Something Strange Came
by Bryan W Melvin on 11/02/18
There is a steady infiltration going on. We see it every day across the western world. Signs on Church marques and websites advertising Christian Yoga classes and relaxation techniques. Use of Angel cards to witness to the lost and Angel Boards to spell out what to do from angels. Barking and weirdness passed off as high marks of one’s uber spirituality.
Bible tells us to test all things and try the spirits in 1 John 4:1; yet, there is so little of this today that it causes one to feel great compassionate grief. Why – you see how lucid dreaming techniques are Christianized in order to ascended to contact your guiding angel or God himself or used to just waltz into heaven anytime one pleases despite one’s sinful state.
As I stated before, I know that all the spiritual gifts are still valid for today and sorely needed. That the Lord still speaks in dreams and visions. God still heals according to his sovereign will as the bible reveals. That the Holy Spirit guides us and can speak to us in many different ways. The Lord certainly can allow people to see heaven and hell in after death encounters or by vision or dreams.
I have been Walking with the Lord for 38+ years now and have encountered the fake and seen the real. My desire is show you how one can tell if such things are from God or not. Wouldn’t you like to know the truth?
Counterfeits
Bible is our guide book. In 2 Co 6:14-18 it indeed shouts loud and clear that the ways of God have absolutely nothing in common with the works of the Devil and his minions or the ways of the unsaved world. Nothing.
A counterfeit is not real. Satan’s minions use counterfeits to mock God’s character and good nature and causes folks to join in that mocking, so God is aroused to turn against the user cashing in on the counterfeits. After all, using a counterfeit transgresses the law of God against practicing the occult.
In John 14:30, Jesus declared that the ruler of this world’s system, the devil, had nothing – no claim on Jesus. Can you say that? If one uses angel cards and angel boards, how is that any different from tarot cards and ouija boards? None at all no matter how one tries to package it with an approved by Jesus label.
Something Strange Came
Back in the 2005-10 period something strange swept into the church. By 2015, Bill Johnson publicly rebuked and warned people about one 'Jason Westerfield.' Before that, Jason was extolled and the greatest thing to happen in one of the fastest growing segments in the modern church world. He was seen in documentaries, videos, and on Christian TV touted as a great man of God.
You can still find Mr. Westerfield after his rebuke on videos, and in his own words, make statements that he was never a Christian and brought the New Age Movement into the church. That was his main goal. This was an embarrassment to many who promoted him, and it was swiftly swept under the rug.
Before his exposure, others also practiced what he preached. One man claimed that he, like Jason, could enter into heaven anytime he wanted to attain deeper revelations while in the midst of having an adulterous affair betraying the wife of his youth. Does that even make logical sense in light of Habakkuk 1:13?
While watching these men practice, I felt grieved while many folks were saying they were great leaders of the church for ushering in a new mighty move of God.
First time I saw Jason, I said to myself, he has critters. When that other man became popular. I saw a demonic serpentine spirit working in his meetings as he imitated Jason’s approach. I couldn’t say anything cause if I did – shot down.
Then both men were rebuked. Jason left the Church while the other, I pray, wakes up and self corrects according to the grace of God mentioned in Titus 2:11-15. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God especially those who use counterfeits which were designed by the devil to incur God’s wrath against his own people.
That’s Old News Now
My question is this, why did not the practices brought in by Mr. Westerfield receive the same rebuke, warnings, and calls to stop such antics?
Why do these continue in some quarters of the church and in many cases – spreading across denominational lines: Christian Yoga – empty the brain type of prayers – it’s all about ‘you’ sermonettes that ignore the bible and make the church so weird that folks visiting run to the hills – why did not the teachers test and toss out all this stuff brought in as well?
Such an answer is not easy because the occult world does deliver enough goodies to hook a person because it works and gets results. So, by stealth, the practices of the New Age Movement and Occult has crept into the church due to results it gives.
So, a “it works and feels good, so it must be of God,” mentality is justified to continue to bring more elements of the New Age and occultism into the church. All justified by reasoning, that since there are counterfeits, then the counterfeits have some Godly truth behind them, so it is okay to correct the counterfeits and take back what once belonged to God.
I ask you, to sincerely to ponder that line of reasoning for a moment and mull over it for a bit. While doing so, I ask the Holy Spirit to awaken you to how naive such reasoning really is. It is no different than the devil saying to Eve in the Garden of Eden, “Has God really said…?”
In this case he whispers to the church– "Has God really said not to explore the counterfeit to find the real? These are good for food, it is pleasant to behold, feel, do, and these can make one wise!"
Sadly, the devil deceives in such manner that causes people unknowingly mock God’s character and good nature. In turn God is aroused to turn against the user cashing in on the counterfeits with a kind warning first and then dismissal later on if not careful. Whom do you desire to stand loyal too?
Here is one for you
Please read this quote with the blood of Jesus covering you from Anton LaVey of the church of Satan, who died in the late 1990’s:
“In the scores of books lining the shelves of New Age bookstores, there are instructions for guided meditation, creative visualizations, out of body experiences, getting in touch with your spirit guides, fortune telling by cards, crystal balls or the stars. What if Satanists reclaimed these for their own dark purposes and integrated them into rituals dedicated to the Devil, where they rightfully belong? New Agers have freely drawn upon all manner of Satanic material, adapting it to their own hypocritical purposes… But in truth, all ‘New Age’ labeling is, again, trying to play the Devil’s game without using His Infernal name.” — Anton LaVey, quoted in Church of Satan, B. Barton, p.107
So, the strongest proponent of satanism says that the New Age Practices are in reality, satanism in disguise. These are practices that Westerfield and others have brought into some segments of the church. These create division, tension, split families, and make some members of the Church develop a ‘better than thou’ mentality because they think themselves as 'on the cutting edge.'
With this cavort, we are witnessing Luciferin practices being mixed into segments of the church practiced under the guise of promoting tolerant non-judgmental love, harmony, to achieve a better you, and using laws of positivity for self-centered gain. This should send shudders down your spine.
So, what do about this?
Short answer: test the spirits, test all things. Well how do we do that?
Let me make it as simple as possible. Turn too 1 John 4:1-6 and let’s go verse by verse so you can learn how.
1Jn 4:1, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. "
We are called to test the spirits. Remember this, a true man or woman of God will commend people testing what he or she teaches as the Bereans did as Acts 17:10-11 reveals for searching the scriptures daily to find out whether what was being taught or revealed was true or not.
If you encounter a teacher or folks touting, ‘do not touch not the Lord’s anointed’ for questioning practices and teachings, take heed, something is wrong.
While it is true that King David said the same words about King Saul when he was being chased by Saul, I ask you to please take note that the true context of ‘touch not the Lord’s anointed’ refers to touching the persecutor and not the persecuted. Hmmm???
The bible is clear, test all things. It is okay to test those things taught to you with and by the word of God. There is no surer way to quench the Spirit of God than by not testing to see if a move of the Spirit, or doctrines taught, or even a vision is from God (1 Thess 5:15-23) or not.
Let’s continue
1Jn 4:2-3, "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” NKJV
I use a form of this verse when I encounter something spiritual happening and you can too to test any angelic visitor, vision, Jesus, or even the demonic posing as a good thing by asking it this:
“Are you (of) the Lord Jesus Christ who came in the flesh and destroyed all the works of the Devil – are you (of) the Lord God of Israel who came in the flesh and makes a public spectacle of all the works of the enemy?”
This is based on 1 John 4:3-4 and 1 John 3:8, “…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He mightily destroys the works of the devil.” NKJV
So, if you have a dream, a vision, or encounter some supernatural entity – demand it to answer that question. You will be amazed how someone’s personal angel will disappear or screech when this happens. Or the vision ends. Or the Jesus in the room leaves. Or you are hit by dead silence accompanied by feelings of guilt, shame, or grieving for dare asking. If these things happen – it is not of God.
Trust me in this, the Lord himself and all his true loyal angels do not mind, nor will they ever take offense if you ask them this. If folks did this, much of the so called overabundant trips to heaven would cease and many angel guides would leave, and utter bizarreness in the church curtailed. Thus, the Holy Spirit is no longer being quenched and a true move of God happens.
You can ask this if you encounter any move in the church and add to the words – “Lord is this really of you or not – show me…” and He will indeed show you in many various ways and timing if it is or not.
Further way to discern
1Jn 4:4-6, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore, they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.” NKJV
You who are born again, have the Holy Spirit of God inside you and can overcome by the means discussed so far. Next, note if a spirit, angel, or new revelation justifies the ways of the world, compromise with the world and its culture in music, sermon, message, be sure it is not from God.
The Lord Jesus who came in the flesh and destroyed all the works of the devil does not condone using counterfeits to discover forgotten truths needed to take back the things of God. A little leaven does what?
Folks, such logical fallacy as that defies the sovereignty of God who owns all the heavens, the earth, the entire universe and all things in it. Let him give you the real deal by you forsaking chasing after how to take back the fake.
Next
1 John 4:6, “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” NKJV
If you hear that God is tired of old ways, that the cross is overstated, or both the cross and resurrection of Christ is just too offending, beats people down, or overused, so that all one needs are 'new revelations' to attain favor and get your gets from god who is your loving servant – oh you wonderful you, ya big lovable lug! Something is amiss,
Or even hear in some manner that the church needs to do things a new way as the old is outdated, etc., take heed to the word of God on this subject and align with God’s word quoted below and not some new sugar-coated revelation.
Jeremiah 6:16 says, “Thus says the LORD: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls...” ESV
Don’t reason and say as the last sentence of that verse says: “...We will not walk in it…”
Don’t go that direction. There is a whole lot of quenching the Spirit of God going on and each person needs to self-correct on his or her own concerning where we each err and thus get back on the ancient path where the good way is. This leads us to the last point:
What are the ancient paths where the good way is - Let me make it simple
2 Th 2:13, “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth…” NKJV
Eze 18:30-32, "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, everyone according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore, turn and live!" NLKV
Luke 24:47, “…that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” NKJV
Acts 17:30, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent…”
Acts 26:18 “…to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'”
That is the ancient way – run to Jesus – be forgiven and cleansed – turn to him. Get your broken heart healed.
Psalms 107 speaks of how the lovingkindness of God lets people blow it, then brings them low, so they return to God transformed out of fears and darkness and restored into his marvelous light
Are you tired of living in darkness?
John 1:9 – run to Jesus the Ancient of days – the ancient path and way back to God – the lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world. Admit your failures and sins to him. Seek him by means of prayers where you pour out your heart to him as a close friend. He loves you that much.
Also Know this about the ancient paths
From the ash heap God reveals our ancient inheritance lost by the fall
1 Pet 2:9 says – we are a royal priesthood and holy nation set apart for God. This means we are part of the heavenly Council - We can run boldly to the throne of grace to find help in time of need - Heb 4:16
Talk to God as a friend and discuss things with him and seek him and his ways
Matt 5:13-16 - Be salt and help retrain the moral rot of sin and stop the demonic kingdom form winning. Learn to shine Jesus’ light to a lost and dark world
Don’t let your lamp run dry nor keep it hidden sand thus don’t be like this…
Eze_33:31, “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.” NKJV
The Gospel is not about what you can gain but about trusting Jesus in all things, all circumstances, and if gain comes – how to use it wisely ….
John_15:19, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” NKJV
The ancient path has nothing in common with the world – and learns how to love the world less and less and God and each other more and more and also to expect persecution…
That God’s grace is not cheap because it free – by it costs us our iniquities, lust, ungodliness – looks for Jesus’s return – so we do his good on earth as it is written
Titus 2:11-15, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. 15 Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.” NKJV
The ancient path involves
God’s will for us which is our sanctification – the removing the darkness in us - out of us - by healing our broken hearts, setting the captive free from repeating issues of destruction, and setting the prisoners free from bondages as it is written in Isaiah 61:1-4.
Isa 61:1-4, "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified." 4 And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.” NKJV
That is our duty and his good works he works through us to do. He changes not no matter how boring you think the message of the cross is or failing.
And yes - God uses dreams, visions, healings, prayer, the blood, resurrection power, his word/bible - he changes not - to lead, guide, teach us, as well as heal our hearts and souls. He is the same yesterday and forever
Let’s pray…not to forsake the ancient path – Jesus – the door and only way to heaven! Lord of all who desires to give good things to his people.
