It is not usual for me to post two messages on one day, but the alert has come to my attention concerning what I made reference to in my last message, concerning what I am seeing for the next decade. I am seeing two rising forces within the Church, the truth and deception.

1 Timothy 4, is specific in the warning it gives the recipient, about apostasy that will sweep the world. The Church is the battleground for this war. Just as heaven was a battleground in the beginning concerning Lucifer and a third of the angels, who lost their place due to pride. The Church is the arena, and has been for the last 2000 years. However, the sense in my spirit is that the deceptive is about to jump into another level.

What I have been aware is the growing number of “franchising” going on in the Church, where groups of independents are joining up. The theology is distinctly similar, with a focus on power, focus on taking the “7 mountains” of society. A teaching conceived by John Hagee, has since formed the headstone to a whole new emphasis on eschatology. There is a focus on so called apostles who are attributed the same kind of authority as the first 12. Their theology does not bear out in Scripture, until now…

The Passion Translation appeared not noticed by me. I saw it as yet another modern translation, yet over this Christmas period, when I was recovering from a virus I was alerted over this, and consulting various blogs and sites, warning about its deceptive translation and terminology it seemed God was alerting me to be aware.

Whilst we all teach from Scripture I see that Scripture is what gives authority to the Church, and the Church gives it authority from adherence. And right now a dangerous level has been reached. Now the author of the Passion Translation has customised the Bible to undergird the doctrines of the apostolic movements, so called. The error is so serious because it expands on the context in some instances, twists the meaning, manipulates the hermeneutics so much that it appears that what we see over the earth in “apostolic networks and churches” is endorsed fully by the language and terminology.

The author has no credentials as a scholar and translator of ancient manuscripts and his authority to embark on this project is a subjective encounter to what he calls a “visitation” from Jesus. When you see the way it has been dealt with in certain parts you will see doctrinal bias, which does not appear in the other translations.

Whilst I believe in the fivefold ministry being restored to the Body of Christ, our authority in Scripture has no precedence over the original apostles. We must have balance in all things, and with the Church becoming more based on catering for temporal needs, emotional needs, and entertainment rather than disciple people to adopt daily disciplines, we are seeing that this experiential movement will sweep the world, to people who read less, study less, discern less, pray less. They are undisciplined because they have been conditioned with a type of message that promises instantaneous results, and formulas.

It is this deception which will characterise the next decade. My counsel is, study for yourself, resist the temptation to believe for instantaneous results than eternal fruits, develop in prayer, asking for discernment, train the senses, and resist the crowd mentality and dictates.

Jesus warned the disciples concerning Satan falling, was in the context of aspiration. In Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14 we read of the 5 “I will” statements, which concern the rising up of our spirit to acquire. I believe more and more since studying the high calling, that our acquisitions should be forgotten in view of what God Himself confers. In the context of this message, the modern Christian movements presume some kind of private revelation, which the Bible itself prohibits, but that God confers for the common good and testing. In our service, we must do what Jesus did, descend first, presume nothing, die to self, so that we may have Christ manifest in us and through us, because ambition is the most dangerous thing.

Jesus when He said “I saw satan fall like lightning” responds to the awe of authority that the disciples saw over demons, but Jesus was drawing them away from fascination that leads to aspiration, but to humility that leads to adoration. May we learn that in all things we no longer live, so He may live in us, and any authority He may confer is because of Him, and His Will.

Shalom