Lying Signs and Wonders - How do we tell? - It's not what you think!

Regarding "discernment" in these times... and being deceived by lying signs and wonders...

Scripture tells us to be knowledgeable in the Word, so that we are able to distinguish between good and evil. [Hebrews 5:14]

In 1 Timothy 4:1-3 it says:
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

This is speaking of people who follow after deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. It also gives guidelines as to how we can identify these people - inveterate liars who are forbidding their followers to get married, and forbidding certain foods.

In 1 John 4:1-3 it says we are to test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

This passage tells us how to test the spirits of the prophets, and to judge whether or not their lifestyles and utterances agree with the Word (i.e. what manner of people are these prophets - like the FLDS cult leader, Warren Jeffs, or some of the other self styled messiahs or polygamous cult leaders?) - if they confess Jesus as Lord, they are of God, if they don't they are not.

One also needs to look at the fruit and lifestyle - polygamy, adultery, fraud, child sex, forced marriages, taking children from their mothers, requiring that they be worshiped - I think its pretty clear these people are not of God.

Now, concerning being deceived by evil spirits in these last days, with lying signs and wonders....

I cannot find anything in the NT that indicates that this can happen BEFORE the AC shows up. Afterwards is a TOTALLY different story.

We can be deceived by "empty words" [Ephesians 5:6]

We can be deceived by "persuasive words" [Colossians 2:3]

We can be caused to depart from the faith by giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. [1 Timothy 4:1]. You can avoid this by knowing the Word. Some of the issues I have been bringing up, that concern the traditions of men and religion overshadowing what the Word clearly says, include such doctrines:
* that healing is not for today;
* God sends sickness to teach us;
* that tongues are of the devil,
* that the "gifts" of the Spirit are not for to day and any such manifestations are of the devil.

All of these are "doctrines of demons". Much of the Church has been deceived into not reading the Word, or not believing what it says by these doctrines.

We can deceive ourselves, by being hearers and not doers of the Word. [James 1:22]

We can deceive ourselves, by thinking we are religious and by not bridling our tongues [James 1:26]

We deceive ourselves if we say we have no sin [1 John 1:8]

It is only when the subject of the AC - the man of sin - is introduced is there any reference to being deceived by lying signs and wonders [2 Thessalonians 2:9-10]:
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Note that the ones in this case who are being deceived are those who are not saved. There is nothing about the saints being deceived.

Jesus' warning in Matthew 24:24 is directed to those who are living during the Tribulation period, not before, which ties into Paul's comments in Thessalonians.

I don't think we have quite reached that stage yet.

In conclusion, this focus on the Church being deceived by lying signs and wonders seems to be a religious tradition, not backed up by the Word. It's a doctrine from lying spirits and demons, who are attempting to nullify the power and effectiveness of the Word of God.

In other word, as I have said before, the biggest risk of being deceived comes from not knowing what the whole counsel of God says, not knowing what the Word says, and being more receptive of traditions of men and religion than of the Truth - which, since we have the Word, is no excuse.

John