“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”  Galatians 5:1

Satan’s greatest weapon is deception.  The devil will use Truth to elevate his lie.  Much will sound correct except for the lie.  His purpose is to get us out of the Will of God and it is there that we are afflicted.  Once we are afflicted, whatever our affliction may be…and make no mistake, our affliction could very well be self righteousness, we are then given various methods, mostly religious, fabricated to appeal to our flesh.

It is here, as our heart turns from our first love, that the powers of darkness begin their work to once again gain dominion in our lives.  They are not stagnant and we cannot overcome them within our own self effort or self will.  We cannot simply “change our mind” and not do what satan is causing us to do. If this were so, the Cross of Christ was in vain (Romans 6:14).  God will never override our free will but satan will do so at every opportunity given.

Sadly, this is the state of many Christians.  They are sincere with good intentions but are living a defeated Christian life.  There is no joy unspeakable.  There is no peace beyond all understanding.  All that is remaining is fear, worry, anger and depression.  They go through the religious motions but are empty, numb and desensitized.  I know this, I’ve seen this…I’ve been this.  I’ve chased the blood moons.  I’ve looked for the harbingers. I’ve been among the spiritually dead. They are indeed spiritual but it’s not of the Holy Spirit.  Emotions ran high.

Then there came that morning that I asked the Lord to show me if we were sitting under any false doctrine and my eyes were suddenly opened.  I had heard warnings of false doctrines and methods of man but everything seem to line up with the Bible.  I would read the Scripture and it did pertain to the message being preached…the error was indeed riding in on the coat-tail of Truth, so I couldn’t discern the Truth until I asked the Lord to show me. I was deceived. As my husband and I started searching the Scriptures, whether those things were so (Acts 17:11), we were stunned that “we” were so deceived. Don’t EVER think yourself smarter than the devil, SUBMIT to God, resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7).  The devil won’t flee unless we are submitted to God.

“Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

Because of being swept to and fro by every wind of doctrine, many are entangled again with the yoke of bondage.  They are under law not Grace to overcome this bondage and they are broken.  The Lord is raising up a standard in these last days.  He is raising up a people who will declare unto the Church, unto God’s Children, the Gospel of Jesus Christ…He is bringing the Gospel BACK to the Church.  Many have left their first love, Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He did on Calvary’s Cross for WHOSOEVER will believe but they have not lost Him.  He is standing at the door knocking. Do you hear Him?

“My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My Hand.” John 10:17-18

Are you following Him?

-Donna Clark Warren