God is saying to His people today: "My Church is in spiritual adultery; My Church is becoming a spiritual harlot". We are seeing the fulfillment of the apostles' writing and the Book of Revelation that talk about apostasy. It is true that most believers believe in Biblical foundation through faith but many of them unknowingly add on to this foundation with unscriptural materials which are based on the teaching of Eastern religions, occult and New Age philosophy. Every true believer has a mandate from God to take away all those unscriptural materials and replace them with genuine materials in God's Word. The Bible says we must test all things and hold fast what is good (1 Thess. 5:21). We must rebuild the Church of Jesus Christ with the truth of God's Word.
Paul said to Timothy, "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity'" (2 Tim. 2:19, NKJV).
Paul said to the Christians in Ephesus, "... having been built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief cornerstone, ..." (Eph. 2:20).
How many Churches are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets? How many Churches are upholding the apostles' doctrine without compromise (Acts 2:42)? But bear in mind that the Lord knows who belongs to Him (2 Tim. 2:19) - A believing Christian who departs from iniquity.
Deception, delusion and apostasy in the Church
Paul said, "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteous" (2 Thess. 2:9 - 12, emphasis added).
Here are some statements of truth:
1. Paul was writing to Christian believers. These believers refused to believe and refused to love the truth that would save them.
2. As a result of their refusing to believe and love the truth, God Himself would send them strong delusion so that they would believe Satan's lie instead.
There are two theologies rising up in the Church now. One is Biblical interpretation of theology and the other is New Age mentality. If you refuse to hold fast the truth of God's Word, God will send you a strong delusion to deceive you with the New Age mentality.
Hidden danger of New Age philosophy
The very philosophy of the New Age movement is ushering in the religion of antichrist (counterfeit Christ). It is the exact mentality and philosophy of many deceived Christians who are telling you that you should not get caught up with negative messages of repentance, death and hell, of the second coming of Christ and of the eternal judgment. The antichrist spirit is telling you that your are wonderful, you are great, you are people of virtue and we are going to win the world for Christ. That sounds very good to the flesh but if we do not know God's Word we will get sucked right into it!
That, I believe is New Ageism at the core. That is undermining Biblical Christianity and we need to stand and oppose that with God's Word. What the New Age movement proclaims is what Paul called the doctrine of demons (1 Tim. 4:1, 2).
Jesus Himself warned us: "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great sighns and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand" (Matt. 24:24, 25, emphasis added).
Notice that false christs and false prophets can perform great signs and wonders. The word "elect" means Christians, God's people and the Church.
Paul told Timothy, "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desire; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths" (2 Tim. 4:2 - 4, NAS, emphasis added).
The two words "reprove" and "rebuke" are not in the vocabulary of the New Age philosophy. To them, these are negative words that cause division. When you use these words you are divisive and judgmental and you are evil. But to you and I these are the Words of God.
The New Age Christian always takes Scripture out of context to support their view that Christians who reprove or rebuke them are causing division. Study the example below:
Paul said, "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offences, ..." (Romans 16:17, NKJV).
The above verse is not complete. It sounds pretty good and clear. Therefore anyone like myself who speaks any correction or any rebuke is causing division. Now let us open to that Scripture and complete the verse and see what it says:
"... contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them" (V. 17).
It is now obvious who are causing division. Not those who are standing up correcting and rebuking the things that is going on, but those who allow the New Age occultic spirit to infiltrate the Church. They conveniently taking Scripture out of context, twist it and leave parts out!
Jude said, "I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).
In other words, true Chrsitian should make an earnest effort to hold fast on Biblical Christianity.
Now, for what reason the Church has been infiltrated outrightly by the antichrist New Age spirit? There are many reasons for this. Let us consider just three of them: Firstly, because of the philosophy of love and unity at all costs. Secondly, the philosophy of do not judge and finally, the philosophy of confessing God's Word but taking it out of context.
Satanic philosophy of "love and unity at all costs"
I believe in love and unity and I believe we need more love and unity in the true Body of Christ. But when the Church begins to involve, to endorse and to encourage New Age tactics and occultism that is where my love and unity come to an end. I will not unite with the spirit of antichrist. I must always stand for God's Word and stand for His truth.
If God is not against love and unity at all costs why did He stop the building of the Tower of Babel by creating confusion among the people with different languages? Why did He tell Israel to maintain their separateness with idolatry and paganism around them? Think about that!
These people are preaching to you another Jesus (2 Cor. 11:4) and a different gospel (Gal. 1:6). They are giving you New Age Christianity. Multitudes of the elect of God who do not know God's Word are getting caught up into it.
Satanic philosophy of "do not judge"
Jesus said, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matt 7:1).
Yes, I believe that. I cannot judge your heart. You stand before the Lord and not before me. But I have an obligation to judge your fruit and your doctrine by the standard of God's Word.
The same Chapter further down Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves" (V. 15).
Please tell me how to identify false prophets in sheep's clothing unless I make a value judgment, unless I examine their fruit and unless I examine their doctrine. There is a Biblical balance we need to keep in mind. We must not forget to look at any Scripture in its context. We must have truth and love at the same time. Sometimes we must show love in the form of discipline and accountability. As Paul said, we must always speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). This is the Biblical balance all true Christians must uphold.
The New Age Christians think you are doing God a great favor for not putting their fruit and doctrine to the test. They say you can't put them to the test; you can't evaluate their teaching because the Holy Spirit has revealed to their apostles and prophets the things they have been speaking about. And to question them is to question God. My reply to them is - garbage!
The angel of the Lord spoke to John, "I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who cll themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love" (Rev. 2:2 - 4, NAS, emphasis added).
Jesus was commending the Church of Ephesus. True Christians who desire to obey and please God must put to the test those who called themselves ministers of God. We must also have the balance of standing for the truth and at the same time never to leave our first love - with our whole hearted allegiance to the Jesus of the Bible.
Satanic philosophy of "confessing God's Word"
The New Age movement is deceiving true Christians by appplying or confessing the Scripture out of context.
Jesus said, "... all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23).
I believe the concept of that, but I also believe that there are criterion, qualification and certain condition to be met and fulfilled before we are able to receive what God says. Let us go further:
Jesus also said, "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:14). And we stopped right there.
What if you go out and confess your neighbor's wife? Is God obligated to honor it because you confessed it?
Most New Age Christians will say yes, because he has quoted the right verse and he has used the right formula!
But the very next verse qualifies what Jesus said: "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (V. 15).
John said, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 John 5:14).
James said, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasure" (James 4:3).
David the psalmist said, "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Ps. 37:4).
If you desire to have a ministry you need to delight yourself in the Lord - which means to humble youself, obey Him, fear Him, pray earnestly and seek His face and His will, until you get a Word from Him. I believe your ministry is not there because of the right confession but because of obedience!
Satanic blessing
Togething with the emergence of the New Age movement there is a thing called satanic blessing. I believe many professional full-time ministers in mega-churches are experiencing a satanic blessing. They are allowing this New Age occultic technique to infiltrate their Churches and ministries. They are seeing blessing; they are seeing prosperity; they are seeing miracles of signs and wonders; they are seeing tremendous Church growth and they are seeing heights and excitement among members of the congregation. And there is so much love and unity and things are really going so well. To them this must be the blessing of God. Jesus addressed this problem and gave His warning at the close of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 7:21 - 23).
There is an urgent need of the Spirit of discernment among God's people in this end time hour. It seems to me the outpouring of Satan's spirit of deception surpasses the outpouring of God's grace and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Why? Simply because the Church has grieved the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30).
A different kind of famine
The Word of the Lord spoken through Amos: "I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it" (Amos 8:11, 12, NKJV, emphasis added).
Amos' prophecy is being fulfilled now. Amos was talking about a different kind of famine, not a famine of physical food like some countries are facing right now, but a famine of Spiritual food - the Word of God. Because of this fact, undiscening Christians are being deceived by words of the satanice New Age philosophy!
Challenges ahead
Here are some challenges ahead for all true believers in Christ:
1. Total commitment to Jesus Christ, the savior and the Lord. Do not be a lukewarm Christian. God will vomit you out of His mouth if you are neither cold nor hot (Rev. 3:16). The Kingdom of God has no place for any lukewarm Christian.
2. Cultivate a discerning and a sensitive spirit. Feed on God's Word and become a matured Christian.
The writer of Hebrews said, "For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Heb. 5:13, 14, NKJV, emphasis added).
3. Becoming an expert on God's Word. Anything that is not in accord with God's Word do not sqallow it but reject it. Be a Berean Christian - "... they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).
Examine what you read (including this message) and what you hear in the light of God's Word.
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