“SATANIC DUPLICITY OR CHRIST-LIKE RESISTENCE?”
By: J.Farrell Fisher, July 11-14, 2017
How would you describe “Satanic Duplicity” as you seek to make a difference in your world around you as, yes, an “ambassador of Christ Jesus”? Sadly, I fear “ambassadors of Christ” are often mislead, ill-advised, and ‘cooperative with the powers of darkness’ rather than True Lights of Christ expelling and exposing and unveiling victory over Satan through Christ but sadly compromising their calling as ‘disciples of Christ’ ,and cooperating with, rather than “fighting the good fight of faith” against Satan and his enemies of Christ!
If true disciples are called to “glorify Christ” in their daily walks, how is it that many assume ‘pietistic pilgrimages’ apart from supernatural presence and power or ‘washed in the blood of the Lamb’ or none, if any, anointings of the Holy Spirit – no “new birth”, no “Kingdom of God identity”, no “transformation” by repentance toward God and faith ONLY in the finished work of Christ at the Cross and Empty tomb, but “Jesus is our pattern while in and of ourselves we seek to live like Him”! No! Ten thousand times, No!
‘Trying’ is not “trusting” but a fleshly attempt to ‘duplicate’ Satan’s ‘trust’ (?) in himself rather than surrender to and allegiance to the honor of being “saved by grace through faith” in Jesus’ Calvary’s Cross and Empty Tomb victory over Satan and his powers of darkness. Satan’s ‘religious philosophy’ is void of the absolute need of being ‘born again,’ regenerated by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, and assuming that attempting to ‘live’ like Jesus is as good as His indwelling Resurrection Life! No! Ten thousand times no!
There is no doubt that in God’s awesome birthing of humanity from Adam and Eve onward were all, yes, birthed with a humanitarian need for God, but the ‘sin natures’ we were all birthed with imitates Satan but not duplicating Christ Jesus! Holy God is not interested in any natural life being ‘programmed’ to “try your best” because ‘natural life’ will attempt, at times, to even try to live ‘like Jesus’ but is void of the birthing of “spiritual life” by the Holy Spirit! Holy God determined all of fallen humanity to be “crucified with Christ at the Cross and raised to new life in His resurrection presence” – your ‘best’ as well as your worst was summed up as deserving of death only, and Jesus took your death unto Himself so you could have His Resurrection Life!
But ‘Satanic Duplicity’? “Sin may be my ‘curse’, but it doesn’t produce ‘death’ and separation from God – it’s my reminder to do my best, while those Christians who insist ‘my best is the tyranny of godlessness while I really desire to please Him’, are those Christians telling me, ‘Only the Son sets you free’, when I know I can overcome Satan,” not even aware they’ve already been overcome and owned by him in their satanic duplicity!
It was Leo Tolstoy, in his writing “The Kingdom of God and Peace Essays”, (Oxford University Press, 1936, p.158), who wrote: “Man’s whole life is a continual contradiction of what he knows to be his duty. In every department of life he acts in defiant opposition to the dictates of his conscience and his common sense.” Tolstoy understood “satanic duplicity or Christ-like resistance”, but examining fallen mankind, he saw undergirding their rebellion to truth ‘a pervasive and profound hopelessness and sense of worthlessness,’ being unaware they were living with ‘savorless salt’ without any assistance for their godless families, friends, or associates – no eternal meaning but only ‘cosmetic’ coverings and unfulfilling imitations!
It was really, really interesting to hear Christ Jesus exposing the ‘religious elite’ of Judaism who cooperated with Satan in Christ’s crucifixion saying in Matthew 23:1-5a, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat (self-appointed!). Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men…”.
Is “seen by men” one of the strong evidences of ‘Satanic duplicity’? In John 6:66 we read, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him.” And Jesus turned to the twelve saying to them, “Do you also want to go away?” A little later Jesus said, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” That was Judas – and just as there has always been a Judas, there have been and will be those who “choose” to ‘walk away from the Savior and Lord’ because “deceived by Satan” is ‘masterful strategy’ – the world, your old sin nature, and Satan are out to pull you away from the true Lord, Savior, and Master of eternal life!
In fact, in John 2:23-25, we read, “Now when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.” This just may be why the Apostle Paul said later in his ministry: “I die daily! I take the sentence of death daily unto myself that His Resurrected Presence may be manifested in my mortal flesh.” [Too many ‘believers’ like ‘faith’ without dying daily!].
Jesus’ words about “Follow Me” aren’t words to be taken lightly but purposefully! In fact, in Mark 10:21, Jesus responded and counseled the ‘rich young ruler,’ “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But the next verse tells us, “But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” Or could we say, “His great possessions had him”? Consider it! What or who has your heart?
Jesus’ words “Follow Me” comes not from a dictatorial ruler but from the Lord and Savior who said, “I didn’t come to be served but to serve and to give My life as a ransom for the many!” (Matthew 20:28). Nondiscipleship majors on, yes, ‘human achievement in the name of Jesus’ but is an overflow of religious activity, not availability to His indwelling presence! Nondiscipleship majors on personal performance apart from seeking to have a vessel, temple, or tabernacle through which He extends His life, expresses His love, and proves His amazing power to “raise the dead” to His honor and the honor of Father God through the mighty anointings of the Holy Spirit!
Resurrection Life, in and through Christ’s living presence, is the only hope modern-day churches have in giving Him honor, glory, and praise – He’s not interested in “your best” but your availability to all He is in His Resurrection Presence! Many ‘professing Christians’ will thank Jesus for His forgiveness, but never ask Him His intent through His resurrection presence – too many believe they serve Him in the best of their head knowledge, missing out on “the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ” which IS, “Christ in you the hope of glory”. I think it’s time modern-day Christians “loose Him and let Him be Himself in and through them!” Why would one accept His forgiveness but never find out what a forgiven disciple is to be about?
Satanic duplicity is evidenced by the godless, by individual lives and, for many, by ‘family’ godlessness or by ‘family’ church attendance with no concern, really, about why they are there. Satanic duplicity is strengthened and furthered, yes, by religious attendees of church gatherings but no grasp at all about “dead to self” or “tools in God’s hands – not knowing what dominates their ‘church attendance’ or what their ‘salvation’ in God’s plan has to do with them where they live”!
Satanic duplicity will blind ‘church attenders’ to ‘why am I here in this gathering’(?), knowing nothing of a true church’s equipping, training, raising up the “new-born” into true sons and daughters of kingdom living in touching their world with the love and grace of Almighty God, revealed through Christ, the Lamb of God! In the ‘flesh’ they are aware of its lust, of worldly eyes, and the boastful pride of life! But Christ took your old man to the Cross, and there YOU were crucified with Christ, all that was under Satan’s domination and control – that was crucified! But now, having repented, and put your faith in the finished work of Christ at the Cross, you live as “the tabernacle of Holy, Resurrection Presence”, you being His footstool upon which He stands to extend His life, express His love, and prove His power through you!
Satanic duplicity blinds far too many ‘church attenders’ to the intent of Christ’s Resurrection Life in them and through them. In fact, I’m convinced Satan has achieved awesome ‘self-destruction’ in many ‘believers’ rather than Christ’s victory over sin and death because he deceives in saying, “You can’t do anything but sin until you get to heaven,” denying Jesus’ words: “Go, and sin no more!”
Oswald Chambers wrote in his famous book, “My Utmost For His Highest,” (p.206), “Sin is a thing I am born with and I cannot touch it; God touches sin in Redemption. In the Cross of Jesus Christ God redeemed the whole human race from the possibility of damnation through the heredity of sin. The condemnation is not that I am born with a heredity of sin, but if when I realize Jesus Christ came to deliver me from it, I refuse to let him do so, from that moment I begin to get the seal of damnation. “And this is the judgment,” (the critical moment), “that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light.”
Several truths I want you to be aware of: FIRST, BLOOD FORGIVENESS THROUGH CHRIST’S SHED BLOOD IS NOT AN OPENED DOOR FOR A ‘BELIEVER’ TO KEEP ON SINNING SO HE CAN EXPERIENCE MORE AND MORE OF CHRIST’S FORGIVENESS! Have you ever encountered those who openly talk about receiving Christ’s forgiveness, and yet, beyond that day they were “reconciled”, they see it as such ‘amazing grace’ that they can just go on ‘sinning’?
You do understand that modern-day ‘Christianity’ in many churches has interpreted ‘grace’ as the license to sin, convinced that ‘obedience’ is an option in the age of grace because that would be ‘salvation by works’! No! You don’t obey in order to be saved – you obey because you have been saved!
Dallas Willard, in his book, “The Great Omission,” (p.14), having quoted Tozer saying, “that salvation apart from obedience is unknown in the sacred scriptures,” went on to say himself: “This ‘heresy’ has created the impression that it is quite reasonable to be a ‘vampire Christian.’ One in effect says to Jesus, “I’d like a little of your blood, please. But I don’t care to be your student or have your character. In fact, won’t you just excuse me while I get on with my life, and I’ll see you in heaven.’ But can we really imagine that this is an approach that Jesus finds acceptable?”
In fact, didn’t Jesus say in Luke 6:46, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’, and not do the things which I say?”
SECOND, BLOOD FORGIVENESS IS FAR MORE THAN YOUR SIN’S FORGIVENESS, IT IS GOD’S ENTRANCE INTO OUR LIVES TO REVEAL HIS SON THROUGH YOU AND ME! In Galatians 1:15-16 Paul wrote: “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me…”. But, for you, there was a different purpose? Forgiveness without a purpose? Forgiveness without a cause? Forgiveness without any divine, eternal intent?
In 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 Paul wrote: “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, AND has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Now then, WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
But how many “church members” see themselves as available vessels in and through which Christ Jesus has open tabernacle doors through which He reveals Himself? And if Christ’s entrance into my heart and life is divine, eternal reality, out of the overflow of God’s loving, merciful heart, if it’s not by our best efforts, what is it or who is it Holy God uses to unveil the Christ in you? And the Word tells us that it is the Holy Spirit interpreting Christ through us! In Galatians 5:16 Paul wrote: “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”, adding in Galatians 5:22-25, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If WE live in the Spirit, let us also WALK IN THE SPIRIT.” Do you?
THIRD, BLOOD FORGIVENESS, CHRIST-AWARENESS IN THE REPENTANT, FAITHFUL HEART, IS ALSO EVIDENCED BY TRUE DISCIPLES WHO UNDERSTAND “PLAY-ACTING” IS NOT THEIR CALLING AND MISSION! Follow Luke 12:1-3! It says: In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, Jesus began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (or “play-acting”, pretending). For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.”
God knows when a sparrow falls, but your “hidden sins” are unknown to Him? I don’t believe that’s what Jesus said! Your walk as a disciple of Christ is carefully recorded on God’s amazing ‘mind-chart and heart-chart’ of your every spoken word and every ‘deed’ of your heart you thought was hidden from Him, but He knows! Exposure of one’s bent to sinning is not something many men and women and, yes, youth, had rather not hear about! But it’s true – judgment day comes when every life has its ‘history’ unveiled before Holy God!
There is in the redemptive process of “being saved” the reality of birthed as a babe in Christ, growing from infancy to childhood, from childhood to teen years, from teen years to young adults, from young adults to mature adults, processing in a way as a child of the King to solid citizens of the “kingdom of heaven on earth”! Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
And I pray you understand, rest in, and hold on to what we read in Acts 10:38! “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” AND, is God with you, in you, released through you to touch your needy world with Christ Jesus, the only Lord and Savior and Master of life?!?
Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17-21, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation (or unveiling!) of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”
My question for this moment? Are YOU living in ‘the age which is to come’ when in the fullness of His resurrection Life He is, yes, again being honored through your redeemed, fully surrendered Life, to His Presence, Power, Purposes, and Plan to touch the world around you with His grace, mercy, and love? As a recipient of “the keys of the Kingdom”, are YOU presently unlocking doors in men’s hearts that Christ Jesus might enter and be Himself in them as He is in you? Dallas Willard said, “Grace is opposed to earning, not to effort.” How about the ‘effort’ of daily taking the sentence of death to your ‘old man’ that the Resurrection of Christ’s Presence in you may have full release through you? Amen?