Edition 59.  14th November 2010

In this edition:

●Satan's plan for the church.

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Satan's plan for the church:

Firstly, do we or don't we criticise:

The answer is no and a resounding yes. Many people have a spirit of criticism deep within them. They're motivated by the pride of self exaltation at the expense of others. They are eternally critical, always elevating themselves and putting others down.

That said, constructive criticism is another story and should be welcomed. Truth is the big thing, but truth applied with a baseball bat is no better than error. Truth sought in humility before God gives you wisdom. Leave out the humility aspect and you get knowledge, which puffs you up in pride and becomes legalistic and destructive.

Trying to prove yourself right and others wrong is a stressful, depressing activity, unless of course, you are so far down that road that you have seared your conscience.

●Truth has companions called freedom, holiness and peace. Error has companions called imprisonment, evil and stress. Truth comes through humility and error comes through pride...always!

The Bible speaks of the "spirit of truth and spirit of error" This simply means we are dealing primarily with the spiritual world where the demonic plays a big role. We are to "take heed that we are not deceived" (Matthew 24:4)The term "take heed" in the original is an agricultural term and implies keeping the ground fertile, soft and with the weeds ripped out. It's has an active, vigilant implication. Satan has legal rights to deceive proud, non-vigilant people.

Candidates for deception are those who look only to their leaders, those in love with the word of the world and its traditions, those full of personal ambition, those unwilling to suffer persecution and those ignorant of the scriptures.

Remaining silent in the face of extreme danger is very foolish. Being blind to the coming onslaught of deception is just as dangerous.

We need to actively cultivate humility, the fear of God and respect for the authority of the Bible

There is no danger, only safety in truth rightly sought and applied. This is the way to unshakeable faith.

John 8:31-32 "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free" Notice that the "truth" does not "set you free." It only does so when you are passionate about the word and have become a disciple (lit-subjected pupil, learner or a humble pupil-learner.)

John 16:13 "When He the Spirit of truth has (lit-fully) come, He will lead you into all truth...and show you things to come."

2Timothy 2:15 "Be diligent to present yourselves approved unto God, a workman (lit-of the word) not ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Here is something few people think of: If you say you love our Lord, you are a big, deceived liar if you do not love His word. He and His word (truth) are one, declares the Bible. Yeshua /Jesus says "If you love Me keep My commands." You cannot love the Lord without loving His word. The tragedy of our day is that too many people say they love the Lord and they love the word of an imposter!

Seeking truth is liberating indeed, but it puts you on a collision course with error.

The key in criticism is correction. To point out what is wrong is wrong. To point out what is wrong and what is right is right (if done with the right attitude.) Our Lord shows us the way: "I judge and My judgement is righteous, because I seek not My own will." (John 5:30) That's a very powerful verse of scripture!! John 7:24 commands us to "judge with righteous judgement."

The incredible danger of casting down truth

If Satan can render the church powerless, he has full legal rights and abilities to wreck the world. The church is the "light of the world" if this light goes out darkness floods the world.

Satan has been very successful in doing just this. If he can interfere with the truth he can divide the church, rendering it ineffective. If he can go even further and replace truth with error and deception he has achieved a large victory.

The early church was united and powerful. There was one church, divided geographically only. It was distinctly Hebraic in character. One Roman emperor after another tried to destroy the church with intense persecution. This only made the church stronger. In 300AD Satan came up with his ace trump card: Defeat the church from within. Bring in error, the occult and deception. The Roman emperor Constantine stopped persecution and made Christianity the official state religion. But to make it palatable to the masses he mixed in a whole lot of Babylonian occult practices. These were part of his own belief system.

The light went out.

This began the spiritual dark ages. By 600AD the Catholic church was born. It adopted all of Constantine's occult practices, which are still in the church today.

This Catholic church through the dark ages was the most murderous evil institution the world has seen. It institutionalised a host of occult practices and came up with a powerful, evil solution to keep the masses in subjection and deception. This included the removing of the scriptures from the people at large. Bible ownership by the laity was outlawed. In fact many were tortured and burnt to death by the Catholic church, for owning or reading a Bible.

Satan's plan revealed in Pergamos, Thyatira, Laodicea.

Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) His plan is to add to, and take away from the truth.

These three Bible words have profound meanings and implications. They paint a frightening picture all too evident, all around us today.

The book of Revelation is a "book of prophecy" (Revelation 1:3) The messages to the seven churches in the opening chapters therefore have a prophetic significance to them as well as historic. In fact, these seven letters plot the course of church history up to the tribulation very accurately. If you want to get a shock read what God thinks of the church!

The seven churches of the Revelation plot the course of church history in the names but also in the content. Here are the names and their meanings: The word Ephesus means 'beloved, becoming relaxed'. It represents the early church era from about 30AD to 100AD. Smyrna means 'bitterness' and represents the era of intense persecution form 100AD to about 300AD. Pergamos means 'thoroughly mixed' and represents the era in which Constantine mixed Babylonian occult practises into the church from 300AD to about 600D. Thyatira means 'perpetual sacrifice' and represents the Catholic era from 600AD into the tribulation. Sardis means 'escaping' and represents the reformation period from about 1500AD. Philadelphia means 'brotherly love' and represents the true, pure church with the "key of David" representing Messianic believers. Laodicea means 'people ruled' and represents the era from about 1900 into the tribulation.

For the purpose of this article we are just going to look at the churches of Pergamos, Thyatira, and Laodicea.

● Pergamos:

The word Pergamos means 'thoroughly mixed', and this is just what Satan did using Constantine and his Babylonian occult practises This began the defeat of the powerful early church. It was caused by the introduction of error.

This church is told by God "I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is." (Revelation 2:13) In verse 14 we are told that this church "holds the doctrine of Balaam" and in verse 15 "the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which things I hate" This church has placed a "stumbling block before Israel" the stumbling block is idolatry. The Jews have had many run-ins with God over idolatry in their past. These idolatrous practices within this church are foreign to the Jews. The true gospel is to go to the "Jew first and the gentile" (Romans 1:16)

Satan's throne is a reference to Rome. The Roman emperor Constantine decreed that the state and church be one.

The city of Pergamum had a pagan temple within it called Aphordisia, dedicated to the goddess of sex. 'Worship' was done through sex acts. Participants were pagans and so-called Christians of the day. It was later renamed the temple of the cross in 640AD.

The remains

It's very important to identify the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans. These words offer incredible insight.

●The word Balaam is derived from two Hebrew root words meaning 'swallow' and 'people'

●The word Nicolaitan comes from two Greek root words. 'Nico' meaning to 'conqueror' and 'laos' which means people.

The Nicolaitan heresy in that day insisted on separation of the clergy above the laity. All power was to be given to the clergy who were separated and identified by dress codes, names and the like. Jesus says "call no man father, neither be called masters"!!!!! (Matthew 23:9) They also had belief systems of compromise with the world. They taught that Christians must remain members of pagan clubs.

Jesus says He "hates" the doctrine of the Nicolaitans! It is designed by Satan to keep the people in submission to an all powerful leadership.

Constantine had a vision one night. He saw a blazing cross with the words "In this sign conquer the world" above it. He adopted the sign of the chi-rho superimposed in a sun as his symbol and also as the insignia for his armies. This sign has occult origins. It became known as Constantine's cross.

Here it is:

Can you see the amazing picture coming into place?

Pergamos means 'thoroughly mixed' relating to the mixing of the occult into the church. Balaam means to 'swallow the people' under mind control and Nicolaitan means to 'conqueror the people', which was done by the introduction of the occult and the separation of the clergy and laity.

This church marked the start of Satan's plan, with a new type of church that was completely different from the early church. It marked the start of the failure of Christianity. The church is commanded to repent. (Revelation 2:16)

● Thyatira:

Now we come to Thyatira as the Pergamos era comes to an end. By now so much error had become institutionalised and entrenched in church doctrine. The Catholic church in those days was very successful in killing all who opposed them. They removed the Bible from the people and outlawed ownership of it. In fact they killed people who broke this law by torturing them to death by burning at the stake.

The word Thyatira means "perpetual sacrifice" Common consensus is that this relates to the Catholic church and its doctrine of transubstantiation which they believe occurs at communion. Transubstantiation means the priest has the power to miraculously change the bread into the actual body of Christ and the wine to the real blood of Christ. This means perpetual ongoing sacrifice. On the cross Jesus said "It is finished"

This church had tolerated the teachings of a false prophetess metaphorically identified with Jezebel who "killed the prophets" (Revelation 2:20) This relates to the fact that Catholic church killed all who came against it. The false teachings were designed to "beguile my people" or mislead them. The original Jezebel led Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality. The Catholic tradition of Easter is also in view here, which was a pagan practice involving sex. This church is full of idolatry. Jezebel had an deep association with paganism.

Jezebel killed the prophets, but she herself was killed and torn to pieces by dogs.

The Catholic church will align itself with the antichrist and kill the people of the prophetic word (Jews). It will be involved in the second holocaust during the tribulation period!

Interestingly Jezebel usurped authority. This church has pagan and idolatrous practices elevated above God's word. The leaders are mere figureheads in subjection to idolatry.

Example: The Bible (New Testament epistles) commands us to keep the feast of Passover. (1 Corinthians 5:8 ; Acts 18:21) The original word is 'Pesach' which means Passover. The evil Catholic church teaches its blind followers to keep Easter.

The Bible often uses double reference in it's language. This church taught "My servants to commit sexual immorality" and to "eat things sacrificed to idols" These terms are often used to describe idolatry in a larger sense.

This church is told that it "knows the depths of Satan" (verse 24) God says of those who "cling" to this church "I will kill your children with death" (verse 23)

The church was given time to repent but it did not. It is therefore cast into great tribulation.(verse 22)

There is no doubt that Thyatira refers to the Catholic church (and other similar orthodox churches)

In history the Catholic church taught that salvation was by works and could even be bought. Now they teach that salvation is by church membership.

● Laodicea:

The remains

The word means 'people ruled' or 'people opinionated' and represents the church era from 1900 into the tribulation. This would very clearly fit most of the denominational churches which have democratic (people ruled) forms of church government. These churches are full of self-opinion opposed to God's opinion.

These churches say..."It's all open to interpretation. There are no absolutes anymore". They allegorise prophecy and whatever suits themselves.

God's form of church government is not the same as the world's. God always calls an individual, anoints him and places him in leadership. This was very clear in the Old Testament and in the early church era. God does not operate the church on democratic principles.

Much maligned Laodicea represents the church of the world and not the kingdom of God. It is full of the world's ways, values and beliefs. This church has a fatal, deadly flaw within it that will lead it to hell. It thinks it can see, yet God says it is blind.(Revelation 3:17)

The incredible tragedy of the pride of thinking that you can see, when God says you can't is that you can't see the truth even if you try. It's worth remembering that pride in all its forms always, always blinds you! This is why the homosexual movement will never see the error of its ways...it is built on gay pride! There is a saying out there: "There are none so blind as those that cannot see!"

How do you get to see truth? There is only one way and that is through humility and repentance before God.

This church is "lukewarm" to the things of God and as a result will be spewed (lit: vomited) out. (Revelation 3:16) This church says it is rich and wealthy, but God says it is wretched, poor, blind, miserable and naked." This church says it is in need of nothing, implying self sufficiency. This church is commanded to repent. Our Lord stands outside the door knocking, implying that this church is not His church.

Satan's plan here is to institute church government based on democracy and people-opinion. This keeps the people lukewarm to God's ways and word and to be self sufficient and dependant. Satan has blinded the spiritual eyes of this church. it is a sitting duck for his takeover and control.

Because Laodicea is inherently blind to truth, Satan has brought in many "truths" and divided it very successfully. Satan's plan is division, while God's plan is unity.

This is the church of "people opinions" In other words its full of variable values and doctrines. Many "people opinions" on doctrine means many divided churches, just like modern Christendom.

"Satan comes to kill steel and destroy". We know that verse so well, but we don't believe it relates to killing truth, steeling unity and destroying God's church, do we?

Some satanic practices that have filtered through to Christendom: 

Constantine introduced many other pagan rituals and practises to the church that were born in hell. Most of the particularly evil and Satanic traditions, have through time spread to the protestant churches as well.

The 25th December was decreed by Constantine as the day to honour the birthday of our Lord. This day was called the birthday of the sun as it marked the journey of the sun just after solstice. This was the birthday of Sol Invictus, the "unconquerable sun".

Old Nick is an ancient name for Satan! That may come as a surprise but it won't change the truth!

Here are some quotes and references: 

Well now here is something I'm sure most don't know: "Happy birthday to you...hep hep hurray" This was introduced into church practice originally in the year 933. Why hep hep (pronounced hip, hip)? There is no such word. It is the acronym for "Hierosylma Est Perdita", which means "Jerusalem is fallen" It comes from an anti-Semitic war cry. "Jerusalem is fallen and we're on our way to paradise" which was used in rioting and inquisitions against Jews. The same battle cry was used later in the1819 as Germans attacked and massacred Jews across the nation.

The next time you sing happy birthday to your nice little kid, cast a thought back to the millions of Jews who were slaughtered while this battle cry was being sung.

Infant sprinkling or Christening:

This practice does not exist in the Bible. So where did it come from?

It was introduced by Constantine in 370AD and called baptismal regeneration, in which original sin was supposedly cleansed. It was made compulsory for all citizens of Rome in 416AD. Those who refused were tortured to death by the church. There were millions! No wonder Revelation 17:6 speaking of the great harlot that is most certainly the Catholic church says: "they became drunk on the blood of the saints."

Rome taught that even little babies would not be saved if they had not been infant baptised! The Council of Trent: "Infants, unless regenerated unto God through baptism, whether their parents be Christian or infidel, are born to eternal perdition." 

Infant sprinkling originated in Baal worship. The Baal-priest would first exorcise evil spirits and then sprinkle water or oil on the child's forehead making the sign of Tammuz as he did so. This is the letter "T", later adopted as the "sign of the cross."

A brief overview of some other pagan beliefs:

In Babylonian tradition Tammuz was the son of Nimrod and Semiramis. Nimrod ascended to heaven. He became Baal the sun-god. Semiramis was supposedly supernaturally conceived and came down to earth from the moon in the form of an egg. Semiramis then became known as Ishtar (pronounced Easter) from then on. She became known as the goddess o sex. She herself had a supposed supernatural conception. The sun burst rays from the sun-god Baal caused her to get pregnant. The son she had was Tammuz also called the "son of god". Ishtar became known and worshipped as the "mother of god" or the "queen of heaven." Tammuz was killed by a wild pig. Some of his blood fell on a small evergreen tree (pine) which grew into a full tree overnight. These trees were then called sacred and became part of their ceremonies. The trees were cut down and decorated with silver and gold balls in dedication to the sun and moon gods. Jeremiah 10:2-3 "Do not learn the ways of the Gentiles...they cut down a tree from the forest...they decorate it with silver and gold and fasten it down."

The image below represents Tammuz with his crosses around his head and the reunion of Ishtar and Tammuz.

Ishtar proclaimed a 40-day period of sorrow to mark the anniversary of the death of Tammuz. Worshippers were to make the sign of Tammuz (T) over their hearts in respect. (This is the origin of lent) They were also to eat "sacred cakes" with the letter T on top. From then on, the first day after the full moon after the spring equinox a celebration was to be made. It was known as Ishtar's day and was celebrated with the fertility symbols of rabbits and eggs. Because Tammuz was killed by a wild pig, pork was to be eaten on that day.

So, Christmas and Easter involve the eating of a ham. This has Babylonian origins but is also another of the many reasons why the church is a fearful foreign place to the Jew!

The image below shows Ratzinger holding the monstrance, It is used during Easter and other celebrations. It is a sunburst with the wafer of communion bread in the centre. At the bottom (arrowed) is a crescent moon. This is just the point where the priest converts the bread and blood into the actual body and blood of our Lord, or so they believe. It has more to do with the sun and moon gods than anything else!

Let me add that the old King James Bible uses the word "Easter" The original word is "Pasha" which is the same as the Hebrew equivalent "Pesach" which means Passover. Passover has nothing to do with Easter. We are commanded to keep Passover.

I've said in numerous editions and again: A good way to check if your tradition or convocation is of God or the devil is this: Does the world accept or reject it? All of the above Babylonian traditions are accepted and practised by the world. "Satan is the god of this world"

The most dangerous, deadly, deceptive, doctrine of devils and demons ever to be inflicted upon the world by the Catholic church is the lie born in hell that the Catholic church and its leadership are infallible. The Catholic Council of Trent declared in 1562 (still in force): "Let anyone be accursed who would dare to suggest that the church's sacramental rites are impiety."

This church has perfectly fulfilled the plan of Satan

The answer: 

God wants our thinking transformed, but he never operates through mind-control and domination.

Satan's plan has been to fill the church with the occult, divide it, control it and render it ineffective in God's terms.

God's plan is to root out the occult in repentance, return to the truth in spirit-led unity.

Satan's plan for the church involves replacing revelation of God's word with the word of church doctrine, infiltrated with the devil, to produce  mind control. God wants us to do His will freely, but he never acts through control...never!

What can you do?

Can you see what has happened in church history? Can you see that the Bible prophesied it all along? Can you see where we are today and how we got here? Can you see what to avoid and what the truth is?

If you have been infant sprinkled or 'baptised' as a baby, you need to break  and separate yourself from it. Go before our Lord and break any and all lingering powers or attachments. You need to be adult baptised in the Biblical way. This will absolutely infuriate the perpetuators of the infant christening tradition. You will see the flash of Satan's eye in theirs as they oppose you.

You need to separate yourself from occult practises and return to Godly traditions and practises.

You need to separate your thinking from the traditions and ways of the world.

The message to the seven churches from God in the Revelation, gives a very clear action to those involved in these churches. REPENT is His repeated word. Repent means to forsake, turn around and go a new way.

Breaking and separating from satanic activities is very, very liberating!

You may think that none of these things are important because the world and most of the church thinks that they're okay. God does not think so! read His word without your church doctrine glasses on!

You may think that you're okay because the majority are in the same boat. You may continue on in deception and be saved at the end of the day, but you will be spiritually impotent in this life.

Romans 12:2 "Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind". (With the word)

Please don't underestimate the following verses of scripture. They paint an incredibly powerful picture.

1 Corinthian 1:10 "I plead with you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and same judgement." This chapter is headed "Sectarianism is sin."

2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 "For the coming of the lawless one is according to the workings 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 may be saved and for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie".

2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers."

Romans 16:17 "I urge you brethren, note those who cause divisions contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them."

Which churches will fail and follow Satan:

There are many other prophecies relating to the failure of much of the end-time church. The Revelation gives a shocking insight into many churches that are doomed. "They were given time to repent, but did not". "They will be cast into great tribulation" (By the way, this implies that there will be churches that will escape it) "They will be spewed out of God's mouth".

We see in these sections of scripture that many churches will continue in Satan's plan. These will be churches who will align themselves with the world's ways. They will be churches filled with occult traditions. They will be churches involved in the multi-faith movement. They will be churches propagating replacement theology. They will be churches blind to the prophetic word. They will be all the churches of the World Council of Churches including the 'outer, observer' members.

The seeker-friendly purpose-driven church movement is a huge danger to truth-seekers. The emergent church movement will end in hell. The dominionist movement is doomed. Many of the Charismaniac churches are not on the right path.

There is no doubt according to numerous other prophecies that Satan will have a huge army of so-called churches following him and his sidekick, 'the false prophet' of the Bible, in the tribulation period.

It's not my job or yours to decide who is saved or not on an individual basis, but it is our job to know the difference and to know the plans of the devil.

This is a serious warning. We are in the day of fast prophetic fulfilment.  

Summary:

Satan's plan for the church is revealed to us in God's judgement of the church in the Revelation.

Pergamos demonstrates how Satan introduced the occult and defeated the church. It shows how the separation of the clergy above the laity brought the people into subjection and under brutal control.

Thyatira shows us how Satan institutionalised these things into the church, that now knows the "depths of Satan" instead of the depths of God. This church that removed the Bible from the laity, now elevates the word of the Catholic clergy above the word of God. This the Catholic and orthodox churches are "cast into great tribulation"

Laodicea shows us Satan's plan for the church by introducing democracy into church government. It is lukewarm to the things of God. It is essentially a counterfeit church. Laodicea is a clear description of the modern divided denominational church world. God spits it out of His mouth.

Satan's plan is to conquer the people and swallow them up in his ways. It is to "thoroughly mix" in poison.

Amazingly many churches will befriend those of other religions and beliefs, even the devil in disguise, but will come against those who speak the truth.

The answer for this deluded section of the church is not knowledge. It is repentance, which brings Godly knowledge, wisdom and revelation. The big key issue is that these churches refuse to repent. The messages to the seven churches in the revelation does however show that there will be a few who do repent, but not the whole church.

God's true church, will grow in unity, strength and glory. Christ's church will be triumphant and victorious while the church in subjection to Satan's plan will end in defeat.

Where is the true church? It's all over the place. It's all believers who love our Lord supremely and His word. It's all believers who shake off error and risk standing alone against the masses. There may be some in this church or that. It is NOT all who claim to be Christians!

The true church of the living God and the word of God are about to come under extreme attack. Beware the "other Jesus" That will be presented by the weakened, divided church, together with the Muslims and others.

***The next edition will be on God's plan for the church.

1 Timothy 3:15 "The house of God which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth."

Acts 13:9-10 "Then Paul filled with the Holy Spirit looked intently at him and said "O full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?"

Revelation 12:9 "Satan, who leads the whole world astray."

Heaven or hell:

Salvation, prayer or anything at all has nothing to do with Mary who is no virgin either. (She was before the birth of Jesus only) Ratzinger, what have you done? Your office will serve you no good at all when you stand before our Jewish Messiah, the King of the Jews. How many Jews have you inadvertently prevented from coming to salvation, by your pagan infiltrated church?

Messiah, King of the universe, Lord of all truth and supreme judge of all. Thank you, thank you for the salvation you offer. Thank you for all the glory that lies ahead in our future. Thank you for your wonderful word of promise. Come soon Lord, please come soon.

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Here is a beautiful woodcut by Gustave Dore. It's one of a series titled "Paradise lost" and represents Satan surveying his angles in the stolen temple.

Kind regards and many blessings...Shalom and grow in grace!