The word imitate is defined as mimicking, impersonating, manipulating or copying the image,
behavior or likeness of
something or someone else.
I can vividly recall doing a teaching on "Dreams and their interpretations" when a particular lady asked if I could interpret a dream for her. I agreed, and the woman began telling her story. She said how the Lord is always speaking to her and how she dreams about famous people and these famous people in her dreams basically tell her that the Lord has called her to be a teacher, to evangelize, lead his people and that the Lord told her that she has the gift of prophecy, etc.
Anyway, while she was relaying this dream/story to me, there were red flags popping up in my spirit concerning what she claimed as the Lord speaking to her. I then asked this lady after she was done telling me her dream/story, "How do you know it was the Lord speaking to you?" The Lady paused for a moment and immediately became offended and began to verbally attack me by questioning my teachings on dreams and their interpretation" and who do I think I am to ask her how do I know if it was the Lord speaking to her. Well, her response was a dead give away as to what the Spirit of Truth (The Holy Spirit) was revealing to me at that time, which now brings us to today's teaching.
Many folks erroneously believe that every voice from the spirit realm or should I say any sound that is not accompanied by a body and seem to be spiritual is from the Lord. What folks need to understand is that the spirit realm is filled with many voices. These voices can either be Godly voices, such as God, Jesus, his angels, etc. Likewise One can hear the voice of Satan, his evil spirits, demons, etc. However differentiating these voices without being misled will be solely based on one's relation with God, in particular, their reading and studying the Bible. The Bible is a living book, simply because it's the word of God. God is a spirit, John 4:24 and the words that he speaks is spirit, John 6:63. John 1:1-2,14 says, "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was at the beginning with God. And the word was made flesh and dwell among us". Therefore, when we read the Bible whether we understand what we are reading or not, the spirit of God which is the word of God is feeding our spirit. This is likened to when we eat our food, whether we like the food or not whether the food tastes good or not it still provides nutrients to our bodies that result in energy for us to do whatever it is that we need to do.
Nevertheless, because this lady was not feeding her spirit via the word of God and as a result she was easily manipulated and mislead by the spirit realm via demonic forces of course impersonating, mimicking and copying the things of God. There was absolutely nothing to stop their activities but more importantly she was a co-conspirator to her own misleading due to her lack of spiritual knowledge. Trust me when I say to you there are many folks just like this lady who have reduced the Spirit of God to a performance. Such as being slain in the spirit, speaking in demonic tongues, supposedly having "spiritual convulsions" where they apparently have no control over their bodies and the so-called power of God toss them to and fro sometimes exposing their private parts. Question! If God is a God of order then why would he condone such disorderly acts among his people?
Well, let's review a few scripture to cement this spiritual understanding and hopefully this knowledge will make you the reader more of an avid reader of the word of God. In Exodus 7, God specifically said to Moses that he has made him a god before Pharaoh, the word god in this text comes from the Hebrew word Elohim which means a ruler or judge with divine connections. Moses and his brother Aaron was commissioned by God to go and demand that Pharaoh let the children of Israel go. God further said to Moses that when Pharaoh ask for a miracle from him, to prove that the God of Moses sent him, Moses must cast his rod to the ground and the rod that Moses cast to the ground would become a snake, which actually happened.
However, Satan and the powers of darkness loves to copy, mimic and imitate the things of God. Nonetheless, it is all done through demonic manipulation. Scripture records that Pharaoh sent for his wise men and the Sorcerers and the Magicians who also cast their staffs to the ground and through their enchantments caused their staff to become snakes also, Exodus 7:11-12. These same Magicians via their enchantments continued to mimic Moses' miracles in Exodus 7:22 and in Exodus 8:7. Again Pharaoh's Magicians are able to perform such "Miracles" via demonic manipulation. The question is, how would you be able to distinguish the difference if you were placed in a similar position? How many so called Prophets or preachers would have spoken a so called word of God over your life but due to you not being spiritually aware of their demonic manipulations you automatically thought it was God. What about those healing they claimed you got after they prayed for you when the truth is either the pain came back of the pain transferred from one area of your body to the next.
Scripture provides us with an abundance of knowledge as it relates to evil spirit replicating so-called miracles. In the Book of Revelations, John the Revelator said, "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet. For they are the spirits of devils working "MIRACLES," which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty," Revelation 16:13-14. So, it is crystal clear that not only can devils work miracles but particularly through false Prophets. How do you know if that Prophet that spoke over your life and performed a miracle wasn't an agent of Satan's camp manipulating you via demonic means? What did you use as a tester to discern the spirit emanating from this person? This is why Scripture clearly says to us, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try or test the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. At this moment know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: 1 John 4:1-3.
I am always left in a state of disarray when I meet up with folks who always have a word from the Lord. But at the same time when asked if they regularly read their bible or are they, frequent hearers of the word of God, they're hearing from God seems to always outweigh the feeding of their spirit via the word of God. Thus, I must now wonder are they really hearing the voice of God or the perpetrating voice of Satan?
My friend I can not emphasize enough the importance of feeding your inner man which is your spirit. It is excellent to give praise and worship, it is great to attend every conference, conclave and church meeting but it is of greater importance to acquaint yourself with the spirit of God via the word of God.
Scripture warns us again, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And marvel not; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also are transformed as the ministers of righteousness whose end shall be according to their works", 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.
My spiritual advice to you is simply this, ask God right now, to open your spiritual eyes and ears and overwhelm you with the spirit of discernment. Ask him to subject your flesh to his Holy Spirit, which is the spirit of truth, sent forth to guide us his children into all truth. Now, renounce all deception and manipulation performed by Satan and his false prophets unknowingly over your life and ask God to forgive you for neglecting his word and being lead by your own understanding in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!
Written By: Kevin L A Ewing
kevinewing@coralwave.com
kevinlaewing.blogspot.com