AN ANGEL OF LIGHT

My brother in Christ from Nigeria who is currently touring and preaching in England wrote this cautionary and encouraging thesis. We must be careful of people who come as Angels of Light, so called Apostles He called them. This is good teaching:

BY OLUFUNSO J. OMIDIRAN
www.livingsword.org

2Corinthians 11:13-15

13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

God in His infinite mercy does not want to leave His children desolate or lonely. That is why He sent to us another Comforter, the Holy Spirit to stand with us and guide us in the journey of life. It is absolutely impossible for anybody to enter into His ultimate season and fulfilment without the help of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps by enabling us to discern the times and seasons and also to respond to the call of destiny. He is the power that works in us. Halleluyah!

One of the key areas where we urgently require the help of the Holy Spirit in our life is in our relationships with others. We truly cannot do without other people, by any means in our life. We may either need somebody or somebody needs us. However, the challenge we face is that not all that come our way are true and real. Camouflage, hypocrisy and deception are daily living with us. There are a lot of pretenders and liars among the supposed people of God who so much enjoy illusion with all relish. In fact some people seem to thrive and flourish upon deception. But unfortunately, their joy will be short-lived.

How do we avoid the danger of placing our trust, confidence and partnership with liars and deceivers? In what way shall we be able to counteract the ominous torrents of grand deception among those who seem to be so religious. We seem to have less problem today with sinners and unbelievers, but with those who claim to know the Book. First of all we need to understand the origin of this evil deception.

SATANIC TRANSFORMATION
Let us take a careful look at our text again:

13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, TRANSFORMING themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is TRANSFORMED into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be TRANSFORMED as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 2Corinthians 11:13-15

Negative transformations do take place among men, even when they fail to discover them, and ultimately fail to nip them in the bud. We are not in any wise helped when we lack discernment. This could be a very costly disadvantage that we should detest. First, we can see in this Scriptural passage that false apostles, fake ‘Christian leaders’ can actually transform or change so that they may look in every way like the true ones. Secondly Satan himself, the very chief master-minder of evil has the ability to do this transformation also so much so that he may appear like an angel of light. Thirdly, ministers of Satan can also be transformed negatively to look every bit like ministers of righteousness.

This third level of satanic transformation is the most tricky and critical in the sense that an actual minister of Satan can become a ‘minister of righteousness’. The Lord taught me some few years ago that what a preacher seems to be preaching or ministering is not enough to determine his status. Ministering righteousness seems to be all important and absolute, but the truth is that it is possible for a man to be saying the truth, emphasising what is right without living right. It is possible that an actually wicked person can be used of God to say what is right and even minister and be a blessing to other people and yet be unapproved by God. A lot of deception has overwhelmed this generation to the extent that every one who seems to be preaching or teaching from the Bible may not have the Spirit of God. They can be full of letters and have not the Spirit. They themselves can be slaves of sin and yet be preaching against sin. They can even be so much sold out to hypocrisy and lust that they eventually lose every sense of guilt or scruples.

Another danger is that it seems some people have grown and learnt over the years the attitudes of religion, religious mannerism and languages that we become easily deceived to believe that they are of God. Unfortunately, they are mere actors who are only playing a role and using a script, they don’t really mean what they say. It may even take a very long time to discover such, because they must have been wielding a lot of influence and impact in the Church and so many unwary crowd of followers troop after them and have been ‘greatly blessed’ through their ‘ministry’. ‘As an angel of light’ such men are first of all angels. They have the appearance of purity and sanctimony; they are also ‘of light’ in the sense that they may be using Scriptures skilfully , quoting the Word copiously….But don’t be deceived.

DIVINE ULTIMATUM
God is never deceived. No one can successfully hoodwink or cajole Him! He looks into the heart while men judge only by what they see in the natural. We are living at time when Satan, the great deceiver has diligently perfected is strategy over the ages and we now have sophisticated and experienced ministers of the evil one. Bless God, it is not really difficult to discover such intricate men of dual personality: by their fruits they shall be known. They may not be hidden forever. God Himself reserves the power to disgrace them and disclose their nakedness before all.

Therefore, let us make ourselves open before God and make a determination to not live a double life. Let us be truly, single-heartedly and wholly given to the Lord for He is worthy of all of our devotion. Hence, we shall have no place in our lives for the service of any other god and so give no place to Satan. Our God will keep us to the very end and we shall not fail in Jesus’ name.

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. {to the...: or, evermore} Heb 7:25

Therefore, let us rejoice, our God is up to the task, even as we come to Him with a true heart and love unfeigned. He can never fail. Shalom.