Tag: swift destruction

51.a. Wilderness – 15.g. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God”

 

Deu 13:1-5  “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

 1 Kings 13:18     And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.

 Jeremiah 6:13    “For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.

 Jeremiah 23:11    “Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the LORD.

 Ezekiel 13:2-3     “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’  Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

 Matthew 7:15   “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

 Matthew 24:11     And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

 Luke 6:26  “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

 2 Peter 2:1  But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

 1 John 4:1    Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Dreams can be from God (as in Numbers 12:6, or in Genesis 37:5-11), or they can be false prophesies (as in Jeremiah 23:25-26). We must be careful to not put too much stock in dreams, and instead allow God to bring confirmation to any dream we believe brings a message from Him. It would be very unusual for God to speak alone through a dream, without other confirmation. Moses warned the people that there may arise from among them prophets or workers of signs who could also produce a sign or a wonder. This sobering fact is ignored by many Christians in our age which neglects discernment. The fact is that signs and wonders can never be the evidence of truth or God’s hand. Those who are immediately convinced at the sight of supernatural power or reality are in danger of great deception. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 reminds us that the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders.

Godly discernment will always carefully examine the message of a spiritual leader, instead of the spiritual experiences which may surround him or her. One of God’s reasons in allowing such deceivers to exist among His people – to allow the hearts of His people to be tested and proven, to see if they really love the God of truth or are merely seeking a spiritual sign or experience.  Israel was first instructed to not let a deceiver succeed in leading them astray. No matter how attractive the deception, they were to keep focused on a faithful walk with God according to His truth. (Guzik)

 “And particularly there are many signs, yea, such as men may think to be wonders, which may be wrought by evil spirits, God so permitting it for divers wise and just reasons, not only for the trial of the good, as it here follows, but also for the punishment of ungodly men, who would not receive Divine truths, though attested by many evident and unquestionable miracles, and therefore are most justly exposed to these temptations to believe lies.” (Poole)

Satan is the father of all lies and able to perform signs and wonders that could lead believers away and keep those who are searching for God looking in the wrong way. We need to be mindful of Satan’s attacks which will come very subtlety. Having Holy Spirit discernment and understanding are needed to insulate yourself from false teachings. Living for Jesus and honoring and glorifying Him does not revolve around signs and wonders. He is all in all, and in Him, we find purpose and meaning while we await our eternal life in our heavenly promised home.

16.s. “But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”

John 10:1  “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Jeremiah 23:16-17   Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.  They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”

Ecclesiastes 11:9     Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

2 Peter 2:1   But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

1 John 4:1    Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

There is but one gate, one way to eternal life and that is through Jesus Christ.  All other attempts through any other means will result in Hell.  Every day we face numerous gates that offer peace, satisfaction, health, wealth, etc….. There is only one gate that gives us assurance of peace of mind that passes all understanding.  It is Jesus Christ alone.  Trying to find a path to eternity apart from the gate of Jesus ends in missing the shepherd.  There appears to be many preaching right now that try to fill the church with the promises of what this world has to offer rather than preaching what eternal life has to offer.  This world is not our home.  Things of this world are not our inheritance.  Things in this world are not our satisfaction.  Things in this world are not our hope.  Things of this world do not offer eternal life.  In fact, things of this world pull at us, confuse us, and try to entice us this is where we find hope, peace, eternal life, satisfaction, wealth, etc…..

There is one gate, one path, one way to eternal life – Jesus Christ

10.v. “Leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”

Micah 2:10  Arise and go, for this is no place to rest, because of uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction. If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be the preacher for this people!

1 Kings 22:21-23     Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, ‘I will entice him.’  And the LORD said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’  Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has declared disaster for you.”

Jeremiah 14:14    And the LORD said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.

2 Peter 2:1-3     But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.  And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.  And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

2 Thessalonians 2:11   Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,

Isaiah 30:10-11   who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions,  leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”

Jeremiah 5:31    the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?

The Old and New Testament is ripe with examples of Kings, Preachers, and Prophets speaking falsely.  The worst part of them speaking lies to the people is that most of the people want it this way.  They don’t want to hear that they need to stop being neglectful and complacent and repent.  They have become confident in their soft undisciplined lives.  Their itching ears for lukewarm preaching about what they can get from Jesus Christ if they would just ask, without having their hearts, minds, and souls fully committed to honoring, glorifying, following, obeying, listening, trusting, and relying on Him.  They itch for an easy gospel of peace, rest, prosperity, and ease of life preached to them.  They do not want to hear about sin, repentance, and the need for forgiveness.  They wallow in self-centered wants and self-reliance for their shallow Christian lives.  This ought not to be so.  Our lives ought to be hungering and thirsting for truth and desiring to have Jesus Christ show us our wickedness and wayward thoughts with a heart deep seeking to honor and glorify Him in all we think, do, and say.  This ought to be our want for every day not just for times of crisis, trials, and troubles.  When our first thought is to dig into His Word for truth, guidance, and knowledge we are at the beginning of maturing in Jesus Christ.  We can not continue to listen to watered-down preaching.  It will zap our souls of sound doctrine, God-honoring, and glorifying lives.  If sin is not preached how is it we will examine our lives for it?  If sin is not preached how are we going to see a need to confess it?  If Sin is not preached how are we going to search The Word of God to lead us toward godly lives?  Ask God to show you your heart and if there is anything in it that is contrary to that which will honor and glorify Him.