#23 Culture | Misinformation
Dr. Stephen Phinney: Believers should emphasize the importance of speaking truth and avoiding deceit and falsehood - reminding believers to uphold integrity and honesty in their words and actions.
Misinformation has become a pervasive issue, spreading rapidly across digital platforms and significantly undermining public trust and informed decision-making.
Listen to the podcast version: Brought to you by donor Wendell Smock.
Conspiracies often teeter on the edge of truth, blending factual elements with speculation and falsehoods, creating a complex web that can easily deceive and manipulate individuals seeking simple explanations for complex issues.
THE ART OF SPINNING A CONSPIRACY
Conspiracies often contain a kernel of truth surrounded by layers of falsehoods and misinformation, making it challenging to discern reality from fiction and leaving individuals susceptible to manipulation and deception.
Satan was the first to spin a conspiracy by taking one truth from God and weaving it with multiple lies, as seen in the Garden of Eden when he deceived Eve by twisting God's words, leading humanity into sin and separation from God.
Satan has not changed his effective method of spinning the truth, continuing to mix elements of God's truth with deceitful lies, just as he did in the Garden of Eden, to mislead and confuse humanity.
ALL HUMAN MINDS SEEK TRUTH
All humans innately seek truth, striving to understand their world, culture, and their purpose within it. Thanks to God’s creation, this quest for truth is a fundamental aspect of human nature, driving individuals to explore, question, and learn. However, amidst this noble pursuit, many find themselves blinded to discerning truth from demonic conspiracies.
Satan, the master of deception, artfully blends fragments of truth with lies, creating a facade that can easily mislead and confuse. The allure of these distorted truths can cloud judgment, making it difficult for individuals to see through the deception and recognize the underlying falsehoods.
This blindness to demonic conspiracies is exacerbated by the noise and chaos of cultural movements. With the constant influx and change of information, opinions, and theories, distinguishing between genuine truth and cleverly crafted lies becomes increasingly challenging - particularly for our youth. Yet, the power of Yeshua offers clarity and discernment. By grounding ourselves in His Word and seeking the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can navigate through the deceptions and uncover the pure, unadulterated truth that God intends for us to know and live by.
DISCERNMENT IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THE MIND OF CHRIST
1 Corinthians 2:16 (ESV): "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.”
Discernment between truth and lie can be a daunting task in the midst of a world filled with deception. Without the indwelling mind of Yeshua, it becomes nearly impossible to navigate through the myriad of falsehoods that surround us.
Yeshua's presence within us grants the clarity and wisdom needed to distinguish between genuine truth and cleverly disguised lies. His Spirit illuminates our understanding, guiding us to embrace what is right and reject what is false. Through Yeshua, our minds are renewed and empowered to see through the deceit that seeks to lead us astray, enabling us to walk in the light of His truth with confidence and conviction.
Satan thrives on a culture of misinformation, using it as a key strategy to lay the groundwork for his forthcoming kingdom. By spreading lies and distorting the truth, he creates confusion and division among mindless people, making it difficult for them to discern reality from deceit. This pervasive atmosphere of misinformation weakens individuals' ability to make informed decisions as authentic believers and undermines their trust in reliable sources of Biblical truth. As a result, people become more susceptible to manipulation and control, aligning themselves with deceptive ideologies and agendas.
Satan's ultimate goal is to build a kingdom founded on falsehoods, where his influence reigns supreme, and the light of God's truth is obscured. However, the power of Yeshua offers believers the discernment and strength needed to see through these deceptions and stand firm in the truth.
THE PROBLEM
Over 90% of self-proclaimed believers report struggling to discern Yeshua's inner voice from their own self-talk, highlighting a widespread challenge in distinguishing indwelling divine guidance from personal thoughts and emotions.
In fact, less than 28% of Christians can clearly explain the difference between merely following Christ's principles and being indwelt by Him, revealing a significant gap in understanding the mind of Christ thinking through them through a personal relationship with Yeshua from the inside out.
That is a major problem!
Since Satan counts on the indwelling confusion most believers suffer, he has formed a global movement of misinformation. By exploiting the difficulty many have in discerning Yeshua's inner voice from their own self-talk, Satan spreads lies and distortions on a massive scale.
This movement of misinformation serves to further cloud the truth, leading individuals astray and deepening their spiritual confusion. Through this strategy, Satan aims to undermine faith, sow division, and weaken the effectiveness of believers in their mission. However, through the indwelling presence of Yeshua and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, believers can overcome this deception and stand firm in the truth.
This dilemma has led to the emergence of a lukewarm global think tank. The widespread inability to discern Yeshua's inner voice from self-talk, coupled with the confusion between following Christ's principles and being indwelt by Him, has diluted the spiritual fervor and clarity among many if not most, believers.
This state of confusion and lack of discernment has created a fertile ground for misinformation, leading to a weakened and complacent global Christian community. As a result, the effectiveness of believers, like me, in advancing God's kingdom and countering the enemy's deceptions is significantly compromised.
To overcome this challenge, believers must seek a deeper, indwelling relationship with Yeshua and rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, using their minds for true discernment and spiritual empowerment.
Romans 12:2 (ESV): "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Real-deal believers need to learn the power of releasing Yeshua's mind from within when viewing all cultural movements, allowing His divine wisdom and discernment to guide their understanding and response to the complexities and deceptions present in the world - through all the misinformation.
Those of us reporting on "the truth" are attacked as misinformation spreaders...that's all anyone needs to know.