Did You Know John MacArthur Has A Side Job, Selling You Out?

    


28“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made 
you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 
29“I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the 
flock; 30and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to 
draw away the disciples after them.31“Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night 
and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. 
Acts 20

The apostle Paul left us a warning that wolves would enter in. Do you think, just maybe, that is 
why MacArther falsely accuses Paul as being a great sinner? Lets take a look at MacAruthur 
and his cronies. 

 A Flowchart Depicting Some of John Macarthur's 

 Anti-christ and Globalist Connections

First things first – For what did Christ call us? Anastasios Kioulachoglou

First things first – For what did Christ call us?

The subject of this short article or better note will be just two verses in the gospel of Mark. They are verses that most probably all of us know but to which we don’t always pay the required attention. They are in Mark 3:13-14:

Mark 3:13-14
“And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach.”

For what did Christ appointed the 12? Many of us immediately bypass the part I have pointed out in bold letters and they say “that He might send them to preach”! But this is not what the Word of God says. He chose them and appoint them first of all to BE WITH HIM, to have fellowship with Him, to be wherever He was. Then it is to go and preach.

Christ has invited you and me to too. Though the “go and preaching” is part of the invitation and though God has called us to walk into the good works He has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10), let us bear in mind that this invitation does not come first. What comes first is “to be with Him”, and then, in fellowship with Him, “go and preach” and “do the good works God has prepared us for us to do”. Many of us focus first on works and this brings dryness. We must remember that the “go and preach” part of invitation Christ extended to us came second. What came first was TO BE WITH HIM.

Anastasios Kioulachoglou

Please check out Anastasios's book "The Warnings of the New Testament". Purchase at Kindle and Amazon or download for FREE at: http://www.jba.gr/Articles/pdf/the-warnings-of-the-New-Testament.pdf

Jezebel – The Thyatira Tyrant

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Eternal Life Blog

The church at Thyatira had a very unique situation, with its resultant problems. From it we can learn much including the truth that even the congregations in first-century Christianity had serious problems! After the Lord commended the angel (or messenger in Greek – v. 19) he then focused on their chief problem, a big one – a female false teacher!

Tolerating Jezebel

Jesus said the so-called prophetess Jezebel was misleading his servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols! She was the reason they were in sin. The devil used that church woman, who must have been in either a teaching position or close to it, as a prophetess. Apparently, some believed her exalted false claim to their own spiritual harm. She was being “tolerated” and that toleration allowed that WICKED WOMAN to adversely influence precious saints. She was HARMFUL (like a spiritual viper) to the saints and such occurred IN the church congregation!

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. (Rev 2:20-23)

“Going to church” in Thyatira led to the spiritual DEATH of the saints, who became sexually immoral. That shatters the prevalent myth that “going to church” is the spiritual cure-all from the misuse of Hebrews 10:25!

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing …. (Heb 10:25)

The context of Hebrews 10:25 refers to meeting together with “holy brothers” (Heb. 3:1) with qualified spiritual leadership in charge:

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you.Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. (Heb 13:7)

Heb. 10:25 certainly does NOT allow for false prophets or false teachers to be in charge spewing out their POISONOUS teachings to the people attending, which is the norm in our day of eternal security! That is not the type of meetings any Christian should be attending.

Others in Thyatira had also picked up “her [Jezebel’s] ways.” Jesus saw it all! Sin was still the issue. NOTHING was hidden from his sight! Their future sins were not automatically forgiven. Jesus’ blood didn’t hide their sins from Jesus seeing it! Neither did grace! Do not believe the modern-day male and female Jezebels, who teach like that!

NOTE: Christians are to be patient with others, but not tolerant with false teachers. FALSE PROPHETS should never be tolerated! To tolerate their presence, especially in a church setting, is not pleasing to God, nor is it a sign of mercy or maturity! It is spiritual neglect and opens the door for EVIL to come in and DEADLY religious deception to occur.

Who Was This Jezebel

Who the Thyatira Jezebel was remains a mystery. Jesus called her that after the infamous WITCH and wife of King Ahab, who opposed Elijah the prophet. Some think this Jezebel might have been the Pastor’s wife! Regardless, she was an influential woman, who got in power and remained there (because she was tolerated) to the lethal spiritual harm of others. Just the name Jezebel speaks volumes of how the Lord Jesus saw that self-proclaimed prophet in a negative way!

To The Other Group NOT Listening To Jezebel

Jesus told the ones who rejected Jezebel to only hold on to what you have until I come:

Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): Only hold on to what you have until I come.(Rev 2:24,25)

Jesus made it their responsibility to HOLD ON. To hold on is what the others didn’t do who listened to Jezebel and committed adultery with her!

Promise To ALL Overcomers

To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations– “He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery” — just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev 2:26-29)

[Catholicism wrongly gives their mythical sinless Mary the title, morning star, which is a title that belongs to the Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:16)! ]

Find Out More About The Overcomers and HOW To Be Spiritually Protected.

Various exciting mind-blowing promises, which we can’t fully understand now, are held out to the saints who endure to the end (Mt. 10:22), that is, who hold on to what they have (v. 25) and do God’s will to the end (v.26)! Among other things, the messages to the people at Thyatira show the vital importance of persevering and the POISON of false teachings. False teachings should be avoided more than poisoned and contaminated food!Others should also be WARNED. For more read, Warn The Righteous and Wicked.

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The Person Who Overcomes

He Who Overcomes

Dan Corner

He Who Overcomes

The Overcomer (mp3)

To Him Who Overcomes

Wonderful and thrilling promises are held out for he who overcomes. All of those phenomenal promises for the overcomers are out of this world! Let's start at the end of the Bible before we focus on the specific promises in more detail: 

He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. (Rev. 21:7,8)

CLICK To Find Out Who Are The Ones Who Do NOT Overcome

The Overcomer

In those verses the two groups of people and their final destinies are mentioned. First, all those who comprise the group consisting of he who overcomes will inherit the things listed from Revelation 21:1-6, which are the: new heaven
 new earth
 new Jerusalem
Furthermore, he who overcomes will be the blessed recipient of this:

He [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away (Rev. 21:4).

So if you ever wondered what is heaven like, Rev. 21:4 is a just partial description! What a mind-blowing promise it is since the only thing that mankind has experienced since Adam's fall has been the horrible effects of this cursed age we are now living in. Everything has been adversely affected by Adam's sin: the vegetable kingdom, the animal kingdom and, of course, man. Our bodies and minds have been greatly weakened by the Fall. All this, however, will change one day for the overcomer! MUCH better days are coming for him! One day there will be no more thorns or thistles! One day there will be perfect peace in the animal kingdom (Isa. 11:6-9)! One day the righteous will have sharp minds, like Adam did before the Fall when he named all the animals! Furthermore:

... the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace (Psa. 37:11).

The word inheritance, as defined in a secular dictionary is non-biblical:

Anything acquired or possessed by descent or succession; something which is or can be inherited, as property or title acquired by an heir at the owner's death.

The Biblical definition is much different! The inheritance for he who overcomes means such a blessed person (an overcomer) will be the recipient of the Kingdom, but has nothing to do with an automaticacquiring of it based on another's death as occurs in families. Ponder Jam. 2:5:

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

Those who love God will inherit the kingdom and other verses declare our love for God is revealed by obeying him (Jn. 14:15,23,24). In Psalms, we learn more about the people who inherit the kingdom:

Those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. (37:9)

The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever (37:29)

Hence, those who get the kingdom inheritance:
 love God
 hope in the LORD
 are righteous
 are meek (or humble)
Their inheritance will never perish, spoil or fade (1 Pet. 1:4). Paul used the adjective glorious to describe this inheritance (Eph. 1:18). What a contrast to an earthly inheritance, which will certainly perish, spoil and fade over time! Other passages specifically apply to this subject. Jesus said:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Rev 2:11)

He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. (Rev 3:5)

Rev. 2:11 is a promise only for he who overcomes, but it is about what he won't get—namely hurt by the second death (or lake of fire)! Rev 3:5 is different and tells those who had already been saved, if they overcome they will be dressed in white and will never get their name blotted from the book of life. Additional Scriptures declare, he who overcomes will be heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). Why? Because he has decided to deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Jesus (Lk. 9:23). He who overcomes endures the persecutions and doesn't get lethally deceived by false teachers. He also brings forth good fruit and holds firm to the end the confidence he had at first (Heb. 3:14).
The overcomers get as their inheritance all of the above, including God himself! God will be their God and they will be his sons forever (Rev. 21:7). Other parts of the bible say they will:
 have eternal glory, honor, immortality, peace (Rom. 2:7-10)
 not marry and can't die (Lk. 20:35,36)
 have a glorious, imperishable body of flesh and bones like the one Jesus resurrected in and ascended into heaven with (Phil. 3:21 cf. Lk. 24:39)
 have the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God (Rev. 2:7)
 have authority over the nations and get the morning star (Rev. 2:26-28)
 get a crown of life, hidden manna, and a white stone with a new name written on it (Rev. 2:10; 2:17 cf. James 1:12)
 will be made a pillar in the temple of God, the Lord Jesus himself will write on him the name of God, the name of the city of God and his new name. (Rev 3:12)
 see God (Mt. 5:8)
 be acknowledged by Jesus before God and the angels (Rev. 3:5)

No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Rev 22:3-5)

These Safegards Are For Your Spiritual Protection To Overcome

He Who Does Not Overcome

The group who do not overcome and does get hurt by the second death (lake of fire) are shown to consist of:

... the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars (Rev. 21:8)

That, however, is not an all-inclusive listing! The following verses expand upon who is not of the group of he who overcomes. Ponder it carefully:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Cor. 6:9-11, NASB)

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)

See also Eph. 5:5-7; Mk. 7:20-23; Rev. 21:27; 22:15, 19,20; etc.
Such unrighteous wicked people will not inherit God's kingdom and therefore will go to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. That couldn't be more clear and shows there is no universalism (all people will be saved).

He Who Overcomes Is Blessed

God himself informs us that all people will NOT spend eternity with him. In other words, they will NOT inherit the Kingdom, but the blessed will and they will get the kingdom:

Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Mat 25:34)

Christians need to remember: We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). We must crucify the flesh and live holy. In spite of the problems, much better days are ahead for the overcomer. They include everlasting joy (Isa. 61:7) and a Paradise environment (Lk. 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7) for he who overcomes on top of all of the aforementioned!
OTHER TOPICS:
Skull And Crossbones Awards For False Prophets And False Teachers
The Plan Of Salvation
Your Approaching Death



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Prophecy, Tongues, and 1 Corinthians 14

Prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14

In this article we will look at prophecy as this is defined in 1 Corinthians 14.

1. Prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14: definition.

Prophecy according to 1 Corinthians 12, 14, is the manifestation of the holy spirit through which God gives a message directed to the body of the believers present in the meeting and with purpose their edification, exhortation and comfort. As 1 Corinthians 14:3-4 says:

1 Corinthians 14:3-4 "But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and comfort. …… he who prophesies edifies the church.”

You immediately have here both the audience of the prophecy and its purpose. The audience is the church, the body of the believers present in the meeting¹. The purpose of prophecy is to edify, exhort and comfort the audience, the body of the believers. In a church meeting therefore prophecy - i.e. messages from God brought forth from the believers for the edification, exhortation and comfort of the church – was present in the New Testament times and should normally be present today too.

2. Prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14: not the same as the ministry of a prophet (Ephesians 4:11).

Now, we must not confuse the manifestation of prophecy, discussed in 1 Corinthians 14 with the ministry of a prophet. As Ephesians 4:11 says:

"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers"

I believe the prophet of Ephesians 4:11 is quite different than the prophet of 1 Corinthians 14 and his prophecy. Though both bring forth a message from God, the purpose of the manifestation of prophecy of 1 Corinthians 14 is the edification, exhortation and consolation of the local church. What I mean is that it is not in the scope of this prophecy to prophesy about things that will happen in the future or what will happen to the nation or to give prophecies directed by name to one specific person. Such prophecies may still be valid prophecies. However when I Corinthians 14 speaks about prophecy does not mean prophecies of this kind. There may be of course in the church people with the ministry of a prophet, in the sense of Ephesians 4:11. But this is not what 1 Corinthians 14 is speaking about when it mentions prophecy. As 1 Corinthians 14:5 says:

1 Corinthians 14:5 "Now I want you ALL to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy;"

Paul's desire, want, was that ALL speak in tongues and even more, ALL prophesy. As he also says in the same chapter:

1 Corinthians 14:31 “you can ALL prophesy one by one..”

and in 1 Corinthians 14:1
“Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.”

We can ALL prophesy i.e. bring forth a message from God for the edification, exhortation and comfort of the local church. But this does not mean that we are all having the ministry of a prophet in the sense of Ephesians 4:11. In the body of Christ, some of us may indeed have the ministry of the prophet but not ALL of us have it (the other ministries are needed too!), though, as 1 Corinthians 14:31 tells us, every believer can prophesy in the sense of 1 Corinthians 14 for the edification, exhortation and comfort of the local church.

3. Prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14: it is not a sermon.

Let it also be clear that prophecy is not giving a sermon either. I need to say this as I have heard several times that prophecy is more or less a preacher giving a sermon. But prophecy is NOT a sermon or a teaching. Prophecy is a message coming directly from the mouth of God - by revelation - and addressed to the believers that are present. It is God that speaks in the prophecy, directly in the first person. Prophecy and teaching are two different things and they are both necessary! Also when we read first Corinthians we must keep in mind that what Paul is calling as church meetings were, in my understanding of the Scriptures, meetings done in houses. There was nothing like an auditorium that can sit from 500 to 5000 people with a pulpit in the midst and pews all looking to the front, to a priest or a preacher. People are asking “how can we have in our church meetings what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 14”? However, by “church meeting” they usually mean the way this meeting is done today. We are trying thus to fit what Paul says in the way we are meeting today and in the structure our meetings have. But we need to understand that what Paul or the New Testament defines as church meetings have much more to do with house meetings and active participation from everybody than with our model of Sunday services. As 1 Corinthians 14:26 says:

1 Corinthians 14:26 “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.”

In the first century church, the active and spontaneous participation of the believers (“each of them”) in the meeting was the normal. Not only was it allowed, but it was also expected! “Each of you” says Paul. Each of them was bringing to the meeting whatever he had: a psalm, a teaching, a tongue with interpretation, a revelation. The purpose? The edification of the body of the believers. They were all participating with whatever God had given them. This is definitely something we have lost today.

4. Prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14: my experience.

By reading 1 Corinthians 14 it is obvious that in the first century church gatherings, prophecy (and speaking in tongues with interpretation) was the rule! Not the exception! In contrast, In most of the gatherings I have been these gifts that God has given for the edification of the church are simply non-existent. They exist as gifts. In fact they may even be accepted theologically by the respective congregation. Yet they are never applied. The truth is that in many congregations there is simply no space for them. The gifts that God gave for the edification, exhortation and comfort of the body have been replaced by a rigid program that has the form either of a formal liturgy, where one person does the same week after week (catholic / orthodox church), or, in the protestant church, of a program (it is also a liturgy in some way) that says first we sing, then the pastor and perhaps a couple of others pray, then we have the sermon and then the meeting ends. If somebody thinks that God has a message for the gathering, there is simply no way in many churches to say it! The participation of the people is practically forbidden! In some other gatherings if somebody wants to bring forth a message from God, he has first to tell the pastor or the elders, then they have to think about it and whether it comes from the Lord and then allow or not allow the person to share it. But in the first century church, in the church the epistles speak about, it was not like this. See what Paul says:

1 Corinthians 14:29-31 “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.”

Everybody could get up and prophesy (for edification, exhortation and comfort) and the others would evaluate the message. Prophecy was the norm, it was free for everybody to do it and it was done !

Now, I have also been in some other gatherings, where many of the participants behave in a strange manner. There is a constant sense of confusion in the meeting, with people groaning heavily, others speaking in tongues without interpretation, or start giving “revelations” that have not much to do with the “edification, exhortation and comfort” of the church or throwing themselves on the floor and staying there like they are unconscious, attributing this to “the spirit”. In many cases the neighbors of such churches call the police, because of the anarchy and the noise of such meetings. Also, many times the examples of these kind of meetings are used by churches of the first type (the rigid ones I spoke about previously) to justify their rigidity and high control. But that’s not what prophecy, as this is described in 1 Corinthians 14, is. There must be order in operating prophecy (as well as speaking in tongues with interpretation) in the meeting. Here is what the Scripture says:

1 1 Corinthians 14:27-33 “If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

Many times in these wild meetings, people justify their behavior by saying that “the spirit took over of me and made me do this or that”. But find this in the New Testament please? What I find in the New Testament concerning prophecy is order. When somebody speaks in tongues there must be interpretation. Otherwise: “if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God” (1 Corinthians 14:28). How many should speak in tongues / interpret and prophesy? Everybody at the same time? No! “If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret… . Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent” (1 Corinthians 14:27, 29-30). People behaving in a weird manner in the meetings claim that “the spirit took over of them”? Well, I don’t read this in my Bible. What I read is that “the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:32-33). Is there confusion in a meeting? Don’t blame it to God or to the manifestations of His spirit. God gave clear instructions in His Word about the manifestations of the holy spirit and how these should be done orderly. If now some do not follow these instructions this obviously is not God’s fault nor it is a fault of the manifestations of His spirit. God has nothing to do with confusion! Do not reject the gifts of God because of this. Instead pursue them. “Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts” (1 Corinthians 14:1) says Paul. Desire them therefore earnestly and apply them with order, according to the instructions.

Finally, there is also another kind of meetings where I have been, this time in my homeland Greece. There, we were gathering in homes and among other things we were also doing the following: we were taking time in the meeting waiting on the Lord to see what He wanted to say and we were bringing forth messages from God, through prophecy and speaking in tongues with interpretation. The content of the messages God spoke was indeed always edifying, exhorting and comforting. It was God’s Father heart manifested. This is the closest I have been to the manifestations of speaking in tongues with interpretation and prophecy as this is defined in 1 Corinthians 14. I recently read a wonderful book by Greek Orthodox priest Eusebious Stefanou. He is a lonely figure in the Greek Orthodox denomination spreading fervently a very Christ-center message. The book is called “the charismatic movement from an Orthodox point of view” and it is in Greek. There the author gives examples of real prophetic messages, expressed in meetings of believers. I copy them below to give to the reader an idea of the nature of prophecy discussed in I Corinthians 14:

“You are my children and I’m pleased with you.”

“The Father knows His children and takes care of each of them.”

“My children: give yourself to me. Make your fears known to me. Leave yourselves to my care.”

“There is no wrath in me for you.”

“I want to teach you to conform to my Son and to know me as your Father.”

“Allow me to be revealed to you and in you. Allow me to love you fully.”

“Do not be afraid of my words. Allow your hearts to receive from me.”

“Give yourselves to me and I will hold you and I will carry you and you will know my care, says the Lord.”

To say it in one sentence: prophecy in the meaning of 1 Corinthians 14 is the personal, by God himself, in first person, building up, exhortation and comfort of His church, of the body of the believers.

I’m leaving far from my homeland the last 11 years in Germany and apart from a couple of times, I haven’t come across this edification, exhortation and comfort that God designed for the believers through prophecy or speaking in tongues with interpretation. Prophecy is a wonderful gift, that most of the time - and this is only my personal experience - is either not used (controlling, rigid meetings) or it is abused (meetings full of confusion and people behaving and acting strangely). This is very sad because as long as prophecy is not there or it is abused a voice of God that God Himself designed for the gatherings of the believers to personally exhort them, build them up and comfort them is silenced.

I will close here with the following exhortation from the word of God:

1 Corinthians 14:1 “Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.”

This is the will of God as it is expressed through His Word. People may say many things about it. But what really matters is one: what the Word of God says!

Anastasios Kioulachoglou

1. It is also evident by reading 1 Corinthians 14 that the subject of Paul in this chapter is the meeting of the believers. See for example 1 Corinthians 14:23-24.

Anastasios Kioulachoglou

Please check out Anastasios's book "The Warnings of the New Testament". Purchase at Kindle and Amazon or download for FREE at: http://www.jba.gr/Articles/pdf/the-warnings-of-the-New-Testament.pdf

Safeguards For Your Spiritual Protection

Dan Corner

Be Separate For Spiritual Protection

Important Spiritual Protection and Safeguards

Not Thinking About This Is A Spiritual Safeguard

Did you know Jesus often taught about the need for spirtual protection? For example, in the Parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus taught that five out of ten (or 50%) of the people who once had a light burning in their spiritual lanterns will not be known by him when he returns (Mt. 25:1-13). The context of that teaching is specifically for the last generation. This same kind of incredible apostasy-warning is also found in Mt. 24:10; 2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1 and 2 Tim. 4:4. It's eternally important, therefore, that we stay ready to meet the Lord. This is where safe guards come in!

Spiritual safeguards for your spiritual protection are real, very important and should be taken seriously:

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same thing to you again, and it is a safeguard for you(Phil. 3:1, NIV).

The following list of safeguards is for your spiritual health and well being. The more of these the Christian acts upon, the more he will benefit spiritually.

Do You Really Understand The Christian Life

Rejoice In The Lord

Because the Christians at Philippi were going through (and enduring) sufferings and struggles (Phil. 1:29,30), Paul issued the command (safeguard) for them to rejoice in the Lord. Similarly, Jesus told the disciples:

Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven (Lk. 10:20, NKJV).

Remember that no Christian ever had it ideal in this life! You are not alone with your troubles and sufferings (Jn. 16:33; 1 Pet. 5:9). We are living in a cursed age, with rampant deception, sin and injustice everywhere. This world is now the devil's turf and he hates Christians. Obviously, this world can't be the saint's haven. Paul wrote:

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Cor. 4:17,18, NIV).

Read About Solomon's Apostasy

Be Humble And Stay Humble

Be humble and stay humble like a little child. Jesus shockingly warned his disciples that they would never enter the kingdom of heaven unless they would change and become humble like little children (Mt. 18:1-4)!

And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt. 18:3, NIV).

In other words, though they were saved at the moment, their individual selfish ambitions to be greater than the other disciples (Lk. 9:46-48; 22:24-26) would somehow prove spiritually fatal in the future for them, unless they would become humble like a little child who doesn't aspire for such greatness over his peers the way the disciples were.

Peter later wrote:

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time (1 Pet. 5:5,6, KJV).

Verse 6 from the Amplified Bible reads:

Therefore humble yourselves (demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation) under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you).

Hide God's Word In Your Heart For Spiritual Protection

Psa. 119:11 says:

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! (NKJV).

To strengthen your own ability to resist sin's temptations, store up God's word in your heart. You can accomplish this by meditating in and memorizing Scripture. One method that might work well for you is to make little flash cards with the Scripture verse you desire to memorize on one side and its reference on the reverse side. Verbally reading the verse(s) out loud and writing them out will enable you to memorize almost any passage after a while. It would also be wise to listen to the Bible on cassette tape every chance you get, such as in your home and car.

Don't Even Think About The Pleasures of Sin

Scripture actually teaches that sin has pleasure in it (Heb. 11:25). If it didn't, it would never be a temptation. The dangers of just thinking of sinful pleasure is also shown in Scripture:

If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country -- a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Heb. 11:15,16, NIV).

Remember the awesome truth of Num. 11:5 where wrong thinking is exemplified. The Israelites thought about the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic that they regularly ate while in bondage in Egypt (a type of the world), but couldn't find contentment with manna, their God-supplied food. Because they focused in upon the good things they had while in Egypt, they totally forgot that they were worked ruthlessly and their lives were made bitter with hard labor (Exo. 1:13,14). The misery and emptiness of their lives in Egypt had escaped them. They now, incredibly, thought they were better off in Egypt (Num. 11:18)! The devil will use the same type of lie on us too, especially since it worked so well for him back then.

We should always be looking forward and never back. Long for heaven and that city which God has prepared for the worthy. Peter wrote:

... We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness (2 Pet. 3:13, NIV).

Similarly, Heb. 13:14 reads:

For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come (NIV).

If you follow this principle you won't disobey Rom. 13:14b:

... Do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature (NIV).

It is also very important that you guard your heart by not watching adulterous TV shows and going places such as public swimming pools and beaches. This will definitely be a safeguard for your soul! Remember, it's possible to commit adultery and never actually go through the physical act (Mt. 5:28). [Please see our on-line article regarding Jesus' teaching on lust.]

Ponder the following truth about how your thought life influences your behavior:

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace (Rom. 8:5,6, NIV).

Consider Jesus

To prevent growing weary and losing heart in your race, consider Jesus:

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood (Heb. 12:3,4, NIV).

The word consider in Greek means contemplate. Therefore, we are advised to contemplate the unfair, unjust and merciless treatment the perfect, loving and sinless Lord Jesus was subjected to from the hands of wicked, merciless people. He didn't deserve any of it.

Learn The Bible

This is the all-inclusive safeguard. Hos. 4:6 reads:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children (KJV).

The only way you can adequately learn the Bible is to spend quality time in it for yourself. Start in the New Testament, reading and rereading it so that no zealous and sincere, Scripture-quoting false prophet or false teacher can shake the true message from your heart. Remember, we can negate our salvation by accepting a wrong plan of salvation.

By which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain (1 Cor. 15:2, NKJV).

After you learn the New Testament, move to the Old Testament. The Old Testament was written to teach and warn us in New Testament times (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11). It was also the only Bible the earliest Christians had before the New Testament was written! There is much in it for us today.

Spiritual Tragedies and Apostasies Between Initial and Final Salvation

Don't Envy The Unsaved For Your Spiritual Protection

Read Psalm 73. Asaph envied the wicked and almost slipped spiritually (v. 2, NIV). He noticed the prosperity they have, their healthy bodies, them being carefree from burdens common to man and not plagued by human ills and he thought:

In vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence (v. 13, NIV).

Asaph was oppressed until he focused in upon their final destiny (v. 17). This means don't envy the wicked because they might be popular, happily married, with a good job, physically healthy, good looking, live in a nice home, drive a new car and have lots of money. They are on their way to the lake of fire where they will be tormented forever (Mt. 25:41,46; Mk. 9:43-48; Rev. 14:10,11; 20:10).

To envy the wicked is a subtle Satanic temptation designed to get you to stop living godly and to pursue the temporal pleasures of this life.

Maintain A Biblical View Of Physical
Death And Your Life Here

This will be especially helpful in extreme persecution, where martyrdom prevails.

For the Christian, physical death is gain (Phil. 1:21) and better by far (Phil. 1:23). Only then will you really be at home with your real family, that is, your heavenly Father, your Lord and SaviorJesus Christ, and your brothers and sisters in the faith from all parts of the earth. It's also where your treasures are.

This life is not your home! We are strangers in the world (1 Pet. 1:1) and we are to live our lives as strangers here in reverent fear (1 Pet. 1:17). You are just passing through this life, so don't be engrossed in the material things of this world! Think in terms of eternity. Remember:

... The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare (2 Pet. 3:10, NIV).

Maintain The Hope Of Being Like
Jesus When He Returns

1 Jn. 3:2,3 read:

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure (NIV).

How will we be like Jesus? We too will have a glorified body of flesh and bones like his (Lk. 24:39; Phil. 3:21), that is, a tangible body that can enter a room with the doors locked (Jn. 20:19) and disappear from a location (Lk. 24:31).

Pray To Stand Firm In All The Will Of God

In Col. 4:12, we read:

... He (Epaphras) is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured (NIV).

Be quick to pray about everything you face, casting all your anxieties on God (1 Pet. 5:7). Pray for other people, too.

Sing And Make Music In Your Heart To The Lord

Eph. 5:19,20 read:

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (NIV).

Keeping a tune of thanks and praise in your heart to the Lord will help you greatly in your spiritual battles. Focus in upon what you have, not what you do not have but would like to have!In other words, learn to be content in your non-ideal circumstances. This is a safeguard in itself. Paul wrote:

... for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content (Phil. 4:11, NKJV).

Remember, he was in chains and in prison when he wrote this (1:13), yet he was content! Furthermore, he wrote:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that (1 Tim. 6:6-8, NIV).

Avoid Godless Chatter

The godly, like Timothy, can become increasingly ungodly through godless chatter. Hence, the following warning came from Paul:

Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly (2 Tim. 2:16, NIV).

All secular TV shows are prime examples of godless chatter. They also promote a value system which is of this world and highly antithetical to the Scriptures.

Indulging in voluntary conversation on a regular basis with the darkened people of this age will take a spiritual toll after a while. This is especially true if spiritual matters are intentionally avoided by the spiritually enlightened.

Similarly, Paul wrote in 1 Tim. 6:20,21:

... Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith (NIV).

The danger of godless chatter, as well as so-called knowledge which is contrary to Scripture, is evident from this.

Stay Self-controlled, Alert And
Continue To Resist The Devil

This is the way we can protect ourselves from our spiritual arch enemy, who is not in the lake of fire yet, but continues to try, and often succeeds, in hurting Christians:

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings (1 Pet. 5:8,9, NIV).

The seriousness of our spiritual warfare is shown here. Also regarding being self-controlled, alert and resisting the devil, remember this: those who enter the kingdom of God will have to be more self-controlled, alert and faithful in resisting the devil than Solomon, the Apostle Judas Iscariot, the unnamed disciples of Jn. 6:66, etc. who didn't enter the kingdom!

Avoid Bad Company

Surprisingly, the Bible teaches that Christians are to avoid certain people (Prov. 20:19; 22:24,25; 24:1; Rom. 16:17,18; 1 Cor. 5:11; 2 Thess. 3:6-15), places (Prov. 4:14,15; 5:8; 2 Cor. 6:17)and things (Prov. 20:3; Acts 15:29; 1 Thess. 5:22; 2 Tim. 2:23; Jam. 1:19,20). Not to avoid these when you can, is to needlessly open yourself up to spiritual danger. Paul wrote:

Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character (1 Cor. 15:33, NIV).

Please note, according to that reference, bad company tends to adversely affect the Christian and not the reverse. This, however, does not mean that we willingly should never associate with the unbeliever, for we are called to evangelize them. Jesus ate with the sinners, but he did so with an evangelistic motive only, not to socialize with them.

Especially destructive to one's spiritual condition would be to marry someone who does not belong to the Lord (1 Cor. 7:39). This is evident by what happened to Solomon when he married pagan women. See Neh. 13:26. If you are a single Christian, please know that it is much worse to marry the wrong person than to remain single, though it can be painfully lonely at times!

Know That Persecution Comes To All Of The
Godly And You Must Testify About Jesus

Jesus told his disciples:

All this I have told you so that you will not go astray (Jn. 16:1, NIV).

To find out what this is in this verse that we must do so we won't go astray, we must go back to chapter 15. There we will see the Lord assured the disciples that the world would hate and persecute them (15:18-20)!

Furthermore, he added that we must testify of him. These two truths, internalized and acted upon, will keep us from going astray, according to Jesus.

Witnessing to others about Christ will also add to your understanding of spiritual things:

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ (Philemon 6, NIV).

A good, reliable, easy-to-read translation like the NASB or the New International Version will help you greatly in learning the Bible. Especially avoid the Living Bible and the New World Translation.

Fear God

We are told to fear God for he can destroy our bodies and souls in hell (Mt. 10:28; Lk. 12:5). This command to fear God is past (Deut. 10:12,13), present (1 Pet. 1:17), and future (Rev. 14:7). While the fear of man will prove to be a snare (Prov. 29:25), only good can be said about the fear of God! If you continue to fear God, it will keep you from sinning (Exo. 20:20).

Keep A Clear Conscience

Paul cited the reason why he personally kept a clear conscience:

And I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man (Acts 24:15,16, NIV).

Paul kept a clear conscience because there would be "a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked." Similarly, Paul told Timothy he also needed to hold to faith and a good conscience.The reason was to safeguard his faith from becoming shipwrecked like that of Hymenaeus and Alexander:

Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme (1 Tim. 1:18-20, NIV).

Be Careful To Read And Obey The Bible For Spiritual Protection

Before Israel ever had a king, God taught Moses how the kings could assure a strong spiritual walk for themselves. God told Moses:

Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel (Deut. 17:18-20, NKJV).

The kings were to write their own personal copy of the Scriptures for themselves, which they were to carry with them and read daily. If done, they would consequently fear the LORD and follow God's commands. Then pride, through their powerful and exalted position, their great riches, etc. would not deceive them into thinking themselves better than others and straying from God's commands.

If only this was practiced, David would not have committed adultery and murder, Solomon would not have turned to idolatry, Uzziah to pride, and Saul to jealousy, murder, etc. which ended with suicide. If such clear and powerful advice would work for kings as the leaders over millions of people, how much more should it work for us? Of course, the proper attitude to have when reading Scripture is to read it with a willingness to change accordingly, either doctrinally or behaviorally.

Test The Spirits For Your Spiritual Protection

The Apostle John informs Christians not to be gullible:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 Jn. 4:1, NKJV).

The testing of all teachings, dreams, visions, experiences, etc. must be with the standard that God has given mankind, namely his written word (2 Tim. 3:16,17).

Walk In Love

Dozens of times throughout the New Testament we are commanded to love. Perhaps one of the most important truths about the welfare of our own faith is linked to this thing we call love:

For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love (Gal. 5:6, Amplified Bible).

Your faith is energized by your love and your love is adversely affected by sin (Mt. 24:12)! Love is patient and kind (1 Cor. 13:4).

Help God's People

The unnamed writer of Hebrews stated:

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case -- things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised (6:7-12, NIV).

According to that passage, to make our hope sure (v. 11) we are to help God's people to the very end. (Compare to Mt. 25:34-40.) According to other passages, salvation and eternal life are our hope (1 Thess. 5:8; Titus 3:7). Faith and patience are exalted in Heb. 6:12.

Flee The Desire To Get Rich

The New Testament often mentions greed (Mk. 7:22,23; Lk. 12:15; Eph. 5:3; etc.) and its ability to exclude one from the kingdom (1 Cor. 6:9,10; Eph. 5:5-7). It, therefore, should be apparent that this sin should be carefully guarded against. Paul wrote Timothy about this:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Tim. 6:6-12, NIV).

Please note, Paul told Timothy to flee the desire to get rich (v.11) and stated why such was so important. Some Christians have wandered from the faith over this! Clearly, a man of God can yet be plunged into ruin and destruction through the desire to get rich. So alongside the command to flee sexual immorality (1 Cor. 6:18) and idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14), we are also informed here to flee the desire to get rich.

Rather than being eager for money, we are to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. See also 2 Tim. 2:22.

Make Your Calling And Election Sure

After our salvation, we are to put forth every effort to add to our faith, according to the Apostle Peter.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall (2 Pet. 1:5-10, NIV).

We Must All Go Through Many Hardships

The ministry of Paul and Barnabas included strengthening and encouraging real Christians to remain true to the faith. In part, they did this by teaching them:

... strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said (Acts 14:22, NIV).

Again, Christians are in an intense, spiritual battle. Hardships will come even to the most devoted saints. We are told to endure them.

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 2:3, NIV).

This issue of endurance is very important because sometimes our powerful prayers will not remedy the situation the way we'd like them to! This will be especially true when Rev. 13:7 is fulfilled.

He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation (NIV).

Spiritual protection is vital for the endurance needed for final salvation.

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