![]() Offers 50 GB of free storage space. Uploaded files are encrypted and only the user holds the decryption keys. As a restful place for travelers, Rome's Play Motel offers lodging and so much more. Unknown to most of the guests the motel is home for a gang of sexual. Counterfeit Spirituality by David Wilkerson January 1. It was the Feast of Tabernacles and Jerusalem was crowded with religious Jews from everywhere. Jesus spent two days teaching in the temple. He slept that first night on the Mount of Olives and rose early in the morning to begin His teaching. The big question in Jerusalem was, "Who is this man"? I wonder if His disciples became discouraged by all the unbelief and all the accusations of the scribes and Pharisees. I wonder if they said to Jesus," It's hopeless. This city and this religious system have shut You out. Let's move on!". But on the second day there appeared to be a spiritual breakthrough. It seemed the Word was finally getting through: "As he spake these words, many believed on him" (John 8: 3. I can just see the excitement of His disciples thinking, "This is wonderful! Finally, a breakthrough! The beginning of revival!". Today, many pastors would ask no further questions. These converts would be taken in as members. They would be told that all they need to do was believe and they would be saved. They would be called "Christians." They would be told they were sons of God and on their way to heaven as fellow saints - - heirs and joint heirs! But not so with Jesus! Jesus discerned counterfeit faith, counterfeit spirituality, He knew something was not right, not real, not truthful. It is as if Jesus said, "Hold everything! Not so fast with these "believers." They are not coming to Me with their hearts. There is a lying spirit at work here. Let's judge it by the Word! The truth is, these "believers" were actually liars - - sin- bound liars! Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him.. Ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you.." (John 8: 3. The Lord Jesus Christ will have nothing to do with surface faith. From John 8: 3. 1 to the end of the chapter, we see Jesus coming down on them ruthlessly, exposing their hypocrisy, showing them that their so- called "belief" in Him had not even touched their hearts. The Lord's uncompromising stand against these Jewish "believers" has opened my eyes to what is going on in the church today. The same thing is happening in these last days: counterfeit conversions! These have resulted in bringing into the church a counterfeit spirituality that is satanic in origin. The gospel has been so watered down that even demons could belong to many churches! They could "amen" much of the preaching! James wrote: "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2: 1. Why is the church today polluted with rockers and punkers, wearing skin- tight spandex pants, spiked, purple hair, with sunken cheeks and demonic looks, who are bringing into the church the very same heavy- metal that is turning on a whole generation to crack and heroine? Why are they dancing in the aisles now to the sounds of heavy metal, their eyes full of lust, calling it a spiritual experience? Why is there no more difference between the ungodly and the religious? Christian television parades out a whole generation of celebrity believers. One day they're speaking at a spiritual convention, testifying on Christian TV of their belief in Jesus; and the next day they're seen performing in wicked TV shows and immoral movies, or playing and singing in wicked night clubs and bars in Las Vegas! What happened to separation and coming out from among them? Or sitting in the seat of the scornful? Isaiah, the soft- spoken prophet, would cry out today, "Your watchmen are blind.. Yea, they are greedy dogs" (Isaiah 5. There is no more "bark" in the pulpit, too many shepherds are lazy, too preoccupied with their own dreams and personal gain, refusing to cry out against the lying spirits, the phony faith, the counterfeit spirituality. We have lost God's holy "watchdogs", those who would chase away the demonic powers, fearlessly crying out against compromise "They cannot bark!" These are asleep, lazy on sin, and self- seeking. While they slept the enemy crept in and planted a counterfeit gospel of mixture! What you're reading here is a "barking" message! Jesus has revealed in this passage in John 8 how to tell what is counterfeit spirituality. It is distinguished by three distinct characteristics. A Blindness to Their Own. Bondage And Slavery. When Jesus told these so- called "believers" they could not be His disciples unless they allowed His Word to break their sins, they got offended. Jesus warned them: "You can be my disciples only If you continue in My Word until you are free from all slavery. You are not free, you're bound. Your belief must include obeying My Word!". They were slaves to sin, but would not admit it. Jesus said to them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin," (John 8: 3. In Greek, it is better interpreted: "Whosoever practices (or continues) in sin, is sin's servants". The Lord tries to show them He wants more from them than costless, mental belief. He wants to make them sons and daughters. In their minds they are already sons of God, saying, "God is our father! Bondage? Slavery to sin? Us? Never We were never in bondage. How could you say such a thing?" They could say, "Master, You told Nicodemus, who is one of us, 'Whosoever believeth in [You] shall not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condenm the world; but that the world through him might be saved' (John 3: 1. So we believed! Isn't that enough?". Jesus would have to say, There was more I told Nicodemus. You have not taken to heart all My Word. I also said, ".. Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God" (John 3: 1. According to Jesus no one is true believer until the Word has "a place in his heart". Until the Word is both a hope and a terror to his soul - - until he is committed to obey every Word proceeding out of the mouth of God - -- until the Word exposes and breaks the bondage of all sin, all tradition, all false doctrines! To these believers Jesus said: "You seek to kill Me.. My Word hath no place in you." He is the Word. The Word was made flesh. If you kill off the Word of God in you, you are crucifying Christ! You are rejecting the demands of His Word. You are rejecting Him. Jesus is saying to them: You can't be a doer of My Word because you have never laid down your sin. You still take your orders from Satan, "You do that which you have seen your father, the devil" (John 8: 3. A Great Majority of Church- Going. Believers Have Never Been Saved! So many church- goers have never been touched by the convicting Word of God. They are still slaves to old ways, old habits, old friends. They still have not changed one iota. They still have one foot in the world. They are living a lie and putting Christ to open shame. They do Jesus more harm than all the Hollywood mockers combined. Under the direct control of lying spirits, they are unable to see they are bound. And they become angry if you try to show them that they are going to be cast out as unprofitable servants. They are going to hell, thinking they are believers! They are damned by deception, trusting in false doctrines of security. These are more deceived than half- dead street junkies - for they've allowed Satan to hook them on a lie through a lying spirit from hell. Here is the lie that ensnared Jews of Jesus' day and of certain "believers" today: "God is with me. All I have He gave me. All my talents and abilities are His gifts to me. I'm doing exactly what God wants me to do. God and I are on good terms! I'm a child of the King. God opened all these doors for me. Sure, I perform in night clubs. Yes, they drink and curse there. Yes, I am out there in the middle of wickedness - - but God put me there. I'm His representative. God told me it's all right. Bars and clubs? Yes I take Jesus with me. Sure I play roles in off- colour TV and movies, but that's not the real me! The real me is a lover of Jesus!". It's all a big lie and it's the worst kind of counterfeit spirituality. There has been no surrender, no separation, no heartbreak over sin, no laying down the past life! Jesus tells it like it is. You people really don't want My Word. You don't tremble at it. You don't hear it. You don't stop and let it sink in. It means nothing to you!
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