The Real Front Lines

Most Christians already know we are in a spiritual battle and that there is an organized opposition to our fulfilling of the great commission of taking the gospel of salvation to all creation. However not all are aware of just how far the front lines of this battle extend. Yes we know that a lot of it is out in the world where we send the missionaries and evangelists and where we come into opposition from other religions or pagan deities. But what most do not grasp is that a lot of the front lines in the battle between good and evil is in fact found right in the organizations that calls itself the church. Simple logic reveals this when you consider the huge amount of separate denominations that all hold to different doctrines but all claim to follow the same God and the same Christ and draw their theology from the same Bible.

Yes we all want to avoid falling into error but where do these errors come from in the first place. They are the result of the spiritual battles that are being raged right in the church so as to render the saints inoperable. Demons are religious in nature and are the pagan gods of old. Rimmon, Zeus, Moloch, Beelzebub etc. They have no problem operating in a religious setting however they do need an intermediator to operate through so they are always on the lookout for someone that can be beguiled by their temptations. This is nothing new and this tactic of corrupting Gods people from within goes right back to Old testament times.

For example look at what happened to King David; His temptation was to go all bureaucratic and step out in his own strength effectively usurping Gods position over the running of his own Holy nation. Yes he had been set in place as king by God but he was still Gods king that was to operate under Gods direction over Gods own nation. He was never given the nation as his own possession.

1Ch 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
1Ch 21:2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.
1Ch 21:3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
1Ch 21:4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

The thing was that the nation of Israel had been blessed by God and has gained military supremacy over all the nations surrounding. These other nations were all under the control of Satan and as long as Israel was under Gods blessings the kingdoms of Satan were going to be taking a hammering. Hence Satan tempted King David in such a way as to cause a stumbling and become an offence to God thereby bringing to a halt the blessings that nations was receiving.

As you can see King David probably did not realize at the time that he was stepping into sin but he did fall for the temptation of taking it upon himself to get all organized and solidify his control through bureaucracy and the numbering of Gods people. If left unchecked it would have progressed into an absolute totalitarian system with all the oppressions that come with it. That is how Satan tempts and operates. Satan cannot directly oppose Gods people but if he can get the saints to fall into error or sin so that they drop out from under Gods cover of protection then he can have his way with them.

The same situation happened with king Solomon. Reputedly the wisest man in all the earth but alas not the most obedient.

1Ki 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
1Ki 11:2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
1Ki 11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
1Ki 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
1Ki 11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.


Now Solomon acquired all these wives through international diplomatic traditions and treaties of his time but the legacy of this was disaster. Upon his death all these foreign woman remained as a part of the royal house of Israel. All future kings of the Holy Nation had mixed blood in them and the traditions of their mothers imposed on the nation through them. The result was the Babylonian captivity so as to purge this adultery out of the nation by the destruction of the Israeli aristocracy in the war and captivity.

This list can go on but the point is to note that the temptations to fall into error are most often applied to those in the ranks of authority so as to achieve the most devastating effect. The larger the area of control by those in authority the more widespread the effect of the devastation brought about through the errors.

Now the Apostles that founded the first churches noticed this situation developing in their own days and warned us about it. In fact even Jesus warned his disciples to be on the lookout for this.


Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Mat 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
Mat 10:18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
Mat 10:19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Now in Matthew 7:15 Jesus was warning that false prophets would be coming, that they would be in sheeps clothing which means that they will be dressed as members of the flock. As a general rule I have found that where you find large amounts of religiosity and self righteous claims of protecting the flock and the gathering of lynch mobs to drive out blasphemies etc, then suspect a demonic influence at work. The fruit of this is the creation of wounded bleeding saints lying in a path of destruction as the wolves plough on through. The real prophets of the Lord are normally very down to earth people and although the messages they give are not often well received they themselves are very patient and giving in nature. In other words they display the fruits of the spirit not wrath on all that oppose. Those under the influence of Satan will bully and intimidate and manipulate their way forward while the real shepherd will call and support and encourage as a servant of the Lord. Remember that all the real saints are volunteers who willingly accepted Christ as their saviour. Noone is forced into the kingdom of heaven.

Again in Matthew 10; 17 Jesus warned that persecutions would be coming to the saints and he specifically warned about MEN who were attached to religious institutions such as the synagogues. As a general rule a saint can stand against any amount of persecutions that comes against them from the world system but that which comes against them from inside the very churches that they believe they belong to and are a part of destroys their faith far more effectively as it comes from a quarter that is least expected and often totally unprepared for.

In acts 20: 30 this is expanded upon. The warning is that from right out of the congregations themselves shall arise perverse men that will seek to draw and collect disciples to follow them in their delusions and works of self gain. These are the ones that play the religious games and have no real interest in the eternal well being of the flock so long as they can fleece them in the now. The original Apostles knew this was coming and they warned about it so as to prepare the new churches they planted to stand against it when it happened.

Now 1 Timothy chapter six gives some good insight on how this adulteration of the original gospels comes about. It is manipulations and the will of the flesh disputing with the truth of the spirit. The application of earthly values and understanding to try and make it fit with spiritual truths which result in some perverse theology that serves nothing but pacifies the carnal mind while alienating the workers of it from the Lord altogether. It is done by those that want the kingdom of God but do not want to let go of their earthly life styles either. They end up with a gospel of the world with all paths lead to heaven but God is no where in sight either and its all downhill from there. The biggest problem is that they strive for their followings and they do this by destroying all those that speak out against the perversions thus driving out the true saints and alienating them from the general body altogether. Resulting in those left being led down the garden path and into oblivion. Basically an adaptation of the same tactic used in Old Testament times. Hence back then the real prophets were hated by the Kings and the Holy Nation kept going astray and coming under Gods judgments. Only now it is the body of Christ that is the main target.

As you can see this all has to take place with in the ranks of the congregations itself. Now think about this. If a demonic influence wants to corrupt the church so as to counter the authority it has in Christ and render it powerless, where is it going to have to operate. It will achieve nothing out in the world so it has to enter the church as a deceiving angel of light and find someone in the congregation to tempt that it can work through. The person themselves may not always be aware that they are being influenced but the spirit of religiosity will manifest through them and their carnal nature will show through. Hence we are warned over and over to examine the fruit. The fruit being the product that results from the doctrines and presented theology as compared to what the original Apostles taught.

Again the original Apostles made provision for this and left us a simple test that the body of saints could use so as to have a defence against this kind of thing.

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1Jn 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
1Jn 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Now when a deceiving spirit first starts to infiltrate a body of believers it is normally through the gift of prophecy. This is why we are instructed to actually test the spirit of prophecy so as to prevent the intended damage from being done in the first place. It will start off by saying nice things and then when it has gained a bit of respect it will in small incremental steps start to lead the body into error.

2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

If we look at that test in the passage from 1John chapter 4 what is happening is that we are asking the spirit of prophecy to confirm basic biblical and spiritual truths. Has Jesus come in the flesh. Does Jesus now sit at the right hand of God on high etc etc. The spirit of prophecy is then required to confirm these basic truths and if it is a demonic spirit pretending to be the real deal then it is caught between a rock and a hard place. It is being asked to affirm the very things that it wishes to denie and confirm that which it has been sent to lead the congregation away from. That test very quickly catches them out but as John also elaborates on, if you know your scriptures you will also pick up when a false word is given as it will contradict the basic tenants of scripture and he also goes on to elaborate on the fruit manifested. The Love of God does not display aggression against the saints doing the testing but a deceiving spirit may at times attempt this so as to discourage the testing. I have seen this in operation after explaining this principle. The wolves that consider themselves something special will chew over this a bit and then the spirit of the antichrist will start to manifest through them and they will laterally start a war to disprove this scriptural instruction and convince all listening to disregard it as ridicules, thus themselves effectively failing the very test themselves.

Now the question is, what do you do when a body of believers have fallen under a deception of this nature? You can try and argue with them but it will lead nowhere because it is a spiritual stronghold that has been formed. Anything you say as correction will be venometly fought against. You can only fight the spiritual with the spiritual and that means using the authority found in Christ.

2Co 10:2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2Co 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
2Co 10:7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

You have to come against and remove the strong hold that has been formed over the people first and only then will you be able to explain things properly to the people once the spiritual influence over them has been bound. This process can take quite a while. But understand this, the real front lines in the battle between good and evil is more often than not to be found right in the church itself because that is the only place that Satan can actually have any real effect in opposing the saints at all.

Just gave it a bump