A Warning of Apostasy
Hi Everyone,
I am sharing a vision today regarding apostasy, or the falling away from the faith. Jesus asks us the question: “When the Son of Man returns, will he find faith on the earth?” This is a question for each of us. Will our faith remain strong even under the trials of persecution? Will we be able to pass on our faith to the next generation? It is our commission, “the Great Commission,” to share the gospel with those around us. I hope that you will understand that there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. God bless you as you read.
The Vision
The Three Girls
In this vision, I see the pages of a large book that is only slightly open. The book is standing upright on its lower edge. It is about 8 feet in height, and is open to the width of a single door. Coming from the pages of the book are three little girls. One has blonde hair, another is a brunette, and the third has red hair. All three little girls are about 4-5 years old and wear a dress with a simple bodice, short sleeves and a fully gathered attached skirt. The two girls in the foreground are not prominently featured. The redhead in the background is the one who occupies the prominent view.
What I believe the vision means
The very large book I believe represents the Bible. It is the word of God representing truth and the revelation of God’s will for his people. We see God’s heart revealed by his very words, his actions and how he interacts with us. The Bible in the vision also represents the church, the the body of Christ, and the Lord’s instructions and commands for living a life pleasing to him. What is key to understanding the truths in the Bible is having the inner witness and revelation of the Holy Spirit, who indwells a true believer. Without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, the Bible and its truths may make no sense to the non-believer.
“However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you. Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you. John 16:13-15
In the vision the three little girls are coming out of the Bible. I believe that the three girls are walking away from the Bible, leaving it behind. This is what is called apostasy - departing from the faith. People choose to leave for many reasons: to pursue personal goals, passions, careers or business opportunities that conflict with the faith. Some are enticed by ideologies introduced by false teachers so that they leave the true faith. This is spiritual apostasy.
It is easy to walk away, if you have never made a genuine commitment to the Lord. And without the inner witness of the Holy Spirit, they are not able to appreciate God or hear his voice.
The Lord uses the Parable of the Sower, to teach us how the word of God, like a seed, can be sown in a receptive heart that causes a person’s faith to grow and mature. It can also be planted in an unreceptive heart where it is stifled and does not take root, grow or mature.
The Parable of the Sower
A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:3-8
Later, Jesus explained his parable to his disciples:
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:19-23
Just as it was in Jesus’ day, it is true for us. Some people are faithful believers, and some are not interested in God at all. Each girl in the vision represents a certain group of people who view the faith, the Church and the Bible, in such a way that they never make a lasting commitment.
Jesus warned us that there would be a great falling away from the true faith. We are seeing this happen before right before our eyes, as people choose to stay home rather than go to church. The numbers of people attending churches has greatly diminished in recent years and especially since Covid.
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed.. 2 Thessalonians 2:3
The Girl with Dark Hair
I believe that the girl with dark hair represents those who leave the faith because of an offense. They may be going to church because they are children and have no choice but to go. They may be going to church just to keep the peace or to please a spouse or family member. But at the first opportunity they will leave and have no intention of returning. These people may have believed for a short while, and may have even been baptized, but because of an offense, a negative experience with a church leader or minister, they decide to leave. They may say that they have forgiven the “hypocrites,” but they are still carrying the wounds of the offense.
When church leaders fail to be Christ-like in their dealings with others, people get offended and they may feel insulted, hurt, discouraged or rejected. If they are not counseled to forgive the one who offends them, the painful emotions turn into hatred and bitterness. The offended person wants nothing to do with the church. They may make internal vows to never allow themselves to experience such treatment by the church or anyone after that. The little girl with dark hair, represents these dark feelings that open the door to the devil and his demons. Unforgiveness leads to spiritual bondage. When an offended person fails to forgive, the devil wins his prize! A soul! For he has managed to turn a son or daughter of God away from the church and away from the faith. They leave vowing: “I will never go to that church again! They are all hypocrites! And if there is a God, he certainly is not in there!”
That last statement my own son made regarding the church we attended. It was my desire that my children would make friends and grow in the faith. Because of how he was mistreated by a leader, he has never returned to church except to go to a wedding or a funeral. His faith has been greatly shaken, and it affects his ability to trust God or anyone.
Offense is a prime scheme of the devil. If he can cause a person to be offended, he can get two for the price of one! The offender has sinned causing harm to the one offended. The offended has sinned because he refuses to forgive the offender. They will both go to hell, if they refuse to forgive each other. Jesus said:
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive yours. Matthew 6:14-15
We all have to forgive, and treat each other with love and respect. As Jesus has commanded:
“In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12
The Girl with Blonde Hair
The little girl represents a group of people very much like the Pharisees who go to church “religiously.” They look the part, but everything is done out of obligation, to please others, or to hear their name praised. They come to church to make social contacts for business, or to gain favor with certain people in the community who attend. It is common for politicians and people who want to look good in the public eye, to be known as one who is faithful and trustworthy, a lover of God and of all things good. But it is mere a facade, for their true intent is to serve themselves. Jesus took issue with the Pharisees for teaching one thing but doing another.
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.” Matthew 23:1-7
Referring to the Pharisees, Jesus quoted from the Book of Isaiah saying:.
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.” Matthew 15:8-9
The Girl with Red Hair
The third little girl who had red hair was the one in the background, yet in clear view. Her hair was not dark or light, but somewhere in the middle, with a red cast. I believe that she represents the complacent church, for she reminds me of those whom the Lord addressed in the book of Revelation from Laodicea:
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.” Revelation 3:15-20
To be lukewarm is to be without a genuine interest in God. A lukewarm person’s relationship with God, is rather shallow, for he spends little time, if any, in prayer. He is uncommitted to the faith, able to take it or leave it. As soon as something more exciting, or “more important,” comes along, he chooses what he wants over God. When conflict or persecution comes to test his faith, he will deny the faith and go with the crowd. A lukewarm person is not truly concerned for the lost, for they lack the fear of God. They take salvation for granted. I heard one person say to me in discussions several times: “God knew from the beginning of time, that people would sin, so he forgives everyone for their sins, past, present and future. Therefore, no one needs to be concerned, for “once saved, always saved!”
This person has no genuine conviction of sin, and so he sees no reason to repent. He believes that we are all automatically forgiven. There is no responsibility on our part to follow the Lord, or to be discipled. According to his viewpoint, If he has prayed to accept Jesus into his heart, nothing else is required.
He viewpoint is not Biblical, for the Lord taught something quite differently.
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness! Matthew 7:21-23
Jesus has said some very serious statements regarding discipleship and what it takes to be his disciple. Not may people consider his words. They are warnings to us that there is no room for compromise with the world. And no place for complacency:
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:37-39
If it were not for the Lord’s mercy and his precious blood that cleanses us from all unrighteousness no one would be saved. But thank the Lord that he has a made a way for us to be reconciled to the Father. It is by his sacrificial death that purchased our salvation. Read the next few scriptures and you will know that there is hope for us all. Jesus is our Lord, our God and our Savior!
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but has eternal life. John 3:16
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved. Romans 10:9-10
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
So, If you see yourself in any of these three girls and would like to dedicate your life to the Lord and receive his forgiveness and his salvation and everlasting life with him, let’s pray!
Dear Jesus,
Please forgive me of my sins! I see my faults and failures, and I know that I have fallen short of the glory of God. I have sinned and followed my own heart rather than your ways. Please forgive me for living to please myself rather than living to please you. Help me to serve you! Please write my name in the Book of Life, and fill me with your Holy Spirit, for I certainly acknowledge that you died on the cross to pay for my sins. I am thankful for your your forgiveness and making me a new creation in you. I give myself to you as you have given yourself to me. I am yours and you are mine. Thank you Jesus for I am given new life in you, and that someday I will be with you for all eternity. Thank you Jesus! I will always remember this day and my commitment to follow you all the days of my life! Amen!
Thanks for reading, and please share this post. Keep reading the Word of God (the Bible) for its words are life! Be blessed!
