Deception number one

Separation of spirits or spiritual blindness? Learn how all believers may err in their judgments, even though they may consider themselves observant

In this writing, the term "Deception Number One" among Christians refers to the so-called (false) gift of distinguishing between spirits that is an imitation of the true gift of distinguishing between spirits given by God. It refers to a "gift" in which a person considers himself "clear-sighted" and that he has "sure knowledge", when in reality he is under such blindness that he is unable to distinguish God's work in others, but perceives it to be the work of the devil. He does not see what God is doing to help others, but only sees their faults, not what is right. He acts like the Pharisees, who did not understand God's work, but accused Jesus and said that he drives out demons with the power of Beelzebub.

Rick Joyner wrote about this false gift. He stated that the real gift of distinguishing between spirits can work only through love. He also stated that Criticism lodged by a person who does not love the person he is criticizing should be ignored:

The spirit of religiosity is usually accompanied by the wrong kind of a gift of distinguishing between spirits, which is motivated by suspicion and fear. This false gift looks for faults in other people instead of seeing what God can do to help these people go forward. A religious spirit using this kind of distinguishing between spirits can cause great harm to the congregation. Its actions almost always leave behind more damage and fragmentation than healing, reconciliation and building. Its wisdom comes from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and while the knowledge may be true, it is brought in a spirit that kills.

Suspicion stems from things like abandonment, regional conservation efforts, or general uncertainty. The real gift of distinguishing between spirits can function only through love. Any other motive distorts spiritual understanding. Whenever someone judges or criticizes another person or group, we should ignore it until we know that the critic truly loves that person or group and is committed to serving them. (1)

Everyone can be mistaken. The first error that we make before salvation and after salvation is considering ourselves to be infallible. We may think that since we have been saved, we are able to assess things accurately and will always be right. We fail to take into account the possibility that we might be wrong. We may think that others who have been saved are wrong but do not consider that this may also apply to us. “Others can make mistakes and erroneous assessments but not me – I’m so sharp-sighted compared to others.”

Such an attitude arises from pride: a person raises himself to the same level as God and thinks that he has perfect knowledge – which is untrue. None of us possesses 100% reliable information; if we think so, then we are wrong. If we think so, we also think that the verses below are wrong. They show us that even the great Apostles made mistakes, and their knowledge and prophecies were sometimes faulty. If that was true then, how would we have progressed any farther?

- (1 Cor 13:9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

- (James 3:2) For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

The history of the congregation shows that even well-known men of God have repeatedly erred in their assessments. They have considered some movement given by God to be wrong and have not understood it. Good examples are F.B. Meyer and Oswald Chambers. They were both well-known men of God and writers, but did not understand the Pentecost revival as coming from God. They thought it was wrong. However, history proves their own judgments wrong and how wrong they were. They weren't right, even though they thought so. It also shows that anyone can make mistakes simply because we are fallible in our judgments.

Let's look at a quote that relates to the same thing. It's from about a hundred years ago and in it the well-known man of God A.B. Simpson sits in the meeting. He too had had the same idea as the aforementioned persons. Frank Bartleman's book (Azusa.katu 312) tells how he was deeply moved and gained a new perspective on the matter. Perhaps his perception changed:

A meeting that would take all night was started in the convention the next evening. A young girl experienced the power, and her soul was taken to the throne. She sang a wordless tune that seemed to come from another life – it was so heavenly beautiful. It was from another world. I have never heard anything like it before or after. A.B. Simpson himself was there that evening, and the song had a huge impact on him. He had been greatly opposed to the Pentecostal movement. Clearly, this was God giving him testimony. (2)

ISSUES TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. As noted above, anyone can make a mistake. If even known men of God have made mistakes in assessing God’s activity, then the rest of us can do the same. Thinking that you are infallible is an expression of the wrong kind of self-confidence. The next passage describes the same kind of error: it shows how people can in their “perceptiveness” be completely sure about something even though they are actually suffering from spiritual blindness or even by religious hatred. It is likely that such spiritual blindness is the primary reason people of God get lost; it can divide congregations and Christian groups. Anyone can fall under the power of such an attitude -- but it is possible to be released from it:

At those points in my life, there was no room for dissidents, nor for love. There was only a fierce demand for doctrinal perfection. Behind my demand was not God at all, but my own religious flesh. In that state, any kind of spirituality that deviated from my own standard was very dubious to me. So I preached diligently against other Christian circles and against forms of spirituality that I did not understand. My role as guardian of doctrine, though sublimely assumed, did not arise from the fulness of my spiritual life, let alone from prophetic vision, but from a narrow and unclear spiritual vision and my need for simultaneous qualification.

... It has been a shock to observe afterwards how I was willing to label large numbers of living churches and servants of God as worthless and worse based on my vision (or because of its deficiency) at the time and second-hand knowledge. Nor was I able to discern spirits in my own heart and ministry. (3)

To what should we pay attention, then, when assessing an activity or a person who claims to work for God? What should be taken into account when making such assessment? Let’s consider those questions next.

Right doctrine. The presence of correct principles of faith is important, naturally. The principles should be visible in the activity. These principles include inspiration from the Bible, Jesus being the only road to salvation, His atonement at the Cross, His bodily resurrection, His physical return, His deity, salvation through grace without works needed, the Fall, and and how man is lost and hopeless without Christ. If these are not present and the basis of salvation is not Jesus Christ, the action is certainly not from God. On the other hand, if they appear and are emphasized in writings and speeches, it should not be dismissed immediately.

Positive and negative aspects. One very common mistake in evaluations is to pay attention only to abuses and negative aspects, but not to take into account the positive aspects. People don't want to find out about the positive aspects, or the prejudice is such that they are not even taken into account. Then there can be no overall view of the matter.

That's why you have to look at the whole and not stay in the power of prejudice. You have to read a lot of literature, study information and look for positive aspects in addition to negative ones. Both sides must be taken into account. It means that if others teach about the basics of the faith in the same way, some repent and there are visible changes in people's lives in a good direction, such factors should be taken into account in addition to the negative ones. Paul wrote:

- (1 Thess 5:21) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Advice from others. One mistake in the life of some Christians is that they do not listen to the advice of others. They do not take them into account because they consider their own view to be the best and most objective.

But, as noted, we can easily imagine to be clear-sighted and infallible and still be wrong. It is possible even if a person has been saved and has been in the faith for decades. Anyone can be guilty of it as history has repeatedly shown. The aforementioned description of A.B. Simpson is one example.

So sometimes it's worth asking for the opinions and advice of others. In some things we can be more perceptive and wiser than them, but they may see other things more clearly and better.

Smith Wigglesworth tells one case where such a wrong attitude can lead. It is a question of guidance, where a person thought he heard the voice of God, but did not heed the advice of others:

On this, the information was incorrect. There was no bank open at 7.30 a.m., and research showed that the bank in question wasn’t even in this town.

How did this message affect her? The young woman listened to it. She paid so much attention to it that she did not listen to anyone else.

I tell you the danger in this: If you cannot discuss it, you are wrong. If you are right and everyone else is wrong, but you do not tolerate any examination, or if your truth does not bear to be studied under daylight, you are wrong, no matter who you are! You will be saved from many troubles if you listen to what others say. Do not say, "Naturally I know. I KNOW that I am right.” (4)

Fruit. Fruit of the Spirit is something to pay attention to, because Jesus said: ”You shall know them by their fruits.” (Matt 7:16). It means that if a person's life shows continuous living in sin and shows no signs of Christian character, it is worth being careful. However, if a person who is aggressive by nature shows signs of gentleness, a person who is naturally proud shows humility, or a hasty person becomes calmer, then the fruits of the Spirit are being seen.

What about other changes in people's lives? If several people in meetings experience the changes described below, it can be considered a good sign. It shows that the activity is of God. (However, it is important to emphasize that Satan can bring persons deceived by evil spirits to the meetings, such as spiritualists, and it can cause confusion in God's work. Frank Bartleman tells about such cases in his book Azusa-katu 312).

• Understanding of the meaning of Christ and His work on the cross

• Desire to read the Bible

• Freedom from sinful habits, bitterness and lust

• Man feels his own corruption and sinfulness: pride, irritability, lack of love, lust...

• A person humbles himself and does not consider himself better than others

• Concern for the salvation of others

• Prayer life becomes stronger

• Deeper love for God and people

• The desire to do God's will in everything (Rom 7:22: For I delight in the law of God after the inward man)

Attacks against others. It is still good to note one touchstone of a spiritual worker, which is the attitude towards other servants of God and Christians, who think differently. It is possible to not act in love as Paul taught. Such an attitude can mean vehement attacks on other servants of God, pointing out their errors in newspaper columns, media and smaller settings, or launching attacks that are slanderous.

If a person is being used by God, it is likely that other people will speak evil of him. For example, Paul was a good man who was attacked by people who claimed he was an evil man. There are always people who would rather dwell on lies and enjoy them, even though the Bible teaches that such people will end up in a lake of fire (Rev 21:8, 22:15).

What does this mean, then? At least it means that we must establish the truth by asking the person himself ("Is this the case, is this what you meant?") instead of spreading rumors. Jesus’ advice in Matt 18 addresses this.

Some attacks may be caused by envy. There are people who have more than others; this makes envious people restless and angry. Saul’s attitude towards David is an illustration:

- (1 Sam 18:7-9) And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

The next quote is about this topic: it shows how even a saved person can become overpowered by such an attitude. He fails to understand that by attacking others he diminishes his own worth in eternity:

”I became so proud at the end of my life that I could not imagine the Lord would do anything significant, unless it was through me. I began to slander the Lord's anointed and harm His prophets. I was selfishly proud when the Lord used someone of my disciples, and I became envious when the Lord functioned outside my own service work. I used to search out whatever fault in them I could find in order to expose them. I didn't know that each time I did this, I reduced my own station even more.”

“I didn't know at all that you had done anything like that,” I said, surprised.

“I did not do it myself but I provoked my subordinates to find faults in others and to do my dirty work. I got them to snoop around closely so that some fault and sin would be found from the lives of others, so that they would be exposed. I became the worst a man can become on the Earth – a stumbling block, which produced other stumbling blocks. We sowed fear and disintegration in the congregation, all in the name of defending the truth. In my own righteousness, I went towards destruction. In his great mercy, the Lord allowed me to meet an illness, which caused a slow and humiliating death. Just before my death, I came to my senses and repented. I am very grateful that I am here. I may be one of his least here, but it is far more than I deserve. I was not able to leave this room before I had a possibility to apologize to those of you to whom I did badly.”

…”And we always reassured ourselves indeed by thinking that we were doing God a service by attacking his own children” came the understanding voice of this man. “It is good for you to understand this because you can go back. Please, warn my disciples about the threatening devastation if they do not repent. Many of them have been called to be kings here but if they won’t repent, they will face the worst judgement of all – the judgement of the stumbling blocks… (5)

If others err. When evaluating spiritual activity, we can go to two extremes. The first extreme is to consider something as God's work that is not. For example, people who pray to Mary and rely on the works of the saints, but not on Christ alone, are considered saved. This is especially the case for easy-going people who do not have the ability to analyze very precisely. In their benevolence, they may consider such people as Christians who are not reborn and who do not understand salvation. The words of Jesus are also a good indication of this matter:

- (Matt 7:21-23) Not every one that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does 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 your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

The second extreme is the one that has been talked about in this writing. It means that a saved person does not understand God's work in others, even if they are equally saved. He may consider anything related to these people and their teaching to be a deception. Such an attitude is very common because of our own lack of understanding.

Faith, Hope and Love, which had grown at all levels along with our weapons, were now so huge that I knew people far away from the battle zone could see them. Their brightness radiated even among the prisoners who were still covered by a large flock of carrion-devouring birds. I was highly encouraged by the fact that they could now be seen. Perhaps the Christians being used by the enemy and the prisoners held captive by the enemy would understand now that we were not the enemy – in fact, that the enemy had been using them.

This was not the case, however, at least not yet. Those in the enemy camp who started to see the light of Faith, Hope and Love started to call them “angels of light” having been sent to deceive the weak and those lacking judgement. It is then that I knew that the deception and slavery in which they lived were far greater than I had understood.

However, those who were not members of neither of these armies – i.e. those who were not Christians – could see their light and started to approach the mountain in order to see better. Those who came closer to look at them also began to understand what the battle had really been about. This was very encouraging. (6)

What if other Christians are mistaken in something? What should be done then? The answer is that we need to find out about things in the light of the aforementioned principles, among other things. Moreover, if it is possible, one can have a conversation with these people one-on-one just as Priscilla and Aquila explained to Apollos in more detail the way of God:

- (Acts 18:24-26) And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him to them, and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly.

REFERENCES:

1. Rick Joyner: Viimeisten päivien taistelu (Overcoming Evil in the Last Days), p. 125

2. Frank Bartleman: Azusa-katu 312 (Azusa Street), p. 166

3.Veikko Pekki: Täynnä iloa ja Pyhää Henkeä, p. 21

4. Smith Wigglesworth: Hengen huuto, p. 55

5. Rick Joyner: Petos, taistelu, voitto (Final Quest), p. 95-97

6. Rick Joyner: Petos, taistelu, voitto (Final Quest), p. 27, 28