The Spiritual Journey 2024 - Day 6: The kingdom of darkness controls by deceit.

”And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.“

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As I shared with you, the Lord ushered me through a spiritual journey using sleeping visions, as well as waking visions.

The first destination of the sleeping visions was an old, dilapidated arcade. As I walked through the arcade, I seemed to be alone. The only other person I saw there was someone who I know to be a deceiver. How do I know they’re a deceiver? Because they brag about it. And of course, this individual looked nothing like any way I have ever seen them look. However, that particular individual was not the focus of the arcade, but rather a representation of those who “run” this arcade: those who are themselves deceived, and work to deceive others.

You see, this arcade represents how the enemy sucks people into his realm of control. As with the old-school arcades seen at different fairs, etc., people are lured into playing games or doing challenges, they have very little chance of winning. Now, the challenges look easy enough, but are rigged against you. But, people will throw away great amounts of money, trying to win some cheap prize that might impress a girlfriend, or make them look “cool” as they walk around the arcade. Even on the rare occasion when the victim “wins,” what they receive is nothing compared to the money they probably spent to get it.

”For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”“

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭36‬-‭38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Walking through the arcade in the dreaming vision was like walking through a place that is completely and totally corrupt, and nothing is as it appears. For example, as I walked in part of the arcade, I looked down an alley and saw a baby with big blue eyes looking at me, seeming to need help. However, as I began to approach the baby, I saw it from a different angle and saw that it was actually a robot. Indeed, this “baby” was meant to lure people into a place where they could be waylaid.

So, why did the Lord begin the series of sleeping visions with an arcade? Because it illustrates the main mechanism supporting the work of the enemy: deceit. Yes, the devil has been collecting souls through deceit since The Fall right up to this very day.

Paul, exhorting Timothy, reminded him that those who do good will be persecuted while imposters continue to be deceived and to deceive.

”Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.“

‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Sadly, the deceit of the “arcade” continues to lead weak souls astray. You see, through deceit, souls are enticed away from the safety of the word of God, into the very den of Satan: the world system. Yes, Satan uses people and circumstances to set traps, deceitful traps, that somehow hook victims so they may be taken captive.

Paul also warned Timothy concerning the snare used by the devil to bring souls into submission to his will.

”And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.“

‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We know that the person we reference as the Antichrist will work through the power of deceit to cause people to think that he is a savior, when in fact, he is the father of all evil.

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

‭‭II Thessalonians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We see in this scripture what might seem enigmatic in that it says that God sends a strong delusion. One might be confused, wondering how people can be held responsible for believing a delusion that God has allowed. But, what happens in these circumstances, is that people who have turned from God‘s word, and are walking in disobedience, after having repeatedly resisted God’s voice, are turned over to the very thing, the deceit, to which they have stubbornly clung.

In our opening scripture, the final showdown with Satan is being described, and we see that he is referenced as the one who “deceives the whole world.”

Since The Fall of man, we have been led astray by the ongoing deceit of the enemy of our soul. Yet, God repeatedly, over millennia, reached out with His truth, and has been often rejected. Ultimately, God sent His Son to die for us so that we might be redeemed and connected back to His never-ending life. Now we can receive the Holy Spirit, through Whom we can be set free from the devil’s deceit. Tragically, even many who claim to be Christians, continue choosing deceit over the truth that only the Lord can bring.

We’ll continue on in this journey

next time.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!

#thespiritualjourney2024