Page 86 - The Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2009

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We have briefly looked at the three ways Paul states that the betrothed Bride of Christ (the Church) can
have her mind corrupted from “whole-hearted and pure devotion to Christ.” She can be deceived by
satanic preaching of “another Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel.” The parable of the Sower
reveals a fourth area of potential deception:

“…THE CARES AND ANXIETIES OF THE WORLD AND DISTRACTIONS OF THE AGE, AND THE PLEASURE
AND DELIGHT AND FALSE GLAMOUR AND DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, AND THE CRAVING AND
PASSIONATE DESIRE FOR OTHER THINGS CREEP IN AND CHOKE AND SUFFOCATE THE WORD,
AND IT BECOMES FRUITLESS.” Mark 4:19 Amplified Bible

Worldly deception can be just as deadly as spiritual deception. In fact, when Jesus told the parable of
the Marriage Supper, it was such worldly deception that sidetracked those that God had invited to the
marriage of His Son:

“THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A CERTAIN KING WHO ARRANGED A MARRIAGE FOR HIS SON AND
SENT OUT HIS SERVANTS TO CALL THOSE WHO WERE INVITED TO THE WEDDING; AND THEY WERE NOT
WILLING TO COME…THEY MADE LIGHT OF IT AND WENT THEIR OWN WAYS, ONE TO HIS OWN FARM,

ANOTHER TO HIS BUSINESS…MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN” Matt. 22:2-14 excerpts

The sister parable found in Luke gives us even more specific reasons why those who were invited chose
not to come:

“BUT THEY ALL WITH ONE ACCORD BEGAN TO MAKE EXCUSES. THE FIRST SAID TO HIM,’I HAVE BOUGHT
A PIECE OF GROUND, AND I MUST GO AND SEE IT. I ASK YOU TO HAVE ME EXCUSED.’ AND ANOTHER
SAID, ‘I HAVE BOUGHT FIVE YOKE OF OXEN, AND I AM GOING TO TEST THEM. I ASK YOU TO HAVE ME
EXCUSED.’ STILL ANOTHER SAID, ‘I HAVE MARRIED A WIFE, AND THEREFORE I CANNOT COME…’ “
Luke 14:18-20

Perhaps it would help to vividly see the prophetic time line of events that the Scriptures reveal pertaining
to the making of the Bride of Christ:

““……AA CCEERRTTAAIINN KKIINNGG ““TTHHEE KKIINNGGDDOOMM OOFF HHEEAAVVEENN ““……TTHHEE MMAARRRRIIAAGGEE OOFF TTHHEE
AARRRRAANNGGEEDD AA SSHHAALLLL BBEE LLIIKKEENNEEDD TTOO LLAAMMBB HHAASS CCOOMMEE,,
TTEENN VVIIRRGGIINNSS WWHHOO……
MMAARRRRIIAAGGEE FFOORR HHIISS AANNDD HHIISS WWIIFFEE HHAASS MMAADDEE
SSOONN……..TTHHEEYY WWEERREE WWEENNTT OOUUTT TTOO MMEEEETT TTHHEE HHEERRSSEELLFF RREEAADDYY.. AANNDD TTOO HHEERR
NNOOTT WWIILLLLIINNGG TTOO BBRRIIDDEEGGRROOOOMM……
CCOOMMEE……TTHHEEYY MMAADDEE IITT WWAASS GGRRAANNTTEEDD TTOO BBEE
LLIIGGHHTT OOFF IITT AANNDD FFIIVVEE OOFF TTHHEEMM WWEERREE WWIISSEE,, AARRRRAAYYEEDD IINN FFIINNEE LLIINNEENN,,
AANNDD FFIIVVEE WWEERREE FFOOOOLLIISSHH…… CCLLEEAANN AANNDD BBRRIIGGHHTT,, FFOORR TTHHEE
WWEENNTT TTHHEEIIRR TTHHEE BBRRIIDDEEGGRROOOOMM CCAAMMEE,, FFIINNEE LLIINNEENN IISS TTHHEE RRIIGGHHTTEEOOUUSS
WWAAYYSS…… AANNDD TTHHOOSSEE TTHHAATT WWEERREE RREEAADDYY
AACCTTSS OOFF TTHHEE SSAAIINNTTSS……
MMAANNYY AARREE CCAALLLLEEDD,, WWEENNTT IINN WWIITTHH HHIIMM BBLLEESSSSEEDD AARREE TTHHOOSSEE WWHHOO AARREE
BBUUTT FFEEWW TTOO TTHHEE WWEEDDDDIINNGG;;
AANNDD TTHHEE DDOOOORR WWAASS SSHHUUTT..”” CCAALLLLEEDD TTOO TTHHEE MMAARRRRIIAAGGEE
AARREE CCHHOOSSEENN…… SSUUPPPPEERR OOFF TTHHEE LLAAMMBB!!””
MMaatttt..2222::22,,1144 MMaatttt..2255::11--1100 RReevv..1199::77--99

Paul has given the beautiful higher revelation of why Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it:

“…CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT, THAT HE MIGHT SANCTIFY AND CLEANSE IT
WITH THE WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD, THAT HE MIGHT PRESENT IT TO HIMSELF A GLORIOUS
CHURCH, NOT HAVING SPOT OR WRINKLE OR ANY SUCH THING,
BUT THAT IT SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH…
THIS IS A GREAT MYSTERY, BUT I SPEAK CONCERNING
CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.”
Eph. 5:25-32 excerpts

However, as we have been considering, Paul also gave us the great warning of the attempt Satan
would make on God’s espoused Bride (the Church) to divert her away from the stated objective above:

“FOR I AM JEALOUS FOR YOU WITH GODLY JEALOUSY. FOR I HAVE BETROTHED YOU TO ONE HUSBAND,
THAT I MAY PRESENT YOU AS A CHASTE VIRGIN TO CHRIST.BUT I FEAR, LEST SOMEHOW,

AS THE SERPENT DECEIVED EVE BY HIS CRAFTINESS, SO YOUR MINDS MAY BE CORRUPTED FROM THE
SIMPLICITY (PURITY) THAT IS IN CHRIST. FOR IF HE WHO COMES PREACHES ANOTHER JESUS WHOM WE

HAVE NOT PREACHED, OR IF YOU RECEIVE A DIFFERENT SPIRIT WHICH YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED,
OR A DIFFERENT GOSPEL WHICH YOU HAVE NOT ACCEPTED, (I FEAR) YOU MAY WELL PUT UP WITH IT.”

2 Cor. 11: 1-4