MIRROR OF DECEPTION (Sneak Peak)

Subtitled: Are You Ready For Eternity?

(Sneak Peak)

CHAPTER ONE: BORN AGAIN

The return of Christ is imminent. The question is, are we ready? Jesus spoke of the many who will come to Him on that day, thinking they are entering heaven because of the religious works they did; note the keyword, religious. But He calls them evildoers and says, "Depart from me. I never knew you." These people have been deceived. Perhaps they have religion but do not have a relationship with the Lord. Maybe they do practical good works but have prideful or self-centered motives. They may be people pleasers and get their self-worth from the accolades of man. God alone knows the hearts of everyone, and He will judge us all with His truth when we appear before Him (Psalm 96:13). The point I am trying to make, and the burden I carry to write this book, is that the people spoken of in this Scripture believe they are saved, and they're not. Our world has never been so filled with distractions and lies as it is today, and we need to be ready for Christ's return. The thing about deception is that we don't know when we are deceived. That said, I don't think any of us are beyond self-reflection to be sure we're not looking into a mirror of deception - because the consequences of being wrong will never end. 

I'm sure you've heard the term, 'born again.' But do you know what that really means? The answer to this question is important because, according to the Bible, we cannot see or enter the Kingdom of God unless we are born again (John 3:3-5). Jesus gives us a glimpse of differentiating our 'births' in John 6:6, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit." Please note that I am not writing about our salvation, for there are no good works we can do for a gift like this. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). Relying solely on Jesus, we too, like the Apostle Paul, live the life we live today in the flesh by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us (Gal. 2:20). God loves us so much, that He gave His only Son to take the blame for our sins so we can be saved from eternity in hell. Let that sink in from head knowledge to heart belief. In fact, that’s how our faith grows; by prayerfully meditating on the truth of God’s Word to the point of deep-rooted belief. As we continue our efforts to know Him, and we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, the seeds of His Word are planted in the good soil of our hearts. I believe it's only when this happens that we transform into a new creation and become born-again children of God. Jesus is more than willing to accept our confession of faith, forgive, and wash our sins upon salvation; however, maturing in Christ and becoming a child of God is at least partially up to us. Our position when we accepted Christ as Lord and Savior became one set apart by God, having been called out of the world and placed in the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12).[1] When we begin our Christian Walk, we must remember that we have been living in the world, subject to all sorts of miseries, accidents, and poor dispositions from within.[2] Continued cleansing, humbling, Godly transformation is a process, and none of us can take a short-cut to achieve a closer walk with God. We bring our deepest, darkest secrets, hurts, and soul wounds to Him for healing. And when we are saved and healed, we share the love and mercy God gave us with others. To continue growing in Christ, we must also deny our worldly selfish nature in exchange for God's ways. Salvation is a gift we obtain through faith alone, and it makes becoming born again possible. However, nothing changes if we stop there because, up to this point, we have learned from the world and operated out of our flesh. Jesus said in John 6:63 that the flesh profits nothing, but His Words are full of the Spirit and life. We began in God’s Spirit, and that’s how we must persevere. We must continuously walk in God’s Spirit, since in the spirit-life not to advance is to fall back.[3] This is why it’s so important to stay in the Word and Prayer, always counting on the Holy Spirit to help us. Because, in Matthew chapter 13, we learn that the enemy can steal the Word from us unless we have a strong foundation and it's 'planted in good soil.' In the parable of the Sower explained, we learn that:

19 When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Let's delve a little deeper into our opening Scripture. Jesus tells us that many will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If you study the word 'many' in Greek, it means most. Reading this entire passage of Scripture should make us all pause in reverence.

Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:21-23).

I don't know about you, but I want to be sure that I am in the will of the Father and that I do not practice anything that falls under this category of ‘lawlessness.’ Diving deeper into the Strongs dictionary, the meaning of lawlessness states it's a definition of sin that sets forth its essential character as the rejection of the law, or will, of God and the substitution of the will of self.[4] Lawlessness is also known as iniquity and denotes unrighteousness, a condition of not being right, whether with God, according to the standard of His holiness and righteousness, or with man, according to the standard of what man knows to be right by his conscience.[5] Yes, you read that correctly. It says, “or with man.” When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment of the law is, He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang the law and the Prophets (Matt. 22:37-40). So, the law is the Scriptures, or any single command in the Scriptures and the Prophets are ones who speak inspired utterances; the writings of the OT prophets.[6] That being said, we better know what the Word of God says so we can obey it, right? And in particular, regarding LOVE! That word, ‘many’ we already looked at earlier, guess where it’s also found? In Matthew 24, Jesus is teaching about what shall be the sign of His coming, and the end of the world. In verse 10, He says “many will be offended, betray one another, and hate one another.” And then in verse 12, He says, “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will wax cold.” Remember, iniquity also means lawlessness and many means most. The Amplified Version of this passage reads, “Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold.” Don’t think this is you? When was the last time someone offended you and you became hurt or angry? How often does this happen? How about betrayal? Do you know one of the definitions of betrayal is giving up? When was the last time you gave up on someone or said, “I’m done with them;” even though, if not for God’s mercy and love through other imperfect people, you’d have been a goner a long time ago? And as far as hate goes, if we are not loving others even when they don’t deserve it with the same love God has for us, then it’s hate. We cannot say we love God, but hate His people. “We love God because He first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates his brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:19-21). If you struggle with this, you don’t have to. The spirit of resentment can be evicted from your house at any time! BELIEVE the Lord will do it FOR you, and He will! Also, please begin studying Scriptures having to do with love, and meditate on them throughout your day. Meditate on how much God loves YOU, despite the multiple mistakes you yourself have made in your life. From this place, you are better able to receive and give that same love away. The rest of the Scriptures in 1 John, chapter 4 is a great place to start studying deeper meanings. See what the Christians before us got from the Holy Spirit about this chapter. You can google commentaries and they’re readily available in many Bible apps too. It tells us this is how we know His love is complete in us; if we love one another. And according to God, this is going to be the biggest trap of the enemy in the last days; love that grows cold because of how the evil and deception in this world has grown more prevalent and more ‘acceptable’ than any other time in history. We do not have to be in the category of ‘the many,’ though.

I testify of this to you, if you genuinely ask Him to help you love with His love and see from His perspective with heavenly wisdom every time you are tempted to be offended, hurt, or angry, He will do it. My favorite prayer in the Bible is from Paul in Ephesians Chapter 3:

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father [f]of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

You see, we are not able to in our own effort, in our flesh. But He is able and wants to help us know the love of Christ which passes our knowledge so we can be filled with the fullness of God. If we ask Him for His help every time, coupled with continually ‘washing’ in the Word of God, communication with Him through prayer, and use our mouths to speak life despite how we feel, He will help us all endure to the end and be ready for Christ’s return. The key is our faith in Him, believing that He will help us. When we trust in the Lord with all our hearts, do not lean on our own understanding, and in all our ways acknowledge Him, He will direct our paths (Psalm 3:5-6).

Some people think, 'Once saved, always saved,' and others believe we can lose our salvation. I regarded the former as accurate until I read more of my Bible. I am not claiming to be an expert on this subject one way or another; I only wish to point out how I was personally challenged by some verses that make me question what I once believed. For instance, a king in Israel named Asa once started strong in the Lord and did many great things, like removing all the abominable idols from the land, restoring the altar of the Lord, and trusting God to help him in battles. He even cut down the image his mother made and released her from being the 'queen mother.' But later in life, when faced with a battle, he sought another king to join forces by offering him silver and gold instead of relying upon God. What makes a man lean on his riches after clearly living in loyalty and obedience to God initially? How many others have followed down this same path? A man described in the Bible as a seer tried to warn him, but Asa became angry and resentful instead of heeding the warning and repenting. Scripture tells us, "And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand" (2 Chronicles 16:7). Hanani then reminded Asa of when he did rely on the Lord, and He delivered a massive army into his hands, and stated, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him" (2 Chronicles 16:9). From these passages, we can see that having a loyal heart to God means that we trust in Him for our help, not man. We do not need to place hope in what another person can do for us. May we capture these thoughts as they arise in our hearts, cast them down,  and immediately replace them with this truth: "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man" (Psalm 118:8). God does use people to help us. Still, He knows if we acknowledge that our help ultimately comes from Him.

In Asa's case, when he turned away from God and trusted in man, in essence, when he came into unbelief, it was likely caused by looking to what his wealth could purchase rather than the Lord. This fact, coupled with a hardened heart, probably due to resentment and pride, caused him to oppress people around him and sever his relationship with the Lord. Even in his illness, he did not consult God, but rather physicians, who were not likely as we know them today but 'authorized' to practice medicine as a sorcerer operating with curses and magic. To his shame, Asa is remembered as one who did not seek the Lord.[7] This story tells me that someone can be in good standing with God and then blow it if they refuse to get honest with themselves, repent, and turn back to believing in the Lord. Let us remember that the enemy starts with something seemingly good in our life to distract us; and there’s the door for him to come in and lure our thoughts and affections for the Lord onto whatever shiny object or relationship that can so easily become a snare of idolatry.

We can also see a warning to 'the called' in the Book of Jude. The author states, "But I want to remind you that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe" (Jude 1:5). Has anyone ever told you that you were called by God, or do you know for a fact that you are called? That's truly awesome; however, remember the Bible says, "…many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). What I've written so far should either plant or strengthen a healthy reverence and respect for God. I pray that anyone reading this book and doing this study with me is sealed in the Lamb's Book of Life.

The following passage in Revelation discusses getting blotted out from the Book of Life. Someone must be first written in the book before they can be blotted out, right?

"1 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that you are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember, therefore, how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 3:1-6 NKJV, emphasis mine).

This passage talks about the Lord knowing a church's works and that they have a name of being alive but are dead. These are people in the church, folks! He said to strengthen the things that remain. We simply CANNOT remain the same as we are today, so if what I am writing comes across harsh to you, for the love of God, do not be offended and keep reading. Take heed and do something different than you did yesterday, last week, last year, or maybe even the last decade(s) to make sure you are ready. The thought of anyone being tormented and burning in hell for eternity makes me just want to do whatever I can to help ‘the many’ wake up in Jesus name! When I looked up the Greek meaning of being alive, it means the resurrection life or alive again. This Definition refers to our new life in Christ, or in other words, our born-again life. Hence, I want to make sure we are all born-again children of God. Have our perspectives about people, places, and things changed, or do we still view everything the same as we always have? Are we going through the motions but not necessarily believing in or experiencing the power that raised Jesus from the dead? We need to be alive in the Spirit!

The experience of being 'born of the Spirit" describes the new birth in John 3:6, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to the spirit." The word flesh in Greek refers to our fallen human nature, which is frail and corrupt in contrast to immaterial (spiritual) things.[8] Because God, in essence, is Spirit, those who worship Him must do so spiritually, that is, as directed and motivated by the Holy Spirit (see John 4:24).[9] Without new birth, we don't even think about, let alone want to worship God. There was a time when I refused to attend church service until worship was over because I didn't like the music. I sensed some judgemental looks after a while, and since I desperately wanted to be liked and accepted and not "look bad," I started going on time but only went through the motions. For this reason, I question whether I was a born-again child of God in my early walk. I was doing all the religious things that everyone wanted me to do, but it was a lie. I could not worship from my old nature because it was impossible. We worship idols and even ourselves in the flesh. But Jesus said there would come a time when people would worship God in Spirit and truth. May that time be NOW for all of us.

When we receive Christ and believe in His name, the Bible says He gives us the right to become children of God (John 1:12). Verse 13 elaborates that children of God are born not of blood, the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. Jesus said, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I speak to you are Spirit, and they are life (John 6:63). Recall where Jesus said only the ones who do the will of the Father will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He will tell everyone else to depart from Him. How can we know God's will if we do not know what His Word says? And how can we live in the divine dimension of life if we do not have and believe in the Bread of Life in us? I'm telling you, I walked around 'saved' for over a decade before my nature began to change. Why? Because I still carried the same belief systems I had learned from the world around me. No real change happened in my heart until I opened my Bible and began to unlock the transforming power that only comes through the Holy Spirit, consistent study, and obedience to God's Word.

I tell you my experience, but so you know, what I am saying is also Biblical; Psalm 119:9 says, "We become confident that we are born again and walking in the Spirit of God by taking heed according to the Word of God." Birth is the beginning of life; being born again is beginning to live anew. We must have a new nature, new principles, new affections, and new aims.[3] We can only find ourselves when we find Jesus, for He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The Bible tells us that everyone who loves is born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7). There's a lot of flesh surrounding our hearts, but if we humbly look at ourselves, understanding the mirror could be deceiving us; I believe we can receive and give more love of the Father, and His "love will cover a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). We find more of Jesus in the Word of God, period. If you say you 'know' Jesus but do not spend time to know Him, then I would have to question the depth of your relationship. Think about anyone you meet for the first time. How well do you know them at first? The more time you spend with them, the better you get to know them, right? The same is true with God. Jesus told those who believed Him, "…If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32). So, how much time do you spend getting to know the One who holds all the love, security, and answers you're searching for? Do you consult Google more than God with your questions? Is it your heart's desire to include and obey Him with your works according to the Word of God, the Spirit of truth? The Bible says you do well to believe there is one God, but even the demons believe (James 2:19). Something tells me that's not enough. We can only expect our minds and nature to change by knowing the truth that sets us free. We must learn more from Him and rely less on our human reasoning, what our friends, family, and the world tell us, resulting in deceptive strongholds in our minds and lives. If we diligently 'come to the table,' the Holy Spirit will illuminate the truth and revelation that changes our hearts, minds, thoughts, and attitudes. 

There are multiple references in the New Testament of Jesus being present with those sitting at the table; hence, the reason why I say, 'come to the table.' Once we make a habit of this every day, we won't miss our quiet time with the Lord because it becomes the very source of our faith, love, joy, and strength. We will understand the grace and freedom that enables us to become doers of the Word, which is His ultimate will and purpose for our lives. If we have asked Jesus into our hearts, we have what it takes to grow into all He intended for us. 

I have a reason for writing so much about how important it is to spend prayerful time in our Bibles before delving into our ultimate study of flesh vs. Spirit. Regular reading, studying, and hearing the Word of God is the only way to prepare ourselves for the encounters that facilitate real change in our hearts. Even if you don't 'feel anything,' it doesn't mean the seed of the Word is not being planted in you, growing your foundation, preparing the 'soil of your heart.' The truth is that we accomplish nothing when we try to change in our own strengths. It's Jesus that changes us as we spend time with Him. Also, you likely won't remember what a preacher said last week, but you will remember the revelation knowledge and spiritual blessings you gain by consistently studying the Scriptures for yourself. The Bible tells us what we can expect to gain, so why wouldn't we make it the most crucial thing in our lives? To name just a few of the promises:

• The Word effectively works in those who believe (1 Thess. 2:3).

• The Word strengthens our faith (Romans 10:17).

• The Word cleanses us (Psalm 119:9).

• The Word keeps us from sinning (Psalm 119:11).

• We become like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth fruit in its season ( Psalm 1:1-3).

Grace supernaturally comes to obey the Word when we spend time with Him. This desire and ability to change is the difference between religion and relationships. Religion says I have to. Relationship says I want to. And I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13). When we obey the Word of God and resist temptations to do things the way we always have, we gain new spiritual territory and grow in our relationship with Christ. The more we go against our flesh, the easier it becomes. 

In our previous passage, the angel tells the church to strengthen what remains so they are ready to die and their works are found perfect before God. The Bible says that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). So, what are the works we are to walk in? It's easy to focus on what we're supposed to do rather than who we should be, but the initial work is to be done inside us before we busy ourselves too much about what we should do in the Kingdom. The apostle Paul waited three years after his encounter with Jesus before he began working alongside others in ministry. I'm not saying we shouldn't serve and help others; instead, we shouldn't think we are ready for too much too soon before having a solid relationship with God and taking the time to get to know Him in His Word.

Let's also consider the story of Jesus visiting Mary and Martha. "Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:38-41).

Mary solely focused on Jesus. I imagine her in absolute awe of Him, waiting to hear His every Word and basking in His spirit. She must have encountered and received His love for her to show that much love and affection back towards Him. We can only experience this love encounter in such a position as Mary. I imagine Mary performed other tasks that day, too, but in His presence, she wasn't letting anyone or anything into her time and space with the lover of her soul. Again, Mary likely had completed other tasks earlier at some point that day, too, and someone always has to cook, so please note that Jesus did not rebuke Martha for cooking. What Jesus so gently rebuked her for was too many worries and cares. I also want to point out that those worries and cares were about what someone else was or wasn't doing. Let that sink in a moment. Suppose we consistently focus more on intimately knowing and obeying the Father's will for ourselves instead of the flaws of others. Then, when we rise from Mary's position, our works will come naturally and be of the Lord's will through His Spirit of love and grace. I'm not saying we should never guide our brothers and sisters in Godliness, but remember, in the end, the Lord weighs the Spirits from which we operate. And we can only operate in His Spirit by quietly positioning ourselves with Jesus daily, just like Mary did.

This book is not about salvation, but I believe the topic is essential since we are nearing the Day of the Lord. There is nothing wrong with having a healthy fear and reverence of God, so I remind us of the truth. Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  The Lord warns us to be watchful and ready for His return. I pray that all who read this book and take the time to search their hearts with rigorous honesty will repent and turn from any hidden areas the Holy Spirit reveals. In doing so, may we all be wise and knowledgeable of the deception already existing in ourselves and this world, and more so as the Day of the Lord approaches. Even if you are 100 percent confident of your place in heaven, there is always room for spiritual growth. I once heard someone say that we never stay the same spiritually. We are either continuing to grow or reverting to our old ways (backsliding). We stand a greater chance of not being deceived if we take a prayerful look in our mirrors and pay more attention to the work that remains in ourselves rather than noticing all the flaws in others.

In later chapters, we will take a rigorous and honest inventory of ourselves by thoroughly studying all the works of the flesh and examples of how those manifest, followed by a similar study on the fruits of the Spirit. But first, let's look at our current works and the differences between the flesh and the Spirit.

Bibliography

[1] Spirit Filled Life Bible, Third Edition (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2018), 158.

[2] Brother Lawrence, The Practice of The Presence of God (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1982), 25.

[3] Lawrence, 30.

[4] “Blue Letter Bible,” Study Resources: Dictionaries: Lawlessness (Strongs #G458) (website), accessed March 10, 2024, https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm?topic=VT0001615.

[5] Ibid.,“Blue Letter Bible.” Iniquity (Strongs #G93).

[6] “Bible Gateway Passage: Matt 22:36-40 - New International Version,” Bible Gateway, accessed June 3, 2024, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203%3A6&version=NIV.

[7] Spirit Filled Life Bible New King James Version (Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1991), 582 Commentary.

[8] “Bible Gateway Passage: John 3:6 - New International Version,” Bible Gateway, accessed February 10, 2024, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203%3A6&version=NIV.

[9] Spirit Filled Life Bible, 592.