Seducing Spirits, the Last Days, and the Anchor of Truth

We are living in messy times. I’m sure you would agree that it seems the world has gone crazy on many fronts. For those whose thinking is biblically based, it is shocking to see how far society is drifting from what was once held precious in terms of morality and faith. But 2,000 years ago at the very beginning of the Church Age, the Holy Spirit foretold that a very strange season would emerge both in society and in the Church as we approached the end of the age. We are living in that season.

It was prophesied that seducing spirits with doctrines of demons would lead masses into deception in the last of the last days. That is the time frame we find ourselves in, and we are indeed observing society throwing off the voice of Scripture to create a new world with a new moral code that is both messy and chaotic. I’m sure you would agree that we are living in a mind-boggling period of deceived thinking that most of us wouldn’t have imagined possible a generation ago.

In the first chapter of my forthcoming book, How to Keep Your Head on Straight in a World Gone Crazy, I deal with issues that demonstrate how far the pendulum had already swung in the not-so-distant past, as well as how vastly far it is swinging in the present hour. Focusing on those issues is not my purpose. I have simply pointed out these developments to demonstrate the challenges facing our times and the need for believers to keep their wits about them and their eyes fixed on God and His eternal truth as we sail further into the end-time seas.

The good news is that the Scriptures also prophesied that a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit would come upon the Church at the end of the age—that is, a visitation of God’s power, resulting in a massive last-days harvest of souls. So in addition to seeing widespread deception, we are destined to be a part of the greatest harvest of souls to ever occur in the entire 2,000-year history of the Church. The fact is, we are in the midst of that end-time visitation right now, and the Holy Spirit is being mightily poured out in every part of the globe.

In addition to seeing widespread deception, we are destined to be a part of the greatest harvest of souls to ever occur in the entire 2,000-year history of the Church.

We are living both in the greatest of days and in the most troublesome of times. More and more, society as a whole is rejecting the authoritative voice of the Bible and seems bent on embracing self-destructive and ungodly ways of thinking and behaving. Many believers, pastors, and spiritual leaders do not know how to respond to the moral mess and doctrinal errors emerging all around them. Not wanting to be perceived as being judgmental or condemning, they often choose to remain silent on issues where the voice of the Bible needs to be spoken to a world that is going astray.

That is why it is so important for us to learn how to think right, use our sound minds, stay sensitive to the Lord in our hearts, and keep our heads on straight in this world that is going crazy as we approach the end of this age. You see, the Bible prophesied that seducing spirits would invade society, and it is occurring exactly as the Holy Spirit prophesied that it would. This deception is so sophisticated and insidious in its seduction that it has even taken hold of some believers and spiritual leaders in various quarters of the Church. But that is what the Holy Spirit prophesied 2,000 years ago—and that is the theme of my new book.

Most Christians will never be theologians. Even many pastors and solid spiritual leaders who know the power of the Holy Spirit and who believe in the authority of the Bible will never teach at that level. But because we are living in a last-days season when seducing spirits are luring people away from the core teachings of the Bible, it is vital that every believer, pastor, and spiritual leader knows the non-negotiable tenets of the faith and makes the decision to dig his or her heels into the bedrock of Scripture and to never budge from its authoritative voice. Every believer needs to know what the Bible teaches about these basic doctrines and to hold fast to the truth, regardless of the ever-changing trends of a wandering society.

It is vital that every believer, pastor, and spiritual leader knows the non-negotiable tenets of the faith and makes the decision to dig his or her heels into the bedrock of Scripture

The devil fully understands that the Word of God alone has the power to open blind eyes and set men free. This is why he seeks to nullify the Bible’s voice and to relegate it as an antiquated document from the past that has no relevance for the present hour. That is also why we must take this rock-solid stance on the absolute authority of the Bible and learn to partner with the Holy Spirit to see the power of God drive back the forces of darkness.

The prophet Isaiah foretold a day would come when gross darkness would come upon the peoples of the earth. But he also triumphantly declared that this day would also be the golden moment for God’s people to rise and shine with the glory of God (see Isaiah 60:1). We are living in that prophesied time. But even as gross darkness is coming upon the world, so also is this God-ordained, long-awaited, prophesied moment for the Church to rise and shine the light of His glory to those who sit in darkness! This is the greatest hour of opportunity the Church has ever faced—and you and I have been chosen by God to be participants in these significant days before Jesus returns.

I also want to state how important it is that we do not sit around and casually criticize those who are in spiritual trouble because they have veered away from sound doctrine or right living. Although it’s necessary for each of us to be awakened to the challenges, it is essential that we find a positive way to contribute to the solution. For this reason, in the final chapters of my forthcoming book, I address the role we must assume to prayerfully intercede for all wayward believers and errant spiritual leaders who have been duped and seduced by the spirit of this delinquent age.

Even as gross darkness is coming upon the world, so also is this God-ordained, long-awaited, prophesied moment for the Church to rise and shine the light of His glory to those who sit in darkness!

My prayer is that this new book will help gear you mentally and spiritually for this present day and for the days ahead. I sincerely pray that you will find it to be a valuable tool to help you think right when the world around you seems to be doing the very opposite.

I say again that this is our greatest moment. But as such, we must be aware of the devil’s desire to derail us, and we must proceed into this prophetic season with careful thoughtfulness. These are days to exercise great caution and to learn how block any inroads the devil would try to use to find access into our lives personally and into the lives of all God’s people at this crucial hour.