Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Terror in the Spirit World


TERROR IN THE SPIRIT WORLD

Have you ever stepped back and watched the ant farm called the human race and seen the horror of it all? The Scriptures clearly tell us that things will get worse and that violence of all kinds will grow. There are many vicious forms of violence that take place around the world every single day. The ones which elicit most attention from us impact us and are usually parochial in nature or affect our own secure existence. It is human nature.

And along with these episodes of violence comes fear; pungent and raw and heartfelt fear. Fear is an incredibly strong emotion which can elicit all kinds of actions.  Fear will make people go insane. Fear will make people hate. Fear will make people kill. Fear can literally make people obsessive about many things and many people. Fear is the opposite of faith and when it roams the halls of the church it removes all spiritual power and redirects the church into earthly remedies.

But with the first “Fear not!” spoken by Bethlehem’s messengers there came a long list of exhortations that told us not to fear. God has not given us the spirit of fear. We cannot, we must not allow fear to become our motivation for anything. It is diametrically opposed to the gospel and the Spirit filled life. We must fear God and Him alone.

Matt.10: 26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

And herein lies a truth which is so easily discarded in favor of earthly views and the machinations of men. The church is always horrified by these senseless acts of violence which take human lives, but are we horrified by the spiritual terrorism which is openly displayed every single day on all sorts of mediums? We watch people dead and alive being carried on gurneys amidst all the carnage, but we do not see the spiritual carnage being strewn across the world by false teachers and well known heretics.

But our Lord warned us not to fear man who can kill the body but we must fear God. And in these last days do not believe the evil one cannot use creative things to deceive the church. And when we as believers see these acts of terrorism all across the world we will be tempted to concentrate on the temporal and the obvious and thereby we will miss the true warfare in the spirit. The devil wants us to strive to protect the flesh while he damns the soul. It is quite a feat because it is so wily and clever.

These last days will be astonishing by the scope of sin in every area. The church has already compromised to the point of apostasy and the world has made sin an art form. We do not realize how much violence occurs around the world every single day. I am referring to guns and bombs and the like. But how many rapes and child abuse goes on? It is mind boggling even to think of such things. There is violence of all kinds on ever day. A child can be walking along and from the sky, without warning, a drone can drop a bomb and end his life. And this drone can be guided by a man sitting comfortably thousands of miles away in an air conditioned room while sipping on hot coffee. It is surreal.

But there is another form of terrorism that is taking place throughout the evangelical world. And just like these horrific events in Boston we can watch it on television and listen to it on the radio. It is called spiritual terrorism and souls are being metaphorically carried off on gurneys from hell as they breathe their last. People’s hearts and minds are being obliterated in the bloodless carnage. It is practiced openly and legally and in plain sight. And millions upon millions are walking toward it rather than running from it. And instead of church buildings being hospitals for the spiritually wounded many of them have become staging areas for the terror in the spirit.

Yes, I am using metaphorical language but make no mistake; the metaphors do not completely reveal the extent of this spiritual genocide. The weapons are false words and the power is evil. But since this terror comes with many smiles, and since it is employed with many wonderful promises, this kind of terror invites people inside its chamber of death. And once inside this aura of spiritual destruction the victims find good food and good fellowship and a continuing stream of great promises and self affirming words that lift the spirit. You see, even while being spiritually annihilated these victims seem to enjoy it and resist any attempts by others to warn them of their dire situation.

Evil spirits that present themselves as angels of light speak great and swelling words and by them deceive the hearts of many and imprison them into a religious system which has no redemption. And while they promise them all kinds of freedom they are placing them in spiritual bondage and bringing them into a captivity which will cost them their souls. This is no game of dungeons and dragons. This is no church argument over some silly doctrine. This is no envy or ministry jealousy. These are heresies and falsehoods that are designed to bring damnation to souls and keep them from knowing the only truth that can save them. And as I said, the clever and diabolical nature of this spiritual holocaust is that it is accomplished with smiles and songs and radiant faces and financial success and with the promise of a better earthly life.

The leaders of this terrorism do not make videos with black masks and threatening words of hatred. In fact their outreach cannot be more affable and congenial, and their faces glow with care and expectancy. They do not move under the radar and in caves and inconspicuous dwelling places. They travel in private jets and expensive cars and are adorned with the finest clothing. And instead of hiding, they rent huge athletic stadiums or local bar rooms or they even speak at inauguration festivities. Instead of shunning the limelight they invite and orchestrate it!

How can you convince a person that such carnage is being strewn throughout the world when he cannot see it? How can people who are reveling in their own spiritual destruction understand their perilous situation? How can you convince someone who is happy in their earthly success and achievement that what they believe to be a blessing is actually an albatross from hell? And how can you inform a person that the man or woman who they have come to adore is actually a spiritual wolf who is feeding off their eternal souls? The answer is that unless the Spirit enlightens their hearts they both cannot know nor do they desire to know.

But that does not mean we are not to warn them and expose the works of darkness. In fact some of us have been gloriously set free from some of those awful systems. And should we just keep the truth to ourselves? God forbid! Does a man who escapes a fire in his apartment building not turn and try and help others escape? Does he not pull the fire alarm and warn others? Does he not call the fire department? Well how much more are we called by God and a divine duty to lovingly and forcefully and even passionately warn those who are still trapped inside a fire that will one day consume them?

As followers of the Lord Jesus we are still in the world but we are not of the world. We see the carnage around the world and the vicious acts of terrorism and we mourn with those victims. But we also must be aware that there is a massive terrorist effort taking place right now in the spirit realm. Millions of professing believers still do not see it, even many who do not follow these false teachers and blind guides. We will be criticized for what some brethren call ugly and unchristian and unloving. I understand. I understand that they do not understand. We must walk in forgiveness without leaving our post. We must preach the truth in love and we must not allow these heretics to consume us. Christ must consume us and be our daily passion.

But while we hold fast to the cross and walk in His resurrection, we must also speak words of correction and light to all those who are still walking in a pleasant spiritual darkness. Sometimes we do not like it. Sometimes we grow weary. Sometimes we get discouraged. But we cannot, we will not ever deny the truth. And it is His truth from which we  must draw our strength. And the Lord is using His truth to reach some and deliver then out of the hands of the wicked one, and in that we rejoice!

We may not always agree, and we may have different theological perspectives. Some are Calvinists and reformed while others come from a free will perspective, and we may quarrel among ourselves. But make no mistake in this war about which I write we are all brothers in arms against this ever growing spiritual plague. And when one insignificant soul is set free from the clutches of spiritual evil we all rejoice as one! The time is short and the days are evil. Let us pray and speak as if someone’s life depended upon it. It does.

Jesus is the only way to eternal life and His true path is not littered with earthy success and material accoutrements.
Following the true Jesus will cost us.
And if someone says he or she speaks for Jesus and says He will make you rich or healthy or successful on the earth then you must do one of two things.
You either run from that person or die with them.

10 comments:

Cherie c. said...

You know how people hand out tracts as an effort of out reach? Pastor, can I print out this post and hand it out?

I even wanted to mail a copy to some old church friends of mine, but I will not do so unless you approve.

Your posts are better than tracts.

I watch people all the time and wonder if they care or know what befalls them. I look at my own family and wonder how they can continue day after day and not acknowledge the Lord and those who profess to know Him not do what He would have them do! That includes me at times.

Do they really need the Holy Spirit to realize that something is not quite right? Even in the church system I know something wasn't adding up as they said, but could not put my finger on it until someone showed me. The person who showed me lives in some form of error, but he showed me that my church was not doing something right. I guess we all live in some form of error at times.

I discovered heretical ways after being shown how to understand what I was reading in God's Word. Was that the Holy Spirit? If it was I'm even more convinced the Bible is true because Jesus describes the Holy Spirit and it happened to me just that way. I had no idea which way He came, but He came and opened my eyes. I am uncomfortable at times about it because I don't do anything to deserve His love and correction, but I am grateful to have been shown what path I was on and to get off/out asap.

It is difficult to show people what they don't see and the cost is dear, but what is waiting for us with our Lord is worth any cost we may pay here. Keeping in mind what the scriptures says about nothing here being as bad as the wonderfulness that awaits us. Even if I was handed a cot and a bowl of oatmeal, just being in His presence will be wonderful enough. I am looking forward to the new body that I will be given. No pain, no deformity, just like His.

Sorry to get off topic, but what I am saying is that sometimes someone's words can do a great benefit instead of those tracts and if you allow, I would like too print this out and other posts and use them as tracts.

Prayer brothers and sisters is the most effective way we can do any good. Dive into the Word, wear it every day, and we will be ready when called.

I said to my son sometime ago when he was dealing with a difficult situation that it is so sad, heart wrenching to see people struggle and live sad lives only to continue in that state and even worse in eternity. I will face the same fate if I don't do what I am supposed to do. I love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and all my strength, but I am lazy. I must repent of that.

Pastor, I know we do not have a building we can all gather together in for a pray service, but we could appoint a day and time to meet the Lord in our prayer closets and have a corporate pray time. All praying for the same things at the same time. I have heard of all night pray sessions in some churches long ago, never hear much about them anymore, but what a way for all of us, even in different parts of the world to gather together at an appointed time and pray.

Let me know, and those brothers and sisters who would like to participate in an evening of prayer as the body of Christ, please let Pastor know. Leonard Ravenhill spoke about those events when he was preaching. What a time that must have been. A Blessing.

your sister in Christ Jesus,
Cherie c.

Rick Frueh said...

Sure, sister, and may God bless your efforts.

Anonymous said...

Excellent post. Thanks for encouraging and exhorting us brother!

Loddie R said...

Rick,

Your words are certainly a carbon copy of my own heartfelt concerns for what is going on in the spirit realm of professing Christianity today.

One paragraph in particular got my attention. “How can you convince a person that such carnage is being strewn throughout the world when he cannot see it? How can people who are reveling in their own spiritual destruction understand their perilous situation? How can you convince someone who is happy in their earthly success and achievement that what they believe to be a blessing is actually an albatross from hell? And how can you inform a person that the man or woman who they have come to adore is actually a spiritual wolf who is feeding off their eternal souls? The answer is that unless the Spirit enlightens their hearts they both cannot know nor do they desire to know.”

What immediately came to mind was Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians where in chapter 2 he writes about those who would receive with open arms the one empowered by Satan: “because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Seems to me that what God is doing in these last times is separating the sheep from the goats. The reason goats believe the big lie is because God is sending them strong delusion, that they should believe that lie. Since we don’t know for sure who the sheep or goats are we must always be ready to give the gospel to all and then let God open or close their understanding.

I am not discouraged by what is going on but see it as a sign that Christ is fully attentive to his Father’s timeline which is rapidly approaching the signal for his return and rapture of those that are truly his.

Radiance said...

What upsets me is that the people and believers in this nation only seem to weep for the wounded and maimed when they victims look like us and live between our shores...but wounded and maimed Iraqi children are merely "collateral."

It is such a poisonous pathology, considering also how much this country DOES revel in senseless violence on TV Shows, video games, and movies- taking pleasure in it even for its entertainment value!

Anonymous said...

Oh, so true.

When our carnal man/woman gets over the shock and sadness of yesterday's event, it then heads into anger and a need to see swift justice. But, as christians, we have to reject those carnal feelings and live by the fruit of the Spirit.

We pray for the victims, the good people who attempt to save, help, rescue, the police, ambulance, doctors, nurses who have to surgically repair the wounded; as christians, we shouldn't even have enough time to entertain "hate".

Within hours of the events, a slow slinking seed of Satan enters the minds of some in radio and tv media (wolves) and goes on a crusade, to taunt it's viewers with conspiratorial tone. It starts to worm it's way into minds; it's words are like butter, soothing at first, then, accusatory. If christians were wise, they'd see the little propaganda machine from certain programs that want to exact revenge and want the perpetrators or perpetrator responsible brought to immediate justice. Then, some in the church back home, are all in a tizzy, wondering why the government won't do anything immediate about it. They drag political views into the tragedy and are their own worst enemy. This isn't the church's business; to get fearful.


It seems that some christians want to have an "enemy" all packaged and easy to identify. They forget that there'll always be global evil, and despite our government's best efforts to squash evil, evil will still abound. It is the result of man's sin. Our physical world is under the curse of Adam and Eve, yet the Son of God came to break that curse, but spiritually. The world will still reel into perdition before He comes back. I think some gullible church leaders influenced by what they hear today and try to tie everything into a good versus evil scenario, like for instance - The west is good, east is evil. Democracy and captalism is good, socialist is evil, rich is good, poor is evil, healthy and prosperous is good, weak and struggling is evil, fear is good, faith is evil.

I hope that very few are this gullible, but it's so true men of God need to arise and preach the truth to Jesus' sheep, who told Peter to "feed my sheep" with His truth.

michael said...

If a reader wants me to exegete the following verses I will? Suffice it though, let this eternal invisible sight be focused in your spiritual mind first and if the Holy Spirit doesn't awaken within you the horror of spiritual defeat being reveal in these verses I'll be glad to embellish the terrors of this king of terrors side by side with THEE KING OF ALL TERROR?

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: "How long will you hunt for words? Consider, and then we will speak. Why are we counted as cattle? Why are we stupid in your sight? You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you, or the rock be removed out of its place? "Indeed, the light of the wicked is put out, and the flame of his fire does not shine. The light is dark in his tent, and his lamp above him is put out. His strong steps are shortened, and his own schemes throw him down. For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walks on its mesh. A trap seizes him by the heel; a snare lays hold of him. A rope is hidden for him in the ground, a trap for him in the path. Terrors frighten him on every side, and chase him at his heels. His strength is famished, and calamity is ready for his stumbling. It consumes the parts of his skin; the firstborn of death consumes his limbs. He is torn from the tent in which he trusted and is brought to the king of terrors. (Job 18:1-14 ESV)

Anonymous said...

Do not fear are great words, and we should not fear the false teachers, for a sorer punishment awaits them. Likewise, let us keep our faith in God and not lose our focus and somehow believe someone's salvation depends upon us; rather, let us strive to love and proclaim His Word--which is full of power, does not come back to Him void and will serve His good and perfect will. Those who will be saved, shall be saved. As for me, I pray that I may love our Lord and my neighbor, and that as unworthy as I am, He will grant that I may serve Him in exposing false teachers, leaving the revealing of truth to His Holy Spirit. Blessings of our Lord to all!

Anonymous said...

David
Thank you brother Rick, for another excellent post. I am reformed in theology, but as you have stated it is time for all of us who have been regenerated, to start praying and reaching out with all that is in us to this lost nation with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the post. I have been a watchman on the wall for several years for a small group of people. Several of them are Catholics and my heart goes out to them. Try as we may it seems there is no break thru to them but I leave all that to the Holy Spirit. I do get discouraged at times because I get very little feedback but I continue to send out what the Holy Spirit shows me feeling the time grows short.

Truthkeeper