It Starts Small

An interesting question: is the devil for or against religion?

I believe the devil loves religion. I believe he uses religion to bring opposition to the Gospel. The book of Acts was the birth place of church. Church is the word we use for the body of believers in Christ. It is not a building.

It’s interesting to me that Satan uses his first act of corrupting creation by using a religious temptation.

⁵ For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:5

Satan tells Eve that if you eat this fruit you will be like God. Satan tells Eve, let me tell you how to be godly. We run across an interesting story in Acts 8:5-24. We are introduced to a man named Simon. Through this section of scriptures, we learn just how much satan loves religion.

Beware of the devilish power of false religion.

⁹ But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: ¹⁰ To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. Acts 8:9-10

There was a man named Simon who practiced sorcery and witchcraft. He had tapped into great evil and everyone believe the power he had came from God because he was healing people. Satan has limited power on this earth. He is crushed by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, but we learn he still has limited power.

⁹ Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 2 Thessalonians 2:9

Think of it like a venomous snake. You can cut the head of the snake from its body but the head can still bite and inject you with poison. Satan has the ability to do signs and wonders and to deceive people.

¹⁴ For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Revelation 16:14

When satan was tossed out of heaven, he had followers that fell with him. Angels that joined his side to rebel against God. Those unclean spirits, the spirits of devils, have the power to work miracles. They also have the power to speak to us, imitating the Holy Spirit.

¹⁴ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14

Satan is able to transform himself into an angel of light.

¹³ And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, Revelation 13:13

Satan has the power to do great wonders and deceive people with miracles.

This brings us a great question: if the devil has this sort of power, then how can we know we are saved? We have assurance by the Word of God!

¹³ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:13

²⁰ And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 1 John 5:20

We can know and be assured of our salvation because God is not a liar. Those who believe in Jesus Christ are given assurance that they are saved. We need to trust in the Word of God and stand upon the word of God as absolute truth. It is not “good advice.”

Satan has a limited power. His domain is here on earth. When the devil tempted Jesus, Jesus acknowledge the earth is his spiritual domain, but Jesus came here, from heaven, to crush satan. Satan is crushed, but not dead, not yet.

Satan infiltrates religion and uses his power to draw unsuspecting people away from God. That is his greatest weapon. To lure Christians away from the Word of God by deceiving and imitating God himself.

How can we know and distinguish between the sinister minister and the Holy Spirit?

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1

First John 4:1-6 gives us two types of spirits. The first is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of God that dwells within all Christian believers. The Holy Spirit will never deceive us, lie to us, or lead us astray. He came to live within us to lead us by truth and to have a closer walk with our Heavenly Father.

The second spirit is called a deceitful spirit. It’s a fallen spirit working through a false teacher or prophet whose purpose is to lead us astray or away from our Heavenly Father and truth.

¹⁴ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14

These false teachers are described as wolf in sheep clothing and they come to devour the flock.

¹⁹ Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: Acts 20:19

They act, speak, and live like Christians, but they are not Christians. They are imitators and their sole purpose is to drive division within the body of Christ and to lead as many as they can away from truth. SO how do we distinguish between the Holy Spirit and satan’s minions? Over the last year I’ve put together through various materials of study a test I do to distinguish between the two.

#1 What fruit are they producing?

¹⁶ Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ²⁰ Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:16-20

Jesus tells us we can distinguish between evil and the Holy Spirit by what fruit they produce. Galatians 20:26-27 is a listing of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. When you examine, what in that list are they producing? Is there something in that list that is the opposite? Only the things of the fruit of the Spirit come by the Holy Spirit. No man can produce them without the Holy Spirit.

A false person can imitate and disguise for a short period of time, but ultimately it will be revealed for what it is. We need to guard ourselves against a smooth tongue (Proverbs 26:23-26) and pay attention to what is produced. Does it edify or divide?

I’ve found this to be the best in the list for discerning people and their true motivation and to reveal their truth self. They can only keep the lies and deception going for so long before their “religious” moment is over. Once they have gotten what they are after, they return to their natural self.

#2 They Don’t conform to Scripture

Whenever the spirit speaks, I immediately go to God’s Word. Jesus said try EVERY spirit. I am very careful to make sure that what is spoken lines up with the Word of God. Peter gives us a great warning about how false teachers and spirit will secretly introduce destructive lies to our thoughts and their teachings.

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. ³ And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2 Peter 2:1-3

These lies, or heresies are contrary to the Word of God. Sometimes they are obvious and other times they are subtle and have a ring of truth. Satan is the master at using half truths to get our attention. Look back to the first sin.

⁴ And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: Genesis 3:4

Satan was correct, Eve would not fall dead a physical death, but his lie covered she would die a spiritual death.

We need to listen carefully to what is being said. Does it match perfectly with what the Word of God says?

¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16

All scripture is given by God and God does not lie (Titus 1:2). We can depend upon his Word to discern truth. In order for this test to be accurate, we need to get into the Word of God. This means going beyond knowing a few favorite verses and childhood stories. False teachers will sprinkle these into their teachings and proclaim their lies as truth.

We also have to be careful when searching scripture. I can be wrong, or they can be wrong, but John tells us to be especially mindful of those who get their “truth” outside the Word of God. I had someone send me a website with psychological babble that used the name of God in it and claim they had a right to their actions and choices because they “feel” it justified themselves. There was no scriptural reference or backing to any of it. They based their actions and truth off of a source outside of the Word of God. We need to test what we hear and and decide if it conforms to God’s Word or not. Always! Always go to God in prayer to seek His understanding and discernment.

#3 Does it Glorify God?

¹² Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:12

A great way to test is to figure out what is being honored. The Holy Spirit will lead us to seek to honor and glorify God in everything we say and do. A false person will give lip service to God but nothing they do or say glorifies God. They have no real interest in glorifying God and their focus is only on themselves. Their words and actions will demonstrate what is important to them. It’s a warning sign when they say they love God, but their actions scream something different.

The Holy Spirit works in our verbal communication and our actions will line up with what we speak.

#4 Does is build up or tear down?

Paul tells us in Ephesians 2 that Jesus gives us teachers, pastors, and spiritual mentors to build the body of Christ up. Their purpose is to help others reach spiritual maturity to become teachers, pastors and mentors. The purpose is to attain the whole measure of the fullness in Christ. When a teacher, pastor, or mentor is speaking under the Holy Spirit, the message draws us closer to Christ.

A false person is not interested in the Lordship of Christ. They seek to destroy and it is done subtly through deception. They are focused on themselves and the outward appearance of deceiving others into thinking they are something they are not. They use their position and power to meet their own selfish gains and not for the furthering of the gospel or building others up. They seek to destroy to make themselves look better and to be at the top.

I fully admit I am still so young in understanding. When I realized the true voice of the Holy Spirit, it was a bit frightening. I cannot think of another word to describe it. Not like the kind of horror show fear. At first, I wasn’t sure if it was my own desire being spoken or God’s. I really had to dig into God’s Word and see if it aligned with what he speaks. I commit what I’m hearing to prayer because I trust my Heavenly Father to reveal absolute truth. Because the voice that dwelled in my head for so long was not the Holy Spirit I get gun shy every time he speaks. I’m learning slowly to trust what is spoken. A lot of it is learning to trust myself that the Holy Spirit does indeed speak to me.

We need to learn to recognize and carefully listen to what we hear and see. The devil has power in using his evil weapons to drag us away from truth through evil teachers, preachers, and those who would seek to lead others astray. This Simon character captivated the people by preforming signs and wonders. This is why we can not base our belief off of signs and wonders because satan has the power to preform the same signs and wonders.