Deception: Almost Had Me Fooled

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BenFTW

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2012
4,834
981
113
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#1
There you are. Staring over a rugged cliff, sun blazing, wind whistling, and your heart racing. "Jump!" says a trusted confidant. Ready to leap, fully persuaded, you pause. In comes the naysayer, saying, "Do you not see how high we are? You could die. What if your parachute gets tangled up?" Oh, but your confidant has done this a thousand times, always going off without a hitch. They comfort you and assure you, "It is a soft landing, just pull your 'chute." You even have a back up parachute.

You will land softly. Yet, there is hesitation. Doubt and disbelief have clouded your judgement as you pay heed to the naysayer. What was once an easy task, a matter of trust, has become an obstacle due to a warped perspective. The whisper of an enemy.

This is akin to our obedience to God in this life challenged by our perception of the obstacles before us. They seem big. Appear to be insurmountable. Yet who, I ask, has called you? Who has sent you? Does God, the Lord, not equip those that are His? He does! Knowing this, that He equips those that are His, what fear has encapsulated you that must tremble in His presence? What doubt has blinded you, that the truth must heal? What mindset of scarcity has robbed you, in ignorance to His providence?

The Lord equips those that are His. If He has called you, He will equip you for the task at hand. Your fears, and doubts let them quake and be dismissed in acknowledgement of His providential sovereignty. Know this. He has equipped you. If the challenge comes, He will give you the victory to accomplish His will. What can overcome you when the Lord is with you? Nothing, even in the depths of flames His servants prevailed unscathed.

You are His. You are equipped. You are protected. Do not be hindered any longer.
 

BenFTW

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2012
4,834
981
113
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#2
The deception that almost had me fooled was being hindered from taking action by fear, not comprehending that, indeed, God equips those that are His. What limitations we believe ourselves to have are just illusions, smoke and mirrors, because nothing will stop you from accomplishing God's will so long as you walk in obedience to His leading. He will provide, do not be deceived. He has equipped me, you, and all of us who are called unto good works.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#3
You are encouraging people to jump off cliffs?

Yet Jesus REBUKED Satan when was tempted to do the same.

Jesus said "Do not test the Lord your God"

So the Word of Faith movement is teaching folks to jump off cliffs now?
 
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A

Ariel82

Guest
#4
Yes Jesus equips those He calls to do His will, but how is jumping off the cliff doing His will?
 

hornetguy

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2016
6,623
1,381
113
#5
I think it was an analogy.... could be wrong.

We should step out it faith... God has us.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#6
Yeah some days Satan challenges people to step out and prove their faith....we need to pray and ask: is it God's will or do we do it out of pride or to force God to prove Himself and His love for us?

*****
Matthew 4
5Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
 
R

Ralph-

Guest
#7
He probably did not mean it this way but I was thinking 'Joel Osteen' while reading it. Maybe he should have used the example of stepping out on the water.

As a balance to what he's saying there is this matter of 'presumptuous' faith. The Israelites were determined to enter the land after not doing so earlier when Moses commanded, and their efforts to do so ended up in complete failure because God was not with them. They were acting presumptuously.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#8
Analogy or not, what is the purpose of jumping off the cliff? Thrill seeking? I can see no practical purpose for jumping off a cliff. And the Lord is practical.

When the Lord sends, there is an anticipated outcome. True, what we may anticipate isn't always what the Lord planned, but there is purpose. And the purpose is one of three things:
1. Love God fully.
2. Love others fully.
3. Both.

What the WoF teaches as purpose is, "what I will get out of this if I do it just right."

Strange thing happens when we are God-purposed. Fear -- a thing that tells us to protect ourselves -- may or may not stay, but the greater purpose makes us want to do it, even afraid.

As for a promise not to get hurt? Tell that one to Stephen, Paul, Peter, and John. Tell that to all the apostles, and all the people in the beginning of following the Lord. They all got hurt! Most of them were killed for it!

I hate false promises. The kind that says, "You'll land softly." Being stoned isn't soft. Being hung isn't soft. Being in a shipwreck isn't soft. Being rejected by friends, family, and the community isn't soft. Losing income isn't soft. Pain isn't soft. Following the Lord isn't soft.

It's worth it, because his love is worth sharing. His way is the only way. And mostly because he is the Way!
 
Jan 25, 2018
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#9
Ben seems to be talking about Base jumping.

Unfortunately a lot of base jumpers have died. Not because their parachutes do not open,
but if the wind blows them into the object they have just jumped off, collapsing the parachute
and destroying their ability to fly.

Now the risks here are real, and the danger of death not inconsiderable.

There are people I do know who went to certain death following the Lord.
But there was no safety net for physical death only spiritual death.

Robert Jermain Thomas felt called to Korea and it is his work though very short
followed by his death, that lead to the christian church being established there.

Many missionaries back in 1880 going abroad meant death, but they regarded
this as service to their King. Amen.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
113
#10
If it's in His Word, I know it is His will.
Voices in my head, thoughts, hunches? Maybe, maybe not...but that's not faith.
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#11
If it's in His Word, I know it is His will.
Voices in my head, thoughts, hunches? Maybe, maybe not...but that's not faith.
Perhaps that is the deception. Thinking he is not deceived when he is deceived.

Feelings will often lead to that mess. Gods word always leads to truth and righteousness.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 

valiant

Senior Member
Mar 22, 2015
8,025
124
63
#12
Yes Jesus equips those He calls to do His will, but how is jumping off the cliff doing His will?
Jumping off a cliff with a parachute on is similar to trusting in Jesus when the way is hard
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
5,486
183
63
#13
You are encouraging people to jump off cliffs?

Yet Jesus REBUKED Satan when was tempted to do the same.

Jesus said "Do not test the Lord your God"

So the Word of Faith movement is teaching folks to jump off cliffs now?

I don't think he is encouraging people to jump off cliffs especially without a parachute.

I think that he is encouraging people to trust God's equipping and obey God even outside their comfort zones.

I think it is an excellent exhortation and I am definitely NOT WOF.
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#14
It is one thing to step out in faith when the Holy Spirit is leading in that matter. It is quite another to leap ahead of God in fact it is to tempt God when we expect Him to back our move.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 

OneFaith

Senior Member
Sep 5, 2016
2,270
369
83
#15
Using jumping off of cliffs is not the best choice to get your point across since we are not to. But I get your point. I would use how Moses was afraid to obey God- how he was not a good speaker and therefore not equipped for the job. But God sent his brother Aaron to help.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#16
Jumping off a cliff with a parachute on is similar to trusting in Jesus when the way is hard
No it's not it's trusting the parachute and the guy who packed it for the sake of thrill seeking...,,unless you are a search and rescue person.
 
Mar 23, 2016
6,732
1,630
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#17
Example of God having equipped us for the task He has called us to:

2 Corinthians 5:

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.


God has committed to us the Word of reconciliation. The word "committed" is the Greek word tithémi which means to place, lay, set. God places within the born again believer the Word whereby He reconciles the world to Himself. He entrusts us with this precious treasure and asks that we proclaim this Word of reconciliation to all who are lost.

We are ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador is one who is authorized to speak as Christ's delegate. An ambassador is given full authority. Webster's dictionary defines ambassador as

"a diplomatic agent accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment"​


Doesn't Ephesians 2:19 tell us we are fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God? And Philippians 3:20 tells us our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven. That is why God's Word refers to us as ambassadors. We are currently residents in this crooked and perverse nation but our true citizenship is in heaven.

And God has given us the task of ambassadors for Christ. And God has given us the means to fulfill our task – the Word of reconciliation which is committed to us. :cool:
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
5,486
183
63
#18
No it's not it's trusting the parachute and the guy who packed it for the sake of thrill seeking...,,unless you are a search and rescue person.
I can understand that you are thinking about Jesus' refusal to jump from the pinacle saying we should not put God to the test.

I think Ben is encouraging us to accept God's equipage for whatever task HE sets before us and not let our fears and reservations keep us from obedience.

The cliff and chute may not have been the best way to present it; but most of us got the point anyway.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,704
3,649
113
#19
Using jumping off of cliffs is not the best choice to get your point across since we are not to. But I get your point. I would use how Moses was afraid to obey God- how he was not a good speaker and therefore not equipped for the job. But God sent his brother Aaron to help.
This seems a bit different. Moses, being a prophet, had God speaking clearly to him from the burning bush..., sure, in that case, no prob.
 

joaniemarie

Senior Member
Jan 4, 2017
3,198
303
83
#20
There you are. Staring over a rugged cliff, sun blazing, wind whistling, and your heart racing. "Jump!" says a trusted confidant. Ready to leap, fully persuaded, you pause. In comes the naysayer, saying, "Do you not see how high we are? You could die. What if your parachute gets tangled up?" Oh, but your confidant has done this a thousand times, always going off without a hitch. They comfort you and assure you, "It is a soft landing, just pull your 'chute." You even have a back up parachute.

You will land softly. Yet, there is hesitation. Doubt and disbelief have clouded your judgement as you pay heed to the naysayer. What was once an easy task, a matter of trust, has become an obstacle due to a warped perspective. The whisper of an enemy.

This is akin to our obedience to God in this life challenged by our perception of the obstacles before us. They seem big. Appear to be insurmountable. Yet who, I ask, has called you? Who has sent you? Does God, the Lord, not equip those that are His? He does! Knowing this, that He equips those that are His, what fear has encapsulated you that must tremble in His presence? What doubt has blinded you, that the truth must heal? What mindset of scarcity has robbed you, in ignorance to His providence?

The Lord equips those that are His. If He has called you, He will equip you for the task at hand. Your fears, and doubts let them quake and be dismissed in acknowledgement of His providential sovereignty. Know this. He has equipped you. If the challenge comes, He will give you the victory to accomplish His will. What can overcome you when the Lord is with you? Nothing, even in the depths of flames His servants prevailed unscathed.

You are His. You are equipped. You are protected. Do not be hindered any longer.


I totally get what you are trying to say Ben. It's very obvious. When we walk by faith and not by sight it goes against every fiber of our flesh.

When we "do" anything in the spirit it's NOT without that obvious flesh reaction from our own flesh.., and unfortunately from the "flesh" reactions of others who can't fathom the faith walk literally. We know that in Christ., we have been given everything pertaining to life and Godliness. 2 Peter 1:1-3


Simon Peter, a servant and apostle (special messenger) of Jesus Christ, to those who have received (obtained an equal privilege of) like precious faith with ourselves in and through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
[SUP]
2 [/SUP]May grace (God’s favor) and peace (which is [SUP][a][/SUP]perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and [SUP][b][/SUP]freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, [SUP][c][/SUP]precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
[SUP]
3 [/SUP]For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [[SUP][d][/SUP]full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).


Jesus has equipped us for the journey.

We take that literally for our daily life. Not only for when we get to heaven... but for the here and now. We need the "all things" today. We won't need 'help' when we get to heaven.,, we will not have any problems to carry there. IT'S HERE. We don't need His power and help in the sweet by and by..... we need His help and power in the sour here and now.

AND PRAISE THE LORD JESUS... WE HAVE IT THROUGH THE PRESCRIBED AVENUE OF FAITH !!! :)
 
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