Part 3: As In The Days Of Noah VAIN IMAGINATIONS AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE How and why have all those involved in the "revival" come to this place? Because man still has his sinful nature, saved or not, and the "imagination of man's heart is still evil from his youth," and, because we are moving into times as in the days of Noah when "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." To have sinful, fallen men living out of their vain imaginations is one thing, but to have men professing to be spiritual men seeing visions and dreams and spewing forth what they believe to be truth, but is really deceit, out of their vain imaginations is another. "New" revelations are vain imaginations and replace the word of God. Spiritual warfare is one example. Read what David said in the Psalms:
(Psa 140:2 KJV) Which IMAGINE mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. The apostate Church is gathering for war against principalities and powers and all who won't go along with the agenda. VAIN IMAGINATIONS AND DRUNKENNESS Spiritual drunkenness is another example because they didn't hold to God's word and tried to quench their own spiritual thirst:
(Deu 29:19 KJV) And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst. "New" revelations, prophecies and "words from the Lord" have gone out from the "revival" that judgment in the Church is coming through Joel's Army. This is walking in the imaginations of the heart, where we are judged for not taking part in what "God is doing," while they bless themselves in the heart because God is blessing them with abundance to bring in the Kingdom of peace. And how would anyone fall for such things? Because the word of God in its true context was forsaken and the vain imaginations of the heart took over to the point that these imaginations quenched their thirst to the point of spiritual drunkenness. When a heart turns away from the word of God, it returns to the vain imaginations of the past, this time with an unbiblical spiritual emphasis:
Deut 30:18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; VAIN IMAGINATIONS AND CHRISTIAN ROCK I include this here because it has been on my mind quite a bit concerning the Christian Rock being shown on TBN. The last time I watched it, it was like demon-apes jumping around on stage. Have you looked at what is happening to the gospel through kids today? Spiked collars, black makeup, purple and green hair and "Jam With The Lamb" and "Body Piercing Saves The Soul" written across their T-shirts. That's blasphemy, and its origin is in the vain imaginations of man that upping the beat of worship music will draw kids to church so they can be attracted to Jesus. That's vain imagination, folks, and the devil has walked right into the church through it because it is being presented as inpired saongs from God. THE ONLY DEFENSE AGAINST VAIN IMAGINATIONS The guidance and direction and strategies coming forth from these vain imaginings will only spell t-r-o-u-b-l-e for the true Christian in the days ahead, and they will rage against us as they did David and Jesus as stated in the Scriptures above. Why?
(Rom 1:21 KJV) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their IMAGINATIONS, and their foolish heart was darkened. That's why Paul said we are to stand for the purity of the faith as once delivered to the Church 2,000 years ago,
(2 Cor 10:5 KJV) Casting down IMAGINATIONS, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;God understands the imaginations of men's hearts and is patient and forebearing that all will come to the truth and be saved, but men can't find God in their imaginations, but by seeking Him apart from those imaginations:
(1 Chr 28:9 KJV) And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the IMAGINATIONS of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. How long will these vain imaginations be there, and how long will we have to stand against them? Luke wrote of Jesus in His first coming,
(Luke 1:51 KJV) He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the IMAGINATION of their hearts. As God scattered the proud in their imaginations the first time Christ came, so will He do in His second coming. Jeremiah spoke God's promise when he wrote,
(Jer 11:8 KJV) Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the IMAGINATION of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not. A CLOSING WORD God's word is not anything man should add his imagination to. There are no such Scriptures that I could find that speak of man's imagination in a positive light, but the imagination is spoken of in Scripture as a vain thing that can weaken or usurp the effectiveness of the word of God. One could argue against that by bringing up the use of parables and analogies used in scripture as stemming from the imagination rather than through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who knows all things. I don't relish getting into such debate. Concerning the actual use of the word, this is what I found and I will leave it at that. Surely we cannot deny the tremendous damage done to the Church through the pursing of the imagination. But God's word contains all that He has to say to man. It is spirit, and life, and sharper than a two-edged sword that ALONE is able to save our souls. It alone brings peace and comfort, hope and assurance to the spirit of men. What the vain imaginations of some have done to it and continue to do so will be answered for when Christ comes visibly, bodily, in the sky in glory. We must persevere in renewing our minds according to His word, and adding vain imaginations to it will not do that. It may, in fact, prove to be a very dangerous thing to do. [Note; Since I wrote this series, I have thought a lot about what I have said: "One could argue against that by bringing up the use of parables and analogies used in scripture as stemming from the imagination rather than through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who knows all things. I don't relish getting into such debate." In looking at the occult gaming world that is overwhelming kids today, I am slowly yielding to the idea that games written by Christians in this area are necessary, and the use of the imagination could be used in writing them. This has become a burden of mine as of late. 9-10-2000, Ed.] SCRIPTURES NOT USED CONTAINING "IMAGINE" AND ITS DERIVATIVES:
(Job 6:26 KJV) Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind? [END] |