THE SPIRIT of LAWLESSNESS by David Wilkerson

"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work" (2 Thess 2:7).

The Greek word Paul uses for iniquity in this passage means,
literally, "lawlessness." Therefore, the mystery is one of lawlessness,
meaning that multitudes are going to act without law or restraint.

Yet, this lawlessness is not simply a rebellion against the rule of
man. It is not about rebelling against civil authority or committing
robbery, rape or murder. These things do provoke God's wrath,
but the mystery of lawlessness goes much deeper. It is an outright
rejection of the truth that is in Christ, a casting aside of God's Holy
Word and rebellion against the restraints of Scripture!

This spirit of lawlessness is rampant in our nation today. It is the
force behind the legislation that seeks to banish God from our
society and the same spirit that Satan used to deceive Eve when
he told her, in so many words, "God is easy; He won´t punish you
for disobeying. You can eat the fruit and indulge your lust and you
won´t have to pay for it!"

Today Satan is using this same lie to convince masses of believers
that they can indulge their sins without paying any penalty. It is a
demonic scheme to pervert Christ´s gospel of grace and turn it into
a message of licentiousness. Tragically, many lukewarm Christians
are succumbing to this spirit of lawlessness.

Paul says the Antichrist will rise to power because people will be
blinded and deceived by their own sin: "After the working of Satan
with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivable-
ness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved"
(2 Thessalonians 2:9-10).

Satan will deceive masses of people by convincing them of a subtle
but powerful lie, just as he convinced Eve: "God doesn't punish sin!"

Paul says this deception will come "with all deceivableness . . .
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might
be saved" (verse 10). He then adds, "For this [reason] God shall
send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie" (verse 11).

The apostle is saying, "Those who refuse to obey or respect God's
Word will fall under a powerful delusion. At first they will wink at
their sin and justify it. But soon they will actively seek out a
message of easy grace. They will invent a grace that is far beyond
what God intended. His grace never leads to license-it always
leads to repentance."

-Source-

http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/25407

Give us a King Pastor?

As I have pondered the structure of todays church with its programs, formulas and hierarchy I wonder why? Why are things set up in way that are directed and operated by man devoid of Holy Spirit led? Many church services are routine habitual practices that are never questioned, never augmented from the standard scheduled procedure. Its a customary methodology more akin to a performance than spontaneity of the Holy Spirit with life. The typical service is an organized procedure, a planned and predictable schedule. Each week we go through the drill. It becomes such normal practice as to become ordinary and habitual except for the occasional good teaching or song that moves us emotionally its church as normal. How did we get this way? Shouldn’t a group of believers who gather in the Holy Spirit operate in the unpredictable and unscripted rather than procedures? Where we are in awe of the presence of the Holy Spirit as He has the freedom to move among us unrestrained by procedure? 

The more I read the old testament the more I understand men are the same in every generation. In reading Samuel chapter 8 we read where God’s people cried out to Samuel to give them a king to reign over them so they could be like the other nations. Though they wanted to follow traditions of surrounding nations I believe there was also an underlying reason. That is they wanted someone else to pursue God for them and tell them what God expects of them. A reason which subconsciously removes them from any responsibility or accountability for their actions. They can live their lives as they see fit and trust kingdom issues to their leader king.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. “Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day — in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods — so they are doing to you also. “Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.” 

1 Sam.8:4-9

They had forsaken God and served other gods, but what gods? I suggest the worship of man as one other god. Because they wanted to follow a man(king) and not God.

God amazingly appeased them. He gave them their hearts desire but was it God’s desire? God told Samuel to do so and WARN them to tell them the PROCEDURE of the man(king) that would rule over them. I looked up the hebrew word for procedure with interesting insight.

1. fDÚpVvIm mishpat [1048b]; from 8199; judgment:—arrangements(1), case(5), case*(1), cause(m)(7), charge(1), claim(1), court(m)(2), crimes(m)(1), custom(11), customs(2), decide(1), decision(2), decisions(1), deserving(1), destruction(1), due(1), injustice*(2), judge(1), judged(1), judgment(62), judgments(40), just(m)(4), justice(118), justly(m)(3), kind(1), manner(3), matters of justice(1), mode of life(1), order(1), ordinance(29), ordinances(79), plan(1), plans(1), practice(1), procedure(m)(4), properly(2), regulation(1), right(8), rightful place(1), rights(2), rule(m)(1), sentence(2), sentenced(m)(1), standard(m)(1), trial(m)(1), unjustly*(1), verdict(1), way prescribed(2), what is right(2), worthy(1).

The king chosen that would now rule over them will set procedures over them by holding arrangements or court, look at each case by case, judge crimes, determine customs and decide the deserving, dispense justice. Set ordinances, plans, practices, matters and modes of life. He will determine procedures, regulations, standards and will prescribe or regulate justly what is right. Executing sentence and verdict he deems deserving. Reminds me of some churches today where a pastor determines and acts as king.

Chapter 8 vs 15 continues with the people serving the organization of the king taking a tenth of their seed and given it to his officers and servants. To maintain the organizational system of the man(king). How most churches are ran today.

In vs 19 the people refused to listen to the voice of the prophet and instead determined a man(king) shall rule over them.

Then the truth comes out in vs 20, the real reason for choosing a king. It was so they could be like all the other nations, that the king would judge them (and not God) and the king would fight their battles. I believe something similar is happening today in our structured and programed churches where the people want a pastor to rule over them, they prefer his judging and ruling over them and for him to seek God for them and to fight their battles. Tell us what to do pastor (king).

When the king was sought 1 Sam 10: 19-24 Saul was chosen of God. But look at how he appeared to the people to those of his peers. See also 

1 Sam. 9:2 He was a choice and handsome man more so than all the sons of Israel and he was taller, he stood above his peers. Do we not today do the same? We follow after the handsome, the wiser, the good teacher, a seasoned man. All of which are external qualities unlike KIng David who was a man after Gods own heart. Do we wonder why so many churches and leaders fail? God never planned on His people being led by a man rather He purposed them to be led of the Holy Spirit as they seek Him and to hear from Him.

When Christ came He proclaimed a different way. One of following the Holy Spirit and not man kings. Yet many neither search scriptures for truth to know the structured procedures of the past are no longer valid today. That we are now in the kingdom of God and not mans. Still many follow a man rather than realizing they have been bought with a price and belong to Christ and Him alone, they continue to follow unquestionably their pastor king. Just saying.

~ Michael Smith

1 Samuel 12:12,13