CHAPTER 8
CONFUSION CONTINUES
Through one act of beguilement, the spirits of Confusion and Fear entered into the World. With these spirits came every evil spirit known and unknown to man. Through beguilement the Serpent became the author of confusion, as well as every evil thought and work which has been conceived in the hearts of mankind since the beginning. Confusion will remain a detriment to the souls of men until the day of Christ’s return to judge all of our deeds, whether good or bad.
Throughout the ages men have fallen prey to the Spirit of Confusion and the Babylonian System which it created. However, around two thousand years ago Babylon had a contentious encounter with the Spirit of Grace on a Hill outside of Jerusalem. Grace won, and Babylon lost, thus creating the way for mankind to once again know the Peace of God through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ.
WHY DOST THOU SHOW ME INIQUITY, AND CAUSE ME TO BEHOLD GRIEVANCE? FOR SPOILING AND VIOLENCE ARE BEFORE ME: AND THERE ARE THOSE THAT RAISE UP STRIFE AND CONTENTION. THEREFORE THE LAW IS SLACKENED (disregarded) AND JUDGMENT DOTH NEVER GO FORTH: FOR THE WICKED DOTH COMPASS (surrounds with confusion) ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS; THEREFORE THERE ARE WRONG JUDGMENTS WHICH PROCEEDETH. Habakkuk, Chapter 1, Verses 3-4.
Confusion causes our judgment to be clouded. Wrong decisions are made when the mind is confused. Man cannot make righteous judgments or decisions without the Counsel of God, especially those pertaining to spiritual matters. Strife and contention are the result of confusion. Fear will also cause people to make wrong choices. Carnal hearts and minds exacerbate the problems confusion brings in unrepentant men and women.
Habakkuk said that strife and contention caused by confusion impeded God’s Laws, good judgment and righteousness from being implemented. He said the righteous were surrounded (encompassed by their enemies) because they lacked the capacity to use proper judgment.
God’s people suffer because they lack Spiritual Understanding and Godly Judgment. People fail because their emotional and spiritual makeup qualifies them for failure. However, we have an advocate in Jesus Christ who has shown us how to cast down ungodly emotions, thoughts and the strongholds which are brought about by the Spirit of Confusion.
Christ, the Prince of Peace, frees us from the contentious Spirit of Confusion. We are free from the Law of Sin and Death because Christ has become our Peace through faith in His redemptive works. If we rely on and trust in God, we possess spiritual understanding which enables us to make the right decisions. Because of the redemptive works of Christ, we possess and use Godly Wisdom and Judgment.
Today many people are spiritually naked before the Lord and have no fear of the consequences sin brings. What many people lack today is a sincere “Fear of the Lord.” The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, but Wisdom escapes the ungodly. The ungodly will surely perish if they do not repent of their sins.
Shame in the Bible is a negative emotion which always comes as a result of sin. Adam sinned and hid himself from the Presence of God because he was afraid. Adam was afraid because he was naked and knew he could not stand before God without justification. The Shekinah Glory of God which had covered him in the beginning had departed from his Garden of Peace and Tranquility.
Adam was spiritually naked because he had sinned against God, and God’s Glory was no longer a covering for him. Sin always leaves man naked without a covering before God. The Blood drenched garment of Christ’s righteousness is the only garment which can wash away our sin and cover our shame (nakedness).
According to the Bible, Adam and Eve were naked before they sinned. They were unashamed because they were not cognizant they were naked. The Glory of God was the only covering they needed. There was nothing wrong with them being naked in the natural before each other because they were husband and wife.
Adam and Eve were clothed spiritually with the Glory or the Presence of God, and their natural nakedness was not a problem. Adam never really understood what it meant to be naked before God because he had never been without the Presence of God’s Glory. After Adam sinned and the Glory of God left him, he hid from God because he was fearful of the punishment he realized he would receive for his act of disobedience.
In the same way the Glory of God clothed Adam and Eve before the fall; the second Adam, Jesus, covers us with the Garment of His Precious and Righteous Blood. However, if every area of our soulish realm has not been clothed with that covering of Jesus’s Blood, nakedness and shame will be present. This explains why sometimes people have victory in some areas of their life. However, in other areas of their life, victory seems to escape them.
When we are born again by the Spirit of Christ, there are still mind-sets which have to be dealt with and overcome. We need to free ourselves from ALL the thoughts and imaginations which exalt themselves against God’s knowledge.
All thoughts which do not come into alignment with God’s Word are thoughts which must be cast down. We must put on the WHOLE armor of God in order to overcome every scheme and fiery dart of the Devil.
If we have not cast down and disposed of every earthly imagination, reason, philosophy or stronghold, our minds are left exposed to the Spirit of Confusion. The Spirit of Confusion comes to bring contention, strife and every evil work to any area of the mind which has not been spiritually cleansed, renewed and covered by the Blood of Christ.
TREACHERY
Confusion and fear reign in the hearts and minds of men today because they reject the whole Council of God. The Spirit of Confusion enters into the minds of men to deal treacherously with them. Confusion challenges the Word of God in believers today in an effort to entice them into believing and following after false doctrines. Unfortunately, many fall prey to Satan’s deception.
Confusion challenges, changes and perverts the Will and Way of God in the minds of men who choose to believe a lie rather than the Truth. Christians who have not been rooted and grounded in God’s Word are no match for the deceptive tactics of the Spirit of Confusion.
Jeremiah, Chapter 3, Verse 20 states: SURELY AS A WIFE TREACHEROUSLY DEPARTS FROM HER HUSBAND, SO HAVE YE DEALT TREACHEROUSLY WITH ME, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL, SAITH THE LORD.
The disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden was comparable to spiritual adultery. Spiritual adultery is a willful act of disobedience against the laws and precepts of God. Adam and Eve chose to play the harlot with the Serpent and ended up committing spiritual adultery. We see the Spirit of Adultery being passed down through the ages to the Nation of Israel, and is even prevalent today in many areas of the Church.
When Israel sinned against God their enemies always triumphed over them in battle. However, when they repented of their sins and turned from their wicked ways, God was always there to bring them victory. God has not changed, HE IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER. He still prefers justice over judgment. He is quick to forgive and faithful and just to cleanse men from all unrighteousness when they repent of their sins.
David wrote in Psalms 109, Verses 29-30: “LET MINE ADVERSARIES BE CLOTHED WITH SHAME, AND LET THEM COVER THEMSELVES WITH THEIR OWN CONFUSION, AS WITH A MANTLE. I WILL GREATLY PRAISE THE LORD WITH MY MOUTH, YEA, I WILL PRAISE HIM AMONG THE MULTITUDE.”
The enemy comes to strip us of the glorious covering of almighty God’s Presence, Grace and Glory. Satan comes to clothe us with shame and confusion. However, repentance and the Sacrifice of Praise unto our God will bring us VICTORY. The Blood of Jesus brings confusion to the enemy of our soul. Satan has no defense or weapon he can use or form against the Blood of Jesus. If the Princes of Darkness would have known the power which existed in the Blood of Jesus, they would never have crucified our Lord. The Blood of Jesus brings confusion and total defeat into the ranks of Satan and his Demons.
“WOE TO THE REBELLIOUS CHILDREN, SAITH THE LORD, THAT TAKE COUNSEL, BUT NOT OF ME, AND THAT COVER WITH A COVERING, BUT NOT OF MY SPIRIT, THAT THEY MAY ADD SIN TO SIN. THAT WALK TO GO DOWN INTO EGYPT (THE WORLD), AND HAVE NOT ASKED AT MY MOUTH; TO STRENGTHEN THEMSELVES IN THE STRENGTH OF PHARAOH (SATAN), AND TO TRUST IN THE SHADOW OF EGYPT (THE WORLD)! THEREFORE SHALL THE STRENGTH OF PHARAOH (SATAN) BE YOUR SHAME, AND THE TRUST IN THE SHADOW OF EGYPT (THE WORLD) YOUR CONFUSION.” Isaiah, Chapter 30, Verses 1-3.
God could not have made things any clearer than He stated in these Scriptures. If we listen to the voice of Serpent and eat of the Forbidden Fruit, we will suffer shame. If we trust in what Satan says, and we believe the lies he conjures up and plants in our minds, we will become confused. The consequence of believing and acting on the Serpent’s lies causes us to commit spiritual adultery against our Lord. Beguiling men into committing spiritual adultery is the sole (soul) purpose and mission of the Spirit of Confusion.
In Leviticus, Chapter 20, God called ALL forms of sexual perversion “nakedness and confusion.” All sexual perverseness wars against righteous behavior and is instigated by the Spirit of Confusion. I did a study on the word “shame” in the Old Testament; and everywhere I found the word “shame,” it was always related to “confusion and sexual perversion.”
The Spirit of Confusion wars against the Spirit of Truth, Godly Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom. Satan knows that Truth transforms the unregenerated heart and sets men free. Many times Israel rejected Godly Counsel and found themselves in bondage by the Spirit of Confusion. Because of their disobedience and rebellion they eventually ended up in Babylonian Captivity.
A person who is confused will miss God’s direction and counsel. Confusion always tries to draw men away from the Truth and the purpose and plan of God for their life. All who are not born again by the Spirit of God are under the spell of the Spirit of Confusion.
If we are seeking God daily we will not be easily deceived by Satan. We must diligently spend time prayerfully studying God’s Word in order to discern the evil plots and schemes of the Devil.
LOST IN THE WOODS
Several years ago I went hunting in the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area near Crossville, Tennessee. I walked out into the woods to hunt in an area where I had hunted many times before. I had a compass with me, but who checks their Compass when they are going into a familiar area?
After a couple of hours of hunting, I realized my surroundings did not look familiar. I turned around and started walking back in the direction where I thought I had entered the woods that morning. After walking for a long time, I realized I was lost for the first time in my life! I had hunted these woods for years, but always had a good idea of where I was at all times. Finding my way back to where I parked my truck, as far as I thought, would not be a problem. I was wrong.
I turned around and looked in all directions to see if any landmarks looked familiar—they did not! Suddenly, I realized I was lost in the woods. In an effort to find my way out of the woods, I walked around about two hours looking for something which looked familiar. Unfortunately, after walking around for a long time I found myself back at the same spot I was when I realized I was lost. When you are lost in the woods you can become disoriented which causes everything to look the same.
I cannot describe the emotions which started enveloping me. They were emotions of hopelessness, helplessness, confusion and fear. I turned from left to right and right to left looking for something which looked familiar. I was confused and did not know which direction I should go in order to find my way out of the woods. No matter in which direction I looked, everything looked the same.
Over the years I have read stories about people being lost in the woods and found dead of exposure after only a few days. Even seasoned hunters have been found dead within a quarter of a mile from their camps or vehicles because they became disoriented and confused.
For a moment I began to panic, but the Holy Spirit rose up within me. I immediately rebuked the Spirits of Fear and Confusion. I searched for a place to stay in case I had to spend the night in the woods. I found a big rock which I could use as a shelter. With a little food and water, and plenty of ammunition, I knew I could last a few days if no one found me. Spending the night in the woods would not be a very pleasant or warm experience, but I knew I would be safe “at the big rock”. The territory I was hunting in was very dangerous because many wild hogs, bears and big cats were known to roam that area of the Mountain.
After walking around a bit longer, I then remembered the Sun was behind me when I walked into the woods that morning. It was late afternoon now, and the Sun had long past its position at high Noon. After praying, the thought came to me that all I had to do to get back to my truck was to walk in the opposite direction of the Sun and keep the Sun at my back.
After all, I had the Sun at my back when I went into the woods, which would have been due East. With the Sun going down in the West, if I kept the Sun directly behind me, I would be walking back in the direction of my truck.
To make a long story short, I walked about two miles and found myself at the spot where I had entered into the woods. I had been in the woods most of the day and had probably been lost at least five hours. I hate to admit it, but that was not the last time I got lost in the woods. However, each time I remembered the lesson about the Sun, and had no trouble finding my way out.
Being lost without Christ is like “being lost in the woods” and not knowing in which direction to go. I had the presence of mind to rebuke the Spirits of Fear and Confusion and the feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. People who are not born again do not realize they are lost and wander this Worldly Wilderness without any spiritual direction.
People are born in sin, and spiritual confusion is a way of life for them. They do not realize they are walking around lost in the Wilderness. They do not realize they are living in BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY. Babylon means “CITY OF CONFUSION.” All who are not born of the Spirit of God dwell in Spiritual Babylon.
In the same manner, many Christians do not realize Satan has built up Babylonian type strongholds in their minds— which leaves them spiritually confused. They lack spiritual understanding concerning the all the ways of God and the ways of the enemy. They are beguiled by the Serpent as Adam and Eve were beguiled in Eden. However, God has given us every weapon in His arsenal to defeat our enemy, Satan.
We must not reject the Counsel of God. If we do, there are severe consequences we will face. Only the Blood of Jesus can free us from the beguilement of sin and its hellish consequences. Only Jesus can lead us out of the Wilderness into a place of Peace and Safety where the enemy cannot harm us.
Confusion perverts the ways of God, foments Rebellion and brings Judgment upon an unsuspecting soul. Where the Spirit of Confusion operates, every evil work lies in wait to perform the Serpent’s evil deeds.
God offers us Truth, Righteousness and Peace. The Spirit of Confusion will separate us from the love and counsel of God if we are not eating daily from the Tree of Life. If we let the Peace (Christ) of God rule in our lives, we will always recognize the enemy when he comes to steal, kill and destroy.
If we desire Peace or Wisdom, all we have to do is ask God for it; however, it is essential that we ask in faith with nothing wavering. First, we must CAST OFF the works of darkness and PUT ON the Light of God’s Truth and Understanding so we may defeat Satan.
We must possess the Spirit of Truth to combat the Spirit of Confusion. If I am full of the Spirit of Truth, I will find Peace, because the Spirit of Truth has set me free. If the Truth sets me free, I am free indeed--free to live and walk daily with the Prince of Peace as my Buckler and Shield.
When I was lost in the woods I searched for a landmark which would give me some direction. Without Christ, men have no spiritual direction. There is no hope or peace for mankind because he is lost, and without Christ he is lost in a Spiritual Wilderness. I always carried plenty of food, water and ammunition with me when hunting because I want to be prepared for any emergency I might encounter.
In Heavenly Realms Christ is my food and water. Jesus is the Bread of Life and the Living Water which sustains me as I travel this earthly Wilderness. This can be compared to the Children of Israel in the Wilderness. God fed them, and gave them shelter and water. The Rock I found when I was lost would give me shelter and keep me safe from predators when darkness fell. That rock could be compared to Christ the ROCK OF MY SALVATION. He is an EVER PRESENT HELP IN THE TIME OF NEED in a World filled with Darkness.
With the sun (Son) before me, I entered into the Wilderness to hunt. The light (Christ) of the sun helped me to see. The light gave me the ability to see where I was going. Using the sun (Son) as my direction, I was able to find my way out of the Wilderness and back to safety. We must always let The Son of God be our direction and our focus. Christ will always lead and guide us in the right direction where we can find Peace and Safety in the Tree of Life.
Our journey through life is like a trip through the Wilderness. Like the Children of Israel, we face many dangers and the schemes and fiery darts of the Devil. Moses, a type of Christ, led the Children of Israel through the Wilderness. Many of them did not want to follow the leadership of Moses and murmured and complained against him. Many of them died in the Wilderness because they failed to believe God would protect them and guide them safely to the PROMISED LAND.
In this life, as Followers of Christ, our destination is Heaven. We must be willing to be obedient and faithful as we follow Christ through this Wilderness into the Promised Land, Heaven.
If I am fully trusting in and following Christ as my Lord, the Spirit of Confusion cannot beguile me. Christ is my Protector, Buckler and Shield in every circumstance of life. When we build our house upon Christ, the Rock of our Salvation, the Gates of Hell CANNOT and will not prevail against it.