There's a Spiritual Battle Over Biblical Truth Within the Body of Christ! Are You in the Fight -- Or Part of the Apathetic Church?

As I concentrate my personal studies in the Bible around the Last Days before Jesus's return, I can feel the tension in my spirit as I recognize the compromise and deception that is propagating within the Body of Christ and The Church in regards to Biblical Truth. 

Let me start by clarifying something ... I prefer to make reference to "the Body of Christ" rather than "the Church", and let me tell you why. To me, the Body of Christ signifies those of us who are part of a unified entity of individuals following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy and sanctified Son of the Almighty God of the Universe. As the Body of Christ, we gather together to encourage and uplift each other, and at the same time, have access to a personal, individual, and spiritual relationship with Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer. We see the Word as our guide to staying committed to the statutes and commands given to man since our creation; infallible, unerring, and true. There are so many other attributes of that term, [the Body of Christ], but these are the aspects that pertain to this blog post. 

On the other hand, I see "the Church" as an organization that has grown into an entity unto itself; an institution that often transforms the Word of God into something that benefits and supports itself -- professing faith in the Father and the Son, but oftentimes choosing to follow the world in compromise and agreement; or as 2 Timothy 3:5 says, "having a form of godliness but denying its power". 

And as a Watchman on the Wall, [commissioned by God to walk in His instruction as described in Ezekiel 33:1-9] I recognize the spiritual battle we are in. Too many, within both the Body of Christ and the Church, have let the Enemy come in through "the wide gate", a metaphor for one path available to us to live our lives on this earth. This wide gate is a path that leads to destruction, both in the here and now, as well as eternally. It is characterized by taking the easy, unrighteous way and seeking the popular choice. The "narrow gate" represents the more challenging path of following Jesus's ways that lead to Life, again both in the here and now, and in eternity.

And it is by believing and following the Truth of the Word, that we stand a chance of being delivered into that sanctified Life. Jesus IS the Word, and the Bible reveals Him and the Life-saving Truth that delivers us and guides us. But ever since my husband, Mark, and I said YES to His calling on our lives, the Lord has been revealing to us the battle in the spiritual realms to dissuade and discourage the acceptance of this Truth. The Enemy has entered the wide gate, made available to him and his followers. And Satan brought DECEPTION with him!

Simply put, this deception comes in many forms, but its purpose is always meant to mislead someone, or cause someone to believe something that is contrary to God's nature, according to Scripture. If Satan can corrupt God's Truth in the Bible, and then get us to question it or modify it so that it resembles authentic Truth, [with a satanic twist that denies its real power], then he will continue to make inroads towards cancelling God and claiming authority over man and the earth. He certainly made progress towards that goal in 1963 when he convinced the US Supreme Court to rule 8-1 against Bible reading in public schools. By eliminating God's established Truth in the Bible, the Enemy can send in his troops to distort, corrupt, or cancel the Truth and establish his anti-Christ theology. Likewise, by establishing the IRS 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, prohibiting attempts to influence legislation or participate in any political campaign activities, the devil can manipulate God's Truth [for example] about whether Abortion is intentional murder. If the Church avoids that difficult question and hides behind the law of the land, it is denying that God's law [established in His Truth] takes precedence. And Satan wins that round!   

But Remember! God never changes -- His Truth is not relative; it does not change according to your personal perspective. Yet, we hear individual Believers, as well as Leaders in the Church, declare their own "biblical justifications" on topics like the War in Iran; the Jew's position in Israel; Abortion; Same-sex marriage; Christian Nationalism; Illegal Immigration; God's Judgment; the Rapture; Social Justice; Gender Identity, and on and on. 

Folks, the Bible is a guide for every problem known to man; a manual for helping us to discern the narrow path and the way in which Jesus leads us. But it takes time to study it, to research it, to listen to God in order to hear His voice and understand, to practice it, to examine how to walk it out, to embed it in your heart, mind, soul and spirit. And the more time we spend in this powerful and symbiotic relationship with Him, we will learn to trust our discernment in His Truth. He will never steer us wrong or lead us astray! And if you are solidly walking this world with Him, you cannot miss the Spiritual battle over Biblical Truth. The question is ... what are you going to do about it? Will you stand in alliance with the Word ... or will you take the wide and easy path that yields the most self-comfort and join the part of the Church that has grown apathetic and lacking in the Spirit?

As I watch this battle playing out in the Spirit and on the earth, I am left wondering, "How much deception is the world willing to tolerate when it comes to Biblical Truth?" We can't define what makes someone a woman? REALLY?!?!  And Matthew 24:24 warns us that even the elect have the potential to be deceived. When someone like Bill Johnson, who has devoted his spiritual life to knowing God and trying to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, can be deceived and succumb to Satan's lies and treachery, then we see our own prospects for being led astray. He opted to protect his Church's ministries and reputation rather than look at (and reject) the sin that Jesus admonishes and rebukes. Johnson offered mercy and grace for the sin, but did not require repentance for forgiveness. As the Ekklesia, the Body of Christ needs to look at the fruit of the actions taken -- do they mirror God's Truth in His Word? Who better than Jesus to recognize the Truth; He, who had reason to soften God's commandments, to make them more convenient, palatable, and less painful for Himself? Instead, He showed us the self-sacrifice and reckoning that is required to pay the price for our sins against God and His Truth. 

I despise having to call out the agreement with Deception among the Body of Christ and in the Church! My assignment as a Watchman finds me often looking like a "Negative Nelly", as my grandmother would say. It's not that I don't see the goodness and authenticity of pure faith and obedience... it's that the lawlessness, led by Satan, is becoming so prevalent, that the Lord is highlighting His message to His Watchmen: Blow the trumpet loud and warn your people that they might be saved from My Judgment that is coming! Please believe me, I don't issue these warnings and thoughts for my own pleasure. I do not wish to see anyone denied entry into God's House or Family! But I don't want to be responsible for their blood on my hands! We all need to work together, from whatever assignment you've been given by God, to see the narrow path flooded with people of the world seeking the righteous path of Jesus Christ. Let's leave no one behind! The Lord is about to mount up on His Steed of Righteousness! Encourage the people of the Earth to hear the warnings!

1 Timothy 6:12    Fight the good fight of the faith [in conflict with evil]; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and [for which] you made the good confession of faith in the presence of many witnesses.  

          

 

 

 

 

The Lampstands in Christendom Are Dimming

The Book of Revelation is all about the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God has given us to show us how the end of the age will unfold. And in Chapter 2, we see that Jesus walks through the lampstands, which symbolize the seven churches He addresses in the Book of Revelations. These lampstand/churches are to be the source of spiritual light in a dark world. Jesus has and will be standing among them in these End Times, offering His presence and His support. 

But as we read on in Chapter 2, Jesus warns each of the seven churches that they must deal with their internal problems if they are to successfully face the external pressures that are coming. Furthermore, He warns them that if they refuse to repent of their ways, their lampstand [the church] will be removed! That should strike the heart of every Christian! From the founding of this nation, the Church and its influence have been at the root of our nation's existence. But as I have lamented far too often, I fear the Church has transitioned from a living, active body of faithful servants to an institution and business, choosing to compromise with the world, rather than stand in bold defiance against an increasingly ungodly world.

At the same time, I thankfully acknowledge that our God has always preserved a remnant unto Himself, described by a blogger who writes under the name Appolus, as "a people who have chosen Spirit over ceremony, truth over tradition, and Christ Himself over the systems that claimed His name". And this remnant, while not necessarily affiliated with a church building or denomination, have carried on the Message of Jesus to the apostate churches, pleading with them to turn away and repent for their failings. Among the accusations Jesus brings against the lampstands are 1) They've lost their first love for the Lord, each other, and lost sinners; 2) They've descended into idolatry and immorality, including sexual immorality because they've listened to Jezebel, a false prophetess; 3) They are forever starting new ventures, but never finishing anything -- they are dead in their works; 4) They have become sick but don't realize it and Jesus has stopped attending services there!

Thankfully, there is a Remnant that is still on fire for Jesus and their faith is healthy and vibrant. They have turned from a luke-warm pretense of faith in favor of an active, effective, walk with the Lord that is distinctly alive. They identify as the Church, themselves, doing the work of Jesus "as they go", trading lifeless religion for ministries that don't need to entertain and distract the masses in order to deliver the message of Christ's love and call to service.

I recall when my husband and I looked at each other in a big church that had been such a place of instruction and joy to us in the early days of our faith journey, and we realized that the Word of God we were being fed was no longer nourishing our souls or spirits. We were starving for more, and eventually began to feed ourselves through deep study in the Word, rather than being spoon-fed by pastors teaching "new paradigms" of Christianity that didn't align with what we were reading. That was 15 years or so ago, and the table Jesus prepared for us was life-sustaining and enriching. And the number of those who I've heard echo that sentiment of "feeling hungry for more" has increased dramatically. And I can't help but wonder how many lampstands have been removed from churches in that same time period.

Interestingly enough, those that find themselves leaving nominal [and/or cultural] Christianity to become part of the Remnant, are often called heretics. Yet the Remnant are the ones more interested in true discipleship, rather than maintaining membership roles. They want the reality of an authentic faith that changes lives, rather than simply paying homage to rituals and traditions. They don't want religion; they want the fire and the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They don't want to be taught man-made denominational liturgies and ceremonies; they want the Truth of God's Word and to see evidence of it bearing fruit in lives. 

Sadly, the truth of our Faith is that the lampstand and Light of Christ has been extinguished and quenched in many churches. But because I know and believe that God always preserves a faithful remnant in every generation, we are not lost. There is still hope because He will not abandon us. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will accompany us as we, the Church, made up of faithful individuals, go into the world with their message of Light, Life, and Redemption. For Christ and His message is the same today as it was to His Disciples at His First Coming ... Start where you are, and spread the Gospel to surrounding areas, ultimately to the ends of the earth. He will empower us with the Holy Spirit to fulfill our specific mission. The Lampstands are dimming, but the Light of Christ is burning brightly in the hearts of the Faithful, and the Darkness cannot put it out.

So, just as we should take heed of Jesus's warnings to the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation, let us also hang on to the assurances and rewards to those churches He approved. As the Remnant, we will exhibit courage in the face of opposition and deprivation [which will prophetically exist]. And we will be placed in a position of honor in the Millennial Kingdom to come and receive the Crown of Life. Until then we are told to hold fast, holding on to the faith that we have. He is Coming! And I believe He is Preparing to Ride! 

Revelation 22:16-17     "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come'. And let the one who hears say, 'Come'. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."