Perilous times of rumours, conspiracies and fake news
One can says that a conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable. To conspire, thus to be part of the conspiracy, is to join in a secret agreement to do – usually but not always - an unlawful or wrongful act. Conspire commonly means to secretly plan with multiple other people to do something which could be seen as wrong or illegal.
Right now the world is saturated with apparent secret complots and conspiracies by powerful conspirators. So why is it dangerous in these perilous times to believe such conspiracies and rumours? Simply because most of the time the information shared or propagated is not always the truth, and is most of the time designed to create deception or to mislead intentionally. Even worse, at times the deception is for a purpose to implement some or other harmful action, thus an unlawful act.
Classic conspiracy theory insists that things are not what they seem and gathers evidence—especially facts ominously withheld by official sources—to tease out secret machinations. Yet these days the new conspiracism is different. There is no demand for evidence, no dots revealed to form a pattern, no close examination of shadowy plotters. What we find in the world is a lot of rumours, a lot of fake news and a lot of allegations and accusations. There is simply a lack of any evidence. It is simply a lot of rumours. And so we find around every corner talk of some or other complot, or some or other sinister agenda being played out. The problem is many people, even in Churches, do believe such rumours and theories at face value, and therefore subject themselves to fear, paranoia, uncertainty and they even react at times in a hostile manner.
The impulse to “conspiracize” is as old as the human race. Often that means blaming despised minorities for larger ills. For centuries people have said that Freemasons run the government, that Jews control the economy, and that Catholics are a papist fifth column. Intelligent people have believed such talk. Yet such talk most of the time promulgates hysteria against a certain group of people, or seeks to sow large scale hate and distrust. It is even designed to challenge a status quo, or instil revolt or rebellion.
And make no mistake, we live in a time where conspiracy theories and rumours are slung around without much evidence. Still people are talking about the assassination of Joh F Kennedy, what really happened with the Twin Towers and if aliens have truly landed on earth. Plagues in the past have been a particularly rich breeding ground for conspiracy theories. In 14th century Europe, Jews were massacred after being accused of spreading the bubonic plague by poisoning wells. It is no surprise that there is now an epidemic of coronavirus conspiracy theories. The virus was said to have been started by a Chinese biological warfare laboratory, the U.S. Army, Bill Gates or a “globalist conspiracy to establish sweeping population control” — and it is said to be spread by 5G towers. Many think that the virus was created by the “deep state” to bring down their hero.
By the way, a deep state is another popular conspiracy theory, and it is a type of governance made up of potentially secret and unauthorised networks of power operating independently of a state's political leadership. Such an idea is very popular in the USA, and many believe the Illuminati runs as a deep state.
Again, conspiracies and false news and rumours are dangerous simply because often they function on the premise of a lie. And remember, the devil is the father of lies. Just consider how the entire German nation backed and believed Adolf Hitler’s conspiracy that the Germans were a superior race and the Jews as an inferior people needed to be exterminated. Based on this lie, around 6 million Jews were killed during WW2 as part of the Holocaust. Hitler’s push for a pure nation saw somewhat 75 million people die in World War II, including about 20 million military personnel and 40 million civilians. This is a very rough estimate, but the reality is that soldiers were willing to fight for Hitler’s ideals, even though it was all a conspiracy to really give life to his anti-Semantic notions.
These days, conspiracies and rumours are proving to be more dangerous than ever before because theories spread more efficiently and quickly by social media than by previous communications media. And anybody can spread a rumour, or a conspiracy or a lie. It is simple. Again, there it seems to be no need for evidence. A rumour suffices, or a suggestion that something is not right. The online world is a post-truth space where there are no undisputed facts, only competing narratives, and even the most deranged claims can aggregate an audience. The stakes are also higher now because of the number of people a conspiracy or a rumour or a lie can impact. Millions view social media. And so strange beliefs, if they become widespread, pose a danger to public health. Indeed, anti-vaccine activists are already a menace.
An effective strategy for preventing conspiracy theories from spreading through social networks is, appropriately enough, inoculation. We need to know what misleading misinformation is, and we need to develop resilience to be less likely to be negatively influenced. While there are ways to check facts, such as using the source-based approach or questioning the logic, the real way the Christian can guard against all things false and deceptive is to listen to God. You see, the Scriptures is clear. It says in Isaiah 8:12: “Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ concerning all that this people call a conspiracy.” We must therefore not believe that everything is true, but we need to listen to God and know what Is truth and what is deception.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, I have received and seen many conspiracies that abound regarding the pandemic. And these conspiracies are being passed on by believers. Some of these conspiracies even originate among pastors, who believe in some sort of plot, or secret agenda! Conspiracies even involve the devilish plot of the media, which is quite absurd. What is incredible disturbing and sad is that believers of Christ believe these conspiracies and rumours, not considering the possibility that it might all be a lie and that they are even giving further life to the lie. They even advocate and support it. You support it when you pass on the message! It seems even certain church leaders have secretive insight into these hellish plots at destroying the church, which is also disturbing as with God there is nothing hidden. Covid-19 has even been labelled as Satan’s plan of putting a crown of fear on people’s heads. And yes, even supposed prophets fall for these lies and deception.
As a Church and as believers who follow Christ, we are not called to believe conspiracies. A conspiracy many times is based on a lie and is designed to deceive and to sow fear. As a disciple of God, we are called to listen only to God. So I do not care what documents people have in their possession, who has said what, or what message has been recorded, if it does not come from God or has been supported by the Holy Spirit, we should not be interested in such rumours.
We are after all called to be worshippers of Spirit and truth, and not followers of a devious spirit and deception. So we listen to the Holy Spirit. And we are guided by Truth. It says in “Ezekiel 22: 25: The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.” It is a sad day when even the prophets of God begin to turn away from God and God’s plan in order to be part of secret plans or to advocate supposed hidden agendas. A prophet is called to only speak as the Lord leads, and not to speak as the world misleads!
In Jeremiah 11 we read: 9 And the Lord said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.” God is against conspiracies and we should not support conspiracies or even conspire ourselves for personal gain or selfish reasons. Conspiracies are the very work of the devil and has no place among the spiritual walk of God. Believers deal with the truth, and this is the truth of God and nothing else. It is time we use plenty of discernment, and to listen to God! This means being led by the Spirit and not the spirit of this age. We simply cannot believe everything we hear or see, for this is the work of the enemy to sow confusion, to cause panic and fear.
We have been given a spirit not of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). A sound mind implies knowing what is right from wrong, and separating the truth from the lies. Let us thus walk in God’s power, in His love and by a sound mind by following Christ and doing what our Commander commands, and not what man dictates. Fear is the opposite of faith. If there is a marked increase in fear, it is because there is a decline in faith. And why is there a decline in faith? Because we are not listening to God. Our ears have turned away from His Word, and we are listening more to what the world says, and included in that myriad of voices is the voice of the devil. We need to be careful that we are led by faith and not by sight, implying believing everything we see and even read. If we walk by sight and not spiritual discernment, what we see will determine our reality, instead of God determining our reality and the truth.
Thus, in John 3 we are reminded that if we are born of the Spirit, we shall see the Kingdom of God. For the Spirit according to Joh 16 leads us in all truth, and according to Isaiah 11 in wisdom, understanding, counsel and knowledge. To safeguard against unfounded rumours, conspiracies, lies and fake news we need to be a Spirit-led people whose ears are turned to the Spirit of God. And so we re are reminded in the seven letters to the churches in the Book of Revelations to hear what the Spirit is saying. And yes, to know the truth of any matter, seek and ask God!
We actually find plenty of conspiracies even in the Bible. It says in 2 Samuel 15: Absalom’s Treason: 15: 7 Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the Lord. 8 For your servant took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the Lord indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’ ” 9 And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. 10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’ ” 11 And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything. 12 Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city—from Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.
Absalom, the son of David, conspired against the king. His spies on purpose spread false information so that the people would think that Absalom was actually in charge. He wanted to overthrow the rule of his father. And yes, he even dragged two hundred men with him. After all, conspiracies often work in the shadows and by deceit, so we learn these men were even innocent (for they were kept in the dark about Absalom’s devious complot)! The result was that David had to flee for we read from verse “13 Now a messenger came to David, saying, ‘The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom’.” Yes, people believed the conspiracy, which was designed to overthrow the king. And it worked!
We also read in 2 Kings 12: 19 Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20 And his servants arose and formed a conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of the Millo, which goes down to Silla. 21 For Jozachar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him. So he died, and they buried him with his fathers in the City of David. Then Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
Jehoash was the eighth king of Judah, and the sole surviving son of Ahaziah after the massacre of the royal family ordered by his grandmother, Athaliah. The massacre was a conspiracy in its own right, following the death of the kings of Israel and Judah - Joram and Ahaziah respectively - at the hand of Jehu who was at the time anointed to the true king of Israel. Jehu’s task as revealed by the Lord was to destroy the entire household of Ahab, which he successfully did. We even read in 2 Kings 9 the following: “4 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram.” Thus a strategy was formed, even though by God’s command, to overthrow the current king of Israel. After the death of Ahaziah, her son, Athaliah (daughter of Ahab) usurped the throne and reigned for seven years. She massacred all the members of the royal house of Judah (II Kings 11:1–3), except Joash. A successful revolution was organized in favour of Joash, and she was killed.
In “2 Kings 15 we read: 13 Shallum the son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria. 14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, came to Samaria, and struck Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him; and he reigned in his place. 15 Now the rest of the acts of Shallum, and the conspiracy which he led, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.” Of this conspiracy we read in “2 Kings 15: 8 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. 9 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. 10 Then Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck and killed him in front of the people; and he reigned in his place.”
In Nehemiah 6 we read of the conspiracy against Nehemiah: “6 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), 2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm. 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” 4 But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written: It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king. 7 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, “There is a king in Judah!” Now these matters will be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together. 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart.” Take note, the conspiracy was devised based on reports that the Jews planned to rebel and that Nehemiah was planning to be a king. Yes, all rubbish and unfounded nonsense! Yes, people believed the reports and were willing to physically resist Nehemiah for rebuilding the walls.
In Esther 3 we read of Haman’s conspiracy against the Jews: 3 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s command?” 4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath. 6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai. 7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.” 10 So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you.” 12 Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions. 14 A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.
Haman’s conspiracy, designed to cast a bad light on the Jews in order for them to be exterminated, resembled very much the same path walked by Hitler. Esther of course foiled the plan, and wins permission from the king for the Jews to kill their enemies, and they do so. Yes, do not mock God!
Psalm 83 says: “A Psalm of Asaph. 1 Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God! 2 For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. 3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones. 4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” 5 For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against You.”
It is true that in this world those who do not follow Christ will always come up with devious complots, or conspiracies, even against God’s children, but we need to trust God, abide in Him and listen to Him alone. We read in “Acts 23: 11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” 12 And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 13 Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy.”
Granted, we are living in times of great ordeal, threats and demonic agendas, but what is God saying to us? Do we listen to fear or to the Spirit of God? So much of the news filtering through from believers are definitely not from God, but is spread by the voices of the world, and even the media, which by the way has also been labelled as the devil’s puppet. The reality is if we continue to turn our ear away from God and from His Word, then fear, trepidation and a tormented soul will surely overtake us and cause spiritual blindness. Fear drives us further away from God, His Truth and Purpose, and so we end up on the path where we forsake life yet choose death, and where we forsake the glory of God for the corrupted and the tangible. And such a path eventually becomes dark, and so we are led from the light.
Do we truly know the voice of God anymore? Only when we know Him shall we be led by His Voice, thus His Word, and we shall know His path, His will and the path to follow. Are we yielded and submitted to the Spirit of God, which leads us in all truth? When we listen to Him, and abide in His Voice, then shall faith arise and we shall walk in wisdom, discernment, knowledge and understanding, not just for this spiritual season, but for all seasons so that we are prepared to preach the Good news in and out of season.
We are called to overcome, to be triumphant, to thrive and to prosper in fulfilling the Great Commission, not matter the threats and dangers posed by the enemy. For our path and action should not be determined by what the enemy does, but solely what God says! For we should be led by the Spirit of God and allow His power to quicken in us like liquid fire so that God’s love, His Truth and Glory shall be manifested in a world that has embraced the cold and the dark.
Only when we listen to God, trust Him and stand in faith, can we walk in such a manner where our hearts are not troubled, and where the peace of Christ rule in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). Indeed, by turning our ear away from God we allow the fear to steal our pace and joy, and we will become blinded to our purpose, to our hope, to our mission, to God’s vision and to God’s plan. Yes, many are the plans of man but only the plan of God shall prevail, so we need to listen to God, and then our faith, which only needs to be like a mustard seed, will arise to drive back the darkness as we arise as the children of God to glory of God.
So turn your ear to God. Listen, and let Him speak and guide. If not, we shall be ruled by fear, and by fear we shall become spiritually paralyzed, double-minded and led astray by the voice of deception, and yes, many times such a voice will sound like a lion roaring, but woe indeed for you shall find one that devours and pretends to be such of a nature. Follow only God, the true lion of Judah, and may His voice be a roar in your spirit. Listen indeed to God, and be not led astray by the false voices, by false prophecies and by those proclaiming wisdom of the earth, for our hope is in God and He shall be our guiding light.
The problem with something which is not yet proven true remains an allegation, and can quickly become a conspiracy theory and it also remains an opinion. A Spirit-filled Church has no business with allegations and accusations. It has no business with opinions. It has no business with conspiracy theories. A Spirit-filled Church deals with the Truth, thus the Truth as revealed, upheld and supported by the Lord. Yes, a lot of believers have been shouting corruption, yet what does the Spirit say? We need to discern the real from the false. Discern the truth from conspiracies. Listen closely to God. Follow more closely. Love more. Seek is Presence more than ever. For while the Lord knocks on many doors, many would rather invite the hounds of hell into their lives. So keep praying. Keep preaching. Keep telling the world of Jesus. For that is our only hope. And do it all in the Holy Spirit. Yes all in the Spirit. Nothing else.
For let us remember the Lord’s word in Matthew 24: 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
We need to understand there are conspiracies that abound against the people of God – His holy servants. The nations are raging against God’s Kingdom. These are times of great peril, strife and danger. Yes says the Lord we must come before the Lord as did the disciples in Acts 4 and petition the Righteous Judge to observe these threats and to enable us – His servants - to speak His word with great boldness. We must petition the Lord to stretch out His hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Jesus. And yes, the Lord shall move in Power and so shall His servants move in power as in the days of Acts 4 and we shall see the Holy Spirit move and we shall speak the word of God boldly.
In Acts 4 we read when the disciples’ appeared before the Sanhedrin: 18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Indeed, we are called to do as the Lord commands, which always remains to fulfil the Great Commission. Indeed, as children of God we cannot but speak His Word. And yes, we also need to be wise in the Lord, for it says in Matthew 10:16: "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” We after all cannot determine our own path of action in the midst of the growing crisis to silence the Church, and we cannot allow fear to rule our hearts and so cause a bewilderment of heart. The Reformation after teaches us great lessons of a conquering spirit and overcoming by the word of testimony and the blood of the Lamb if we remain but obedient and faithful unto God.
We live in the year 2021, yet there are still those who believe we live on a flat earth. Yes, incredibly members of the Flat Earth Society claim to believe the Earth is flat. Walking around on the planet's surface, it looks and feels flat, so they deem all evidence to the contrary, such as satellite photos of Earth as a sphere, to be fabrications of a "round Earth conspiracy" orchestrated by NASA and other government agencies. According to the Flat Earth Society's leadership, its ranks have grown by 200 people (mostly Americans and Britons) per year since 2009. Judging by the exhaustive effort flat-earthers have invested in fleshing out the theory on their website, it would seem that these people genuinely believe the Earth is flat.
Take also note of Ezekiel 22 when God speaks a woe against Jerusalem: 25 The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. 26 Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain.
The wolves, we read in Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” And also “Acts 20:29. For I know this, which after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” So in these passages the false prophets and false workers are identified as wolves who are AMONG the Church, thus believers, not on the outside. We are truly going to see greater resistance in the church against those preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, who will not give up ground, and who not go quietly into the night. There will be growing resistance between the prophetic and the counterfeit, between the truth and the lies and between the holy and the unholy.
We also know the devil is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he can devour. We know he also is the thief who comes to steal, and to destroy and kill. God’s anger was kindled in the days of Ezekiel for the people of God – the priest and the prophets – were acting in the nature of the devil, thus devouring, destroying and deceiving. They were likened to wolves and lions, which refers to the devil and to those who would one day be like savage wolves trying to destroy the church. Ezekiel 22 is supported by Zephaniah 3:3 which says: “Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave not a bone till morning”.
So yes, we need to take note that God says He is sending His servants among the wolves. But we need to understand these are not the wolves of this world, but those operating supposedly within the fold of the faith to oppose the remnant - intentionally or even unintentionally for so great is the deception in the world - and who oppose the truth of God and those who have sowed destruction, and who sowed deception and who seek to silence the prophetic and to discourage the truth from being spoken. They are the ones who by a religious spirit are devouring (take note also of Matthew 23), who have taken treasure and precious things (which alludes to extortion and manipulation for personal gain) and those are the ones who have “not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them”.
Just as there is a fine line between divination and prophecy, with the one being spoken not in the Spirit of the Lord, just so there is a fine between imagination and discernment. Imagination flows from the soul (the mind) and true discernment flows from the spirit as led by the Holy Spirit. We need to be so careful, yes, very careful that we do not confuse discernment with imagination. This is a warning by the Lord.
As a quick reminder, the definition of discernment is the ability to judge well. In its simplest definition, discernment is nothing more than the ability to decide between truth and error, right and wrong. Discernment is the process of making careful distinctions in our thinking about truth. In other words, the ability to think with discernment is synonymous with an ability to think biblically. First Thessalonians 5:21-22 teaches that it is the responsibility of every Christian to be discerning: "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." The apostle John issues a similar warning when he says, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). According to the New Testament, discernment is therefore not optional for the believer-it is required.
Discernment does not just apply to the natural, but also the spiritual. And this is why we can only walk in true discernment when we walk in the Spirit, so that the Spirit of the Lord reveals the true nature of things, be it natural or the supernatural, and so that the Lord in wisdom, knowledge, counsel and understanding can lead us to discern right and wrong and to be make the right decisions. John 14: 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things.
The definition of imagination is the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality. It can also be understood to be the thinking or active mind or the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.
Now, let us consider 2 Corinthians 10: New King James Version (NKJV): The Spiritual War: 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Our focus in the above Scripture, which deals with SPIRITUAL WARFARE, is “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Therefore this deals with thoughts that are not in alignment with the Holy Spirit. Again, let us understand that it is within the realm of the imagination where thoughts and ideas are born, but these are thoughts and idea that flows from our soul and not from the Spirit of the Lord.
You see, it is so easy, when not always led by the Spirit, to imagine things – and then we are not talking about positive creativity. Without the guidance solely of the Spirit, it becomes easy to imagine stuff that are not even the truth or reality, such as for example to imagine that someone has an agenda against you, or that you are under spiritual attack or that there is a conspiracy against you. We can come up with thoughts and ideas that are negative, destructive. We can so easily imagine truths in the Scripture that are not even true! We can come up with doctrines and teachings that are erroneous because they have been formed by our imagination and not taught by the Spirit (this then leads to doctrines that are merely myths, fables and lies). These negative, deceptive and destructive thoughts are what Paul refers to in 2 Corinthians 10 – thoughts that are ultimately unwise, and that are contrary to the truth and reality of our Lord.
Our mind after all is very powerful, and just so our imagination has tremendous creative power but also the tremendous power to conjure up ideas and thoughts that are not always real or based on truth. And when we operate in the reality of these thoughts and ideas, imagining so called truths and realities, we end up walking not in the Spirit of the Lord but in the flesh.
Out of imagination flows suspicion, and out of suspicion come paranoia, fear and anxiety. If we allow our imagination to run wild, not curtailed by the leading of the Holy Spirit, we end up dealing with assumptions, allegations and accusations, which all flow from the premise of deception, manipulation and trickery. It is these thoughts that needs be taken captive, which is done by walking solely in the truth of the Spirit.
There is therefore a fine line between imagination and discernment. Imagination can land us in all sorts of trouble, and because of the power of the mind, our imagination can cause havoc and we begin to ‘see’ things or ‘perceive’ things that are simply not real. We can speak things that are therefore not true, react to situations that are not real and deal with circumstances that are not real, all because of our imagination. Scriptures admonishes us to grow in discernment according to Philippians 1:9-10: And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ … And also Psalm 119:66: Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments.
In Ezekiel 13:17 we read: “Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination” … and also “Isaiah 65:2 All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations.” It even says in “Psalm 73:7: From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits.”
Our imagination can become a huge problem when we are not led by the Spirit of the Lord. This is when we start moving in the realm of the soul and flesh, speaking things that come not by the Lord.
After all, our imagination can be so powerful that we THINK the Lord is speaking to us or has given us a word but then it is not so. For this reason we need the absolute guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead us in all things and all times.
It says in “Ephesians 1:17-18 - That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him …” We need to grow in the wisdom, in discernment and in knowledge of the Lord so that we walk in the Truth of the Lord and so avoid the pitfalls of suspicion, assumptions, allegations, deceptions and paranoia.
Indeed, if we let our imaginations run wild, we can easily end up causing more harm when it comes to the supernatural than good. We need the Holy Spirit above all to test all things, to make wise decisions, to discern the reality of all things, and to walk in God’s Truth. Then we shall be battle ready for the spiritual war, but a soldier operating according to imagination and not the Spirit is only a liability, a danger to others and a loose cannon.
