8/8/2019 Kingdom of God- Don't Be Deceived 2

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Kingdom of God- Don’t Be Deceived, Pt2 

The other day I posted Kingdom of God-Don’t Be Deceived, if you have not read that you may want to

before continuing on through this post.

So much of what we are taught in, so

called churches, is that God wants to bless

us. Though this is very true, it is only a part

of what God wants to do. Throughout

Scripture what we find much more than

God wanting to bless us is that God wants

to get the glory in and from our lives. This

is a very different perspective than “God

loves you and wants to bless you.” Let’s

take a few moments and ponder a passage

of God’s Word to find out what His real

heart is toward us. Let’s get started.

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.2

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given

Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.3

But fornication and all 

uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;4

neither 

 filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.5

For 

this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any 

inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.6

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of 

these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.7 

Therefore do not be partakers withthem.

8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 

9 (for the

 fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),10

finding out what is acceptable to the

Lord.11

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Ephesians 5:1-11 KNJV  

I would like to take and pull this passage apart and share with you some of the highlights Paul is

speaking to us.

Imitating God 

In verse one Paul tells us that we need to be “imitators of God.” How can sinners like you and me be

imitators of God? Paul tells us later on in Ephesians 5:18, “Be filled with the Spirit.” See the Spirit of God

brings glory to Christ in your life. He shows us how to please God. If you follow His leadings and not

grieve Him (see Ephesians 4:30) by doing things that He doesn’t want you to do. Or, quench the Spirit

(see 1 Thessalonians 5:19) by not doing the things that He wants you to do. If we obey the Spirit of Christ

then we can be imitators of God.

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The Saved Ain’t Sinning On Purpose

We live in a time were the gospel has been so watered down. We often get great motivational speeches

but no biblical gospel message. Pastors don’t deal with the root problem like they use to, but God does.

It is kinda hard to be like a holy, sinless God when we are focused on what makes us feel good. Your

pastor may not preach against having sex with someone that isn’t your spouse, but God does. You may

not hear a message that says, “don’t want what someone else has.” Yet, the Bible clearly calls this

covetousness and Paul says in verse 5 that it equals idol worship.

I know that the majority of the messages that you hear are about how God wants to take you to a great

dimension in Him. But, is it really Him that your pastor is preaching about? Or, is he or she just giving

you a good talk to help you want more of something that the world has to offer?

Don’t be deceived! I encourage you to go back and read verses 3-6 again. There is no inheritance in the

kingdom of God for anyone that is a habitual fornicator, continuously foul mouthed, nasty joke telling,

filthy minded person, nor if you bow down to your car, your house, your clothes, your partner, your

parents, or anything else.

These are not my words. This is what the Bible teaches. If you are under the impression that you are

head to heaven because you went up for an altar call but your lifestyle is patterned after the things

listed in verses 3-6, I have one piece of advice for you! DON’T BE DECEIVED! The saved ain’t running

around creating new ways of disobeying God. They are working out their “own soul salvation with fear

and trembling.” 

Say What? 

I watch a lot of preaching on youtube, most of it is what Paul calls in this text, “empty words.” These are

words that have no spiritual value. Their words may give you self-confidence, self-esteem, self-reliance,

cause you to be self-motivated. Their words may give you chills down your spine when they tell you,

“you can do better.” You may be able to run around the so call, church building, when they tell you that

“God wants to give you a better life.” However, the truth is that none of these “feelings,” have anything

to do with you being a kingdom citizen.

If you really want the truth, I’ll tell it to you since it is just you and me, all of these messages amount to

one thing—idol worship. See whenever you are on the throne of your own heart and you think that God

is your genie in a bottle. What you care about most is not Him but you! How can God get the glory out of 

you having confidence in you? How can He get the glory when your esteem is self-esteem and not God-

esteem? The message of most of the so called churches in America is, “tell God what you want and He

will give it to you.” Notice that is more of you than God.

Do be deceived by the message of “God wants to bless you.” It’s not about you it is about God getting

the glory out of your life in any way He sees fit.

We hear so much about the love of God that I think many people forget that God promises wrath to all

those who make a habit and lifestyle of disobeying Him. I want to say it again. Don’t be deceived! The

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wrath of God must come down on all those who disobey Him. No matter how many alter calls you have

stood at, or how much you shout and praise God. Disobedient people do not get the privilege of heaven.

Exposing the Works of Darkness

As kingdom citizens our first responsibility through the power of the Holy Spirit is to be light (see verse

8). We were once darkness, but not anymore. We once lived lives that we did whatever we wanted to

do, but now we are children of light. Now we live, walk, talk, think and act as “children of light.” 

Our second responsibility according to Paul is to find “out what is acceptable to the Lord.” We want God

to commend us and not us measuring ourselves by our own measuring stick. So we, search the

scriptures, pray, fast, listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit, listen to godly counsel from godly people.

We do all of this so that we can find out what is pleasing to the Lord.

Thirdly, Paul suggests that once we walk as children of light and know what is acceptable to the Lord, we

expose the works of darkness. It goes without saying that you can’t be a part of the darkness and call

yourself exposing it. You have to be light and know what God calls darkness. Not what your grandmacalls darkness, or what deacon SexYourCousin calls darkness, but what God calls darkness. Then we have

the tools we need to expose darkness.

Are you a part of the darkness or a part of the light? Do deceive yourself. If you are not living up to this

passage of Scripture and find that you have no inheritance in the kingdom of God there is still hope for

you. You can begin to seek God now. Don’t wait and let the Devil talk you out of it. Begin to seek God

now and let Him know that you what to surrender to Him.

Need more information to help you develop a Kingdom of God lifestyle, Live a Life

of peace or Living through the power of the Holy Spirit? You can find out more at

MikelSanders.com