16/03/2021 - THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE APOSTLES

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But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out. Acts 14:14

The reaction of those who have the Holy Spirit in them is automatic when they see someone being used by the enemy. After all, it’s a life that’s committed to the kingdom of darkness. Even when in face of danger, servants of God speak the truth. Paul and Barnabas caused the multitude to understand right away that they didn’t have a clue of what was going on. Since they didn’t know the truth, what those people tried to do was evil in the Lord’s eyes: they were saying the devil was responsible for operating a miracle.

If someone comes and tells a dream in which God appeared, healed them from evil and then commanded them to start a religion based on the doctrine that the sick will be healed through dreams, it is our job to say that comes from the enemy. The truth is that the Lord would never do such a thing; but the devil would, in order to fool and destroy you.

Many times I’ve helped people who were tempted to believe in this kind of deceit. Most times, they thought it came from the Lord. Here’s a story from the state of Sao Paulo, in one of the towns in Vale do Paraiba: they say Jesus would show up to this lady and deliver messages, which she then disseminated. One day, during my TV show, I was used by God to say that many see Christ and believe it’s Him because He’s wearing white clothes, but in Revelation 19:13 it says that His clothes are dipped in blood.

That lady was shocked, because every time she received this visitation, “He” was wearing white clothes. She thought: “I wonder if I’m being fooled by the devil?”. That same night, “He” appeared with his clothes dipped in blood. She rebuked the unclean spirit that was behind that fake being, and it was gone and never appeared again. If God hadn’t used me in that situation, a new cult would probably have started.

Those who know the truth speak about the Scriptures, where no mistakes can be found. God’s directions should guide our lives in everything. There is no reason to be fooled by dangerous and illusory propaganda, which is capable of taking us away from the presence of the Father and leading us to the path of the wide door. To not share about the truth will make us responsible for the deceit that dominates people and those who believe in them.

What happened in Lystra was more than an innocent act of the priests of that false cult, whose temple was in that same city. It was an attack of the devil against humanity, which could lead many to fall, even those who believed in the message of the men of God. The evil one wanted to cause confusion. Risking to lose their lives, Paul and Barnabas begged them not to do that; after all, they were just servants of the Lord!

We have the obligation of helping those who, in every part of the world, hear the message of the cross. We can never accept offers that don’t come from God; otherwise, we will be blamed for the mistakes that will spread like fire in a dry bush. If many start believing in lies, it will be our fault. Accept only the orientation from the Bible and the heavenly Father’s testimony!

In Christ, with love,

Dr. Soares