Deception Warning Alerts

Image by Elchinator from Pixabay

We have a growing problem in the modern Church. It is emerging through ministry leaders, such as those mentioned in Ephesians 4:11: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Not all of them are equipping/perfecting the saints as intended by the Lord. Instead of helping the saints grow into maturity, some are claiming “new revelation” which cannot be supported by the Bible (or even worse, contradicts the Bible). Some of the very people who have been called to protect God’s beloved children from being “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14) are infected with those errant ideas themselves — and teaching them to others.

I don’t believe the majority of them are intending to promote wrong things. They enthusiastically believe the deceptions they are popularizing. Often, it is a result of these leaders listening to one another or reading each other’s works without questioning or discerning what is being said, and then passing it on because it sounds convincing. They have too quickly swallowed someone else’s “revelation” without checking it against the Bible. After a while, even more extreme teaching arises, built on the faulty foundation of previous dubious ideas. Error breeds greater error.

We should keep this in perspective. There are indeed many faithful leaders who are doing their best to stay true to God’s Word. They are not basing what they teach on Bible verses lifted out of context or on a supernatural experience alone. They take their job of feeding God’s flock very seriously. But, with social media at everyone’s fingertips, new opportunities have arisen for unreliable teachers and prophets to gain vast followings, especially through YouTube.

How do we escape being bamboozled in the midst of it all? Let’s look at some spiritual and common sense guidelines to help us:

Avoid “new revelation” not mentioned in the Bible. If Jesus or the first apostles didn’t teach it, or if it wasn’t known to the New Testament Church, that’s an obvious red flag. If believers over the entire last 2,000 years had no knowledge of it, it isn’t genuine. Yes, sometimes teachers in our time rediscover truths that were lost or watered down over the centuries. God will use people to resurrect what has always been in Scripture, but that is not the same as coming up with totally new stuff.

Beware of teaching which is based solely on a verse here or there. These are usually verses lifted out of context, most often from the Old Testament. They are frequently obscure verses, but people wanting to come up with a new angle will build massive teachings around them. It’s been going on since the Church began, but we haven’t learned our lesson, yet, have we? Consider the new teaching in light of the whole Bible. Scripture can always be relied upon to interpret other Scripture.

Does the teaching measure up against the “many witnesses” principle which Paul taught? Paul charged Timothy, “And the things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit those same things to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).

Paul repeatedly warned Timothy to avoid and shut down “other doctrines,” “fables and endless genealogies which minister questions, rather than godly edifying,” “profane and old wives’ tales,” and “vain babbling and oppositions of what is falsely called science” (1 Timothy 1:3, 4; 4:7; 6:20). He warns that these teachings will only lead to more ungodliness and eat away at their listeners like gangrene (2 Timothy 2:16, 17), leading people to err from the faith (1 Timothy 6:21).

Does the supposed new truth take you into any kind of legalism or self-help? Measure the “revelation” against Paul’s letter to the Galatians. If the thrust of the teaching is methodology you must follow exactly in order to please God or to receive what you desire, it is off-base. While truthful instruction can still give us practical ways to move forward with Jesus, it will always point toward dependence on Him, not toward what we must ritualistically do to succeed.

Does the teaching follow legalistic patterns which provide your magic prayer bullet for getting answers? Immerse yourself in Jesus’ extensive instruction on prayer in the gospels. How does the new teaching stack up against what He said? What did the apostles in the New Testament say about intercession and receiving answers? How did the Old Testament saints succeed in prayer? Find out by reading their words — without a running commentary from someone trying to expand upon it or take away from it.

God does not put us through difficult hoops before He is willing to grant our requests. He does not disqualify our petitions on minor technicalities. Anytime someone tells you that eureka! they have discovered a brand new or long-hidden way to pray which will give you answers every time (if you do it exactly, infinitesimally right), just run. They are deceived and are lying to you.

Does the teacher major on supernatural manifestations above all else? Take note if the person rarely talks about Jesus, His atonement for us at the cross, and core scriptural truths. Is the focus on supernatural encounters and signs, rather than on the Lord? Signs and wonders follow believers who focus on the gospel. Let’s not get that turned around to where we are chasing the signs and wonders.

An alarming trend right now is prophetic people claiming to interact with deceased saints — and they want to teach you how to do it too! This is a dangerous deception. Beware of the fixation with the “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1), which, in the Bible, is a reference to the people of faith listed in Hebrews 11, along with others like them. But currently, all sorts of silly teaching about how to interact with the cloud of witnesses is being spewed upon gullible Christians. 1 Timothy 4:1 warns that “in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.”

If a Bible teacher puts a new spin on the meaning of a verse, don’t take their word for it. Check how that verse reads in several translations. Read the before-and-after verses to see if what the teacher is saying fits. When they tell you a word or phrase within a verse actually means such-and-such in the original Greek or Hebrew, look it up in a concordance or two to see if they’re correct — especially if you’ve never heard it presented like that before.

What does the Holy Spirit say to you about it? If the teaching is something new to you, listen to whether the peace of God is ruling or not ruling in your heart about it, as Colossians 3:15 instructs. Does it set right, or does it make you uneasy? Ask God to speak to you about it through Bible verses. He will. Just give Him time. John 14:26 promises, “But the Comforter, Who is the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.”

The best protection against new revelation deception is to prayerfully read the Bible — all of it — over and over. It will keep you “girded about with truth” (Ephesians 6:14), so that you won’t get off in weird places.
____________________________

The Intercessor Manual

Yes and Amen: God’s Promises from Genesis Through Revelation
Available in King James Version or Modernized KJV

The Spirit of Prophecy

Revelation 19:10 tells us “… The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” This verse gives us a measuring stick by which to discern prophetic words (and we desperately need to discern them in our day):

The ultimate focal point of prophecy must be Jesus. If it glorifies man or any other being, or if it feeds fleshly desires, it is not the testimony of Jesus.

Let’s look at Revelation 19:10 in its entirety: “And I [John] fell at his [the angel’s] feet to worship him. And he said to me, ‘See that you do not do it. I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'”

Fulfilling “the testimony of Jesus” requirement doesn’t mean that prophecy cannot have a broad scope of what is revealed. The Bible speaks of specific reasons the Holy Spirit speaks through prophecy:

• It is meant to uplift, spur on, and encourage individuals and the corporate church. I Corinthians 14:3 explains this: “But he who prophesies speaks to men to edification, exhortation, and comfort.”
• It warns of things to come, so that believers can prepare/take action. “And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there would be great dearth throughout all the world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren who dwelt in Judea” (Acts 11:28, 29).
• It leads people to repentance and belief in God. “But if all prophesy, and there comes in one who does not believe, … he is convinced of all, he is judged of all, and the secrets of his heart are thus made manifest. So, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly in you” (I Corinthians 14:24, 25).
• It gives specific direction. “Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel…. And he said, ‘Listen, all Judah, inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. The LORD says to you, “Do not be afraid or dismayed by this great multitude. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow, go down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz, and you shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you…. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD will be with you'” (II Chronicles 20: 14-17).
• It leads us to worship. In the passage we’ve just read, the next verse (v. 18) notes the people’s response to the prophecy, “And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground. And all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.” (Also see I Corinthians 14:25 again.)
• It can announce or impart God’s purposes for a church or individual. “Do not neglect the gift which is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands…” (I Timothy 4:14).
• It can be a tool for intercession and spiritual warfare to accomplish the revealed purpose. “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on you, that by them you might war a good warfare” (I Timothy 1:18).

There are other purposes of prophecy mentioned in the Bible, but these are a good start on our way to receiving and using prophecy correctly.

Bottom line once again: If it glorifies Jesus and fulfills His purposes, it is true prophecy. If it glorifies man, it is not the testimony of Jesus. If it panders to fleshly ambition, it is not the testimony of Jesus.
______________________________________________

The Spirit-Filled Guide to Personal Prophecy

The Dream Book: A Practical Guide to Christian Dream Interpretation

Did God REALLY Show Them That?

Image by fsHH from Pixabay

When prophetic people speak of supernatural experiences they’ve had, sometimes it can be confusing or intimidating. How do you argue with, “I was caught up into heaven and saw ________.” Or, “Jesus came to me and told me this, word for word”? Or, “Gabriel appeared to me with this revelation”? Our inclination is to think, “Well, it must be so, if she saw or heard it, especially because she has a bazillion online followers, and they all think it’s the coolest revelation ever!”

Maybe, maybe not. The Lord explained it to me this way: “Seers can see wrong, just like hearers can hear wrong.” Even well known prophets can be fooled by their imaginations or by lying spirits posing as Jesus or God’s angels. Yes, that makes me uncomfortable, too, but we have to face it. Didn’t the Lord warn us, “…Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14)? Prophetic seers can also misunderstand something they really saw, and then almost turn it into a doctrine for the rest of us.

We shouldn’t have to say this again, but it seems we do:

Any prophetic revelation which goes against something in the Bible isn’t true, no matter who is giving it.

It doesn’t matter how convincing it sounds or how sincere the person telling it is. It’s not so.

I think we should also be cautious with revelation which doesn’t directly oppose Scripture, but isn’t supported there either. We may not have to reject it completely, but maybe it should go in the “I don’t know, so I’m not going there” box in our minds.

Some questions to consider:

In visions which go beyond what Scripture tells us, was the person seeing something literal, or was it a parable-like explanation of how God works?

For instance, one lady described a vision of little spirits nestled in the heart of the Father. She said this means we preexist as spirits in heaven before we are physically conceived here on earth. It’s a commonly accepted belief in Charismatic circles, but did you know there is no biblical basis for it?

So, what could seeing spirits in the heart of the Father be about? They aren’t literally dwelling there as already-created beings. It might simply mean we’ve always been on God’s mind and in His plans. He loves us before we even exist — because He is outside of time, bringing His purposes down into time.

Or, how about the body parts room in heaven seen by many? It could be literal, but perhaps it’s just a vehicle to explain that God can create new parts in us if we need them. It doesn’t necessarily mean a room with a catalogued inventory of parts exists.

In the Bible, sometimes God comes down to our level by using pictures and words we can understand to get His message across. An example is the phraseology in Genesis 18:21, concerning Sodom and Gomorrah: “I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which has come to Me, and if not, I will know.” One would think in a surface reading of those words that God was clueless about what was happening until He left heaven to see it with His own eyes. But we know from other Bible verses that He knows everything from beginning to end (Examples: Isaiah 46:10 and 1 John 3:20). In this instance, He just chose language to convey an idea on our level of thinking.

If God sometimes uses language in this way in His Word, He might do it in visions too. His Word also teaches concepts through parables, so we should realize many visions are parabolic in nature as well.

Does God reveal new mysteries about Himself today?

If it is really about Him and His ways, it is somewhere in the Bible already. Sometimes He brings revelation to the forefront which has been forgotten or neglected by His people for a long time, but it has still been there in His Word all along. We’re just rediscovering it.

Where is that in the Bible?

In Charismatic circles, we’ve accumulated a few generally accepted beliefs which are actually contrary to Scripture. They are often based on visions from celebrated prophets which have been told and retold, until after a while, no one seems to question them anymore. It’s sort of like Ben Franklin’s maxim, “God helps those who help themselves.” Many people think it is in the Bible, just because they have heard it so often. We’ve got to start measuring long-held beliefs by whether they are actually in the Bible or not, and whether those ideas hold true all the way from Genesis through Revelation.

There is no viable reason why Spirit-filled people cannot equally be people of the Word. It isn’t one or the other. What the Holy Spirit has laid down in the Bible, He will not contradict or supersede through a vision. He does not play, “that was then, this is now” in how He speaks today. He is eternally consistent.

Let’s not be bamboozled into swallowing every vision and “Jesus told me” thing that comes along. Measure everything by God’s Word. Inquire of Him whether it is true or not. If we do that, we won’t get off into weird places.

_____________________________________________________________________

Your Intercession Questions Answered,
by Lee Ann Rubsam

How to Pray and Read the Bible,
by Lee Ann Rubsam

Got Questions About Current Prophecies?

A few years ago, I wrote an article on how to discern whether prophets are worthy of listening to. If you have questions about all the prophecies floating around on the Internet, please start there. But then, I’d like to add a few thoughts on the subject.

In that post, I said if prophets get it wrong, they should admit it and ask forgiveness. That’s important, but we must also realize that some prophetic words take time to play out.

Currently, a band of Christian leaders is demanding that prophets repent of and retract their prophetic utterances about the 2020 election. This is premature, and the pressure being placed upon these men and women is not warranted. Many of them have a long track record of accuracy, balance, and sound teaching of the Word. Some sincerely took time to inquire of the Lord about whether they had missed it. They feel God has said to stand fast in what they have spoken. Having that conviction, for them to renege on their words at this point would be sin. So let’s wait it out a bit before getting on the critics’ bandwagon. Mocking prophets (or any other Christian, for that matter) is not pleasing to the Lord. He is doing something way bigger than any of us anticipated at first, so let’s be patient and give Him time to do the full work He has in mind. 

Sometimes prophets miss it when they assign specific dates to when things will happen. We’ve seen this mistake made time and again. It’s usually not the seasoned prophets who make it. Young prophets are commonly cautioned, “No dates, no mates, no babies” (meaning, don’t put a calendar date on when something will happen, don’t prophesy who someone will marry or when, don’t prophesy pregnancies). Occasionally, mature prophets step over that boundary, and it works out beautifully. But more often than not, it’s a flop. So, when I hear somebody say something is going to happen on a specific date or within a limited time period, I take a wait-and-see stance, with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Prophecies do not always mean what we interpret them to mean, especially if symbolic or ambiguous language is used. Don’t read into a word whatever conclusions your brain immediately jumps to. Even the prophet delivering the revelation can err in his assumptions, only to realize down the road his interpretation was inaccurate. Look at the word or vision for exactly what it says and no more. Over time, the meaning will unfold more clearly.

Be really careful with visions and dreams, because they are often symbolic. I’ve heard  prophets declare a specific, literal thing was going to happen just as they saw it in a dream. Yet, being a symbolic dreamer myself and knowing how that works, I realized what they saw was perhaps not going to work out exactly as they had seen it. In many cases, these dreams and visions are genuine. The people who have them really are hearing from God. But they are immature in their gift, needing to be mentored and refined for a while yet before releasing their words to the world. No, they shouldn’t be doing their thing on YouTube, but give them grace and time to grow. Don’t condemn them. Perhaps God will bring someone to help them in their immaturity, much like Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos under their wing in his early days as a teacher, in Acts 18:24-26.

In listening to prophecies given by others, there are a few other things we should keep in mind:

1.)  Foretelling the future is not the only purpose of prophecy, but it is still a legitimate expression of it in modern times. Some have tried to disparage futuristic prophecy, saying it was only a function of Bible-era prophets. This thinking denies the reality of all the prophecies in our day which have accurately come to pass. Jesus promised that when the Holy Spirit came, He would show us things to come (John 16:13). His promise has not been rescinded.

2.)  A major purpose of prophecy is to build up, encourage, and comfort the Church, according to 1 Corinthians 14:3. I personally receive a lot of encouragement and comfort from listening to trusted prophets.

3.)  Prophetic revelation is useful in showing us how to pray. Sometimes its purpose is to reveal what to pray against, so it does not happen. My favorite example of this type of revelation is in Amos 7:1-9, where God gave Amos three visions. After each of the first two, Amos pleaded with the Lord not to do what had been shown, and God’s response was, “It shall not be.” God told Amos upfront that He was immovable on the third one, so Amos didn’t pray against it.

One of the reasons we must carefully discern prophecy is so we know what to do with it — whether to embrace it as a done deal, pray in agreement with it until it happens, or intercede against its fulfillment.

4.)  While it’s great to hear God speak through others, we should prioritize hearing Him for ourselves. Firsthand revelation from our Lord is precious and should be sought after. Receiving via others can be helpful, but if that is the only way we hear from God, how sad! How would you feel if a dear family member only communicated with you by messages relayed through a third party? Yet, I know believers who are content to never hear the Lord speak to them one-on-one.

You don’t have to be highly prophetic to hear God speak to you. It is the heritage of every believer, including information about the future. John 16:13‘s promise, “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth … and He will show you things to come,” is for all of us.

May we grow in understanding, discerning, and wisely using prophecy. It is a gift from God, vital to the Church for our present day.

________________________________________________

The Out of the Fire Podcast!

Once a week. Different stuff than you will find currently at the blog. And, it’s short! — average length 6 minutes. Available on your favorite podcast app.

The Dream Book: A Practical Guide to Christian Dream Interpretation,
by Lee Ann Rubsam

The Intercessor Manual,
by Lee Ann Rubsam

(Lots of info on prophecy in this book, too.)

Getting Our Eyes in the Right Place

This is a time when possessing spiritual understanding is a key factor for effective intercession and maintaining our inner peace. What is really happening around us, and what does God want to do about it?

A few days ago, I dozed off during prayer and had a split-second dream. It was very simple, and most of the revelation I gained was by looking into it further and inquiring of the Lord. Here’s how it went:

I saw a handful of pebbles being tossed into a mud puddle.

Not much to go on there! But I know that when I doze off in prayer, the quickie dreams I have are usually from the Lord, so I thought upon the dream and asked Him for understanding. Pretty soon, I was seeing more:

I could tell I was on a downward incline, looking toward the mud puddle. I now realized the pebbles had been tossed from behind me, but I didn’t see the person who tossed them. 

As I asked the Lord for the interpretation, He said, “I’m trying to get your attention. I’m back here. I’m behind you.” I then remembered that before I dozed off I had been praying about some very serious national events taking place, as well as troubling personal concerns. As I continued to ponder the dream, I realized that the mud puddle represented all those cares I had been bringing before the Lord. I had been looking downward, into the muck, instead of having my eyes fastened on Jesus, Who was above me on the slope. He was letting me know that He was there with me, behind the scenes, and that I needed to get my attention back on Him.

By throwing the pebbles into the mud puddle, He was also indicating that He was tossing His input into the mess I was praying about. Now, that’s a lot of revelation to get out of what started with, “I saw a handful of pebbles being tossed into a mud puddle.” The key was peering into what I had seen and patiently inquiring of the Lord what it all meant. He supplied the rest.

I have drawn on that dream in the days which have followed, reminding myself to look up toward the Lord, rather than focusing on the current muck we’re dealing with.

There are many voices harping insistently at us to focus on the circumstances, but we must put our hands over our ears and quit listening to them. Some of those bombarding voices are from the news media. Personally, I do not waste much time watching or reading editorial news. Most of it is not in sync with the Spirit of God, so why bother?

There are also certain prophets who have a tendency to release fear, doubt, and outright panic into God’s people — and that bothers me. The basic message goes like this:

“All this terrible stuff that is happening is the work of the devil.” [Yep! So far, so good.] “PRAY, saints, PRAY! Because if you don’t pray hard enough and long enough, the devil is going to WIN and we will LOSE!” [Translate that, God will lose.]

The message is not one of victory, but of fear. It dishonors the Lord by implying that God and the enemy are equally capable of winning the conflict. It also places all the burden — and blame — upon intercessors’ shoulders. Sadly, we’re buying into it. But the truth still remains: the battle is the Lord’s. We must not forget that. Ever.

Yes, pray. But don’t pray out of the panic these misguided prophets or your favorite news commentator are trying to create in you. Ask the Lord to give you His counsel, and pray what He says. We all need to calm down a bit so that we can hear Him.

Also remember that no matter what the current crisis is, the Lord is throwing His input into it, just like He was casting the pebbles into the mud puddle in my dream. Don’t look down the slope at the problems. Look up, behind you, where the Lord is standing, unruffled by what we see in the natural. Why? Because He knows what He is going to do about it.

Yes, the devil is unleashing havoc, but the Lord of Hosts is pulling the strings behind the scenes. He strategically uses what the enemy intends for evil to bring about righteous changes. This is God’s pattern, and we can look to Him with confidence that He will accomplish His purposes as we pray.

Do pray diligently. Just do it from the place of knowing Father’s heart, asking for His clarity of discernment. And do it without fear, knowing He is in control, and there are many of us out here praying along with you.

He will have His way.

________________________________

 

 

The Intercessor Manual,
by Lee Ann Rubsam

 

 

 

 

Your Intercession Questions Answered,
by Lee Ann Rubsam

Are You Influenced by the Political Spirit?

I’ve been concerned for quite some time about the influence of the political spirit upon Christians. While it is most easily seen during election years, it rears its ugly head at various other times as well. It’s currently surfacing a lot in opinions about the Covid-19 crisis, but it shows up in other discussions too, such as immigration or social justice.

This post is sort of a “Part Two.” Discerning the Political Spirit, written a couple of years ago, acts as my “Part One.” That post explains a lot about the political spirit. Today’s post goes on from there.

Here are some ways the political spirit affects people, including believers:

It causes us to be hardhearted.

Ephesians 4:32 tells us, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted….” The political spirit causes us to put our “convictions” ahead of kindness and tenderness. Mercy and compassion take a lesser place, because being right becomes paramount. Often those convictions are not biblical principles at all, but opinions we have absorbed from various secular sources with a political agenda behind them. When we take in enough of them, they become part of our worldview. We might think that worldview is unquestionably biblical, because we’ve heard influential Christian leaders speak the same things — but that could be because those leaders have unwittingly become influenced by the political spirit as well.

An example of how this plays out can be seen with the current controversy over how the Covid-19 crisis should be addressed. We hear a great deal of talk about constitutional rights. Preserving constitutional rights is important. However, if we forget that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as mentioned in the Declaration of Independence are for everyone, not just self, it could be a sign that we’re influenced by not only selfishness, but the political spirit. When one’s own rights and wants become more important than caring for the welfare of others, we’re missing the second great commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).

It polarizes people.

We should never get sucked into a false unity. Light and darkness cannot mix. However, the political spirit will cause unrighteous (and unnecessary!) division between believers. Factions form. Paul attempted to correct this attitude in the Corinthian Church:

Now I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you…. For it has been declared to me … that there are contentions among you. …You say, “I am of Paul,” and “I am of Apollos,” and “I am of Cephas,” and “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? …. (1 Corinthians 1:10-13).

We see this every day, from arguments about governmental policies to theological disputes on matters which aren’t about foundations of the faith.

It promotes finger-pointing.

The devil is “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10). Unfortunately, too often we cooperate with him! Mudslinging is part of political campaigns, and the political spirit will lead you into that behavior in other arenas too. It has a lot to do with those convictions I mentioned earlier, which are really only opinions.

It fosters pride.

This goes along quite nicely with finger-pointing. We feel so strongly about our position that we assume everyone who doesn’t see it the way we do is less spiritual, asleep at their post, or just plain stupid.

Could it be that those of a different opinion are seeing from an angle we have not yet considered? Can their perspective and mine dovetail together for a more complete picture of the truth? The political spirit attempts to blind us to such possibilities.

It diverts us from Christ and the Gospel.

The political spirit sidetracks us onto temporary tangents, consuming our thoughts with current events which have little to no bearing on eternal matters. We become earth-bound, consumed with anxieties over what will happen if “our side” does not carry the day. Jesus is not mentioned very much anymore. Sharing the “good news” of our viewpoint takes the place of sharing the good news of the cross.

In his book, The Discerner, James Goll comments,

Particularly in these days of instant social messaging, we need to be alert to the influence of the political spirit around us. We have to work hard to keep our focus on God and not on the troubling and divisive contemporary issues unfolding around us, lest we react to them by joining the toxic fray, rather than being part of the solution. While we should fulfill our civic responsibilities and keep a level head while participating in our representative government, the best thing we can do is to pray and intercede in order to break the power of the demonic political spirit that causes divisions, animosity, and strife.(1)

How do we break the power of the political spirit off of our minds?

1. The first step is recognizing its influence over us.

2. We repent and renounce it, asking the Lord to deliver us from it.

3. We determine to, once again, “Seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1, 2). That might require more time reading the Bible and less time reading or listening to the ideas of men.

The Lord will free us, if we ask. He will also help us know where to put our energies in the future. He will give us the wisdom we need to escape the deceptions of the political spirit.

________________________

(1)  James W. Goll, The Discerner (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2017), p. 148.

____________________________________

All-Surpassing Peace in a Shaking World,
by Lee Ann Rubsam

River Life: Entering into the Character of Jesus,
by Lee Ann Rubsam
(Bible character education study for adults and teens)

Getting to the Truth — The Holy Spirit and You (Part 1)

But when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth  — John 16:13

I love John, Chapters 14 and 16, where Jesus tells us about the Holy Spirit, Who has now come to live in the heart of every believer. In Old Testament times, the prophets experienced the indwelling of the Spirit (1 Peter 1:11), but the rest of God’s people did not. They depended on the prophets to give them the Word of the Lord. How different it is today, when every believer can hear God personally and sense His Presence within. What a blessing!

The Spirit is our ever-present friend, comforter, guide, and teacher. He continually points us to Jesus. We can come to know Him even more deeply through the Baptism in the Spirit, which is not an end in itself, but an entrance into a satisfying adventure of intimate fellowship and partnership with Him.

I so appreciate knowing Him as the Spirit of Truth. I frequently pray that He will expose portions of my thinking which are not in alignment with truth. I pray this often for my loved ones as well — especially if I see areas of their thinking, speaking, or actions which don’t line up with God’s heart.

It could be a self image issue which needs to change — because, unfortunately, we tend to believe negative things about ourselves due to past hurts, unkind words which have been spoken to us, or lies that spirits of darkness have injected into our minds. It could be a perception of God’s nature which needs to change (again because people say wrong things which take root, or because the devil whispers slanderous thoughts to us about the Lord). Often, deception enters in through all the stuff we encounter in everyday life in a sinful, God-opposed world.

Sometimes the Spirit needs to correct doctrinal error in us — teachings which are generally believed and taken for granted within our particular church circles. We have a habit of passing around various ideas which become accepted over time because we hear them so often. If a prominent pastor or teacher says something, pretty soon other pastors and teachers are also saying the same thing. After we hear the same idea from several different sources, we start believing it as gospel truth. Sometimes it isn’t, and it takes the Holy Spirit ministering His truth to us to reveal that and reorder our thinking.

Generally, He guides us away from error and into truth by making a particular Bible verse stand out to us. Suddenly, the light bulb goes on that the Bible doesn’t really say what we were told for so many years that it said!

He may also use a solid Bible teacher to point out truths we had never seen in the Word before — but it is up to us to be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11. They received the apostles’ teaching eagerly, but also searched the Scriptures to make sure what they were being told was really so!

The Spirit also guides us into truth by prompting us in our spirit that some idea we’ve been harboring isn’t quite right. He may cause us to feel uneasy about something we hear said. We must listen to these subtle warnings and not dismiss them just because our rational minds can’t identify any problem. The Spirit knows what we cannot discern through our natural senses.

The Holy Spirit’s work of bringing us into truth is a lifelong process. We rise to ever-greater truth as we fellowship with Him in prayer and the Scriptures, until that day when we are with the Lord and all darkness is purged from us. The Spirit is continually cleaning up error in us and enlightening us to real truth. Deception comes off in layers. Sometimes we inadvertently allow new layers of it to become attached to us, so He patiently removes those as well.

I believe one of the best ways we can accelerate the work of truth in our lives is by actively inviting the Spirit of Truth to guide us into all truth. James 4:2 tells us, “You have not, because you ask not” — so let’s ask! Then we stay open-hearted to Him and let Him do what we’ve invited Him to do.

Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). All thanks and praise to Him for sending the precious Holy Spirit to us, so that we can experience the reality of this promise!

Do you have thoughts or a testimony on how the Spirit is guiding you into all truth? Perhaps you would like to share by leaving a comment.

 

For more on the work of the Holy Spirit, see Lee Ann’s book, Before Whom We Stand: The Everyman’s Guide to the Nature of God.

 

Tips for Hearing God More Clearly

Do you want to hear God more and with greater clarity? We should all seek to grow in hearing God more frequently and more accurately than we currently do.

Maybe you don’t think you hear God much at all — yet. It could be you are hearing Him, but not recognizing how much He is already speaking to you!

Here are a few tips for better hearing:

Value the small things God says to you.

Limiting our expectation for hearing God’s voice to only monumental revelation can really hinder our ability to hear Him. We want to know about the future, we desire a word of guidance, or we look for an entire blueprint for the next five years of our lives. But those aren’t the only ways God speaks — in fact, they will be in the minority.

Most of our everyday conversations with loved ones are not made up of pivotal, life-changing discussions. We talk about the day-to-day events, and we enjoy doing it. God doesn’t only speak about the big stuff, either.

Gentle thoughts such as “Don’t be afraid; I’m here,” or “I love you, and I will always stand with you,” or “Just trust Me and I’ll take care of you,” are God talking to you. These are the kinds of things He says most of the time. He is delighted when you treasure the little things He speaks.  Respond to them gratefully, record them in your prayer journal, and allow them to bring you into affectionate conversation with the Lord.

God’s voice is not like the opinions and speculations of man.

What He says has a different tone from what we hear and see in our natural world, because He knows way more than the “experts” in the media. God never has to speculate on how things will turn out. He’s always out in front of current situations.

God never projects anxiety over the future. It is finished, and Jesus already has secured the victory, remember? He’s not nervous and worried, wondering whether His people will pray enough or do all the right things to make life on earth go well. Because He isn’t wringing His hands, He doesn’t speak anxiety into us, either.

Sometimes Christian leaders temporarily get off in the flesh and say things like, “People of God, it’s all going down if we don’t pray harder / preach louder / get more involved. God won’t win this one if we don’t get out there and DO!” That’s a spirit of fear speaking, not the Spirit of God.

God’s voice will inspire awe of Him, but not fear about our circumstances. He will show us what steps to take. He will prompt us to pray earnestly, but from a position of being confident that He will answer, not from a place of panic. “For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rearward” (Isaiah 52:12).

God’s voice does not feel like a club beating us over the head.

The Spirit will convict us of areas where we are not aligned with Him — sinful thinking, speaking, and habits. But condemnation, shame, and accusations are the devil’s tools, not God’s. The Lord’s reproof carries with it a sense of His sorrow over our wrongdoing, but also His assurance that He still loves us. There is hope attached to His correction.

Shut down the background noise.

We need periods of undistracted quiet if we hope to hear the “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit. That might mean shutting off even the Christian music at times. Some people are uncomfortable if they don’t have background sound. Really, it’s all about habits. Just as you formed the habit somewhere along the line of always having sound going on around you, you will have to accustom yourself to the “sound” of quiet. Try it for a short period of time, and then increase the silent time gradually.

In addition to turning off physical background noise, we must learn to shut out the clamor of too many voices pouring into our heads through news and social media. We are bombarded with opinions coming at us from all directions. Deliberately cut out, or at least limit, what you read or listen to in the way of people’s ideas. When our ears and eyes are constantly absorbing what others think, our brains become overloaded. Our thoughts swirl out of control. When the mind is overstimulated, it is difficult to hear the Lord deep down in our spirit. Learn to reduce the barrage of your natural senses, so that your spiritual senses can gain the upper hand.

When we shut down distractions, we make way for the Lord to speak to us about His eternal perspectives.

Ask the Lord questions.

Ask them one at a time. Then wait for His answer. This is one of the best ways to begin hearing Him more clearly. Our Father loves conversation time with His children. We do well to give Him the opportunity.

I hope some of these tips will be useful to you in your quest to hear the Lord more clearly. Would you like to share tips you have found helpful in hearing Him? By commenting, you may provide just what someone else needs!

 

Hotline to Heaven: Hearing the Voice of God —
A short, no-nonsense tutorial by Lee Ann Rubsam

 

 

Discerning the Political Spirit

If you have not yet noticed, it’s time to pay attention. A political spirit is having a field day in America. It is stirring up strife and anger to levels we have not seen in many decades.

Sadly, Christians are not immune to its influence. Many in the Church are listening to the political spirit, all the while thinking it is the Holy Spirit. As a result, we see much bickering back and forth, even within Christ’s Body, as we mistakenly try to fight battles in the flesh which can only be fought adequately in the spirit.

Let’s start by identifying some signs the political spirit is affecting us:

1. If it’s my political party’s stance, it’s right, do or die.
2. Being a Christian and being a patriot are synonymous to me. (Patriotism is usually honorable, but since we are citizens of two kingdoms, an earthly one and a heavenly one, the time may come when we will have to choose between the two.)
3. If my guy is in office, everything he does is right. He’s God-appointed and God-anointed, so he never takes a wrong turn.
4. If it’s not my guy in office, he is open game. Start blasting.
5. Key words trigger a dig-my-heels-in-the-ground stance, so that I cannot see any middle territory. I cannot hear a different viewpoint or see a perspective in between.
6. If my favorite news outlet says it is so, it is. If I am a conservative, I cannot believe anything from a liberal source could be accurate. (If I am a liberal, I cannot receive anything from a conservative viewpoint.)
7. I feel and exhibit anger and pride over where I stand. I argue with anyone of a different perspective until I win my point (or until they quit responding).
8. I am afraid of any truth which conflicts with what I want to believe.
9. I have an “us vs. them” mentality.

The political spirit can lead us into idolizing a particular government figure. It deceives us into replacing Jesus with human saviors. Once we have entered into this idolatry, anytime anyone voices a concern that the one we idolize may be wrong in a specific area, we get defensive and perhaps abusive in our rebuttal. We may twist the Bible to justify or minimize wrong — because the person we have on a pedestal must be viewed as always right in order for us to feel comfortable with our idolization of him or her.

On the other hand, the political spirit can also lead us into hating a particular government figure. We spend our time criticizing his or her every move. When anyone suggests we pray for that person instead of criticizing him, we make excuses or get defensive.

How do we become influenced by the political spirit? It gains our agreement by pandering to our soul. It manipulates our fears and selfish desires, so that life becomes all about making sure our comfort comes first.

It uses us by taking hold of principles we deeply ascribe to and twisting them for its own purposes. We bring those deeply held principles into how we pray, firmly convinced that we are on God’s side – when in actuality our understanding of the principles may be flawed. We may be misusing them for our own soulish desires or opinions.

Other spirits work in partnership with this spirit, but the Holy Spirit never does. We cannot follow the political spirit and the Holy Spirit at the same time.

The political spirit is nothing new. It was at work in Bible times with those who wanted to make Jesus a king so He would overthrow the oppressive Roman government. The Jewish religious leaders who were opposed to Jesus also exhibited it when they said to Pilate, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). It is not only at work in secular government, but also in church government. Wherever power can be wielded over people, it will try to work.

Combating the political spirit’s influence:

The most effective way to deal with this spirit is through prayer. We must always remember, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). If we don’t stay aware of the real source of the problem, we end up in futile contention with people who are merely tools of the enemy.

That does not mean we never engage in discussion or other activism. If we don’t speak up when the Lord is prompting us to, we allow evil to gain ground, but we must know the appropriate time and place. We can only know these things by the counsel of the Holy Spirit. Find out which battles the Holy Spirit is calling you to, and leave the rest alone.

Our battle must first be engaged by searching out God’s perspective through inquiring of Him in prayer. I might start by gathering information from news sources. (Keep in mind that both left- and right-leaning media distort or withhold information for their own purposes.) But then I ask, “Lord, what do You say about this?”

While we wait to hear from Him, we can begin to wage war by praying in tongues, which keeps us from praying fleshly prayers stemming from our own reasoning.

We can petition the Lord to break the political spirit’s influence off of our nation. This may involve asking Him to expose its influence over ourselves first, followed by repentance for our personal cooperation with it.

Discerning when the political spirit is at work in our own lives and in those around us is a first step in dealing with it. We can be set free, and through prayer, we can help to weaken this spirit’s hold on our nation as well.

Follow-up post, written about two years later:
Are You Influenced by the Political Spirit?

 

The Intercessor Manual,
by Lee Ann Rubsam

 

 

Your Intercession Questions Answered,
by Lee Ann Rubsam

 

More on Discerning of Spirits

I’ve mentioned before that since the beginning of the year God has been impressing upon me the importance of the gift of discerning of spirits. It’s not a gift for just a few, although some will move in it more keenly than others. All believers need to operate in it at greater levels than we have thus far, if we are going to navigate life well.

A few months ago, I shared with you the series, Discerning Between Soul and Spirit. If we do not pursue the Lord for the ability to know the difference between these two, we can easily be fooled into thinking our emotions (which are part of our soul) are the Holy Spirit’s promptings. While our feelings do often align with the Spirit, not all emotions we experience — even positive ones — indicate God’s leading. Many in the Church are operating entirely out of emotional impulses. We need to change that.

For example, sometimes we may feel “righteous indignation,” but it is really only anger fueled by our flesh. Compassion is a Christ-like quality, but we can also experience misguided compassion, coming only from our human emotions. A sense of personal justice (or injustice) might really be selfishness wearing a mask.

Every day, hour by hour, we must discern whether what is propelling us is truly the Spirit of God or our soul — or even something worse! If we listen to our soul too much, our defenses become weakened to where we could begin to be influenced by an unholy spirit, which we then mistake for the Holy Spirit.

As we commit ourselves to listening to the Lord and staying sensitive to Him, we can develop a much keener sense of what is from Him and what is not. Here are some ways I try to do that:

1.)  I ask God for His perspective on events happening around me, both in my personal life and relationships and on a national / international level.

2.)  I ask, “Lord, is what I am sensing from You, or is it just my own emotions?”

3.)  I ask the Holy Spirit to bring Bible verses to mind which address whatever I have questions about and to help me rightly apply them.

Applying biblical principles correctly takes wisdom only the Spirit can impart. It’s easy to find a verse to support whatever position we want to take. But without the Lord’s help, we can end up misusing Scripture for our own soulish purposes.

4.)  If I am concerned about something and feel an urge to speak into it, I check my peace barometer. If I’m churned up inside, I try to take a step back and ask the Holy Spirit for more understanding.

Colossians 3:15 advises us, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you are also called in one body; and be thankful.” That word “rule” means to act as a referee. So, if I feel an urge to jump into a debate, but I have no peace, I know I need to find out why before acting or speaking. (To my regret, sometimes I don’t do well at this, but I am learning.)

5.)  When possible, I delay responding to people or situations, giving myself time to gain wisdom. Waiting can save us a lot of unnecessary turmoil and discord. It’s a good thing not to be in a hurry!

There are battles which God has called us to speak into publicly and battles which are meant to stay in the prayer closet. We need to know the difference. If we fail to speak up in key moments, we might miss opportunities to advance the Lord’s purposes. If, however, we speak without the Spirit’s go-ahead, we can do damage to His cause.

Ephesians 6:12 is really easy to forget, so we should endeavor to keep it in mind constantly:

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

When we enter into spiritual battles by taking them on in the natural, we always end up on the wrong side. We cannot serve God’s purposes through fleshly attempts to fix things.

Truly, God is calling His people into higher ways of thinking. Romans 8:5, 6 is a key passage:

For they who live according to the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they who live according to the Spirit mind the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Let us pursue the attitudes of the Holy Spirit, asking Him to take us into His thoughts and ways. As we relentlessly do so, we will come into a far greater ability to discern the spirits and to align with Him alone.

 

The Spirit-Filled Guide to Personal Prophecy,
by Lee Ann Rubsam