The Nature of Spiritual Deception

SPIRITUAL DECEPTION:

SOME OBSERVATIONS

Logic, Intelligence, Reason, Evidence, Proof: Don’t Apply

Some observations on spiritual deception which originated from a few recent discussions on the topic.

These observations will be grouped under five broad headings. The reader may or may not be familiar with the points made.

1. DECEPTION IS EVERYWHERE

 “Deception is everywhere” is a statement with which the regular reader of End Times Prophecy Report is well acquainted.  The question has come up: Well, what exactly is this “deception” about which we’re being warned?

(Regular readers will have to bear with us: The following information has been presented many times before, but one point discussed was  “Americans are a people who are most comfortable when they have a list in front of them–never mind that most are far better at compiling and reading such lists than acting on the individual items.”)

•  Everything on TV promotes deception.
• Everything in the Corporate Media is deceptive, particularly Corporate Media “news.”
• Every commercial is deception personified. Every advertisement appeals to one of the three root causes of sin: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes or the pride of life. [1 John 2:16]
• Every piece of “literature” is deception and contributes to the interlocking series of lies by which we are surrounded. If an author is not a member-in-good-standing of the mystery of iniquity, they will not get published nor will they be promoted by the world.
• We do not know everything at present–but one day we will.  In that day, we will likely find out that every so-called “man of God” presented to us by the world was working for the enemy.
• Politics is deception.  Expecting politics or political systems or leaders–regardless of where on the political spectrum they claim to stand–to deliver solutions is to already be deceived.
• Every movie out of Hollywood is a lethal piece of programming, meant to deceive its audience about the world around them.
• The music you listen to, the world’s events, the apps on your smartphone: all of it is compromised.
• Every personality who appears regularly on TV is deceptive.  This is particularly true of so-called “Christian TV.”
• Every person promoted by the world as a “man of God”–along with their books, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, and other merchandise–are agents of deception.

People ask “What is the truth?”

The answer: God’s Word is truth–and nothing else.

God’s Holy Spirit and God’s Word are the only deception-free sources of information in this lost world.

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
—John 17:17

There are flashes of occasional truth in Hollywood movies. These serve as sort of “inside jokes.”  One of these surfaced in the 1999 antichrist movie, The Matrix.

In the movie, the character Morpheus is describing what the Matrix is. To obtain a peek into the mystery of iniquity, in the following conversation, substitute the words “Satan’s kingdom” for “the Matrix.”

Morpheus: Let me tell you why you’re here. You’re here because you know something. What you know you can’t explain, but you feel it. You’ve felt it your entire life, that there’s something wrong with the world. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I’m talking about?

Neo: The Matrix.

Morpheus: Do you want to know what it is?

Neo: Yes.

Morpheus: The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work… when you go to church… when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.

Neo: What truth?

Morpheus: That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind.

 “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave  to sin.”
—John 8:34

“there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
—Romans 3:12

2. HIGH INTELLIGENCE, LOGIC or REASONING WILL NOT PROTECT ONE FROM SPIRITUAL DECEPTION

During one discussion, the following statement was made.

“If someone is deceived, you have to “shut them down.”  You have to present  the best evidence in such a way that the deceived person does not have an answer.”

It was pointed out that if evidence or proof or intelligence or logic were determining factors of deception, then the person would be merely misinformed, not deceived.

There’s a world of difference between the two.

Spiritual deception is a spiritual condition. As such, one cannot fight it with carnal weapons.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
—2 Corinthians 10:3-5

3. THE END TIMES ARE A PERIOD OF EXTREME DECEPTION

And the great dragon…that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world:
—Revelation 12:9

The picture the Bible paints of the end times–particularly the end times church–is of a people largely saturated with sin and totally deceived about their condition.  Yet, despite these warnings, church-goers wallow in their deception and apostasy and embrace the most ungodly teachings.

Many are familiar with the warnings of Jesus in Matthew 24 on deception in the last days.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
—Matthew 24:4

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
—Matthew 24:11

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
—Matthew 24:24

Believers are warned that much of the end times deception will largely originate from two sources: 1- within the apostate Church; and, 2- from the synagogue of Satan.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
—Matthew 7:15

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
—Jude 1:4

Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
—Titus 1:4

And yet, so many church-goers swallow whatever evil hirelings, wolves and deceivers dish out.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
—1 Timothy 4:1-2

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
—2 Timothy 3:13

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
—2 Timothy 4:3-4

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
—2 Timothy 3:1-5

The Church is warned of fables and falsehoods.  Alas, those warnings go largely unheeded by the pew-sitters.

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
—1 Timothy 1:4

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
—2 Timothy 4:4

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
—2 Peter 1:16

Most of the Church labors under the delusion of cunningly-devised end times fables.  For the person who wonders what those fables are, here’s a clue: almost all eschatology that has been taught by an apostate Church and Christian mass media over the last 180 years.

That’s mostly everything today’s Christians accept as truth.

4. MEN DO NOT WANT A BIBLICAL SOLUTION TO DECEPTION

Those in the world are already deceived.

The world does not want a Biblical solution to deception.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
—John 3:19

Men who are deceived are spiritually blind.

An ironic proof of this was a recently-discovered website which offered psychic predictions while also offering advice on “spiritual deception!”  The advice featured a graphic of a wolf in sheep’s clothing!

Because men without Christ are evil, they do not want spiritual solutions.  They do, however, want the appearance of being spiritual.

This is the reason so many want “quick fixes” which do not involve study of the Bible.

Or prayer.

This is a reason so many outsource their Bible study to others. The unsaved want a Jesus solution without Jesus. They want to know what the Bible says without the faith necessary for belief and comprehension.

Although ‘what’s the Lord saying’ is by far the most popular question I get in my correspondence, whenever things begin to heat up and we begin to see more pieces falling into place, a quiet hum becomes a roar, and I have to wade through e-mail after e-mail asking the same question over and over.

I understand the need or desire to want to know what the Lord is saying, but the Lord has been saying many things, for many years, all of which have gone wholly unheeded.

‘Humble yourselves, repent, turn from your wickedness, and pray!’

‘Yeah, we don’t want to do that, so, what else is the Lord saying?’

‘Prepare yourselves, sanctify yourselves, and steel yourselves for what is to come.’

‘I think we’ll pass on that one too…just tell us what’s going to happen and be specific.’

God has spoken, and He is still speaking, but He is not saying the things the church wants to hear, so the church has chosen to ignore Him altogether.
–Michael Boldea, Fulfillment

This is why so many can dismiss or ignore parts of the Bible which contradict the way they want to live their lives. They treat God’s Word as a “cut-and-paste” source to validate the beliefs they already have.

When heresy is pointed out, the response usually goes something like this.

“Well, that’s YOUR interpretation.”

This is the reason so many are spiritually blind in spite of the Bible’s countless warnings–some of them by Jesus Himself.

5. THE SOLUTION FOR SPIRITUAL DECEPTION/BLINDNESS

No argument, no book, no DVD, no small group presentation will solve someone’s spiritual deception: only God can open spiritually-blind eyes.

Not even the Bible or Bible verses will open the eyes of the deceived: for the Word of God is spiritually discerned.  Depending upon the depth of deception, the deceived person may already be totally separated from God.

The end times will see the rise of the apostate Church.  Most of the American Church is apostate already: full of pretend Christians, operating without the Holy Spirit, worshiping false spirits and idols, waiting for the man of sin.

How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
—Jude 1:18-19

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
—2 Peter 3:3

How loudly do they protest that they “love Jesus” and are worshiping God!

The churches are apostate because so who many go to church are not part of the Church. Because the churches are full of people who have made their peace with this world, the churches are apostate.

Friends of the world are enemies of God.

A person who is separated from God cannot discern God’s Word.  This is the reason so many who supposedly are “men of God” mangle the Word of God: they are unsaved frauds pretending to be His. As such, they do not have the ability to discern His Word.

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
—1 Corinthians 2:14

John MacArthur and the Mark of the Beast: Last Days Apostasy

When a person is blind to spiritual reality, only God can open their eyes.

“And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
—2 Kings 6:15-17

The solution for spiritual deception is spiritual.

Only prayer–and lots of it–to a merciful God for mercy.

And for the opening of the eyes of the person who is spiritually deceived.

CONCLUSION

The nature of spiritual deception is–surprise!–spiritual.

As such, the solution for spiritual deception and blindness is spiritual, not carnal.  Trying to win an argument with a spiritually deceived person over spiritual matters using the wisdom of this world is a losing cause.

Pray to God to open the eyes of the spiritually deceived.

Remember to regularly pray that God keep you yourself from spiritual deception.

NOTE: All believers occasionally stumble.  But discernment and the Holy Spirit will keep the true believer from persisting in a deception.

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• Do You Know if You are Going to Heaven?  Be Sure!
• Set Apart for a Purpose
• False Watchmen, Merchants of Fear and Antichrist Deceivers
• Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy: Deceiving Men Away from Jesus
• Your Life is Not a Vapor: Devil’s Greatest Trick
• The Many Layers of End Times Deception: Deception in the Church
• American Apostasy: Disobedience in the House of God
• Signs of Apostasy: Lack of Christian Witness
• Biblical Israel vs Secular Israel: Are they the Same?
• The John Hagee Deception: Jesus not the Messiah for the Jews
• Yitzhak Kaduri, the Kabbalah and Antichrist: MAN OF SIN
• Faith No Longer Needed in American Church: The Sight-Walkers

by Jeremiah J. Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier

images:
1- ETPR/David Castillo Dominici, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
2- ETPR/Victor Habbick, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-13. © Mondo Frazier, DBKP and End Times Prophecy Report, 2007-13. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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