“A Voice for the Gathering Saints”
Duane Stewart
www.avoiceforthegatheringsaints.org
“Satan’s Playhouse – Modern Day Religion”
One of the main reasons that modern day Christians are not eagerly preparing for God’s great harvest is a belief that the doctrine called “the rapture” is God’s cure all in man’s existence. This doctrinal belief promotes the understanding that by maintaining some type of Christian appearance for security sake, the rapture will remove them from a time of judgment or tribulation on the earth. This realm of thought places within such believers a belief system that states there is nothing more to anticipate as coming from God but the future rapture of the church. This mind-set establishes for most the belief that if they can just hold on until the rapture comes they will make heaven their home. This type of belief system places believers into a vacuum of idleness and complacency that causes them to miss some of God’s greater and better blessings. Meaning that God has many purposed increases for the disciple who presses on to know the Lord’s greater blessings available in this present age. Mark 10:29-30, “And Jesus answered and said, verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left [to leave behind, let go, disregard] house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my [Jesus] sake, and the gospels, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time [season], houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come [the coming age] eternal life.”
Could this be pointing to the fact that while there is to be a maturing up into God’s kingdom government realm for the firstfruits of God’s harvest, the saints who place their hope in waiting for a future event to take place, they shall miss out upon the greater blessings of God available in this season. A missing out because their mind-set finds itself trapped into future events. Is God not a God of the now? This belief also has a tendency to hinder spiritual growth from within the vessel because of placing all hope in a future event. Meanwhile, unto those who believe and receive, they shall and do enjoy the blessings of God in an increasing measure now. That is to say, they enjoy the provisions, a hundred fold, in the now. The greater things of God become theirs as the rivers of God’s blessings flow from within them.
By refusing to maintain an active ongoing relationship with Christ now, the doctrine of putting God’s blessings off into the future becomes a distraction that robs Christians of an ever present now God. God is a God who increases those believers who exercise faith in a now God. A now God is one that meets and fulfills His purpose in faithful believers here and now. 2 Peter 1:2-4, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge [precise and further knowledge, thorough acquaintance with; true knowledge] of God, and of Jesus our Lord. According as His divine power [the power of reproducing itself] hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life [everyday life including resurrection and eternal life] and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue; Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature [its by faith in the promises we receive, not by restricting them to seasonal times for fulfillment], having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
This points us to the hope that God makes available to all humanity. Rom. 8:20-21, “For the creature [creation] was made subject to vanity [disappointing misery], not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creation itself also shall be delivered [set free from the law of sin and death] from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” God’s plan for redemption has always been implemented and available to all who pursue this hope made subject to receiving man. This speaks to humanity of a change and not an escape, a nature change, one that is no longer subject to the law of sin and death. This means the escape theory can become a distraction that robs the true Christian of God’s greater blessings made available to them in the now. This speaks of a redeemed people who fulfill God’s purposes during this age of end-time proportions. This also points to the harvesters who God raises up to harvest Gods planted field, which speaks of the spirit, soul and bodies of His promised generation.
For this cause, Satan, fearful of God’s firstfruits of the harvest, has taken steps to pervert the harvest field from becoming the fruit of like-kind sons. A fear that moves Satan, working through the carnal mind, to implement another seed hidden among God’s seed until maturity reveals the fruit of each seed. Is this not the time for maturity as Satan has played, seemingly in innocents, but deceitful in bringing forth the doctrines of modern day religion. Matt. 13:24-25 & 30, “Another parable put He [Jesus] forth unto them, saying, the kingdom of heaven [heavens – plural] is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field; But while men slept [a state of being unaware with complacency] his enemy came and sowed tares [looks like wheat seed but maturity causes them to become black grain – making the bread bitter and poisonous] among the wheat, and went his way. … Let them grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest [what time is it?] I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Is not the church the field where Christ is planted as a seed, typed as the wheat? Thus, it is within the church that Satan has also planted the tares, the seed of modern day carnal religion, where both have been growing together until this time of harvest. Satan’s playhouse now judged as maturity reveals the carnal corruption that has poisoned the church order with deception and death. However, notice that the harvest time finds the tares knowing judgment and a removal from the church, leaving a church without spot or blemish. (Note and read Matt. 13:39-43). God’s purpose is judgment that purifies and brings forth His righteousness throughout His kingdom. Matt. 13:43, “Then shall the righteous shine [God’s glory manifesting] forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
Note clearly:
1. The wheat and tares stay together until maturity.
2. Maturity first reveals the corruption and then the removal of the wicked.
3. With the removal of the wicked fruit, the righteous fruit shall shine forth as the sun.
4. With the wicked removed, this leaves behind the righteous, the church without spot or blemish.
Now consider Israel, they were God’s chosen people to be a nation wherein He might dwell among them manifesting His goodness. However, note that while they had received from God all they needed to become His righteous people through obedience to His covenant laws, it became increasingly evident that through their shortcomings and disobedience they became more like the nations living around them. God’s purpose was for them to be a separated people unto Him and all His ways. Meanwhile, among all their rebellion, God still showed His love by bringing forth the prophets of truth, but the populace rejected them also. This rebelliousness consistently found an influence among their Kings to lead the people astray. Nevertheless, even among this rebellion and their captivity in Babylon, God was willing and desirous to redeem and restore them to His promises. Herein, let us take note of an occasion that types the church of today as it also, for the most part, has allowed Satan’s (carnality) to live among them to resist God. Therefore, they experienced the departing presence of God among the people as they turned to doctrines of devils, deception and falsehoods. They have become a playhouse for modern day religion that has opened their doors for every foul, unclean and hateful manifestation. A church removed from the holiness of God. Rev. 18:2, And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon [modern day religion] the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils [demons], and the hold [prison] of every fowl [unclean] spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” This Babylon is the carnal church that falsely calls itself God’s church. In this, note that maturity concerning the wheat and the tares reveals the tares as being a poison filled seed that knows separation from God through judgment upon those who receive such mind-sets, a time that has come upon the church.
Again, looking at the Children of Israel, a type of the church, we can see that while revivals do take place, this same spirit of Babylon seeks to possess the riches of God’s church and pervert His dwelling place. While Judah’s King Hezekiah was at the first a King known as a righteous King, He brought forth reform and a renewed worship among them. During the wars that came against them, God brought deliverance according to the King’s prayers. However, we should note that during Hezekiah’s many successes, a change in heart was taking place within him. This change was one that pulled him into asking of God according to his own desires instead of yielding to God’s purpose. Being spoken to concerning his time of death, he prayed and God extended his life but at a great cost. God’s way is always better than man’s own ways and desires. So what happened? We should look closely at the events that ended his household. As among the church of today, the King of Babylon sought to gain control over Judah’s blessings through seemingly innocent desires. Herein, the blessings of God ceased to bring increase to Hezekiah and his household by taking them into captivity to become prisoners of Babylon. (Please read closely 2 Kings 20:12-18). Note the finality of what was once a prosperous kingdom, which became prisoners to another order of life. 2 Kings 20:17, “Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon; nothing shall be left, said the Lord.” If King Hezekiah would have yielded to his time of death to self, these Babylonian events would not have happened to his household or Judah?
Herein we see a type of today’s modern day religion called the church. By allowing the carnal mind and man’s deceitful doctrines to replace the things, which God has purposed for His people. Now in accordance to the humanistic mind-set that has permeated the church, Satan is using it for his own playhouse. This Satan does as he seeks to touch all the precious things of God given for the prospering of His church, His dwelling place. (Note 2 Kings 20:13). However, we know of a people who are hearing God’s voice of true redemption, a people who hear and “come out from among” this carnal system of devils, unclean spirits and deceptive humanistic doctrines of death. 2 Cor. 6:16-17, “For what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people [the dwelling place of God’s glory and manifestations]. Wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing [all orders of Babylon] and I will receive you.”
Consider and attend to the following verses:
Luke 22:45-46, And when He [Jesus] rose up from prayer, and was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for [from] sorrow, and said unto them, why sleep you? Rise and pray lest you enter into temptation.”
Isaiah 43:1-2, “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Israel, fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou pass through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walk through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine; for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”
God’s promises speak that the judgments of God and His wrath are upon those of carnality and its fruits. Carnality is that which spots the garments of the church. Thus, while modern day religion has become Satan’s playhouse and therefore appointed to God’s wrath, God’s people are not so appointed. 1 Thess. 5:9, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”