The Book of Witness

As recent events reveal a rise in the popularity of false teachings and spiritual lawlessness, it has never been more crucial for believers to discern deception and guard the faith.

Drawing insights from Jesus' teachings in Matthew 24, this article explores the importance of not being troubled by these signs but finding solid ground in life-changing encounters with the Word of God.

---

The Signs of the Times

(Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭5)

There appears to be much turmoil in the Body of Christ in recent times, especially around what is recognized as Truth. However, a student of Scripture will recognize that these are the manifested signs of the times Jesus said would come:

"Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled." (Matthew 24:4-6)

The full scope of these signs sound rough, especially if we don't account for the words "see that you are not troubled." I use the term "account" intentionally because it means to consider carefully and esteem of importance. To not be troubled by these signs is a command, since anxiety breeds fears and crushes faith. Moreover, there is encouragement in the fact that these signs mean that this age will soon give way to another—a most beautiful age, for those who believe anyway. Coming from a life lived deep in the bowels of carnality and the systems of this world, I can attest that anyone who lives considering that this present age is all that there is, is chronically depressed and painfully unhappy. It doesn't matter how many things they have. Deep down, we all know that money has grave limitations—and the wealthy know this the more—but poverty limits clear thinking, which is why the Kingdom of God is against it. God does want the best for us, both in this life and in the age to come.

But that was not all Jesus said about the last days, and I want to spend time today on the aspect of what we are seeing today:

“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:11-12)

There is a wave of deception sweeping across the Body in recent times, which is upsetting because of the profanity of our Love in God. But there is no earthly challenge for which a Kingdom defense has not already been established from eternity past. When I saw the latest abomination making rounds in the media from a false prophet who has spread his fair share of perversions of God's word, I was triggered. Not only is fornication absolutely a sin, and there are multiple scriptures to prove that, but there is also a disturbing lack of a connection between him and the Spirit that bears witness with ours, that we are the sons of God.

I know this because I was once there: at the start of my journey with God, I straddled that fence of mediocrity tightly, seeking God yet holding on to the world in sin—including sin against my body (1 Corinthians 6:18). In fact, I was able to convince some around me that God cared little for sexual immorality. I was already praying a lot by this time, but in all fairness, not yet baptized in the Holy Spirit (as evidenced by tongues of the Spirit). My perspective began to change only when I yielded to studying the Word of God because then the renewal of my reprobate mind from perversion could begin. I suppose the difference is that in my ignorance, I did not put on a self-proclaimed title of Prophet and mount a platform to deceive God's people (well, only close friends who probably only listened to me because I justified their own lusts).

And that is exactly the danger we face today: false teachings and prophets appeal to the unrenewed, reprobate, and perverse mind of the carnal man. There are many carnal believers, and I admit I was one of them. It holds no true meaning to simply "give your life to Christ" if you do not follow and obey His teachings, as stated in Luke 6:46. The Word of God is designed to safeguard us from both self-deception and deception by others.

After witnessing the latest widespread abomination, I felt compelled to speak up. However, I do not write because I have something to say; I write because God has something to say through me. Studying Jesus' perspective on these present times, our safeguard is found:

"But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:13-14)

The Witness that will stand across nations in the last days, is the Word of God. It is our defense against the deceptions of falsehood in the end of this age. As falsehood threatens the truth, it is imperative that this Truth spreads even further, and deeper within. This responsibility rests on every believer; that we will know, proclaim and exemplify the message of the Gospel.

The Witness of the Word

(A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful. Proverbs 4:25)

I fondly began to call the Bible the “Book of Witness”, as this timely lesson was funneled into my spirit this week. In Matthew 18:20, it is written that when two or three gather in the name of the Lord, He is present among them. Additionally, 2 Corinthians 13:1 emphasizes the establishment of every word through the testimony of two or three witnesses. The correlation between these scriptures (including the requirement in Deuteronomy for two or three witnesses to validate a claim) may not be immediately apparent, but the Bible deliberately chooses its references and faithfully adheres to its own principles, as surely as God upholds His Word above His own authority (Psalm 138:2).

Scripture also states that “there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit” (1 John 5:7). So Matthew 18:20 not only confirms the Presence of God in a gathering, but also reveals what constitutes a true witness under the authority of Scripture. John affirms the full Word of God as a Witness - a living, dynamic entity - comprising witnesses in every verse, all harmoniously pointing in one direction:

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” John 5:39

Allow me to share another story from the early days of my journey, despite the inherent embarrassment that comes with it now. However, an integral part of salvation involves releasing the shame that Jesus willingly bore on our behalf, even when we rejected Him through our actions. Through sharing my confessions, I hope to assist others who may still find themselves in a similar predicament. In retrospect, it is clear that I once professed the name of God without embodying godly character, as cautioned in 2 Timothy 3:5.

All my life I have been an avid reader, and an intellectual at my core. During those initial stages of seeking God, I devoured numerous sources of knowledge—everything except the Bible. Growing up in the Catholic Church and attending Catholic school, I had encountered Scripture extensively, and my recollection surpassed that of many self-proclaimed Christians around me. Yet, in those days, their lack of biblical knowledge failed to impress me. To be frank, a part of me—driven by a reprobate, perverse, and carnal nature—was resistant to accepting the entirety of the Bible as truth. I questioned how I could possibly live according to its teachings. At that time, it seemed unappealing and dull compared to the "works"-oriented nature of New Age religions and the allure of meditative practices which did not impress any sort of purity, holiness or transformation of the soul.

But following my encounter in late 2020 I was stirred up to delve into the Holy Scriptures. Despite my mental familiarity with a generous portion of Bible verses, I sensed that something was missing. This prompting to study God's Word was the work of the Holy Spirit, who aimed to transform my spiritual destitution—manifesting in ways not immediately evident to me—by renewing my mind and providing the Spirit with fertile ground to operate. This exemplifies just one role of the Word's witness in conjunction with the witness of the Spirit.

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” James 1:21

The engrafted Word holds a unique role within us, one that prayer alone cannot fulfill. Not even deliverance can accomplish what the Word can. We see an example of this in the story of the madman at Gadara, who, after being delivered by Jesus, sat with Him to study. This illustrates that the only path to renewing our minds and permanently overcoming the rampant madness that afflicts our souls for various reasons is through the Word. I have personally witnessed that a significant reason why even "high-performing" believers fall back into old ways is due to a bankruptcy of the Word. I learned this lesson the hard way after I completed my last run-through of the Bible and became lax in my Word studies, resting on my laurels. As time passed, I felt a surge of cravings, a stirring of carnality, and the resurgence of old patterns that threatened to consume.

Friends, it is easy to fall down the holy hill of the Lord (Psalm 24:3), but it is a tough task to rise back up again. Sadly, many never do, so I consider myself fortunate. Consequently, I learned, albeit the hard way, that the renewal of the mind must be a consistent endeavor. This life is ultimately a battleground of mind control.

When we are deep in the Word it has a hold on our soul; and when we let go, believe me that there are many forces competing for the control of our minds - and the take over of our souls. We can pray down fire over these issues all day long, but the ministry of prayer is only as effective as the Witness of the Word we have within us (Ephesians 3:20). If I had all the time, I would connect this fact to the structure of the Holy Place of the Tabernacle in the Old Testament (the position and meaning of the Lamp and the Table of showbread) all the way to John’s words in 1 John 5:7 - but I trust us to further study these things, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

Indeed, the Word of God is our spiritual sword (Hebrews 4:12), while prayer provides the necessary fuel. Without a weapon, what use is energy? The very concept of "Dunamis" — one of the four types of power mentioned in the Bible, associated with prayer, and available to every believer — implies a generated energy that empowers and enables us to do work. This force has an impact proportionate to its application: a massive force behind a feather will, at best, tickle an opponent, but when that same force is behind a sword, it will sever many heads.

The Fullness of Scripture

(All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:1)

At the start of my journey in 2020, and even immediately following my first “Road to Damascus” encounter with the Truth Himself, I explored various spiritual texts, excluding one significant source—the Bible. A teacher of mine recently compared reading other Christian writings to taking vitamins, emphasizing the Word of God as our spiritual sustenance (Matthew 4:4). Just as vitamins alone cannot adequately nourish us without proper food, so too can reading spiritual texts without the Word of God leave us spiritually deficient.

It is both astonishing and concerning that many believers intentionally avoid engaging with the Book of Witness. This avoidance goes beyond mere indifference; it represents a strategic blindness and spiritual warfare (2 Corinthians 4:4). By neglecting the witness of the Word, God's people become susceptible to false teachings that appeal to their reprobate minds, including the deplorable notion that fornication is not a sin—an utterly disgraceful distortion of the truth. God has consistently referenced all deviant human behavior as harlotry and fornication.

You may be surprised to discover the excuses often given by Christians, or perhaps more accurately, convenience believers, to justify neglecting to study the Word. However, I am not surprised, as I once used a variety of these excuses myself. It is evident that the god of this age has blinded them, but they must eventually acknowledge their lack of submission and take ownership of their own heart posture. I did. Let's examine the top two excuses I have encountered in my own experience:

• "Men wrote the Bible" -

It is true that men physically penned the words of the Bible, but we must not overlook the divine inspiration behind its authorship. Jesus Himself affirmed that the Scriptures bear witness of Him (John 5:39). To believe in Jesus is to believe in the Word, for He is the Word made flesh. Scripture reveals the way God operates, and from it we can see that God works on earth through humans since the first Sabbath day when He rested. In the same way God did not need to physically write down every word of Scripture; instead, He used men as vessels to convey His message.

• "I only need to read the New Testament" or "-the 4 books Jesus is featured in" -

Let us settle the debate between the Old and New Testaments once and for all, for it is a deceptive tactic that blinds us to the truth. Those who argue for such a division likely have not actually studied the New Testament or they would have more questions than answers. For instance, the significance of Jesus' post-resurrection journey to Emmaus. It was during this encounter that Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples, explaining everything concerning Himself through the Books of Moses and the Prophets (Luke 24:27). The New Testament not only illuminates the ways of God in the Old Testament but also fulfills them. Disregarding either testament limits believers, as every verse in the Bible is interconnected, affirming the beauty and self-validating nature of Scripture.

Reading the Word of God offers numerous benefits that are worth mentioning. One remarkable benefit I discovered recently is that it opens us up to divine encounters, which is something we all desire. As I regained my spiritual footing after the mentioned setback, I began to notice a significant transformation in my visions and dreams. They became more vivid and filled with beauty, while my spirit grew stronger, and my intimacy with the Lord deepened. Intrigued by this experience, I turned to the Holy Spirit for guidance, and unsurprisingly, He directed me to the Word of God to uncover its meaning.

When [Jacob] reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set and lay down to sleep. He had a dream and saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham, and the God of Isaac.."

When he awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware.” (Genesis 28:10-17)

The Lord had indeed been there: the place was Bethel, where Abraham had setup an altar and offered sacrifices to God multiple times, centuries before. Jacob was walking in the steps of his earthly fathers, which opened him up to divine encounters.

Similarly, when we engage with the Scriptures, we walk in the path of holy men and women who wholeheartedly served God, offering their lives as sacrifices. This connection to their faith and devotion opens us up to profound and beautiful encounters with God. No matter how many times I read the Bible, Aaron's death brings me to tears, I feel Joshua's burdens after Moses' death, and the sorrowful passion of Jesus sears my heart.

As I walk in their footsteps my spiritual capacity increases, and my soul yields to God's government even more. I realize now that this alignment positions me for ever-deepening divine encounters that continually surpass my expectations.

---

Grace-Grace.