A few months ago I released an article about Harry Potter. Many applauded. Some were furious.
The odd thing is, some Christians, even ones I know personally
were irritated that I would suggest that Harry Potter was anything more than fun entertainment for kids.
Christian OR non-Christian kids. "It's just a great and entertaining story," some protested.
I have to be honest. I was stymied. I'm still perplexed.
Have I read the books? No. Have I seen the movie? No to that question too.
Then, perhaps I should be seen as uninformed, unwilling to look at the facts... Just ready to make a
judgment without doing my own investigating.
I TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH-- A SIMPLE ONE
=
When the Harry Potter books came out, I didn't buy them or encourage my kids to buy them--right from
the start. The thing was, it was clear from the beginning that this was about "wizardry." There's another word for wizardry.
It's called witchcraft.
Now, before you tune me out, read on . . . it gets interesting. I think it does anyway.
I'm a Christian parent and so I take my "job" seriously that if I am to train up my children to serve
the Lord, I ought to warn them about those things that are dangerous--IF they are dangerous. And so I have. And so ought you.
======================
THE FIRST MOVIE TRAILER
=======================
Perhaps more than a summer ago, I saw the first trailers at the theatre for this upcoming movie about
Harry Potter. My "different" approach was to watch the "ad" and simply see what it was about.
"Oh, I see," I said to myself. "This is about a kid. A very cute little boy. He goes to Witchcraft school
to learn how to do witchcraft better."
The trailer makes it pretty clear.
"There seems to be good people and bad people," I noted. "So, Harry Potter goes to witchcraft school.
He's good. But there are those who are bad. So, if he's a witch and he's good, then the message is clear without reading the
book or seeing the movie.... That is . . . "If you have the GIFT, you can be a good witch. And . . You can get better at it
IF you go to witchcraft school. And you can fight evil better if you go to witchcraft school--using your witchcraft. Because
witchcraft can be used to fight evil."
It's all quite apparent in the movie trailers. As the expression goes, "My momma didn't raise no fool."
This movie is about a boy learning to do witchcraft better. Thus, my amazement that so many Christians ask, "What's all the
fuss about?"
I can tell some other things by watching the ads that have come on TV since:
a) This boy is very appealing. What a neat kid!
b) This film appears astounding. If you like special affects, you would love this movie, I'm sure.
c) The colors, lighting, animation, sounds, and acting are brilliant. You can see it all from the ad.
d) Then there's the story line! It sure looks interesting--even to me!! You'd have to be "dead" to not
think that the story- teller is going to amaze kids and adults alike. You like good stories? Come on! This is going to be
interesting!
However...
===============================
A MINOR BUT SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM
===============================
The problem is, according to "The Good Book," --- there are no good witches!
In fact, just the opposite.
The Creator of the World, God Himself said so when HE brought "His Chosen People" Israel--- into the
PROMISED LAND. In the church we speak of this often as being symbolic of the Lord bringing US into OUR Promises that He's
made to us.
=================================
SO, HERE'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION
=================================
Are you waiting for God to fulfill a few yet-unfulfilled promises in YOUR life? To bring you into your own
"Promised Land?" I am. Most of us are.
Then you might find the following Scripture fascinating, because it's talking about
YOU-- and the promises God wants to bring you into. Oh, and you've got to remember one thing. . . when He brings you INTO
your promised land . . . it's because He's also-- at the same time--- KICKING SOMEONE ELSE OUT! He wants
to do that--- For you! That's kind of how God works. Who does HE kick out?
He dispossessed the bad guys. And He brings IN the good guys. ---Keep reading! Who were the bad guys?
God tells HIS KIDS (ISRAEL) how it will go--and how it will go well with them. The Lord is pretty specific
here. . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to IMITATE the DETESTABLE
things of those nations. "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire,
one who uses DIVINATION, one who PRACTICES WITCHCRAFT, or one who INTERPRETS OMENS, or a SORCERER, or one who CASTS A SPELL,
or a MEDIUM, or a SPIRITIST, or one who calls up the dead. "For WHOEVER DOES THESE THINGS is detestable to the LORD; and because
of these detestable things the LORD your God will DRIVE THEM OUT before you. "You shall be blameless before the LORD your
God. For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you,
the LORD your God HAS NOT ALLOWED YOU TO DO SO." Deut 18:9-14
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, I'm pretty simple. But it seems to me that if God kicked out nations for practicing witchcraft,
divination, interpreting omens, casting spells, etc etc.--- then (and perhaps it's just me) He wouldn't think it Godly or
Holy to glorify kids who do just that? Or is it Godly to reward Hollywood for glorifying --for actually IMITATING witchcraft?
Is it then "ok" for you as a Christian to entertain yourself by watching kids and adults casting spells--using
witchcraft?
Am I missing something? Or should this seem rather straight forward to the average follower of Christ?
============================
CHILDREN WOULDN'T TAKE THIS STUFF SERIOUSLY, WOULD THEY?
=================
I recently visited a family who does not claim to follow the Lord. I found it interesting that they
read all the Harry Potter books to their daughter. They showed me the little playhouse they made out back for their daughter.
They showed me where she mixes all her spells and potions. She had many multicolored substances from which she did this. It
was all over her playhouse.
The mother just chuckled at the creativity of her daughter.
It may be just a coincidence, but this daughter has tremendous, overwhelming fears in her life. There
are many things that children do, in daily life that scare her to death. In fact, she is controlled by many of these fears.
Can I say theses two are related? No. I have no way to prove they're related.
But what are the chances that there is SOME relationship?
==============================
"CAN'T I JUST READ THESE BOOKS AND SEE THE HARRY POTTER MOVIES AND EXPLAIN TO MY CHILDREN THAT THIS IS JUST
ENTERTAINMENT?" you ask.
============================
Believe it or not, the main response from Christians who protest to me is that this is just good fantasy
story-telling and that no harm can come from it. You would be AMAZED at how many followers of Christ hold this view.
If you are one of them, let me ask you this question:
"Would you sit down with your children and watch videos of adult activity (you know what I'm talking
about) and then explain to your children, "We don't actually believe in DOING this. This is just entertainment! For our enjoyment.
But please never do this!"
Of course not. You understand that Satan himself wants you to watch just such movies.
Yet it is not fully understood by the church that participating in the "entertainment" of movies about
witchcraft has the same effect.
I believe this will literally come as a shock to some that what/who is behind witchcraft is none other
than fallen angels, demons of hell, Satan's minions. What this means is that for those who entertain themselves by Harry Potter,
whether they intend it or not (and 100% don't intend it), they simply give themselves and their children to be entertained
by the activities and the creative ideas of Satan himself.
It's like this (to be simplistic), You are just as good as saying, "Let's go watch Harry Potter. He's
this great kid that has no interest in God, his creator or the Lord Jesus Christ. What's happened in his life is that without
any proper training (in the story), he's given himself so fully to demons from hell, that he's going to witchcraft school,
to learn how to serve Satan better, by doing better witchcraft--but he'll use it for good!"
============================
SLAVES AND LED BUT BY WHOM?
============================
Scripture says, one way or another we are slaves or are led:
"Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves
of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?" Rom 6:16
and:
". . .You know that when you were pagans, YOU WERE LED ASTRAY TO THE DUMB IDOLS, HOWEVER YOU WERE LED.
Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus
is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 12:2-3
=======
KIDS ARE AMAZINGLY SMART
&
CONSISTENT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you noticed? If you tell a child that something is wrong, and then you LIVE by those words...you
turn off the TV when that stuff comes on...they will TEND to believe you. However, if you teach them that something is harmless
or somewhat harmless, and you compromise a bit, they will tend to believe you also . . that it's ok to compromise for them
too, when no one is looking.
=======================
OUIJA BOARD'S AND SUCH
=======================
I was startled a few years back. I was at "Toys R Us" shopping for my kids. I wasn't prepared for what
was about to happen. A boy, about 9-12 years old said, "Mr., can I ask you a question? He said, with concern on his face?
"Is it wrong to play with a Ouija board?" he asked. Then I realized he was pondering buying one that
was right in front of him. I knew it was a divine appointment. (that means God set it up--the time and the place for me to
intersect with this boy's life).
"Well, yes, I do believe it is wrong. I think it's playing with something that is very dangerous. I
believe that you are opening yourself up to demons and Satan to work in your life." (Best I can remember, this is about what
I said.
"Thank you, he said," as he turned, "That's kinda what I thought." and hr walked out WITHOUT THE OUIJA
BOARD.
I was dumbfounded. This was the furthest thing from my mind. In a moment, I saved a kid for welcoming
the work of demons into his life. Go figure the way God works!
The same thing with Harry Potter, a cute kid sold out to the work of Satan. It's just packaged so nicely,
that kids love it and so do many adults. But demons are part of it, no matter how you slice it.'
============================
THE REALLY "HARD" QUESTIONS
============================
What has been thrown up at me when I sent out the last article by John Paul Jackson about Harry Potter
was this, "What's the difference between this and things like some fantasy Christian fiction, or even the Wizard of Oz, or
some things that Disney does?"
Let's just keep things simple, can we? No matter what answer you or anyone comes up for those things,
it in no way undoes what we've already discussed. That's like the diversion when people are asked if they want to accept Jesus
Christ, and they say, "No, because their are so many hypocrites who are Christians." That there are hypocrites is true. That
it has anything to do with the question is UNTRUE.
Want to know what the dictionary defines "witchcraft" as?
Here it is: "Witchcraft: The art of sorcery"
So how does the same dictionary define sorcery? Here it is: "The belief in magical spells that harness
occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural effects in the world."
I don't know if it was Noah Webster or simply written by a definition specialist, but whoever came up
with the definitions understood that this thing-- witchcraft/sorcery had to do with evil spirits.
===========================
THE GOOGLE TEST
==========================
Some may know that the single largest search engine on the Internet is "
www.google.com" I did a search tonight, typing in the words "harry potter."
Here's what I got. It's the same thing your kids will find if THEY use the search engine:
On only the FIFTH listing under that search, I found the following. The title was "KIDSPEAK." They want
kids to speak out on free speech related to Harry Potter. Here is what one person wrote on that page. I can't tell who wrote
it but this is what it said,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
". . .. To the Christian people out there, who says that your religion is correct? If someone said that
to you in an e-mail or on the street, what would you do? The Wiccan religion is mainly for nature. They use herbs for healing,
and use other natural material for GOOD uses. Keyword: GOOD. I am not saying that I believe in Wiccan religion, and I am not
saying I believe in Christianity, but I am just stating the fact that I keep an open mind on ALL religious beliefs. And you
obviously don't!!! Do not judge others on their religion. Do not go off saying that the Wiccan religion is wrong. Religion
is one the main reasons we had war in the past, and we still have that problem in Ireland today. The bible says (I got this
from a friend...a CHRISTIAN friend) to get rid of the evil within you before you get rid of the evil around you. Clearly you
are so worried about others, it causes you to become a hypocrite on everything against YOUR religion. Have you ever thought
of other people's religion, and how they feel when you are criticizing them?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As your own children research Harry Potter, this site will come up quickly in their search. By the way,
the 11th ranked search under Harry Potter found a contest (also under kidsreads.com) to see who could come up with the best
spell?
Here is one of the top "spell entries. . . "
11th engine finding. . .
"The Never Sick Always Healthy Spell
Wake up and turn in three circles. Jump up and down once then blink three times. Say "I'm never sick
always healthy today" three times! When Harry does this, he is guaranteed to be happy and healthy all day long!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please make a note . . . since Harry did it, it is ok to do it--from a kid's perspective! Rather than calling
upon the Lord for healing, a spell is said, (which is calling upon demons) to bring healing and happiness all day long.
Oh, by the way, the 8th-ranked listing under google.com is this:
"The Unofficial Harry Potter Fan Club"
This site is innocent enough--- that is, if you don't mind your children being introduced on this site
to TAROT CARDS--just two clicks from the search engine listing. We must not make the assumption that many forms of the occult
won't be introduced to children when they research Harry Potter on the Internet. You children will learn a great deal about
the occult by researching Harry Potter.
==========================
WHAT DO THE PROPHETS SAY?
==========================
Isaiah, a major prophet said this:
". . . Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for
darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and clever in
their own sight! Isa 5:20-21
If there ever was a time when some Believers are saying, "What some think is evil is really good" --this
may be that time. We cannot find ourselves joining with the scornful who say that what is evil...is after all, really good...that
Harry Potter is really good, and not an evil story.
Jesus warned that in the last days . . .
"And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold." Matt 24:12
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TERRORISM --RECOGNIZED AND UNRECOGNIZED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's easy to recognize evil when two planes slam into the World Trade Center and thousands die. How
much easier it should be for the church to recognize when the enemy is terrorizing the Church and our households by causing
our love to grow cold.
The Scripture says that BECAUSE lawlessness is increased, most people's love WILL grow cold. Wouldn't
it be ironic, that while we are proclaiming "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and
turn from their wicked ways, I will heal their land. . . .." ----- wouldn't it be ironic that while quoting this text, we
said, "It's fine to go to movies that glorify the activities of Satan---because it's just good compelling story telling?
That would be most ironic.
It just might mean that--- timed perfectly with the lawlessness of terrorism, our love is growing cold.
The greatest irony is that those whose love is growing cold....do not actually recognize it or believe
it to be the case, because quite honestly, Satan is very good at HIS JOB.
If you've bought into his lie that enjoying Harry's experiences with demon-inspired witchcraft is just
good entertainment . . . perhaps you ought to ask the Lord to reveal to you if you are one in whom "love has grown cold."
(Matt.24:12).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"IF YOU CONCLUDE THIS, THEN WHERE WILL IT STOP?" Many are asking
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hear the voices of well-meaning Christians protesting, "Look, if you say this is wrong, then you'll
next be saying that such and such is wrong, and if that's wrong, then the next thing will be wrong to watch or do. WHERE DOES
IT STOP?" they are asking?
I heard the Lord say, "It stops HERE!"
Blessings,
Steve Shultz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I want to ask for special prayer covering on this word as you
read it and/or send it to others.
We, (who are in the position to send out such "controversial" words like this) can get
hit
pretty bad with backlash by the enemy without good prayer covering. Please pray as
you read this, that the Lord
would open the hearts of the people who read it and that HE
would protect us at the ELIJAH LIST and PAT COCKING from the
enemy's onslaught.
So far, there has been an UNPRECEDENTED POSITIVE response from the people who
have
been receiving this word through Pat's Glory School. But Pat has gotten some
real warfare from the enemy as a result.
Thanks for the prayer covering!!
Also, should you find yourself in disagreement with this word, please just bless
us
anyway and we can still love one another and not judge one another. Sometimes,
Christians don't know the power their
tongue has, and if they come against a ministry
with anger or frustration, we literally can get attacked as it gives the
enemy room to
do his works. Thanks for blessing us. We're just folks, trying to seek the Lord in all
that we do!
Pat
Cocking wrote me this note when I asked her how this word was being received
so far:
"We have sent it (The
Lord of The Rings Article) out on our list and to be honest,
I was expecting some opposing feed-back but so far,
it has been very affirming.
Bobby Conner and Keith Davis are on the same page as well as other prophetic
people
that we have rubbed shoulders with" -- Pat
I (Steve Shultz) published a Word on Harry Potter last
year that was perhaps the most
responded to word in our history. It was probably 95% positive and 5% of the email
was
pretty hostile. It contains a serious warning for Christians NOT to go to Harry
Potter movies.
You
can read that article on Harry Potter at:
http://elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=1006 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I HAVE CHANGED MY VIEW ON "LORD OF THE RINGS"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About the time we posted the word on Harry Potter, I asked many
leaders and
was convinced (at the time) that Lord of the Rings, having been written by a
Christian was a much cleaner
and better work and that is was about Good
vs.. Evil-- Thus, many Christian leaders were saying it was "ok" or even a
a
helpful movie.
I want to report that I went and saw LORD OF THE RINGS about a year ago and
I could not get
ANY PEACE during the entire movie. Now that Pat has written this
word, our family, along with our oldest daughter and two
teens have decided we
will NOT go see the LORD OF THE RINGS SEQUEL this year.
I want to ask all the readers
of THE ELIJAH LIST to forgive me for, in essence,
giving "permission" to readers to see the LORD OF THE RINGS last year.
My
sincere apologies to you. I no longer feel it is a safe movie and I completely
withdraw my support of it.
Please
read CAREFULLY and PRAYERFULLY this article which is considered
part II by Pat. Her first article came out last night and
there is a link to it
below. Part I was called, "THE BEGUILING SERPENT."
Blessings to you all!
Steve
Shultz
steve@elijahlist.comTHE ELIJAH LIST
www.elijahlist.com **********************************
Note about Pat Cocking: I've told
many that I have the utmost respect for Pat.
Both her Biblical basis and her discerning heart caused me to make her our
first-ever
Elijah List conference speaker a few years ago. There can only ever
be one of those! (smiling). I know you
will appreciate both her Biblical stance, her
stories of how she used to cast spells, and what the Lord has revealed to
her
through all of her past life. ---Steve Shultz, THE ELIJAH LIST
IS SATAN USING "THE
LORD OF THE RINGS" TO BEGUILE THE CHURCH?
-- a Word through Pat Cocking
www.the-war-room.compat@the-war-room.com THIS WRITING IS PART TWO OF: "THE BEGUILING SERPENT"
(find the vision of the Beguiling Serpent
posted on the prophecy page on our web site:
www.the-war-room.com)
LORD OF THE RINGS
some thoughts to consider
I have heard
many proclaim that the movie and book series, Lord of the Rings, is a prophetic allegory representing God and His Kingdom
in a power conflict with the devil and his kingdom.
I personally, strongly believe that there is a deception
behind this assessment. Please consider the following insights:
1. God in His Word, absolutely
forbids the practice of sorcery and witchcraft. He has some very strong feelings in regards to these practices....so
strong, that in the old testament, the scripture says, "suffer not a witch to live'" (see Exodus 22:18). This
strong conviction of the Lord concerning this abomination is carried throughout the new testament where the scripture says
that the sorcerer's portion will be in the lake of fire (see Revelation 21:8)
The movie, Lord of the Rings, is
basically a story involving the power of "good" sorcery/sorcerers warring against the "bad" sorcery/sorcerers. Believers
who have embraced the movie often claim that the "good sorcerer" and his company represents the Lord and his Kingdom.
They see it as a "prophetic allegory".
On the basis of the authority of the Word of God, this is a false and
deceptive interpretation. God would NOT in any way inspire someone to write an allegory representing Himself as a sorcerer,
nor represent His Kingdom through sorcery. God would never violate His own Word and use an act that He labels as sin
to represent Himself or His Kingdom in any way.
The claim that Lord of the Rings is a prophetic allegory, picturing
the war of God and His Kingdom against the devil and his kingdom is a false claim according to the authority of the Word of
God.
3. The author of Lord of the Rings was known to be a confessing Christian. Many
believers feel that "Lord of the Rings" should be validated as a prophetically inspired allegory due to it's "Christian authorship".
Christians must never exalt a person or their proclaimed doctrine or expressions above the counsel of the Word
of God. There have been many well meaning and good-hearted Christians over the years who have been terribly deceived
and have led many believers into false teachings.
4. Some have testified that "Lord of the
Rings" has had a profound and positive influence upon their walk with the Lord and therefore believe that the movie should
be endorsed as an anointed tool.
Please understand that the end does not necessarily justify the means.
All deception has the appearance of some benefits in it. For example, a heroin addict might say in the beginning of
his affair with the drug, "this is the best thing that has ever happened to me......this high makes me feel so peaceful, so
free from worldly care,...awakens my spirit...etc" Well, just because the drug has some enjoyable benefits doesn't make
it good for you. Time will reveal the true fruit of it's effect.
I WAS INVOLVED WITH
WITCHCRAFT BEFORE I BECAME A CHRISTIAN
Before I became a Christian, I was involved in witchcraft and the new
age. I was on a spiritual journey and my heart was in a sincere place of searching for truth. I was looking
for God and for spiritual awakening. I was not a "bad witch"....oh no, I was a "good one". I wasn't involved in
destruction rituals. I did not desire to harm anyone. I was attempting to help people...fighting against sickness
with health potions; warring against hate with love potions, "blessing" garden seed for better crops, and making spiritual
confessions/spells to get the lumps out of gravy, telling people good things about their future through the use of new age
prophetic tools. What could be wrong with that? And you know what? It all worked! I found it to be
very spiritually fulfilling in a particular way at the time. Although it appeared helpful and loving; although it worked....and
was personally fulfilling......it was wrong.......why? because the "All-Wise God" said so in His Word!
People
would never serve a deception if it didn't work. People serve deceptions and false religions because they do work....but
it doesn't make the practices right!!! Destruction rituals in satanic covens really do work!!! But they
are not right! If God forbids a practice then it is wrong whether it works or not.
Most false religions
have some great morals and operate in good principles and sometimes scriptural principles, but we are not to imbibe.
This is clear in the scriptures. God's people were always commanded by Him to keep separate from the beliefs of other
nations that surrounded them. When they conquered their lands they had to remain separated and were commanded to destroy
all the high places.
If we think in our mind, "the Lord of the Rings must be approved by God because it is a
picture of good versus evil", then we are evaluating it in our mind but not according to the Word of God. This
is called "eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil"......this is a forbidden tree.
DO
WE EVALUATE BASED ON OUR OWN MINDS??
The entire fall of man came as a result of Adam and Eve, evaluating in their
own minds whether the decision to eat of the forbidden tree was a good idea or not. If they had turned back to the simplicity
of the uncompromised Word that God had spoken, we all would have been spared the horrific consequences that followed.
God
can use anything at any time to teach His people lessons but it doesn't mean He has authored the means. When I was studying
the new age practice of astrology (forbidden in the scriptures) before I became saved, we reviewed a chart which displayed
the life of Christ. The new age researchers had studied the planetary alignment that was present at the time of Jesus'
birth and confirmed through the astrological prophetic interpretations the virgin birth, Jesus' two fathers -- one earthly,
one heavenly; Christ's death and resurrection; and His miracle working ministry. I was very amazed as we studied it
and was drawn towards this wonderful Man who had such an unusual chart. My heart was truly stirred and faith began to
surface towards the reality of Christ's Deity.
The Lord used this practice to reveal Himself to my hungry heart,
but it doesn't mean He endorsed the practice or authored it to bring me revelation. His own Word actually forbids the
practice of astrology. God can use anything and intervene with truth in the midst of any deception in order to fulfill His
purposes....He can even use the devil's own weaponry and turn it against him.
Prior to becoming a Christian,
I had a moment of spiritual enlightenment concerning the person of Jesus while I was totally stoned on marijuana. This
experience does not validate the use of marijuana as an inspired tool of the Lord to enhance revelation of truth....but He
did touch my searching heart during that time. Again, He can use anything that the devil puts in our way to destroy
us, but it doesn't mean that He authors or endorses it.
The end does NOT always justify the means.
5.
When a Christian opens their soul to deception (like sitting in a movie and "sucking in" the enjoyment of the deceptive content),
they become susceptible to receiving a spirit of deception. This is dangerous to a person's spiritual journey and will
distort true vision and prophetic discernment in their future walk.
The first plumb line for discernment
must be the Word of God. If an act or practice violates the counsel of the Word then it must be disqualified on the
basis of the scripture. You need not go further in your discernment processes.
6. We
have discovered, through many interviews with those who have been ensnared by the deception behind "Lord of the Rings",
that the root of their personal deception was found in a judgment in their heart towards "religion" or "the religious".
This became the landing strip for error. Many of the "ensnared" have testified that they were uncomfortable with "religion"
and the "restraints" that it brought. In their attempt to be as "free" as possible, they swung into toleration of practices
that were forbidden by scripture and therefore lost true discernment.
These have all been very precious
people who truly love God, but the critical judgment in their heart, set them up for clouded vision and a fall.
7.
Warning for Leaders: Pray for wisdom and discernment concerning doctrines that your flocks are being taught. If
leaders endorse or encourage error and deception, there will be grievous consequences for the people.
Ahab
was called the most wicked King due his compromise. He led a whole nation astray (save a remnant) through his compromised
leadership and encouragement of mixture.
Question: Are we preaching truth or error?
PRAYER AND
MINISTRY
At this point, you might feel a need to receive prayer and ministry concerning any level of deception that you
might have received. The process is easy.
1. Repent from opening your heart to any form of deception
and ask the Lord to forgive you. Repent also from any critical judgments you have made towards others. 1 John
1:9
2. Renounce your association with the movie or with any deception that the Lord reveals. ("renounce"
is a term that refers to divorcement -- it is a legal term of separation).
3. In Jesus' name break off
the assignment of every spirit of deception.
4. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you with true discernment
and wisdom.
PAT COCKING
The War Room
Kelowna, BC Canada
Pat Cocking's newest book, THIRD HEAVEN, ANGELS, and... OTHER STUFF
Can be obtained through the Elijah
List
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Permission is GRANTED to post this word on your own lists or websites. Please keep the author and ELIJAH
LIST contact info intact. Others may subscribe to THE ELIJAH LIST by sending an email to:
subscriptions@elijahlist.com or you can also subscribe at:
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
