, even though there may be resistance to its acceptance.
In a church that I attend, we have been doing a study called “Blessing Your Spirit.” It is daily exercise whereby you read a passage aloud, addressing yourself by name, to bless your spirit, with words of encouragement. It is written in such a way that you speak to your spirit, affirmations and positive statements that the two authors source partly from the Bible, and partly from their own minds and personal experiences.
After the reading, you are to write, any inspirations, reflections, thoughts that come to mind. At my church, we are instructed to be sensitive to God, and listen to hear anything he may say to us personally. We are to write, as if God were speaking to us directly. I participated now about four times, writing what came to mind. My pen in hand had no problem writing. The first time, my heart broke, over what I wrote. I thought, is this really from God? I hear him speak to me, when I pray. I get visions when I pray. But what is this about?
I know that the Bible is the inspired word of God. “All scripture is God-breathed, and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16
I know that the Lord gave words to the prophets, and to the apostles as they wrote. He brought to their remembrance things that he wanted them to record. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26
However, is it possible that we can be deceived by writing what is in our hearts and in our minds, rather than truly hearing the voice of the Lord? How often are we told to test the spirits? “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1
When we do this writing activity, in church, we are together in one accord, so it is more likely that the Holy Spirit is there to speak to each individual. But, when we are in the habit of doing this on our own, should we expect that every time we hold the pen, that the words we write come from God? Shouldn’t we test our own writing? Could our hearts deceive us, and write what our itching ears want to hear? ”For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:3
“If a liar and deceiver comes and says: ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people!” Micah 2:11
We can write the words that come from our hearts rather than the words that come directly from God. We have to see that to “journal” in this fashion is dangerous.
In these exercises, when we write in the voice of God, as if he is speaking to us directly, we can be led to believe that these revelations, carry equal authority to the words written in the Bible. After all, didn’t they come from God himself?
A few years ago, a couple came to our fellowship and had the pastor’s permission to teach on this very topic. They did very much the same thing. Reading something that we were to reflect upon and then write as if we were hearing God’s voice speak to us. On the second night of this exercise, the pastor wanted us to hear from God about where we were to be located as a church, for at that time we were meeting in hotels. Each person was given a 3x5 card and told to ask God for his direction as to the location. There were about ten of us. When the cards were gathered, there were no two responses alike. What does this say about the technique? Was God speaking to any of us? Was God participating in our writing? Is it more likely that the answers that each of us wrote down came from our own hearts, or our own imaginations?
There is another example of this style of “hearing God’s voice” that has captivated many Christians. It is a devotional book written by Sarah Young called, “Jesus Calling.” It has sold over 15 million copies, and is still going strong. This book is written in the first person singular, as the voice of God. The author is writing as if she were writing the very words of God. This is also dangerous.
“When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the oracle from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What oracle? I will forsake you, declares the Lord.’ If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is an oracle from the Lord,’ I will punish them and their household. This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ But you must not mention ‘an oracle from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own oracle. So you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God. This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ Although you claim, ‘This is an oracle from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is an oracle from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is an oracle from the Lord.’ Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. I will bring on you everlasting disgrace—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.” Jeremiah 23:33-40
“Jesus Calling,” an entire devotional written as if by God himself? When I read these passages in the devotional, they have another voice. It does not sound like the Lord that I worship and love. I think we need to be careful.
It also says in the Bible, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
“But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:5
Why is deceitfulness so powerful? It is the most relied upon weapon that the enemy of our souls uses. Jesus called the devil the father of lies. “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44
I for one believe that it is better to read the Bible and to read a classic devotional, that challenges our flesh, and does not “pet” us, or tell us how sweet and beautiful we are. We need to be aware that it is our flesh that wants to be accepted, wants to be honored, wants to feel fulfilled, and wants to feel good.
On the other hand, our spirit wants to honor the Lord, wants to please the Lord, wants to bring glory to the Lord.
Our flesh wants to be noticed. Our flesh wants to feel comforted, and loved. We need to see what Paul saw: “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Galatians 5:17
I believe that the voice that I hear in the book “Jesus Calling,” is not the voice of my Lord. It sounds nothing like him. I consider it “Apocryphal,” as the religious books that were left out of the Bible, because their inspiration did not come from God.
There are several articles concerning this devotional. This is one that you should read:
“10 Serious Problems with Jesus Calling”
We need to be careful, for I believe that we are living in the last days. The Lord could return at any moment, and we need to remember the many warnings about false teachers and false prophets. The Bible speaks of a great departure, a falling away, from the true faith. Many people will follow leaders in the church, who may work great signs and wonders, but not for the glory of God, but for their personal gain.
It is so important to know the word of God, and to test the spirits. When the voice in the devotional, or in the writing that you create, strokes your ego, is overly flattering, or gives you a warm fuzzy feeling, but never convicts you of sin or challenges you, then you need to be aware--it may be a seducing spirit that is doing the speaking.
I would challenge you to take the gospel of Matthew and read the Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5, 6 and 7. See the tone in the voice. This is the voice of the Lord, showing his love for all people by sharing his heart. Then compare this to the voice in “Jesus Calling,” or in the writings that you create when you are “listening to God.” Is there a difference? List those differences-- ask yourself, “Are these the Lord’s words? Or have I written what has come from my own heart? Are these the words that my itching ears wanted to hear?”
I compare this form of writing to hear the voice of God, to a Ouiji board. I do not know if you have heard of a Ouiji board, but it is a form of divination and fortune telling. Generally two people place their hands on a plastic disc, that has a clear plastic window and a needle in its center. The board has the alphabet and the words: YES and NO, and a series of numbers: 0-9. The two people ask a question, and then the plastic disc moves around the board spelling out the message. Who are you asking? In case you don’t know, you are asking a demon to speak to you, by spelling out the message and the answer to your question. This is an abomination to God, it is contacting a demonic power rather than seeking God.
When you are writing your “inspiration,” of course you hope you are asking the Lord. But does he want to communicate with you in this fashion?
I am amazed how people will justify this technique for “hearing from God,” saying that holy men and women throughout the ages have done this. They compared it to “waiting upon the Lord.” I believe that it is not. Waiting upon the Lord, involves hours and sometimes days and weeks, before you get a response. Once I prayed for ten days to understand the meaning of a vision. Sometimes revelation is immediate, but other times, God wants to draw us close, by keeping silent. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
We live in a culture that is driven by time. People have little time for prayer or developing a meaningful relationship with God. Most people want to know that they can hear from God. And The Lord wants people to seek him. But to think that you will read a passage that takes 5-10 mins, and write whatever comes to mind, and that’s it--you’re done! You’ve heard from the Lord - now you can feel good about yourself, and face the day! That seems very shallow to me.
God is not a vending machine. When we give him no time to truly speak to us in a real voice, we are just fooling ourselves.
Please remember there were ten virgins in the Lord’s parable, yet only five were filled with the Spirit and ready to meet him. The others were told, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” Matthew 25:12
The virgins are the church. They were meant to be the bride of Christ. Let us not cheapen our relationship with the Lord. Let’s spend time with him and REALLY HEAR HIS VOICE.
I hope you will share this important message with others. God wants everyone to truly know him and hear his voice.
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