AWAKENING, STRONG DELUSION, AND TEMPTATION

This is the word of the Lord to whomever would heed it. There is a relationship between spiritual awakening, strong delusion, and temptation. I never thought of it before but the Lord explained it because we need to know it. Why is that? Because although this country is in a pretty significant moral decline and it appears we could fall no further or that the delusion has become quite pronounced, we still have not hit the level of strong delusion spoken of in the Bible. And, yes, we are in a time when Isaiah 5:20 seems quite prevalent: that which is good is labeled bad and that which is bad is not only labeled as good but is often applauded.

God said in Isaiah 5:20:

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

But we know that God knows exactly what He is doing and He can never fail. That is why heaven always has a strategy no matter how dark the times appear. It is up to those who are intimate with God, His ways, and His modes of communication, the chief one being His written Word, to seek out the strategy. In this blog post, I believe the Lord is sharing strategy for winning back homes, neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries. He will come back when we have done our part to share His love with the world and to occupy in faith until He comes.

OUR MANDATE WITH ACCOMPANYING AUTHORITY AND MANDATE

The Bible tells us that we are to take the Word of God throughout creation preaching as we go that His Kingdom has come and as we go, heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, and set the captives free. How many are doing this? Most of the Church is influenced by the world system so few believers are actually doing what Jesus said to do. Most people live under the same world system they were saved out of. Few see the evidence of the Kingdom having come near with the signs, wonders, and miracles we are told would follow the preaching of the Word. Perhaps the Word is not actually preached, since the Word of God cannot lie. We need an awakening.... AGAIN!

Lately God has shown some keys to awakening the Church in a particular location. That is because we live in a fallen world with certain areas being influenced by certain fallen angel, what the Bible refers to as powers and principalities. How can you have effective revival without dealing with the blockages to revival, and the reasons, and entities that prevent people for hearing, seeing, and responded properly to the Gospel, the God News! God does not want us to be ignorant! He wants us to be wise and to move with purpose and success as we depend upon Him. What do we need, STRATEGIC PRAYER! That is the first step to God revealing His invincible strategy to take back territory from the evil one. 

1. PRAYER MOVEMENT BEFORE AWAKENING

We know that no great move of the Spirit of God happens without a person or group engaging in fervent prayer. It happened at Pentecost when the 120 shut away in that upper-room for 10 days seeking God in unity. The result of their obedience brought the precious Holy Spirit to the earth for the first time and by God's grace and mercy, He is still here. He is our supernatural Enablement to do anything for God today. That just undoes me to think about it. And although I am not one to think that God needs to send the Holy Spirit again, since He is already here, I do believe we need a renewed awareness of our need for Him, and our submission to Him. There is no more amount of Holy Spirit for God to send, just more yielding for us to do. Therefore, an awakening is really just a renewed awareness of God in our midst and yielding to Him, individually and on a larger scale. Of course, as individual believers, we experience cycles of renewal that take us to deeper levels in God - if we are progressing. An awakening is a significant portion of the society experience it at the same time.

So how do we get there? Prayer! Prayer! Prayer! I was not always a revival focused person, but it's difficult to witness what is happening in society and ignore that if something does not happen to stem the downward flow, the end result will be devastating. One wonders how long will God stay His hand of judgment after showing mercy over and over again. How much lower can this society go before the end? We are there now! We need a prayer movement by locality, city, state and nation and globe. The world is off its hinges and only God can help. Notice I did not say God is out of control. God is in perfect control. He is allowing man a level of latitude, but there is a great level of restraint involved on His part. Yet, as the people of God, our job is to pray. 2 Chronicles 7:12-16 is a key Scripture for revival that is as true today as it was to Israel before the Gentile people were grafted into the family of God. In this Scripture, God is giving the people the antidote for when the land falls into judgement and under a curse. God 's cure:

“I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. ¹³ When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, ¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ¹⁵ Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. ¹⁶ For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.

Breaking it Down

God's people were/are to:

1. Choose a place to dedicate prayer for the purpose of restoration

2. Humble themselves

3. Pray AND

4. Seek His face (not superficial cursory prayer but pursuing prayer)

5. Turn from their wicked ways (things that they know are wrong but do anyway)

God would:

1. Hear from His position in heaven

2. Forgive the sins of which they repented and

3. Heal their land

Bottom line: For an awakening, we need to pray fervent prayers of intercession for the land.  That is, AFTER we have done our part in repentance and dedicating ourselves to God in prayer, an awakening will. It will not come accidentally or haphazardly. Heaven has protocol because IT IS A KINGDOM. Never listen to people who tell you otherwise. God is our Father and Jesus is our Friend but He is also Lord and King. It is not religious to treat the King of the universe according to His own protocol, that's order. Even the children of an earthly king adhere to protocol. How much more so, King of kings. Jesus made a way for us back to the Father, but He is still the Almighty One.

The Church United in Prayer

So how are we to respond to this need for awakening. Churches across denominational lines need put their differences aside, to come together in genuine brotherhood, to pray fervently for God to move in this land again. However, prior to that, we, the Body of Christ, need to seek God on individual level so that when we come together our hearts are pure and free of bitterness and pride. We need to come together in phileo love.

2. AWAKENING

In America, there have been two of these colossal moves of the Spirit and many are believing for a third and final GREAT AWAKENING before things fall apart and the Lord returns.

What does awakening look like? In a nutshell, there is such a manifest presence of God's Spirit, after those with a burden prayed and waited before God to manifest Himself in a greater way. Awakening comes for the purpose of impacting and transforming society. It's brought on by a type of hunger, thirst, and desperation for more of God. Once the Lord manifests Himself, often there is almost a tangible presence where people become more aware of their own sin and repent and experience the joy of the Lord in newness; complacent believers get "on fire for God," although not all; bars and clubs are emptied, and people can't get enough of God presence. People weep, fall down, and bow down.

There is a sense of holiness and that the Holy One is present and those responding just want to reverence His presence; many feel like they are about to or want to die because they know that they are unholy and unable to stand in His presence. Yet, God in His love for man sees the repentant through Christ's one massive act of redemption (buying back) on the Cross. He died for our sins so that those who believe in and follow Him can approach the Father without shame and condemnation. However, those who reject the Lord Jesus will remain in shame and condemnation until they accept His sacrifice for them.  

That's just a snap shot of what a society-transforming revival looks like. You may read about the great revivalists like George Finney, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, etc. And the ones abroad such as Evan Roberts of Wales. (Link of a revival library: http://www.revival-library.org/pensketches/hr_menu.php).

The point is first the Church needs to be awakened before it can facilitate a Great Awakening to the greater society, locally, nationally, and internationally. An awakening is also, and really at its core, a spiritual cleansing and a rebirth. Do you think we need one? I'd say we do ... yesterday!

3. DELUSION

I am no psychologist but I believe the Bible has something to say about what causes people to be given over to strong delusion, it is a refusal to submit. Let me go out on a limb here; everyone who refuses to submit to God now, and certainly before the coming of the level of strong delusion spoken of in the Bible actually, will fall to it and if possible be completely lost through it. I do believe that. So what prevents people from being able to submit to God or anyone? Yes, that old culprit, pride. The thing about pride is not only that it come before a fall, (?) pride itself facilitates or causes delusion. There is no clear vision when operating in pride. That's what cause Lucifer's great fall that preceded his being thrown out of heaven. Pride is not a godly attribute; it causes God to turn against you. How do I know this? Well, the opposite of pride is humility. The Bible tell us that God gives much grace to the humble. That means those operating in pride are not getting grace as long as they continue in it.

Proverbs 16: 18

Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 3:34

Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble. [scornful: proud].

James 4:6

But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 

Proverbs 11:2

When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.

1 Peter 5:5

[ Submit to God, Resist the Devil] Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 

 DELUSION DEFINED (I just Googled a few)

Delusion is a ... 

a firm belief you have that is actually not grounded in reality or truth, often occurring as a result of a mental problem

a belief that has no evidence in fact — a complete illusion. The cook at the hot dog stand who thinks he is the best chef in the world? 

a belief held with strong conviction despite superior evidence to the contrary. 

belief in something that is not true. (http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/delusion) 

 A false belief held despite strong evidence against it; self-deception. 

As you can see, delusion is believing in something that is not true and being convinced you are right. Can you imagine what "strong delusion" would be like? If delusion is insanity, what would the strong version be like? One word: dangerous. However dismal this appears, the Holy Spirit Who is the revealer of Truth, Jesus Christ and obliterate all delusions, strong or otherwise. The problem with strong delusion is that for some, there will be no way back because God would have already given then over to their stubbornness.

So this relationship flows from a movement of prayer and intercession, which in many ways has already begun to spread. Then by God's grace and mercy the awakening will ignite the sleeping Church and usher many new and backslidden believers into the Family of God. However, strong delusion which has not yet come full force, is certainly coming as prophesied in the Bible. There are already signs that it is gaining traction. 

Consider the following evidence of delusion in the public square: 

1. Grown men able to use the same bathrooms as little girls seen as a good thing,
2. killing a child in the wombs seen as caring for the mother,
3. seeing some who do heinous acts to children and adults in the name religion as "misunderstood",
4. lauding politicians who life as though they were above the law, and who would have been behind bars if they were the average citizen, and of course
5. laws on the books that make it possible for people of the same sex to "marry." 

These are just a few of the signs of insanity exhibited by those responsible for stewarding the resources and people of this great nation.

3. TEMPTATION

Paul warns us that we are most vulnerable to temptation when our guard is down and our pride is up. In other words, be careful not to say, "Oh, I would never fall for that." Really? Are you Jesus? Pardon me for waxing a bit basic but what is temptation?

Temptation is defined as "a desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise." "the wish to do or have something that you know you should not do or have." 

Remember what even the great apostle Paul said:

Romans 7:15-17 (Carnality in our bodies Lead us to sin as Under the Law)

¹⁵ For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

But thank God for:

Romans 8:1-4 (Following the Spirit of God leads us to fulfill the Law as Jesus did)

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

4. STRONG DELUSION

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

⁹ The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Although the examples of delusion above are pretty convincing, there is still more and worse to come. They are evidence that full blown strong delusion will be unimaginable to those who are in Christ and not given over to a spirit of fear but to power, love and clothed in their right mind (in Christ). (Paraphrased from 2 Tim. 1:7.) Based on the definition of delusion above, it is a level of insanity whereas strong delusion will be deeper, more widespread, and sent by God to those who rejected His love time and again. Even the elect, where possible, will be caught up in it. To put it simply, there will be two choices, get caught up in the life-giving waves of God's awakening and revival or those of the strong delusion and temptation which are coming.

Some people will make the mistake of waiting too long to submit to God in revival and get caught up in the strong delusion, at which point, it will be too late. They would not be able to choose at that point. The thing is, no one knows when any of it will begin or end. My advice to anyone reading this who does not know Jesus Christ as Savior, is to submit to God's Spirit now so that you will be well in the coming days, months and years before the Lord's return and with Him on into eternity. Make this choice today and you will be within God's move and covering upon His 2nd coming.

CONCLUSION (really important)

Fervent united intercessory prayer in obedience to Holy Spirit gives way to awakening, which then protects those who allow the waves of the awakening Spirit of God to overcome them. In other words, to be an overcomer, you have to allow yourself to first be overcome by God. Those who do not submit to God in allowing Him to overtake them will be overtaken by the waves of a stronger delusion than what is in the land today. People steeped in pride (inside and outside of the church), and who do not think they need awakening are in danger of giving into strong delusion because of pride and rejecting the Son of God. Pride is the main ingredient of this strong delusion. People will be sure they are right in their delusion and will be adamant and resist those of the Truth. Strong delusion and temptation are opposing sides of the same coin because the strong delusion will make its victims ripe for temptations of all kinds to which many would be susceptible in areas they were not susceptible before.

Again “pride comes before a fall will take on new meaning.” I also sense that many supposedly stalwart believers with large followings will give in to the strong delusion because the seeds are already in them, perhaps deeper than would be evident to the average discerner. Many will be surprised by the ones who fall during this time. Meanwhile, in this current level of delusion, we are not as surprised who falls because there has already been evidence of bad theology ad bad fruit. In this upcoming level of strong delusion, it will be more incredible to see who actually falls for it. 

And finally, it is impossible to face temptation from the devil without submission to God. Therefore, ignoring the move of God's Spirit refusing to submit to Him puts one in direct line of the enemy to be deluded and to give into temptation. Hence, the relationship between Awakening, Strong Delusion, and Temptation.

By the time strong delusion is released on the earth to people who refuse to receive His love, grace, and Truth, it will be too late. They would have passed the point of no return. The Scripture bears repeating. Please take note.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

 

⁹ The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The good news is; strong delusion is not quite here yet. There is still time to accept Love and His Truth, Jesus Christ.