Signs, Wonders and Deception???

One of the biggest arguments against the supernatural among an increasingly fringe element in the church is rooted in the fear of deception. What do we say to folks who seem to believe that everything supernatural—anything that cannot be explained—is dangerous? For a longer answer, I would invite them to read books such as J.P. Moreland’s Kingdom Triangle and Jack Deere’s Surprised by the Power of God, but following are a few of my thoughts, thoughts on avoiding deception in these days of increasing numbers of signs, wonders, and miracles. 

It seems unlikely that the enemy it will be blatant and obvious in his deceptions. It seems more likely that he will attempt to appear genuine and trustworthy  and inject only the slightest little twinge of evil in order to slowly and carefully lead people astray. Given this assumption, it's conceivable that someone could start out genuine but be led into error if they are not watchful, alert and submitted to Scripture and others in the body of Christ. Others in the Body of Christ includes those who have gone before us. Humility towards those we discover in church history is in order in this matter. Why? If folks who move in supernatural power don’t remain humble and open to input from others, they could be led astray and others with them. 

Does this mean that we pull back from the miraculous? Absolutely not! That would be even more dangerous because it would leave the enemy as the only one who had power. No, we must press in just as the early church did and ask persistently for boldness and signs, wonders and miracles to be done in the name of Jesus. But that last phrase becomes a key for us all in avoiding deception, because it shows us to whom the glory belongs and from whom the power comes and for whose purposes the power is exercised. Remembering those things will certainly steer us away from being deceived by the miraculous. And there are other things that will help as well. These things include remaining in humility and in mutual submission to one another; remaining in submission to God's Word and to what has been shown to us from those who have gone before; praying for and exercising discernment—we will need discernment in great measure. If all of these are part of our life as well as obviously part of those who seem to move in exceptional power, then we will not be deceived. For more on this, check out Matthew 7:15-23!

So as for me, I will press in ever harder to see the same level of power as was present in the early church present in my life and in the Body of Christ around the world. But I will do so in humility, with Isaiah 42 as my “model for ministry” and with many brothers and sisters around me to speak into my life as needed. I will do so with a desire to have only God honored by what happens and with a commitment to have the Holy Spirit and God’s word search me continually. What about you?

Stay lost, absolutely drowned, in God's love!

Tom, Abba's least child