Always remember, Satan will attempt to steal away the truth by any means possible. Sometimes using well liked pastors and church workers to persuade you. As Jesus said, “teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.” We must always accept the written word of God, no matter if even “an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel.” (Galatians 1:8)
The Lord said, “my sheep know my voice and another they will not follow.” How do we know for sure when we hear his voice? Remember what he said, “Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” The voice that speaks must be in complete agreement with the written word, or else the one who speaks is a false teacher. No matter how much we love them or how sincere they seem to be, beware! They cannot teach contrary to anything that Jesus taught and be from God.
Let me show you how Satan is always ready to steal away the truth as soon as you hear it. When the apostle John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos, many great and dreadful things were revealed to him by the spirit. As he said, he was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day. Spiritual things revealed to his mind by the spirit of Christ within him.
“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Revelation 12:1)
This woman that John saw in his spirit was and is the bride of Christ. The true church. First of all, she appeared in heaven, the kingdom of God. Remember, “flesh and blood Cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” So, this woman is the spiritual bride of Christ our Lord.
In God’s creation of the heavens and the earth, there are two lights. The sun to light the day and the moon to light the night. The stars, to a lesser degree, also give their light. Now, look at God’s spiritual creation of a new heaven and a new earth. There are two great lights to guide people. The Old Testament (moon) to guide God’s people through the night before the coming of the New Testament (sun).
The sun (the teaching of Jesus Christ) far outshines the law and the prophets. Never destroying them but outshines them. The lesser light was for the night but now that day has come, the spiritual kingdom of God is illuminated. Thus, the woman, the true bride of Christ, is clothed with the sun. The bright and glorious robe of righteousness, which is the true gospel of Christ. The wedding garment.
The promised bride of Christ had been raised and nourished by the word of God in the Old Testament. Preparing her for the day when she would be married to the son of God. She became of age and shed off the garment of her youth. Thus, the moon (the lesser light) was under her feet. She was clothed with the sun (the greater light). Her wedding garment pure and white, without spot or blemish. She is undefiled and her wedding garment is undefiled. Clothed with the pure undefiled word of God.
She is married to Jesus, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Now she is crowned the queen of heaven. And in her crown of twelve stars is the teaching of the twelve apostles. Combining their light into one light, which is Jesus. A crown represents authority. The bride now has the authority given to her by her husband. She now hears what her husband tells her. She now is made partaker in the riches of the son of God.
“And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” The union of the church with the Lord of heaven brings forth the birth of the word of God. Just like a new baby we look upon for the first time, it has not been seen before. So it is with the word of God when it is brought forth by the Holy Ghost.
“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.” A red dragon! Remember Satan transformed? “Having seven heads and ten horns.” Universal power over mankind. “And seven crowns upon his heads.” Authority from mankind to teach false doctrine. To lust, hate, make war, deceive, and fulfill all kinds of ungodly deeds. Most people giving their full allegiance and support to such a beast.
“And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”
Satan, that great red dragon, with all his authority and power of deception was cast out of God’s spiritual kingdom by the birth of the Holy Ghost. (Ye must be born again.) And as he fell from his throne of deception, his tail drew a third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth. Pulling down with himself any heavenly lights within his reach.
And he stood before the woman (the true church) to devour her child (the truth as revealed by the Holy Ghost) as soon as it is born. Since the cloak of deception is removed from Satan (the antichrist spirit), he is filled with wrath and uses every power at his disposal to kill and devour the truth. He will come against you in those you love. In unclean desires. Anyway he can to kill the truth. But the word says, greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
The woman who was possessed of an evil spirit appeared to be some spiritual follower of Christ. But Paul, being full of the Holy Ghost, rebuked the unclean spirit and she lost the ability to deceive by her spiritual power. This power is alive in religion today. Many spirits paying lip service to Jesus and the apostles, but are not partakers of the Holy Ghost.
Another example of this is found in Acts 19:13. “Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.” See how they used “the name of Jesus,” having no knowledge or authority themselves? But they used the word that Paul preached about Jesus. This should sound familiar. Many in religion do the same thing today. They take it upon themselves to call out evil spirits and deception “in the name of Jesus” (many shall come in my name).
Verse 15. “And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” Being without the Holy Ghost, these men who spoke had no power over the unclean spirits. Verse 16. “And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
This one thing I know, the Lord has blessed me beyond measure. His truth is in me. And I am the very least among men. I am not worthy to whisper his name. But his love for us goes beyond that which we are able to comprehend. It has no boundary.
There is so much more that you will be astonished to learn. So much that is hid from the sea of humanity. They have stiffened their necks and hardened their hearts against the truth and God has given them over to a reprobate heart. Let us hide in his word. Let us hear with our spirit and obey.
