The Satanic Pincer

I’m going to talk about a vision a friend of mine had. If you follow my writings, you may know that I am very careful about spiritual gifts as they have often been bastardised in many religious circles. It is crucial to understand that they CANNOT be used as a measure of spiritual maturity – that is what observing people’s ‘fruits’ (way of life) over time is for. It is also important to know that as long as spiritual gifts are weighed in tandem with the larger picture of God’s word, they are a useful function of body life, ie, life in God and relating with believers. 

Hopefully, no one will miss my regular humour in this article because I will just be going straight to the point this time. The reason is that the issue I am hoping to shed light on is an extremely crucial one – especially considering the days we live in. It is about DECEPTION.

Now back to the vision.

My friend had a vision and saw a man fighting a huge beast that was like an octopus. He was a warrior and slashed off tentacle after tentacle from this horrible beast. What he did not know was that one tentacle had snaked behind him. He went on with his quest, slashing off tentacles till suddenly he was wrapped in one tentacle – and taken prisoner.

I watch anime and I am not ashamed to say I am an ardent fan of Naruto because I find it replete with real lessons about many of life’s realities. Now, one of the quotes from that animation is from an enigmatic character known as Hatake Kakashi who says: A ninja must learn to look underneath the underneath…

Another important quote is from a skilled strategist called Shikamaru Nara: The FIRST move is always the decoy…

Now, how important can these be for the modern believer?!

I’d love to break down the details of what spiritual warfare is all about, but time and space will fail me. What is crucial to know is that the greatest warfare is in the mind – it is NOT in binding demons. In fact, casting out demons is one of the easiest things a true disciple of Christ can do from a person who is willing. (If a person is not willing, it is useless and dangerous. Matthew 12: 43-45) Also while believers spend so much time praying and binding poverty, changing their names, using the blood of Jesus like a physical antiseptic, fasting and praying and chasing ‘breakthroughs’, which OFTEN refers to the pursuit of physical things through actions that look spiritual and godly, we forget that the real fight is for your SOUL.

The big warfare is DISINFORMATION.

Christians have bought into the lie that when Jesus said “It is finished”, they still need to atone and buy the love of God. They have learnt that sexual immorality is a bigger sin than slander. They are unaware the scripture says that if we walk in light, the evil one CANNOT touch us (1 John 5:18) – so the “blood of Jesus” is used like a charm. Many have bought into the lie that troubles and suffering are of the devil, when Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation…” (John 16:33). We have learnt that when God is with you, ‘it is well’, that “when God guides, He provides” and have gone  not to understand that while God’s abundance is available for his children, the God walk is for those who, like the Hebrew boys, come to a place of “even if God doesn’t save us, we will NOT bow”. We have been blind to see that most “heroes of faith” were killed, suffered, endured unto blood (Hebrews 11: 35-40) – and dangerously, the Christian faith is often PAPER-THIN, community-based, is strong when things are fine, and non-existent when it becomes advantageous to be “un-Christian”.

What a SHAM! What a shame…

I wish to say more, but the article is long enough. Before the coming of Christ, MOST Christians WILL fall, I faff you not – and they will think they are still in the faith. People, get back into God. Forget what you have learnt and go back into God’s word for yourself. HEY! Don’t be afraid of error and such nonsense as “falling into deception” from following the Word as you understand.  If your heart is truly set on God and not man pleasing, HE will always bring you back to the right path.

As you watch people drown and lose their values and virtues in the popular slime of “entertainment”, bribery, competition, false spirituality, sexual immorality, the love of ease, false religion, look underneath the underneath, my friend, by seeking only God. That way, you can NEVER go wrong – and having done all to stand, even in sword, blood, flame, tears, loss, fears, and the delay of HIS return, my friend…

STAND!