The Christian’s Real Adversary

 “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not 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 6:11,12. Bold type was added.

These verses can be difficult for Christians to embrace, but the Lord wants us to know the nature of WHO we’re really fighting against, and the weapons He gave us for facing them in Ephesians 6:11-18; God doesn’t want us to be unprepared, and in I Corinthians 10:13 even promises that,

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Knowing the real power behind the problems helps us to be more forgiving in conflicts with others, and so does remembering the shortfalls of our own sinful flesh that the enemy has taken advantage of in the past;

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:” -Romans 7:18A.

“...to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man…For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.” -from Titus 3:1-3.

Yet there is a reality in dealing with these evil spirits which God may allow us to see, according to the strength He gives us. This will manifest many times through the unexplained behavior of either man or beast, and most times comes to hinder our Christian witness or activities. God holds back these fallen angels (Matthew 25:41) but we’re visible to them, and they well know best how to tempt us, or irritate.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” -I Peter 5:8.

We’re no match for the devil’s wiles in ourselves, but knowing & applying God’s Word will help us withstand them; Hebrews 4:12 says His Word discerns even the thoughts and intents of the heart, and by applying it we can withstand the strongest of spiritual storms;

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” -Matthew 7:24,25.

But before looking at some examples, it’s helpful to remember the nature of our enemy, for as a lying deceiver (John 8:44) the devil will never appear as he truly is; for then we would resist him, and he’d have to leave. James 4:7 tells us to;

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” 

Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu said, “All warfare is based on deception;” and it’s the same with our spiritual adversary, who will pose as something ordinary, or even good, like we see in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15;

“13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

Examples with people involve illogical contradictions, which today are so numerous they seem normal. One time in a drunken outburst a neighbor yelled at me, saying, “I don’t have to live to your standards; I’m a Christian, my dad is a pastor;” even though I’d yet said nothing about Jesus, or his behavior.

Yet it was only 2 months afterward that he raged at me again, saying, “Your God is a lie, your God is a Jewish idol.” The contradiction is obvious, isn’t it? A person won’t go from declaring themselves a Christian to calling God a Jewish idol, will they? These  lying devils were exposed by blurting out through his drunkenness.

Animal behavior is another way devils may work, though I’ve only known it mildly; this is a case I recently shared by video on YouTube, word for word;

“Once I faced a very agitated FLY which wouldn’t land so I could swat him, and this was delaying a time of devotions; moved by the Lord, I bound Satan from working on the fly in Jesus’ name, and he immediately landed for me to swat.

Most wouldn’t think this to be anything but FLY behavior, yet scripture says we’re not really wrestling what we can see, but against the unseen forces of spiritual darkness.” This same kind of thing also happened with devils influencing a bee, a chicken, and sometimes dogs; these times mostly coincide with devotions.   

Remember that our enemy tries to cover his work by making it look like something ordinary, lest he be exposed as the real culprit. And what we’ve seen is that he’ll also use small children, especially infants who can’t yet talk. If you’re a Christian parent praying for them, this will limit what evil spirits can do.

Explanation: infants will naturally cry to express their needs, and the devil knows this; so at times he may agitate them further (which irritates us!), because most adults will write it off as something natural. When your child seems upset without a clear cause, BIND & REBUKE the devil(s) in Jesus’ name, ordering them to leave him/her alone, and to go where Jesus sends them!

We saw this occasionally at a church we attended, where the infants stayed with the adults in the main service. Every so often a din of noise would arise from these little ones, and my wife & I would then bind the devils from working on them in Jesus’ name, and the din stopped within a few seconds. This binding in Jesus’ name must be done audibly, so we’d whisper to not further disturb the service. Please note that we only prayed against any direct cause by evil spirits, for we wouldn’t want silence if there was a real problem.

Jesus reminded us that we need every Word of God to live successfully for Him (Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4), so we dare not diminish any part of it even if it’s uncomfortable, for it’s the key in quenching all of Satan’s fiery darts.

Brethren, we shouldn’t be alarmed by any of these things, but God wants us to know the truth of what we’re up against; Jesus warned that in the world we are bound to have trouble, yet we’ll have PEACE in Him (John 16:33), and nothing the enemy does can separate us from God’s love through Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39).

“BLESSED be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:” -Psalm 144:1.

“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.” -Luke 10:17.

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” -Romans 8:37.

Here is a link to the short YouTube video that I also did titled Spiritually Defensive.

When Disagreement Means Love

 “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.” -John 7:1.

The Bible says that Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, and this desire to ALWAYS be right has reached a fever-pitch in our times, so that it’s often now called hateful just to express disagreement with someone; this presents a dilemma to Christians when they seek to preach the gospel, for its message will tell men that they are sinners who must repent and be forgiven. Salvation begins with awareness that each of us are separated (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) from God by our sins, which most will NOT admit.

“Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” -Proverbs 20:6.

“There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” -Proverbs 30:12.

“The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” -John 7:7.

But there are some who seek validation with God in ways other than Jesus, and seem very sincere in their professed “faith;” in light of which Christians may shy away from any further witnessing to them; and wind up giving an impression of acceptance by God rather than sharing their need for salvation.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” -Romans 3:23.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” -Romans 6:23.

We need to remember that the Bible says JESUS is the ONLY way mankind can come to God the Father (John 14:6), and

 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” -Acts 4:12.

 The Bible says a basic belief in God’s existence is commonplace, but true salvation and submission to Him are not; for even the devils believe, and tremble. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” -Romans 1:20.

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” -James 2:19.

Brethren, WARNING others to turn from that which harms them isn’t being hateful (Proverbs 27:6), and rest assured that not all who claim to be right with God really are; do they seem like the deceived brethren of Matthew 7:21-23? Do they accept their need for repentance (Mark 2:17), or are they always right in their own eyes (Proverbs 21:2)? Is theirs a Living God who hears & answers diligent prayer (Hebrews 11:6)? Be encouraged in your witness toward any you are led to, knowing

“...that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” -James 5:20.

So let us pray that God will enable us to fulfill the preaching duty that is ours, for scripture says,

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?…So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” -Romans 10:13,14,17.

I also have a short YouTube video on this subject titled Love Others, Respect God.

Giving God’s Full Counsel

 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” -3 John 4.

In Paul’s farewell to the Ephesians, he told them;

“26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” -Acts 20:26,27.

Paul here asserted himself to be pure from the blood of all men, because he had declared to them the FULL COUNSEL of God; sharing everything the Lord wanted them to know, with Christians today still needing to follow his example.

Yet in modern times I see the full counsel of God often being neglected in favor of an ear-pleasing gospel (2 Timothy 4:3,4), with Christian leaders & laymen alike striving to forward the message of salvation as inoffensively as possible. This usually means there is a partial sharing of God’s counsel, but a neglect for the whole; the question then becoming, at what point does the Lord’s counsel change from being truth into a lie?

Scripture says that we Christians can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth; yet today we often witness pure truth sacrificed upon the altar of accepting others to gain their favor, valuing the praise of men above God’s approval.

“For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” -John 12:43.

It’s the believer’s duty to share the gospel (Mark 16:15), and we really need to “tell it like it is,” while there’s still time for people to respond; they must realize the naturally fallen sinful state that all of us have with God, and their need to repent from sin and be forgiven through Jesus’ blood.

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” -John 3:36.

“But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” -Galatians 3:22.

“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” -Acts 20:21.

“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” -Luke 24:47.

Most Christian leaders & laymen KNOW these Biblical truths, yet in their striving not to offend, emphasis on key elements of the gospel message; such as the blood atonement of the cross (Colossians 1:20), individual sins (Romans 3:23), or eternal punishment (Matthew 10:28)) are either obscured, or lost altogether. Jesus had long ago given us this warning when He said,  “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” -Luke 6:26.

The false prophets of today are too polite for God, and seek the favor of men by only trying to make them feel better; promising them God’s love & acceptance without the reconciliation of Jesus’ cross.

“13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” -Jeremiah 6:13,14.

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” 

-2 Corinthians 5:19.

And as far as offenses go with the REAL Son of God, He warned us about Hell, threw money changers out of the temple (John 2:14-16), brought division in families, and was hated by the world for telling them their works are evil; and Jesus expects no less from those who follow Him.

“35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” -Matthew 10:35,36.

“The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” -John 7:7.

“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” -1 John 4:17.

So let us seek to share the full counsel of God with all due emphasis; not holding back any part of the truth or its consequences from vain efforts of politeness, in order to keep friendships; eternity is at stake for each one of us (Romans 14:12), and we should live for Christ like we believe it.

“2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 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; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” -2 Timothy 4:2-4.

 

I also have a short YouTube video teaching on this subject titled Too Polite for God?

The Bandwagon Deception

 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:” -Matthew 7:13.

               Christians are exposed to numerous corrupting influences in these Last Days, such as false prophets (Matthew 24:24) and teachers (2 Peter 2:1-3), or even the influence bad company has on those nearby; yet another more subtle deception incorporates both of these, which I call the Bandwagon Effect; a circumstance that can happen when a person or group gains popularity to the point where all men accept and speak well of them, with a type of collective favoritism towards them that overtakes others unintentionally.

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” -Psalm 1:1.

“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” -Luke 6:26.

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” -1 Corinthians 15:33.

And so this is the Bandwagon Effect; peer influence upon behavior or beliefs is enormous, and we need far greater knowledge of God’s Word to fight this evil.

               Scripture seems to affirm this principle, for we see how things were with the nation of Israel in the Old Testament; whenever they had a Godly King, the people at least generally went along with Him; yet most of their leaders were evil, and the people would also do like them; and this was the prevailing condition.

The Bible reflects this overall process, where we read;

“The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.” -Psalm 12:8.

              If you’ve wondered how our own nation came to this place of violence and gross immorality, consider the many vile men & women we’ve promoted in politics, Hollywood, and business leadership, and you’ll see the truth of this Bible principle; it’s a time when the transgressors have come to the full (Daniel 8:23).

               But the Bandwagon Effect also shows within the body of Christ, and starts soon after the believers are saved; these new Christians adopt the values of the group they’re in, and some of these individuals become highly esteemed; successful men or women who say they are Christians, and are  loved & accepted without deep scrutiny.

The late evangelist Billy Graham was a highly esteemed preacher who many would consider a great Christian example; yet the very fact of his popularity without contention indicates that he’d made serious compromises, and was yoked together with unbelief; he was unequally yoked together with other religions, political relations, and Hollywood connections. He shamelessly sought the friendship of the world, and by this became God’s enemy (James 4:4), subtly influencing millions of believers to follow his example. For more info on B.G, use our the link for the revealing Cathy Burns book, Billy Graham and his Friends. Most people like myself were on the Billy Graham “bandwagon;” respecting & accepting him unintentionally, due to superficial appearance.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” -2 Timothy 3:12.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” -2 Corinthians 6:14.

              Brethren, we need to carefully examine ourselves before God (2 Corinthians 13:5), to expose what or who we’ve been following. The only example we ought to have is JESUS CHRIST, every part of Him, through the light given in God’s Word (John 3:21). Jumping on the Bandwagon might seem to be a popular and natural thing to do as far as man is concerned, but the same can be said about the broad path of destruction that we need to escape; learn to discern through the study of God’s Word, with your spiritual “house” built safely upon this rock.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” -Hebrews 4:12.

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” -Matthew 7:24,25.

Here is a link to a short YouTube video that I did on this subject, as well titled The Bandwagon Effect.

God’s Calling and Conflicts

 “For we dare not…compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” - from 2 Corinthians 10:12.

If we’re talking about God’s calling here, this is being addressed to those who truly love Jesus (Romans 8:28), new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and born again through the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8).

And for these who are born again, 19^th century saint George Mueller offers these guidelines to those following the Lord; that the Word of God (King James Bible) is our only standard, and the Holy Spirit our only teacher;

“16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” -2 Timothy 3:16,17.

“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”                      -1 John 2:27.

When we choose Jesus, we are putting Him first above all other relationships; no matter the esteem they may have in the eyes of others. The scripture says,

“ Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” -I Corinthians 7:23,24.

Jesus told us that our walk with Him will at times bring conflicts with family (Matthew 10:36), and with the unsaved world at large (John 15:18,19), or even pressure from other professing Christians who find fault with our calling; they are forgetting that the body of Christ has MANY members, with different functions and strengths.

“4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all…14 For the body is not one member, but many.” -1 Corinthians 12:4-6,14.

These conflicts with other professing believers can be the roughest; they tend to assume all Christians will be relatively the same in terms of ministry, but are week in scripture, having not received the FULL COUNSEL from their teachers;

“26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” -Acts 20:27.

The Bible says that if we seek to please men, we become their servants, and not the Lord’s (Galatians 1:10);  let us therefore find rest, and justification in the finished work of Christ, our Savior (Romans 8:33,34).

But the practices of the world have greatly infected the church, and today  society generally promotes and admires busy lifestyles; many who profess to know Christ, have also followed suit; and actually believe they’re pleasing God in this way.

In John chapter 6, the people Jesus ministered to asked Him about how to do the works of God, and this passage is from that encounter;  “27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” -John 6:27-29.

 The Bible says that all have sinned (Romans 3:23), and that within our flesh is NO good thing (Romans 7:18); there’s literally nothing we can do to earn God’s favor due to our inherent sinful nature; salvation comes through God’s mercy (Romans 9:16), and grace alone (Ephesians 2:8-10). This is why Jesus diminished physical labor in this teaching, and instructed them to merely believe in His work; busy lives may appear successful according to worldly values, but for Christians it’s a sign of falling back into works-based religion.

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” -John 7:24.

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” -Galatians 2:16.

With Jesus as our Lord & Savior, nothing can be as vital or challenging as knowing God; yet having more prayer & Bible Study is rarely a part of keeping-busy lifestyles. Jesus said we must live by every Word of God (Matthew 4:4), and that the words He’s spoken will judge us (John 12:48), and if we love Him we’ll keep His commandments (1 John 5:3); these are all crucial for our eternal well-being, but many are so busy trying to please Him, that they never learn what He really wants.

Yes! There are legitimate circumstances that may keep life busy, but why are we so prone to squeeze more into a day, rather than making time saving cuts?

Jesus knows the stresses we have, and downplayed overworking to make ends meet; He kept it simple for us, promising that if we just put God first in our lives, He will provide ALL we really need.

“No man can serve two masters…Ye cannot serve God and mammon…Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?…But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” -from Matthew 6:24-33.

Mary & Martha exemplified this principle in Luke 10:38-42, where Martha became stressed and anxious over serving their guests, while Mary merely sat at Jesus’ feet to learn from Him (v.39), and she was commended; our Lord declared that Mary had chosen the one needful thing she would not lose; “40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be ta.ken away from her.” -from Luke 10:38-42.

Brethren, we need to focus on doing God’s will, and that won’t always be visible by the working standards of others; and we cannot even discern His will when we’re too busy to seek Him for what that is. Please take the time to do that, which even the Apostles have shown us by example;

“And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” -Acts 6:1-4. Bold type added for emphasis.

P.S: All good things do come from the Lord (James 1:17), so it’s important not to run ahead of His leading. Criticisms can come when His calling takes us away from the larger body of Christ into something more isolated. The following scriptures are a few examples of this; 2 Chronicles 35:15, Mark 9:38-40, 13:34.

I also have a short YouTube video on this subject titled Busy Enough for God?

The Attack on Good Works

Good works go hand-in-hand with Christian service (Titus 3:8), but they draw a lot of negative attention from our adversary, so we really shouldn't be surprised at the trials that come along them, for there will be many. Paul addresses the reality of this relationship in Romans 7, declaring that such circumstances should actually be expected, saying;

“I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” -Romans 7:21.

If our enemy crucified the Lord of Glory, how could we not anticipate attacks upon ourselves when seeking to honor Him?

God may indeed allow such trials to increase our dependence on Him, or to validate the truths in His Word; but evil resistance to good works can come at any point before, during, or after the intended service; derived either directly from our adversary, or the carnal nature within us.

“11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not 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 6:11,12.

“16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” -Romans 7:16,17.

If resistance to the work comes beforehand, the enemy is seeking to prevent it from happening; he may divert attention to another priority, or get us to reconsider it for one reason or other. Preventing the good work altogether robs us of blessings we need to build FAITH.

Next, the devil may try to derail these efforts after they've started by tempting us to twist the good benefits sought into something selfish, or self-promoting (Philippians 2:3), instead of not focusing on the welfare of others, and God's glory. We need to be set in knowing the effort is God's will for us, otherwise the enemy's resistance might be mistaken for God thumbing it down.

“Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” -Ephesians 5:17.

But finally, the enemy may even bring an attack on the work even afterward; which is no doubt meant to discourage us from any further good works; our enemy is also called the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), and may try to convince us that we're being punished for doing something wrong, or because we have some hidden, selfish motives.

So don't let the devil discourage you from good through his lying accusations (John 8:44), for beloved Godly men such as Daniel also endured the same; suffering even unto sickness (Daniel 8:27), in God's service; scripture reminds us of this, and of the need to endure by saying,

“12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand...thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words...13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me...” -from Daniel 12:12,13.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” -Galatians 6:9

Also check out my short YouTube video on this subject titled With Plans to do Good.

Finding Real Fruit of Faith

Matthew 7:13&14 makes it clear that the way of salvation is narrow, with few finding it, but the way of destruction is WIDE, and many will be going in that way, instead. The shame of it all is that most people today seem to think that nearly everyone will end up in Heaven; the opposite of what scripture tells us!

Jesus wants us to distinguish between true & false brethren, and says that it's by their fruit we will know them. Being able to make these distinctions is vital for avoiding deception: both for ourselves, AND others; even those who may be doing deceiving unintentionally. Yet today people usually make such determinations on the thinnest of evidence, when God tells us that we ought to look deeper, because a quick glance may not tell the whole story. Jesus said we should,

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” -John 7:24.

For discerning others by their “fruit”, Jesus emphasized both the edible part and the type of tree producing it, saying;

“16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” -Matthew 7:16-20.

You should also note that when the woman took the fruit in Genesis 3, it looked GOOD to her, but she already knew that the tree was bad; God had already told Adam in Genesis 2;

“ And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” -Genesis 2:16,17.

We later see that when the woman did give in to the serpent's temptation, scripture reads;

“ And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” -Genesis 3:6.

So let this be our example for considering the type of tree, not merely the appearance of the fruit that's on it. False religions may do visibly good deeds to attract followers, but their doctrines will only bring on spiritual death.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” -Proverbs 14:12, 16:25.

But as for those who falsely claim to be Christian (whether or not they realize it), testing them by their reaction when we share God's Word can be very revealing (1 John 5:3); do they express interest, or disdain for its authority? Those who love the Lord Jesus will come to its light, while those who don't will flee from it;

“20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” -John 3:20,21.

The Bereans in Acts 17:11 searched scripture daily to verify the teachings of the Apostles, and we're still promised the validity of this practice in the Bible today, where it tells us;

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit...and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” -from Hebrews 4:12. Bold type added for emphasis.

You might think it's easy to spot bad spiritual fruit, but the nature of it is deceptive, like our sinful hearts (Jeremiah 17:9), and the devil with his ministers will appear to be righteous (2 Corinthians 11:13-15); who would follow after those that are obviously wicked? Not many, and it wouldn't go very far. The next few verses shed light on the reality of spiritual deception we'll face. Jesus tells us here;

“21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” -Matthew 7:21-23.

In the opening verse, Jesus makes it clear that not everyone who calls Him Lord will be allowed into the Kingdom of heaven, just those who have done God's will, and these are His true family (Matthew 12:50).

Yet MANY will protest at the time of judgment, testifying of the good works they've done in His name; how they have prophesied, cast out devils, and done many other wonderful works in Jesus' name; only to be cast aside as those He's never known in the end.

But how can such a thing happen? Doesn't the success of these works honor Jesus, and show His blessing? For the first work mentioned, false prophets have long been among God's people (Jeremiah chapter 28), and these honestly think they have insights from God, when in fact their hearts are deceived. Phony prophecies usually flatter, and promise unconditional prosperity, without ever mentioning the need of repentance from sin.

“13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” -Jeremiah 6:13,14.

“24 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. 25 Behold, I have told you before.” -Matthew 24:24,25.

As for the work of casting out devils, remember that such evil spirits are liars (John 8:44), and would readily go along with any apparent exorcism in order to promote phony men of God.

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

And as for any other wonderful works this group may lay claim to, are such really exclusive to Christians? To provide things like food, clothing, or homes, are certainly good works believers may be involved with, but non-Christian organizations also do them! One close friend I had turned to a group known for their generosity when she needed financial help; yet they DENY Jesus is the only way of salvation, deceiving the souls of their followers.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” -John 14:6.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” -Acts 4:12.

But even IF individuals look to Christ alone, were their “wonderful works” done to impress God, or to obey Him? The Bible shows this example with King Saul in 1 Samuel chapter 15, where God tells him through the prophet Samuel,

“ Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice...” -from 1 Samuel 15:22.

Jesus said there would be many of this type from Matthew 7:21-23, but for us it's a warning; because those who were finally in this state at judgment were deceived into thinking all was well between themselves and God, and this example is given that we might be diligent not to let this same mistake overtake us, as well.

Our way of escaping such is both simple, and sure; seek to do God's will in the light of His Word, even if our lot is seemingly small, or unusual. Rest in the finished work of our Savior, knowing that HE won't judge according to appearance alone (John 7:24) but will judge righteously.

“33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” -Romans 8:33,34.

Here are links to some short YouTube videos that I did on this subject Judging By the Fruit and Many Will Say Lord, Lord.