A New Day, A New Identity, A New Walk (Part 2)

In the midst of wrestling with God, when asked what his name was Jacob had to admit that he was Jacob.  He was a deceiver, a swindler, a schemer.  (Genesis 32:22-32)

Being a deceiver, a swindler, a schemer, was a family trait.  Jacob's mother, Rebekah, helped him deceive his father to receive the blessing. (Genesis 27:5-17)  After that Jacob went to live with his uncle Laban, who deceived him by giving him Leah when he had served for seven years for Rachel. (Genesis 29:20-27)  Then Laban schemed over and over changing Jacob's wages time and again. (Genesis 31:4-7)  As Jacob was heading back to his homeland with his family and goods, his wife Rachel, Laban's daughter, deceived her father concerning the idols she had stolen. (Genesis 31:30-35)

We see that this was a family trait and it needed to go.  We may say "this is just the way I am" or "that is just the way my family is."  But if it is a character trait that is not honoring to God it must go. 

By asking Jacob to admit who had been, I believe God was putting His finger on that thing in his life at that time so it could be dealt with.  In the wrestling encounter, I believe God wanted to get at that core issue in the life and family line of Jacob.  That day when Jacob confessed who he had been God gave him a new name, a new identity.  Jacob was now Israel, which God had always intended him to be.  It probably took a little while to not think or act in the same way he always had.  Sometimes it takes a little bit to walk into the fullness of our new identity. 

Good or Evil?

When thinking about something like reiki you may be inclined to think that it cannot be all that bad if it is used to heal someone. Again the problem is that with the healing will also come a download of demons and on open door to demonic power into your life. Not good!! In the long run it is quite evil.

It is just like satan to dress something up that is really harmful to us to make it look good. Isn't that what deception is all about?

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

God had clearly stated that they were not to eat of the fruit of that tree. God knew that although it looked "good" and seemed like it would be harmless, it was far from good or harmless. It was not good at all. Adam and Eve were deceived by the appearance of the thing that had clearly been forbidden.

In thinking about this, I also think about the Lord of the Rings books/movies. I never read the books. But I did see the first movie. I was told it had a good Christian theme to it. I personally had a problem finding the "Christian theme" in it. Some Christians have become quite angry at me for making such a statement. Please let me explain why I say that.

Yes, there was a theme of good versus evil. But Ido not see that as necessarily a Christian theme. Didn't our problems really begin with partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?

In the Lord of the Rings the story revolved around a good wizard and a bad/evil wizard. There is no such thing as a "good" wizard. All wizards operate from the same power source. They operate from a satanic power source. Thus they are not "good".

The Bible is very clear that we are to have nothing to do with wizardry or any kind of occult power. God is to be our source for all things.

Deuteronomy 18:9-12 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

We are living in a day where there is more and more acceptance of things that come from a satanic power source. It is constantly in the media that bombards us. We must be careful to keep our spiritual armor on and be lovers of the truth so that we will not be drawn away into deception.

Ephesians 6:10-18
2 Thessalonians 2:7-15

Let No Man Deceive You

When Jesus was asked what would be the sign of His coming. The first thing He said to His disciples was "Take heed that no man deceive you." This is recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and in Luke 21. Jesus repeated this admonition as He talked about the various signs of the end times that we should be aware of. He spoke specifically that many would come in His name and deceive many.

In 2 Thessalonians Paul warns the people of Thessalonica not to be deceived when he was talking to them about end time things. As I prepared to lead a Bible study on this passage I looked up the meaning of the word "deceive" in the Strong's Concordance. I found that it means "to cause to roam from safety, truth, or virtue." Isn't that interesting? Think about that for a minute.........Isn't that what the enemy is always trying to do to us as Christians? He is always trying to get us off the path that God has laid out for us...that straight and narrow path that leads unto life. When we get off that path we are deceived.....we roam from safety, truth and virtue.

Father, I pray for each person who reads this that You will cause them to stay on that straight and narrow path. And if by chance they have strayed please guide them back onto that path that you have for them.