“Take heed that no one deceives you” – false prophets (part two)

Deception – “The act of hiding the truth, especially to get an advantage”. It can manifest in many forms: lies, half-truths, propaganda, scams, or even self-deception. What makes deception so dangerous is that it often masquerades as truth. The most effective lies are not those that are completely false, but those that are cloaked in just enough truth to be believable.

Just as Satan uses half truths, scripture and “false light”, transforming it into a visual delight or into a pleasing sound, he also uses kindness and false sense of security. I am sure you have heard this expression “kill them with kindness”. This particular one has been used in “Devil’s Advocate” movie, where Al Pacino, who was playing Satan, said to Keanu Reeves – “Kill you with kindness. This is our secret”. Al Pacino uses this expression to justify his firm’s manipulation of people and to show that kindness, in the wrong hands, can be a powerful weapon. This is a deceptive and manipulative way of making sure someone feels looked after, secure and accepted. This is a sinister strategy to manipulate and slowly and quietly destroy people without them realising. Slow death disguised as favor and kindness. 

From the Bible we know that nice words that bring hope are not always beneficial, especially when they contradict the truth. And this is where false prophets come to play. We see how God was displeased with false prophets falsely giving people hope and good news. Why? Because this leads to complacency and false sense of security. Notice that all prophets of God where the prophets of “doom and gloom” that God was using to awaken people. If people heeded to their words, they would have changed their ways. But because it didn’t “sound” positive, it didn’t sound hopeful, they were looking for prophets who could give them some hope and good news, even though those prophets were not sent by God.

This is the nature of people – we prefer sweet lies than the harsh truth. We prefer comfort zone than the need to change. We prefer shifting responsibility on others rather that taking accountability of our actions. It’s just our nature that started in the garden of Eden, when Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent for their mistake.

 “And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate. And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”” Genesis 3: 11-13

Hearing sweet lies or shifting responsibility on to others doesn’t take away the problem. It’s just sweeping it under the rug. The danger of false prophets is fundamental is our salvation. Because no one wants to hear those words from Jesus:

“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:22-23

I often see those videos with the title of: “God told me…” or “I had a vision from God”, or “Prophecy from God” or even “God told me to tell you….”. (smh). They usually have a lot of clicks and they usually have a positive message like: “God accepts you as you are”, “God is changing your difficult situation”, “there is a revival coming and millions will be saved” and similar. I am not criticising positivity, however those videos put us in the state of complacency. There is no urgency to change because God accepts you as you are. There is no urgency to seek God because God is working things out anyway. It’s this state of I don’t have to do anything. And I say this because at the beginning of my transformation I was deceived by those type of videos myself, that were justifying my sinful nature and I didn’t feel the need to change. It gave me this false sense of security that God accepts me and I don’t have to do anything. This is wrong thinking because Jesus was calling for change and transformation and asking to “sin no more”.

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3

And what being born again means? It’s the inner transformation. It’s the process of dying to your old life, realizing that what you have been doing is wrong and not according to the Law of God. Through the word of God you realize that our world, our environment and our lifestyles are not according to God’s standards, regardless of what someone is trying to convince you about. This then leads to repentance, a true shameful realization of wrongdoings and willingness of improvement. This process is also described as a circumcision of the heart, the inner breaking of the heart invisible to the human eye but visible to God:

“Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.” Deuteronomy 10:16

“Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, And take away the foreskins of your hearts” Jeremiah 4:4

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness; Joel 2: 12-13

Bad news usually lead to humility and repentance. Realisation of wrong doings brings shame but also this deep appreciation that God is merciful. If you think in the lines of- well God knows that I am a sinner and he accepts me regardless, I can’t do anything about my nature – do you think this will lead you to repentance? Of course not. Only some deep spiritual experience or personal disaster is usually when someone realises that just believing without change is not enough. This transformation leads to setting yourself apart from the world and worldly activities and stripping layers of conditioning and beliefs.

Nowadays we see so many people clamming to be prophets, to be sent by God, to be apostles and anointed by God. First of all, to be an apostle the requirement is to have witnessed the ressurection of Jesus Christ and I don’t think any of modern apostles have done so:

“Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” Acts 1:21-22

This trend of attaching a label of a prophet or an apostle or anointed by God is getting out of hand and being pushed to receive more views on their videos. They have made being anointed as something common, something anyone can be if we just believe in Jesus. If we take that by only believing in Jesus we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and we can be anointed, we take away the importance of that title. There were only few examples in the Old Testament when people were anointed:

“You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy. And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests.” Exodus 30: 29-30

This is when God asked Moses to anoint Aaron and his sons to be his priests. The rule was to be set apart and different to the rest of the people, to not defile themselves.

“Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.” 1 Samuel 16:13

The anointing meant that the spirit of the Lord was upon that person, in this case David and they were led by the Holy Spirit and their understanding was different compared to other people. This was a mark of God, setting them apart and distinguishing from other people. If we understand that anyone can be anointed, then how come Zechariah spoke about two anointed ones:

“These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.” Zechariah 4:14

Moreover, the title Christ comes from the Greek word Christos, meaning “anointed one” or “chosen one.” Therefore this isn’t something people can claim just like that. And unfortunately, many people believe they hear from God, where in reality they just hear their subconscious mind.

“And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed!” Jeremiah 14: 14-15

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They make you worthless;
They speak a vision of their own heart,
Not from the mouth of the Lord.
They continually say to those who despise Me,
‘The Lord has said, “You shall have peace” ’;
And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say,
‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ” Jeremiah 23:16-17

“I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran.
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
But if they had stood in My counsel,
And had caused My people to hear My words,
Then they would have turned them from their evil way
And from the evil of their doings.” Jeremiah 23: 21-22

“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.” Jeremiah 23: 25-27

“Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the Lord.” Jeremiah 23: 30-32

“Therefore do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon.” For they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out, and you will perish.” Jeremiah 27:9-10

The danger of listening to prophets who try to give hope and positivity is that in reality we don’t know the plans of God, we might not understand why God wants his people to go to captivity or working as slaves for the enemy, but this is why God’s thoughts are higher than ours and we should not lean on our own understanding. It might look like a mistake, like a disaster, but this is how God can show his power.

“Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The Lord says,’ but I have not spoken. Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord God. ” Ezekiel 13: 3-8

“Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace” Ezekiel 13:10

“Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life.” Ezekiel 13:22

This very clearly explains complacency to our own ways. Lies can make us comfortable where we are. This is not what God wants from us. He is asking us for a constant strive for righteousness and self improvement.

“Rise up, you women who are at ease,
Hear my voice;
You complacent daughters,
Give ear to my speech.
In a year and some days
You will be troubled, you complacent women;
For the vintage will fail,
The gathering will not come.
Tremble, you women who are at ease;
Be troubled, you complacent ones;
Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare,
And gird sackcloth on your waists.” Isiah 32:9-11

The truth is, truth is uncomfortable yet it leads to change and action. And that is why it is so important to always look for the truth and not settle for what is comfortable to hear. Jesus warned his disciples that this will be the case in the last days:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:15

This scripture clearly describes that those false prophets will look godly, will sound godly and outwardly they will not look no different to the real ones. However the deception lies in their words that can lead us astray, into the path of complacency and easiness. “You will know them by their fruits” – do they lead you to repentance and change? do they lead you to the uncomfortable truths? Do they promote lawlessness and abandoning God’s everlasting Law?

“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:3-5

“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:24

Note that by saying “false christs”, Jesus was not only referring to someone who would claim to be him, but also someone who would claim to be anointed one or chosen, because Christ is a title of the “anointed one”. Many people are only looking at someone who would claim to be Jesus, not necessarily. This also applies to false “chosen ones”. Jesus was warning his disciples that even they can be deceived as they were “the elect ones” – elected by Jesus. This warning was as much as to them as to other people. If disciples could have been deceived, then surely the rest of people without problem! They just needed “signs and wonders”, which one of the Apostles actually performed. This one Apostle also compared himself to Christ.

And this takes me to the very obvious false prophet from the New Testament disguised as the teacher and preacher to the Gentiles – Apostle Paul.

This I will explore in my next post due to the level of information that it needs.

By Dagmara Z.