Seek truth and do not be deceived!
“The Holy Spirit is magnifying the light of biblical truth and bringing a vitally important awareness of Satan’s deception and wicked strategies””
Throughout this work, the Holy Spirit is magnifying the light of biblical truth as well as bringing a vitally important awareness of Satan’s deception and wicked strategies, which began in the Garden of Eden and will continue throughout human history until the conclusion of this age. The end of all things is near and the Holy Spirit is sounding a mighty shofar (trumpet) blast warning us, “Seek truth and do not be deceived!” It is written, Satan “who deceives the whole world; was thrown down to the earth … Woe to the earth”! (Revelation 12:9,12). Apostle Paul urges us, “not to be ignorant of his schemes lest he have an advantage over us” and we unknowingly become his victims who are enslaved again to sin (see 2Corinthians 2:11, see John 8:34).
The hour is late; so many believers have grown weary, sleepy, and “lukewarm” in their spiritual walks (Revelation 3:16). They are swerving in and out of the truth and out of the will of Yahveh the Almighty God. The Holy Spirit is proclaiming, “Awake, O Sleeper”, your “redemption is drawing near” (Ephesians 5:14, Luke 21:28). Knowing that time is short “…you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44). Therefore we must “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” “making the most of our time because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of Yahshua [Jesus] is” (Philippians 2:12, Ephesians 5:16-17). It is written, “How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation” paid in full through the sacrificial outpoured blood of our beloved Messiah (Hebrews 2:3).
“At the close of the age, instead of a growing harvest of righteousness for our Father’s glory, we are witnessing an increasing unrighteous harvest of shriveled fruit””
So many profess to know and love the Savior, yet they live apart from His Holy Spirit because they are more interested in gratifying the desires of their flesh. You cannot simultaneously live in the Spirit and in the flesh; they “are in opposition to one another” (Galatians 5:17). One of Satan’s primary strategies has successfully led to the rise of many deceived, compromised, self-pleasing believers and congregations, who are devoid of the presence of the Holy Spirit. At the close of the age, instead of a growing harvest of righteousness for our Father’s glory, we are witnessing an increasing unrighteous harvest of shriveled fruit. There is a lack of holy fruit because many are living in the flesh for the here and now. They are stockpiling their treasures here on earth rather than having their focus and desire for the here after; investing their lives in spiritual treasures in the kingdom of heaven. Yahshua (Jesus) cautions us, “… where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
“The Tempter’s successful agenda keeps many believers distracted and preoccupied so that their self centered flesh nature, instead of decreasing, is becoming self-indulged and increasing””
In the Holy Bible, our Savior refers to the Devil as the “god and ruler of this world” (2Corinthians 4:4, John 12:30). The Tempter’s successful agenda keeps many believers distracted and preoccupied so that their self centered flesh nature, instead of decreasing, is becoming self-indulged and increasing. The self-nature does not seek or do the will of the Father and this causes sin that separates us from Him Who is the Holy God. Yahshua (Jesus) said, Satan “comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Our Savior living in and through us is the true abundant life. Our personal relationship with Him is the joy that surpasses all the joys of this world. As we choose to seek and do His will and to deny our flesh, we will become more acclimated to live in the Spirit, who is urging us to grow into holy union with Yahshua (Jesus). This personal intimate relationship with our righteous Redeemer is the true abundant life that Yahshua died to give us.
“It is written, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God”, therefore there is no eternal lasting joy that comes from the flesh””
It is with our free will that we choose to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). This process keeps us on the “narrow path” that leads to abundant life in the Spirit to become more holy as He is holy. It is written, “without holiness no one will see the Lord [Yahshua/Jesus]” (Hebrews 12:14). “The flesh profits nothing” it can never produce spiritual holiness (John 6:63). True righteousness is a by-product of our Savior’s indwelling Spirit that compels us to seek and obey His will. It is written, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God”, therefore there is no eternal lasting joy that comes from the flesh (1Corinthians 15:50). Yahshua (Jesus) said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me”. Apostle Paul adds, “… make no provision for the flesh” (see Matthew 16:24, Romans 13:14).
The truth is, the more we indulge ourselves the more we starve the Spirit. The more we deny and make no provision for the flesh, the stronger and mightier we grow up in the Holy Spirit. Again, this is the abundant life that Yahshua (Jesus) sacrificed His life that we might have. Sadly and frequently, the abundant life is misinterpreted to mean material blessings in this world that fulfill and gratify the natural desires of the flesh. These temporary worldly distractions and preoccupations easily become as idols, that rob our God and Savior from the wholehearted love, focus, and affection that is due to Him alone. Our misplaced focus and desires of the flesh for the things of this world grieves Yahshua (Jesus), who is “jealous” for us as a “bridegroom” for His beloved redeemed “bride”. Apostle Paul words magnify this, “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Messiah [Christ] I might present you as a pure virgin [a bride undefiled by sin and the flesh’s desires for the world]” (2 Corinthians 11:2 also see Revelation 19:7).
“Yahshua (Jesus) cannot make us love Him, or make us seek, and obey His will. Obedience comes from pure love and devotion for Him, above all else””
Yahshua (Jesus) cannot make us love Him, or make us seek, and obey His will. Obedience comes from pure love and devotion for Him, above all else. All humanity has been born with the divine gift of a free will. Beginning in the Garden of Eden, throughout human history, the choices of the free will have led to monstrous prideful disobedience to Yahveh the Holy God and Redeemer. Satan’s strategy is to keep us out of the will of God by keeping us in the flesh doing our own will, which is sin and rebellion. We must recognize our enemy is both Satan and our self-flesh nature. It is written, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). As the bright light of truth sets us free from deception, we begin to make wise Spirit led decisions to love, seek and obey our Father’s will. Our Messiah’s completely surrendered will to obedience is an example that speaks loudly to us. “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). As Yahshua (Jesus) was approaching His inevitable death on the crucifixion stake, He humbly cried out, “Father, … not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
On this earth we are captives of time and space, everyone and everything has a divinely ordained time line with a beginning and an end. There are two important realities regarding time: number one, the beginning and end of our lives and number two, the beginning and end of this world as we know it. The utmost compelling reality is: both endings are coming sooner than later. Knowing this “what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,” no longer living “the rest of [your] earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul …” “The world is passing away, and also its lusts [desires]; but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (2Peter 3:11, 1Peter 4:2, 1Peter 2:11, 1John 2:17).
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah [Christ], so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good [the will of God by the Holy Spirit] or bad [the human will by the flesh]”. Our Savior proclaimed, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to man [to everyone] according to what [each] has done …” (2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 22:12)
“May the following series bless and inspire you in your spiritual journey, moving from the flesh into the Spirit and from the kingdom of this world into the kingdom of heaven””
Our Father’s all powerful heart and hands of infinite love are extended, beseeching us to come up higher, above and beyond our desires and preoccupations for this dark passing world. It is written, for our encouragement “… We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). May the following series bless and inspire you in your spiritual journey, moving from the flesh into the Spirit and from the kingdom of this world into the kingdom of heaven.
