Be Alert to the Enemy's Schemes
Hi Everyone,
I have two very important visions that I would like to share with you today. These are warnings, or red flags that tell us – Pay attention. Don’t get distracted. We must contend for the faith and stand firm, knowing what we believe. The first addresses the danger of getting involved with the occult. The second addresses the dangers of being led astray with false teaching and lies. Both visions warn us about not letting curiosity open the door to bondage and a loss of salvation.
The Visions
A Little Boy on his Dad’s Shoulders
In the first vision, I saw a tiny boy on his dad’s shoulders. He wore a knitted hat with a pom pom on top. It reminded me of being in NYC years ago on the day of the Macy’s parade. There were many dads who had placed their young children on their shoulders to let them see the parade.
The dad in the vision represents our heavenly Father who lifts us up and places us on his shoulders. He wants us to see and appreciate things from his point of view. He gives us this vision to show us that he is more than willing to take us up higher to see things that he wants to share with us. He opens our spiritual eyes and gives us insight and direction. This is an important scripture: “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7
And now that we are living under the New Covenant, the Lord puts his Spirit in all believers, so that we can understand and communicate with him directly. It is no longer just the prophets who can hear his voice. “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” Joel 2:28-29
This vision also reminded me of a vision I received years ago. In the vision I found myself in a place that resembled a board game. There was a small boat in front of me so I stepped into it. Suddenly, the boat and I were in the palm of the Lord’s hand. I was raised up high over the scene. Below me was a small lake or pond. I could see medallions or seals placed on the ground. The image of the devil on these seals showed that he was laying claim to the land. In the vision was a young woman across from me floating in the air. She was at about the same height from the ground that I was, however, she was not in a boat, nor was she in the hand of the Lord. She represents those who practice divination, for she was accessing her view of the supernatural realm apart from God. A diviner or spiritist or medium uses the demonic powers to receive information or spiritual insight from the demonic realm.
After the Lord took me up high to show me what he wanted me to see, he carefully lowered me with the boat, to the ground. After reaching the ground safely, I saw the woman fall. The Lord had protected me, holding me in his palm because I belonged to him. But the woman had no safety net, for she had aligned herself with the devil. She did not seek God for wisdom, or knowledge, but found her answers from the father of lies. So she fell as the devil himself fell.
“And he said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’” Luke 10:18
“How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations.” Isaiah 14:12
In our search for truth, and knowledge, we have to be careful to follow the Lord Jesus and not be misled by deceiving spirits. The Lord hates idolatry and any form of magic, sorcery, fortune telling or witchcraft and there are consequences for practicing those things.
“But the cowardly, the unbelieving the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfer. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
The Lord is concerned for those who have become ensnared by the sin of witchcraft. The occult is all around us. So many people are looking for advice and the knowledge of what the future holds. But rather than seek God, they turn to astrology and fortune telling. Many are deceived and regard fortune telling and astrology as “harmless fun” or even “innocent.” Some are enticed by magic and supernatural power. Some see divination, the access to information not ordinarily available, as a means to making money. I know several people who have gone into the practice of holistic medicine in order to make a doctors income without all the schooling. It is possible to get a certificate to practice holistic medicine and to be called a doctor with a minimum amount of training (3-6 months!) Their training has nothing to do with science, but everything to do with divination, and using a variety of instruments to help them diagnose physical ailments. It is like using a Ouiji board to ask the demonic powers a question to get a response. So without so much as an introduction to physiology, they diagnose illness with divination and use sorcery to treat medical conditions. They make a handsome income from peddling lies and causing spiritual harm to every client that consults with them. “Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:31
We must pray for people that do such things and those that are defiled by them, because God promises hell to all who practice witchcraft—unless there is genuine repentance. So we pray for them as Jesus prayed: “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34
Please take warning—stay clear of anything that smacks of the occult. There is nothing innocent about Ouija boards, tarot cards, fortune telling, acupuncture, and yoga. Be careful of anything that has its origins in false religions or non-science based medicine for it can be demonic.
It is by far better to seek the Lord for our needs, for his ways are right and true.“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
The Lord wants us to call to him and to draw close to him. "Call to me and I will answer you, and tell you unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
So let us be careful not to be enticed to open doors that should never be opened. The Lord makes himself available to us, we simply need to submit to his lordship and he will share his thoughts and his heart with us. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:6
A Dalmatian
The second vision came just minutes after the first. I saw a dalmatian dog next to me. He was lying on the ground, facing forward. His erect posture showed that he was alert and aware of his surroundings. I believe that he was there to guard me, to keep me safe.
A dalmatian is the breed of dog that is white with black spots all over. He is usually seen in conjunction with fire fighters. He is trained to enter a burning building and rescue anyone trapped by the flames or found unconscious due to smoke inhalation. I believe he represents readiness, watchfulness, courage and faithfulness to his duty.
I also believe that the Lord is asking us to be like the dalmatian, and like watchmen on the wall, we need to be alert and ready to sound the alarm. We are to be courageous and faithful in our duty to God.
The Lord is calling us to be alert and aware of the devil’s schemes. There are false teachers and false prophets who are used by the enemy to trip us up, and lead us astray.
“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they?” Matthew 7:15-16
We are to know the word of God and be prepared to defend our beliefs. “For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.” 2 Timothy 4:2-3
“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes. 1 Timothy 6:3-4
Over the last few years, I have left groups and churches that were not following sound doctrine. I have written several posts on this topic, but it bears repeating. Please spend time in the word of God. Know it well so that you are not led astray by teachings that undermine your faith and take you far from the Lord. I must say that some teachings that I have heard from pastors and teachers are highly questionable. Here are a few examples that I have personally experienced:
One pastor taught that to hear from God all you need is a pen or pencil, a pad of paper and worship music. He taught that whatever thoughts come to mind, must have come from God. But this is most certainly not true, for the Lord says: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
One pastor believed in evolution and aliens. I must assume that he became bored with the Bible and its truth, and he found himself fascinated with things that are contrary to God and his ways. Studying things that are in direct opposition to God and truth brings confusion. He should have spent more time studying science, for not only does the theory of evolution go against the foundational belief in creation, but it flies in the face of the Second Law of Thermodynamics which has been proven throughout all areas of science that our universe is decaying and that everything is breaking down. Matter in its many forms undergoes change from the complex to the very simple and from order to chaos.
Evolution proposes quite a different process. According to this theory, something that starts as a simple element, or a cluster of atoms or molecules joins with other atoms and molecules to form a single celled being having life. Then it progresses to join itself to other cells forming complex structures that eventually become a complex system of systems performing multiple functions and becoming an animal or human being.
This idea does not correspond to any other established pattern in our universe. All matter is in the process of decay, going from complex order to simple and less order. Ultimately all matter is losing energy and breaking down with a constant decrease in order. Evolution from a scientific point of view is impossible. The Second Law of Thermodynamics is found to be a law because everything that we see in creation holds to this same principle of matter breaking down and becoming less organized. Therefore the belief in evolution is opposed to the truth; it is opposed to God. To believe in evolution is rebellion against him and his creation. We are not to remain under this teaching, but separate ourselves from false doctrine and the teachers that teach it.
Another teacher believed that we should follow the Old Testament commands of God. Somehow he did not understand or embrace the Lord’s death on a cross that redeemed us from the curse of the law.
“For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Galatians 3:1-14
Another teacher believed that unless you have been baptized “in the name of Jesus,” then your baptism is worthless, and the power of God will not be with you. It is amazing how one group of people will deny scripture or twist its meaning in order to satisfy their own viewpoints.
The apostle Matthew records Jesus’ last words to his disciples before he ascends to his Father in heaven: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18
These very last important words that the Lord leaves as a charge to the disciples, do not support this teacher’s view of being baptized “in the name of Jesus.” These words in red declare his command: “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” This is the description of the trinity. Jesus was acknowledging the importance of being baptized into the triune God-head, not Jesus alone. God is three persons yet one. This is an important tenet of faith with all true believers.
Another teacher believed that we should “Pray to the Father ONLY.” She believed that we can ONLY pray to the Father and not to Jesus and not to the Holy Spirit. Can you imagine? How often do we address the Holy Spirit and ask him to come and fill us, to come and comfort us, and lead us into all truth? How often do we pray to Jesus and ask him to heal, to deliver and to set free. How often do we pray for the Lord Jesus to come into our hearts, and to show himself to our lost loved ones?
We worship and pray to a triune God. To be a Christian, one must believe in the Trinity, and recognize the deity of Jesus. He made a declaration of that fact when he said “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM!” John 8:58
Jesus is the great I AM. He is the Alpha and Omega, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. “…and they shall call his name “Immanuel,” (meaning God with us). Matthew 1:23
Jesus said, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works. John 14:9-1
If Jesus is God, then we can pray to God. If the Holy Spirit is God, then we can pray to God. It is wrong to tell people that they can not pray to Jesus or Pray to the Holy Spirit. For Jesus himself said, “I and the Father are one!” John 10:30
So the vision of the dog tells us to be steadfast and faithful to keep watch over our faith. To diminish the importance of knowing and understanding scripture is to pave the way for confusion, and false doctrine. If we want to remain faithful to the Lord, we cannot embrace false doctrine. The truth of God’s word brings healing and freedom. Every lie leads to bondage.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
So we must be courageous, and unshakable, standing firm and contending for the faith that saves us:
In Summary
The Lord wants us to draw close to hear his instruction. He is willing to take us up high to see things from his point of view. But in our own desire to seek knowledge or understanding we cannot find truth where there is darkness. We cannot seek wisdom from the devil for Jesus said, “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
The Lord asks us to not only draw close to him for understanding and insight, but he wants us to be able to know his word so well that when a teaching or prophesy comes forward that does not line up with the word of God, we are to call it out as such, and not embrace the lie. “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6
Let us not be like those who are easily led astray, for lack of knowledge of the word. We do not want to be led astray because we lack discernment to distinguish between spirits and not recognize a false teacher or a false prophet.
The Lord asks us to separate from people who claim to be believers but are not. The fruit that they bear nullifies their claim.
Please share this important message with those you love, and warn the church. God bless you and keep you in the faith! Amen!
