There is no way any informed Christian can deny the fact that Jesus is coming soon. Those who follow the teachings of Hal Lindsay, the Lalonde brothers, Dave Breeze and others are excited as they hear the reports of prophetic scripture being fulfilled.
For those who don’t keep up with current events as it pertains to prophecy, Jesus gives us signs within the Church that will come to pass before He raptures His remnant.
According to Jesus’ message to the Laodicean Church, they had been led astray. Deceived by the messages of the last days false prophets. Satan had changed and distorted their perception of Christian service, righteousness, salvation etc. Their focus and vision had been turned inward rather than outward as Christ had commissioned it two thousand years earlier.
Rather than being an extension of the arm of Christ by going out into the highways and hedges compelling the lost into the kingdom of God, many church members are consumed with coming to the house of God for what they can receive for themselves. While others are satisfied only to fulfill some religious obligation in attending church, never allowing the Word of God to convict and change their life.
"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:" (Revelation 3:15-17)
This deadly indictment is directed at the Church of our generation. Many within the Body of Christ who recognize our spiritual peril, cry out to God in repentance, daily petitioning Him for revival. Others, continue to plummet headlong into the spiritual destruction offered by this institution of self-righteousness and self-satisfaction.
The Laodicean church has turned indifferent. Not to our own presupposed spirituality, but indifferent to the truth. Satisfied with our own brand of religion. A spiritual life without the Spirit. Although many speak of Him, many don’t really know Him. Nor do they acknowledge His true purpose for being sent to Jesus’ church.
Jesus labeled them lukewarm. I believe the key to their condition is found in that label. Many have thought lukewarm Christians could best be defined as those who were once hot but now have lost their zeal or "fire". But it goes deeper than that. Lukewarmness is not so much cooling down, but rather a mixture of hot and cold. A dangerous mixture producing deadly compromise. This is the condition of the Laodicean church and much of our church this century. It has caused us to become unsuccessful in fulfilling the desires and direction of God. When the Holy Sprit’s presence and leadership was replaced by the spirit of this world, He could no longer empower His people for holiness.
Jesus calls this group, wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Being blind they could not recognize that everything that they believed they had accomplished had been completely rejected by Him. While performing many wonderful works and miracles in His name, and building great religious monuments, their reward would be, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:23)
Who, or what could seduce such a chaste bride, espoused in holiness and purity, to barter it’s crown of righteousness for the corruption of the world? Blindly relinquishing it in the name of Jesus.
"O FOOLISH Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, ..." (Galatians 3:1)
Scripture warns us that prior to the rapture of the Church, many of it’s members will depart from the faith. When we think about it, we may consider those who have departed, as the many who have quit coming to church and have fallen back into the lifestyle once delivered from. They may very well make up a small portion of those who Paul speaks of. However, in this context the apostle is speaking of people who have remained consistent with their church attendance, sing in the choir, teach Sunday School etc.
Paul levels two very serious charges against the Galatian Church. First, he accuses them of being bewitched. It’s meaning here is "to fascinate by false representations". Secondly, because they have been deceived, they have fallen into disobedience and rejection of the truth of the Word.
Spiritual deception is one of the major strategies Satan is using against the last days Christian. The Laodicean church has been deceived into thinking everything is O.K. They have equated material acquisition with being in God’s will, and the pursuit of them as spiritual. They have achieved the status that is being propagated from the pulpits of many churches today. "God wants only the biggest and the best for His people. And, if you are living by faith this life style is reserved for you".
Many Christians have been fascinated by false representations into chasing what they call the good life and the high life of the kingdom of God. A popular sermon title in this group’s tape collection is, "Making God’s Word Work for You". But because of deception, They are not attempting to make God’s Word work for them by bringing them into His perfect will, but rather to cause God to perform in order for Him to bring in their perfect will.
If we have enough faith, believe hard enough, long enough and quote enough scripture God is obligated to perform on our behalf. This is not the God of the bible! It is the God promoted by the prophets of Laodecia. Exercising true faith allows us to know the real will of God for our particular circumstance, how to accept it and walk in it for the glory of Jesus Christ. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desire." (I John 5:14,15) True faith can only be received by a continuos studying, praying and relationship with the Word of God, and the God of the Word.
Yet, church services are filled with Christians parading down the aisles for a word from their favorite prophet. Wanting to be reassured that everything is going to be O.K. Many falling victim to these prophets of Laodicea, who time after time deluge their unsuspecting audiences with the same generalities spewed out by the psychics of late night television. Motivated and controlled by the same forces who allow the psychics to see into the future in order to dominate and spiritually bind their customers.
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:..." ( 2 Peter 2:1-3)
I have been in the ministry many years, I have seen what turns on and causes the carnal, immature Christian to jump, shout and sometimes without question accept the heresies propagated by the Laodicean prophet. Much of their unbridled fire plays right into their hands. Particularly their desire to see miracles and the supernatural. Peter lists several of their methods and their basic agenda.
1. Peter, in verse one refers to these last days prophets as false teachers. As with the false prophets they are fakes, phonies and bogus. The false prophet delivers words emanating from the flesh or demon spirits. The false teaching is nothing more than heresy originating from the twisting and corrupting of the Word of God. These are not two different sects of people, they are one in the same. They are more than willing, in the name of Jesus, to advance their agenda by using and abusing anyone who is gullible enough to believe and follow them.
Their messages are usually unbalanced. They usually consist of 100% blessing, or as the stereotyped last days prophet pictured on the street corner with his sandwich board crying the end is near, will preach a message of 100% judgment. Although both messages poses an element of truth, both are unbalanced, both are anathema.
The most popular to the Laodicean church is the 100% blessing. Nothing is allowed that they would consider offensive to their sin or life-style. Although they speak of their possession, walk and anointing of the Holy Spirit, they in fact have rejected Him by rejecting His most important attribute - the ability to change people’s lives, through conviction, correction and instruction, bringing them into a right relationship with Jesus Christ.
This is a definite ploy of the enemy of the cross to weaken and ultimately destroy the church of Jesus Christ. When testing and persecution comes, they will be unable to stand, for they will have nothing built on the rock to fortify themselves. They have built their spiritual foundation on the sands of bless me doctrine, feigned words of their prophets, or swept in by the latest spiritual hype, not the truth of the Gospel. Jesus is not their Lord, but rather what He can provide. Their desire to receive temporal blessings is their basic reason for Christian service.
The Laodicean prophets no longer rely solely on prayer and the Word of God to solve man’s problems. I recently ran across a church bulletin of a full gospel church in our city. The schedule of services really caught my attention. Wednesday night was their deliverance service, Friday night was their Alcoholic and Narcotic Anonymous meetings. Who does this church rely on, the Words of God or the methods of man?
Pastoral counseling in the Laodicean church has evolved into little more than control (witchcraft) through many so-called deliverance services. We bind spirits attempting to cast out something that is not usually there. We try to stop the torment of temptation, never realizing most of the problem is with the flesh and not demon possession. We scream at devils, people fall out, but return to their feet unchanged.
Or, our counseling service is nothing more than a referral service to the local psychologist and psychiatrist for a regular treatment of Lithium, Valium or other drugs.
Through this deadly mixture of the world, the church has been duped into believing that man’s problems stem from low self-esteem or from being a product of a dysfunctional family. Both are lies that have disabled the church from the Holy Ghost’s desire to deal with man’s real problem - sin.
Because of Adam’s sin, every future family became dysfunctional. Like Adam and Eve, when caught in our sin, we want to blame someone else. Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the serpent. I know a person who has more problems than you can shake the proverbial stick at. Sadly, this person will never find relief since every problem is a result of someone doing something to this person. Rather than facing our faults we cover them with a bigger lie - "It’s not my fault, I’m the victim!"
Man’s base problem is sin and can be dealt with through only one process. The preaching of the Word, the conviction of the Holy Spirit, repentance and the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus. A balanced message delivered under the anointing of the Holy Spirit will identify our sin and give us the burning desire to confront it and repent of it.
The false prophets of Laodecia despise and fear this anointing. It causes men to look to and completely rely on the power of God rather than man.
"Who’s going to tell Isaiah that for so many people there’s only a partial freedom from sin? Yes, you did prophecy that He came to set people free from their prison houses. But so many of them just walk away and go back. They are not students of the Word like you prophets were. They didn’t earnestly seek out the truth of Christ. They are seeking formulas and easy ways and effortless deliverances. They almost hope and lust for demons so that they can be cast out of them so that they won’t have to labor in prayer and search the scriptures to find their life." (The Last Days as Seen by the Prophets, David Wilkerson Audio Tape)
2. Their ways are pernicious (damnable, destructive, death, waste). The verse warns that many will follow, imitate and promote their heresies. They will prophecy falsely and the people will love it! Their itching ears never satisfied, always desiring more. Like the Pharisees, Jesus’ warning more than applies to them.
"Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves." (Matthew 23:15)
An easy way to identify many of these people is, "Pride, arrogance, boastfulness, exaggeration, dishonesty, covetousness, financial irresponsibility, licentiousness, immorality, addictive appetites or habits, confusion in the home. The first thing a false prophet or any person in deception will tell you is "DON’T JUDGE ME!". (9 Bible Principles for Judging Prophecy, pg.13, John C. Hagee)
Don’t judge my life-style or my words (supposedly from the Lord). God have mercy on us for the way many have thrown around the sacred words, "Thus sayeth the Lord", or "The Lord would have me to say."
Before we go any further I want to foot-note brother Hagee’s description of false prophets. You may recognize one of these sins and know that God is dealing with you about it. If you have repented and are trusting Him with all the temptation that follows, you are not a false prophet. Those he is describing have not allowed the Spirit to deal with their sin. They will not recognize it, or have accepted it and have hidden it from those they minister to. They have rejected the correction and instruction of the Holy Spirit.
3. They will speak evil of the truth. We may, like Pontius Pilot, ask, "What is truth?" It is more than a "what", it is also "who" is truth. Naturally it is Jesus. The "what" are His commands, ordinances, directives etc. The Truth is not a doctrine, it is a person. We can not achieve the knowledge of the truth through formulas, we must die to self and be resurrected in Christ. He must become our whole LIFE.
These prophets do not know Jesus as their life. However, they would never overtly reject His name, but through deception have caused many to never realize the true power of the Word of truth. "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; ..." (2 Timothy 3:5)
The preaching of Jesus is the key to all power, salvation, healing, deliverance, holiness etc. The preaching of the cross is the only avenue in which mankind can find forgiveness, security and spiritual well-being. It is not necessarily an easy road. It is filled with persecution, betrayal, temptation, trials and testings. Jesus calls it a narrow road, a straight way. It may not be paved with all the amenities propagated by the name it and claim it group. But it is the only way to God, and the only entrance into His kingdom.
When counseling with an addict or alcoholic we must preach the cross. Preach the cross to the thief, the homosexual, the liar, the religious. It’s their only hope!
The false prophet hates this! They call this the Old Way. They claim, "God is doing a new thing in these last days". NO, HE IS NOT! "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) If it was sin one hundred years ago, it is still sin today and must be remedied the same way. "And I will come near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me saith the Lord of hosts. For I am the Lord, I change not; ..." (Malachi 3:5,6)
They have labeled the true prophet as legalistic, gloom and doom, unspiritual, unloving and on and on. But he knows who has called him. He realizes the rejection accompanied with staying consistent and pure in the midst of a backsliden generation. Their strength does not depend on the applause of those they minister to. The fire placed in their bosom did not come from acceptance of man, it was placed there by the Holy Spirit and burns even hotter under pressure and persecution. There are times they question their calling, want to quit or even entertain the thought of compromise. But as they cry before the Lord the Holy Spirit begins to blow on the coal shut up in their bones, increasing their determination and zeal.
Like every true prophet of the Bible, these men’s lives were usually lonely and isolated. They were ostracized and often murdered because of their message, "Repent, judgment is coming!" On the other hand, the masses were usually found mesmerized by the false prophets whose messages were only of peace and prosperity. Bewitching the people into following other gods. Replacing holiness and purity with a message of worldliness and greed. Anointed singing and preaching with so-called Christian entertainment. The Laodicean prophet has rejected the Holy Spirit of God, willfully embracing the spirit of this world. Chasing, with a religious vigor, it’s acceptance, fame and fortune.
4. Through greed and feigned words they will make merchandise of you. The NIV Bible makes it a little clearer. "In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up."
Their agenda is your bondage to them, their doctrine and their deeds. They talk about love, they flatter, boast of great adventures in the Lord. But the bottom line is to exploit you to the fullest.
The word exploit means to "make use of". People are nothing more than stepping stones to accomplish their goals. They seduce you into their lair with flattery and lies. Once in, they bind you with more flattery and lies, false prophecies and intimidation. If you break free and confront them, they try to make you believe you can not survive without them. You can’t make it on your own, you’ll never accomplish anything without their spiritual insight and instruction. Once you’re gone their lies and rumors about you and your ministry will continue.
I remember several years ago listening to a person whose goals as a pastor I knew. From the pulpit, the pastor’s eyes filled with tears as the congregation was quietly told, "People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care." His congregation never realizing they were nothing more than stepping stones in this pastor’s ego trip, lust for power and desire to be recognized as some great spiritual leader. God help us!
In these last days many well meaning Christians will fall victim to the lures of false prophets. Jesus warns His disciples, "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." (Matthew 24:24) But there is hope for His last days church!
A New Old Breed of Prophets
I see many within the walls of Pentecostal and Full Gospel churches who have become tired of doing so much and seeing so little. I heard someone recently say that the church of this generation boasts more but produces less than any other generation before it. But we are about to come full circle.
The beginning of our generation abandoned it’s bibles for tape recorders. Our favorite teacher’s tapes replaced our scripture reading. Chanting "refrigerator verses" and following formulas replaced the time reserved for crying out to God for His will, direction and favor. Teaching seminars helped close down many of the Sunday and Wednesday evening services. We have learned all the new charismatic dance steps, hand waving and victory marches. People have jumped, shouted, laughed, fallen out, barked like dogs and clucked like chickens, but God has not moved. We have had what many would call great meetings, but God is not there. The proof is that we leave these services unchanged. The next day it is the same old grind. Souls are going to hell, but we are consumed with getting our next temporal blessing and spiritual goosebump.
It reminds me of the prophet Elijah in first Kings. "And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." (1 Kings 19:11,12) We have tried to find God in wind, shaking and fire but have neglected the most obvious - His truth - the uncompromised Word.
God is raising up a new breed of men and women in the spirit of Elijah. As described in chapter 19 of first Kings, they will be rejected and hated. Because they are a minority many of them will feel they are the only ones with these feelings of anxiousness and burden for God’s people. But like Elijah, God encouraged him with the fact that he was not alone, there were seven thousand who had still not bowed their knees to Baal.
They will have the same Holy Ghost anointing and zeal as John the Baptist who also came in the spirit of Elijah. And, like the Baptist, they will be so different and strange to this generation of church goers they will not be easily recognized as true prophets of God. Nor will they be accepted by the majority of our religious leaders.
Their commission to the world and to the Church will be to get us ready for the return of the Lord. Their message will be the same as all who have preceded the coming of the King. "REPENT, THE KING IS COMING! Get your house in order. Forsake your idolatry, witchcraft and rebellion". "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." (Matthew 3:3)
Their names will not be preceded by the title prophet or prophetess. If we have any degree of discernment, we can recognize a true prophet by the Holy Spirit. They will not have been trained in the art of prophecy or be graduates from the many "schools of the prophets" advertised in Christian magazines. Since you can not teach someone to be a prophet, these schools have probably produced more false prophets than the real thing. Many will be just common preachers of the Gospel who have been with the Lord and have seen the sin of His people. The selfishness, greed and idolatry, particularly in their own lives. Their hearts are linked to Him through continuous prayer and seeking His face, producing a special supernatural insight.
Prophetic preaching will expose the houses (ministries) built on sand. The temporary counterfeits which have not been built on the only foundation that will stand. The Rock, the truth and balanced doctrine.
Their messages will not be filled with "enticing words of men’s wisdom". They will be short and sweet. To the world - "Get saved; Jesus is coming"! To the Church - "Get right; Jesus is Coming"! This truth drives self-proclaimed false prophets crazy, it exposes them. "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings." (Jeremiah 23:21,22) That’s the test of a true prophet. He turns people away from their iniquities and back to God! His whole life revolves around bringing people to Jesus. This can only be accomplished through the preaching of truth and the convicting power of the Holy Ghost. Not the lies of peace, and prosperity!
As they preach the heart and words of the Savior, He will begin a shaking and the only thing that will remain is what He has built and sanctioned. "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken - that is, created things so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:26-29 NIV)
As God readies the Church for His return, those ministries who have not sold out to soul winning and evangelism will slowly fade away. If we truly care, as some claim, our hearts will break for those we know who have been caught up in the deception of Laodicea. Likewise for those in the world who we have been unable to reach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I close this message with a deep sense of urgency. Jesus is ready to return, but the Laodicean Church is not ready to receive Him. How can we even think about facing a holy God, who has poured everything heaven possessed into His commission to reconcile the world to Himself, but all we offer Him is our spiritual shopping list.
Many Christians don’t have time for Him any more. They say they love Him, but there is no fellowship, no prayer, no Word study. The cares of this world have stolen their joy and peace.
Some of us continue to allow or overlook blatant sin in our life. Yet we come to church on Sunday morning with our hands raised shouting hallelujah. How can we expect to escape judgment?
"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)
Those who have departed from the faith to follow the feigned words of these false prophets will soon find themselves shipwrecked by their doctrines and abandoned by these prophets. But thank God, Jesus will be there to pick them up and reestablish them on the ROCK, as they turn back to Him.
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