#Prophecy. Signs of Ambiguity.

Ambiguity is the number one cultural issue of our day. I realized ambiguity is behind the “why” people disregard end times prophecies.

When I was asked to include this topic in our documentary, honestly, my mind went to what’s the point – people of ambiguity dismiss Truth. However, after giving it some thought, I realized ambiguity is behind the “why” people disregard end times prophecies.

The ideology buried deep within the sin of ambiguity reminds me of a counseling case I had a few years back. A youth pastor of a megachurch approached me for discipleship. He is the father of three lovely children and was the husband of a Godly wife. He held one of the most coveted church positions within their denomination. After six months of quality Christ-as-Life discipleship, he stops me mid-sentence, saying, “You probably should know I am joining the gay community.” Not knowing his motive, I asked what he was confessing. He explained that he believed he was born gay and would leave his wife and church to lead a gay church in the inner city. No matter what angle I approached the subject or the Scriptures I presented, he remained loyal to his self-proclaimed philosophy of being open to more than one interpretation of the Word of God. He decided to discontinue the discipleship and divorce his wife. A few weeks later, his story hit front-page news in our city’s paper.  This story is a perfect example of ambiguity.

Ambivalence is the greatest enemy of the end times and is now the greatest threat to the Church. This pastor’s equivocation disrupted his family and church AND provoked a youth movement within the church community.

If you are unfamiliar with equivocation, it means “concealing the truth” or “avoiding committing oneself to absolute Truth.” In other words, doublespeak, which is a nasty habit our Millennial generation popularized.

Ambiguity is a meaning in which a phrase, statement, or resolution is not explicitly defined, making several interpretations plausible.

A common aspect of ambiguity is uncertainty, but passion and feelings dominate logic when uncertainty is fronted. Thus, it is an attribute of any idea or statement whose intended meaning cannot be resolved according to the governing mandates stated in documented absolute Truth. Logic becomes flawed, while passions take the forefront of reasoning. When ambiguity becomes habitual, a spiritual stronghold is established. Therefore, I believe ambiguity is the gateway to demonic spiritual strongholds. As per the norm, the world captures words and phrases to define age-old issues in the Bible. Ambiguity versus spiritual strongholds is one of them.

A stronghold is an area of darkness within our mind, will, and emotions that causes ongoing spiritual, emotional, or behavioral problems.

We can be genuinely born-again, indwelt by Jesus, and sincere in our faith, but constantly struggle with thoughts, emotions, and habits that wage war against our relationship with the indwelling Christ. We pray, study, and attempt to discipline ourselves, but we often find our problem is resistance to allowing the Life of Christ to manage our lives.

A stronghold is the fruit of death, resulting from believing a lie for an extended period. While it is true that authentic believers have the mind of Christ, the human mind allows a distorted or confused view of the views contained within the mind of Christ. The lie begins to dominate unless the believer has a healthy perspective of this passage.

 “For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:7-8)

People who believe and live lies might pray, but when they don’t get the answers that support their lies, they adjust all of life to manipulate the Truth, ultimately forming their view of answered prayers – stamping God’s approval on their sin, which is how they justify sinful behavior while proclaiming Christianity. Unfortunately, the inward lie will ultimately affect their faith, often renouncing their faith in Jesus Christ.

People of ambiguity must face the facts. The Word of God tells us that Satan is the father of lies. Realistically speaking, this reveals the deepest problem. Since full-on Truth is from Jesus’s Heavenly Father, we should understand that every lie is rooted in spiritual darkness and, more importantly, from the father of lies. A stronghold is formed as soon as the lie appears to overpower the Truth regularly, and then the nature of darkness becomes the individual's identity. 

IDENTITY OF DARKNESS

When stuck with an identity of darkness, a question must be asked: does Truth truly overcome lies? The quick answer is, of course, it does. Those trapped in a lifestyle of lies find Truth as the enemy that blocks their wants. Worse, they use the Truth to confirm their lies. As a counselor, I have learned the only way to combat this trap is by reinforcing this passage:

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)

You can learn what the full Armor of God practically looks like by reviewing Ephesians 6:11-20. But honestly, this passage is for willing, indwelt believers who have proper respect for authority. People of ambiguity rarely respect authority. Therefore, they are unwilling to be told what to do – via the Bible or leaders. In such cases, we must wait for that person to come to the end of their self-life, which is nothing short of a willingness to be instructed, corrected, and told what to do. However, in my experience, few allow the Lord to bring them to the end of themselves.

THE REASON

LIES SEEK CONTROL OVER SELF, OTHERS, AND EVEN GOD. LIES PRODUCE MOMENTARY PLEASURE. LIES ARE TYPICALLY ROOTED IN EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. LIES PRODUCE FALSE-MEMORY SYNDROME (FMS). FMS IS WHEN THE LIE CREATES FALSE MEMORIES TO JUSTIFY PRESENT BEHAVIOR. ONCE THE NEW MEMORY DOMINATES THE HUMAN MIND, RESTORING THE INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT A MIRACLE FROM GOD IS IMPOSSIBLE. YOU CAN ATTEMPT TO PROVE THEIR MEMORY IS FALSE, BUT IT IS TO NO AVAIL IN MOST CASES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ASSIST THE PERSON OF AMBIGUITY IN DETERMINING IF THEY ARE AUTHENTICALLY FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. IF THEY ARE NOT BORN-AGAIN, THEIR MIND IS DARKENED AND CONTROLLED BY THEIR UNREGENERATE NATURE. ALWAYS REMEMBER, FAKE CHRISTIANITY IS SATAN’S GREATEST TOOL.

People who suffer from this demise typically have a damaged conscience. Not only that, but their lies confess they are harkening to the voice of demons - paying more attention to deceitful spirits rather than the Spirit of the Lord.

It says in 1 Timothy 4:1-3, “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, utilizing the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.”

This passage reveals the “why” it is difficult to reach an ambivalent mind.

THE LIE

The lie of ambiguity is generally contrasted with vagueness. A person of ambiguity, particularly our youth, thrives on specific and distinct interpretations that defend their sinful habits, permitting them to be vague with Jesus Himself. Since Jesus doesn’t “do” vague, it would even be difficult for Him to form an acute interpretation of Biblical accuracy. Therefore, this puts the Lord in a position to act.

Romans 1:18-24 tells us, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.”  

We need to reach the minds of those who suffer from ambiguity – before it is too late. The “too late” is not when they die; it happens long before that; before their minds harden and enact the Romans' passage. I am all about Grace, but I am also realistic about the warnings stated in the Holy Scriptures. I believe every verse is for correction, reproof, and warning. Since this is the case, who has an ear to hear?

People of ambiguity cannot understand the end times prophecies.

The absolutes in the prophecies stir up a decision in their minds. Do they decide to drop their morbid interests in tantalizing their flesh or dive deeper into the absolutes of what God means by what He says? Their greatest hurdle is in the immovability of God’s predestined plan to end the world and its self-absorbed people. Since people of ambiguity are all about their selfish interests, this message most likely falls on culturally deaf ears.  Let’s face it. The End Times doctrines mess with the plans of the masses. Instead of preparing, most disengage and become people of ambiguity. Until next time.