Reference: Galatians 5:16& 25
Anytime we hear the expression of "inthe Spirit" many people get the idea that this is when something great andmarvelous is about to happen such as God getting ready to manifest anoutstanding miracle, sign, or a wonder. Many people's version of being in theSpirit is so far out fetched that the average person wouldn't know the move ofGod if they saw it.
There are millions in the world todaythinking that God is in the charismatic movement manifesting all the nine spiritualgifts of the Spirit. I would say that the average person thinks that God wouldbe in the work that only manifested the miracle, signs, and wonders, and not ina work that is void of these great manifestations. For this very reason therewill be millions of people who will be deceived and led away from the truththat will set them free and prepare them for the soon return of Christ.
The word of God reveals that the coming ofthe Lord Jesus will be in a time when the world will be involved in a totalapostasy, meaning that most people will be deceived thinking they are ready forhis return. The average person today will not receive and walk in the truthsimply because they think that God would not be involved in such a work asthat. They will think this because of the fact that the truth will lead aperson into all righteousness and true holiness. The world today in general donot want messages on righteous living. They want what God has to offer such asin the realm of signs, miracles, and wonders, but they certainly won't sitstill long enough to listen to a person who preaches righteousness and trueBible holiness. We are told that when the flood was upon the earth, Noahpreached and warned the people of the oncoming destruction, but nobody wouldtake heed to his warning and so they all were destroyed.
According to what Jesus said, the samething will take place once again at his coming to this earth. He said that asit was in the days of Lot and of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of thecoming of the Son of man. Looking at the Bible account of Noah's day, we findwhat the condition of the people were in just prior to the coming of the floodwaters. They were all involved in other matters and not truly sincere enough toheed to the preaching of Noah to get themselves ready for the comingdestruction. The people had thought they were ready, but of course they werenot. They thought they were ready simply because the Bible reveals that therewere false prophets and teachers among them just like it will be in the days ofthe coming of Christ.
The apostle Peter tells us in II Peter 2:1-2 aboutthose false prophets who were among the people in Noah's day who taught thingsthat was contrary to truth. Peter goes on to say that there will be falseprophets in our day who will teach things in a way that Christ would be deniedand the truth will be evil spoken of.
Verse five of this same chapter of Petersays that Noah was a preacher of righteousness and he warned the people of thecoming destruction. The people would not listen to Noah simply because of thefact that he preached righteousness and did not have what the world calls amiracle working ministry like the world is so full of today.
The same thing will take place again, buthow many people today will listen to a person who places all emphesis onrighteousness and true Bible holiness? The world today thinks that they aresaved and born again christians and anyone who differs with them will be castaway and will be looked upon as a lying deceiver and of the devil. The worldtoday has been rocked to sleep by many false prophets and teachers saying thatsalvation is received through and by a mere confession on Christ as Lord andSaviour alone.
People have been deceived by falseprophets who supposedly claim to have a miracle working ministry being able tomanifest God's great miracle working power. Checking each movement that hasarose today and in times past and you will find out that every founder wassupposed to be used of God in a great and miraculous way. The truth of thematter is that the main message of true righteousness and holiness was leftout.
The Bible tells us that "allscriptures" is given by the inspiration of God, etc. to instruct us inrighteousness that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto allgood works, but who wants to hear messages about righteousness in the day andage we live in?
Any time the statement of "in theSpirit" is mentioned, the average person will think that this is theposition where God will be manifested and will perform some great miracle or awonder. The apostle Paul tells us that to be in the Spirit is the place whereall true born again children of God will live and walk in. To live inthe Spirit simply means that we live in a realm of life that the sinner knowsabsolutely nothing about.
Living a righteous life can only be doneby walking and living in the Spirit. Walking after the Spirit simply means thatwe will obey the things of the Spirit. The things of the Spirit are inopposition to the things of the flesh. The things of the flesh are the works ofthe flesh as Paul mentions in his epistle to the Galatians.
Walking in the Spirit means to walk in arighteous way of life. Paul tells us in Romans8:4 that following the Spirit willfulfill the righteousness of the law within us. The righteousness of the law isthe standard of God's way of life. The laws of the Ten Commandments describesthe righteousness of God and these laws can only be fulfilled in us as we walkafter and obey the Spirit. Our obedience to the word of God as revealed in thegospel will eventually bring forth what the word of God calls a new creature.
The truth concerning true Bible holinessand righteousness is exactly where the false teachers and preachers aredeceiving the people. This is exactly what Noah preached in his day and agejust before the flood came upon the earth and destroyed all the people exceptNoah and his family. Today you will find all kinds of things being proclaimedthat is said to be what the Bible reveals, but the main theme of the Bible isthe bringing forth of the new creation in Christ.
You can find just about everything beingpreached today that many people are calling the work of God. Many are claimingto have visions saying that God told them to do this or to do that etc. If youwill check each movement that has sprung up today and in times past, you willfind out that the truth concerning godliness and true holiness has been leftout.
Many people think that God is desperatelytrying to convert the world, but if you know the Bible like you should and whatis to take place in the last days, you will know that the world will end up inapostasy and the beast will have done his job in getting the people to receivehis mark.
Reading in Revelations19:20 you will find it saying that thebeast was taken, and with him the false prophets that wrought miracles beforehim, with which he deceived them that received the mark of the beast,and them that worshipped his image. So you see friend, these last day(so-called) miracles workers are nothing more than a strong delusion sent tothem who failed to receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. Godwill see to it that anyone who fails to receive truth then they will believelies.....