Churchwork
08-02-2006, 09:06 AM
The Path to Freedom, The Knowledge of Truth
a battle over the will
The order of descent is (1) deception, (2) passivity, (3) entrenchment, and (4) further deception and passivity. The way to release is to uncover the deception. The essential difference between supernatural evil and good is that supernatural evil produces an outside compulsion through passivity and a blank mind. The supernatural good still allows for the mind to be actively engaged as well as to exercise the conscience to distinguish good and evil without the least inhibition: "spirits of the prophets (believers) are subject to the prophets" (1 Cor. 14.32) and are able to retain self-control. The spirits received by the Holy Spirit unto them are subject to them. Let us learn whether we have been passive or not which is the solution to all our problems. It is not easy at all to take in a truth that blasts one's ego or to confess entrenchment by the enemy. It requires humility and sincerity. The road to truth may occur in three ways: (1) discovering protracted satanic bondage, (2) doubting experience even though the believer may be 90% accurate, and (3) truth given by other believers. Doubting is the prelude to truth, that is, doubting one's own past experience, which is necessary because God commands us to "test the spirits" (1 John 4.1). Are we not susceptible to deception? Are we completely free of being deceived? Could there be some misunderstanding in us right now? Admitting to being susceptible to deception affords the believer a working opportunity. The worse mistake one can make is to account himself infallible. Only after he is self-abased will he be able to see his true condition of giving ground to the working of evil spirits which ultimately pained him (even pleased him temporarily). Our experience is to (a) acknowledge that a believer is open to deception; (b) is subject to duplicity; (c) to confess that he is deceived; and next (d) further inquire as to why he was beguiled.
a battle over the will
The order of descent is (1) deception, (2) passivity, (3) entrenchment, and (4) further deception and passivity. The way to release is to uncover the deception. The essential difference between supernatural evil and good is that supernatural evil produces an outside compulsion through passivity and a blank mind. The supernatural good still allows for the mind to be actively engaged as well as to exercise the conscience to distinguish good and evil without the least inhibition: "spirits of the prophets (believers) are subject to the prophets" (1 Cor. 14.32) and are able to retain self-control. The spirits received by the Holy Spirit unto them are subject to them. Let us learn whether we have been passive or not which is the solution to all our problems. It is not easy at all to take in a truth that blasts one's ego or to confess entrenchment by the enemy. It requires humility and sincerity. The road to truth may occur in three ways: (1) discovering protracted satanic bondage, (2) doubting experience even though the believer may be 90% accurate, and (3) truth given by other believers. Doubting is the prelude to truth, that is, doubting one's own past experience, which is necessary because God commands us to "test the spirits" (1 John 4.1). Are we not susceptible to deception? Are we completely free of being deceived? Could there be some misunderstanding in us right now? Admitting to being susceptible to deception affords the believer a working opportunity. The worse mistake one can make is to account himself infallible. Only after he is self-abased will he be able to see his true condition of giving ground to the working of evil spirits which ultimately pained him (even pleased him temporarily). Our experience is to (a) acknowledge that a believer is open to deception; (b) is subject to duplicity; (c) to confess that he is deceived; and next (d) further inquire as to why he was beguiled.