Page 99 - The Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2009

“IN THIS MANNER, THEREFORE, PRAY:

It is important to grasp that the Lord’s Prayer (both halves) was specifically given to govern the lives of
God’s people. It was not given to become some kind of a sanctimonious and nebulous religious guide
for special events in the lives of unbelievers in this present world (as it has indeed become).
We are warned by Paul concerning our interaction with Satan:

“…LEST SATAN SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US,
FOR WE ARE NOT IGNORANT OF HIS DEVICES.”
2 Cor. 2:11

By means of cherished traditions, modern-day Christianity has become very ignorant of Satan’s
devices. For instance, what Satan has done with the contents of the Lord’s Prayer is to reduce it to
meaningless dribble on the lips of the unsaved world through rote memorization that is divorced from
its true purpose and intent. Satan’s strategy is to take great biblical truths and erode their effectiveness
by over familiarity and misapplication by the world. This is Satan’s premiere strategy:

AATTTTAACCHH AA LLIITTTTLLEE TTRRUUTTHH TTOO AA LLOOTT OOFF WWOORRLLDDLLYY TTRRAADDIITTIIOONN AANNDD TTHHEE RREESSUULLTT IISS
TTOO MMAAKKEE TTHHEE WWOORRDD OOFF GGOODD OOFF NNOO PPRRAACCTTIICCAALL EEFFFFEECCTT
((sseeeepprrininccipipleleininMMaarrkk77::66--1133))..

For example, take the great event of the birth of Christ and look at what Satan has done with it.The

whole “civilized” world celebrates the birth of Christ along with a host of pagan-based traditions Satan

has attached to it under the banner of “Christmas.” Catholicism moved the celebration of the birth of

Christ from the biblical time of the Fall Feasts of the Lord (Tabernacles) and purposely placed it on the

festive day of the pagan-based celebration of the Winter Solstice (Dec.25th) which was totally

dedicated to worshipping the S-u-n as a god rather than the S-o-n. The result is that today we have

Jesus and the manger scene shoved under the same pagan-based Christmas tree worshipped in

ancient times: “DO NOT LEARN THE WAY OF THE GENTILES…FOR THE CUSTOMS OF THE PEOPLE
ARE FUTILE: FOR ONE CUTS A TREE FROM THE FOREST…THEY DECORATE WITH

SILVER AND GOLD; THEY FASTEN IT WITH NAILS AND HAMMERS SO THAT IT WILL
NOT TOPPLE. THEY ARE UPRIGHT, LIKE A PALM TREE…” Jer. 10:1-4

Also widely embraced is mistletoe,Yule logs and Santa Claus right along with the birth of baby Jesus.

Which gets first billing?

Likewise, take the monumental event of the resurrection of Christ. It too occurred on a biblical Feast
day (Firstfruits) according to the apostle Paul (1 Cor. 15:20-23). However, Satan has taken this
monumental event and diminished its significance by attaching to it the world-wide acceptance (even
among Christians) of pagan-based “Easter” (Ishtar-goddess of fertility). Thus the resurrection of Christ
becomes buried among a myriad of fertility symbols such as “Easter bunnies and Easter eggs.” Attach
a little truth to a lot of worldly tradition and the result is to make the Word of God of no practical effect.

Should we not be bothered that the world around us celebrates their own perverted version of the birth
of Christ and the resurrection of Christ? Should we not be bothered that CHRISTIANS celebrate those
same perverted versions of truth-Christmas and Easter? Should we not be bothered that the Lord’s
Prayer is also widely quoted by the unsaved pagan-based world? Can we not see what Satan is doing
to concepts of Scripture that should be sacred and cherished truths given to the people of God?