LET HIM BE CRUCIFIED!

Now,   Jesus   stood  before  the  governor.  And  the  governor  asked  Him,  saying,  “Are  You  the  King  of  the  Jews?”  Jesus   said  to  him,  “It  is  as  you  say.”

“While  he  was  sitting  on  the  judgment  seat,  his  wife  sent  to  him,  saying  “Have  nothing  to  do  with  that  just  Man,  for  I  have  suffered  many  things  today  in  a  dream  because  of  Him.” 

“But  the  chief  priests  and  elders  persuaded  the  multitudes  that  they  should  ask  for  Barabbas  and  destroy  Jesus.”

“The  governor  answered  and  said  to  them,  “Which  of  the  two  do  you  want  me  to  release  to  you?”  They  said,  “Barabbas!”  “For  he  knew  that  they  had  handed  Him over  because  of  envy.”  Matthew  27:11-21, NKJV.

More  than  two  thousand  years  after  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus,  the  question  is  still  as  relevant  as  the  day  it  happened:  Jesus  or  another?  It  may  sound   strange  that  this  question  should  be  asked.  The  truth  is  that  as  the  second  coming  of  Jesus  becomes  nearer,  the  attacks  of  the  enemy  is  heightened  and  deception  is  becoming  as  fine- tuned  as  ever. 

If   we  look  beyond  the  flesh  and  apply  spiritual  discernment,  we  can  see  how  the  devil  manipulated  the  people   in  the  form  of  the  chief  priests,  scribes  and  elders,  to  ask  for  Jesus  to  be  crucified, although it was God's plan to offer Him for the sins of the world.

Looking  back into history; from Old Testament times, every mass killing of innocent people, like the Holocaust, Rwanda genocide, the use of religion as target against people, have tags that make one ask, 'How  could  so  many  be  enticed  to  take  part  in  such  evil?'

Behind the manipulations is sorcery and Satan is the master of sorcery.

Paul the apostle recognised that  there's a spirit that controls the heart to work in opposition to the truth, the demonic seducing spirits that manifest in the form of witchcraft and sorcery. It was the reason he asked the Galatian  church who  bewitched  them  to  forsake  the  truth:  Galatians 3:1.

The Book of Revelation warns that those who practice witchcraft and sorcery, the sexually immoral will not enter heaven--Revelation 21:8.

The  question  is;   can  this  happen  again?  Can  today’s  chief  priests,  scribes  and  elders, religious leaders, lure   people  into  the  hand of  Satan  instead  of  the  way  of  salvation  as  Christ’s  Second coming  becomes  nearer?  

Or  put  it  this  way,  Is  it   possible  that  people  can  be  deceived  into  the  hand  of  the  anti-Christ? 

Two  thousand  years  ago  the  voice  of  a  few   became  the  voice  of  the  majority. We have seen in recent past, how minority are moved into powerful and influential positions to promote agenda that are against the Truth, agenda that cost human lives, and are destructive to society as a whole. 

Jesus  said  in  Mark  7:15,  that  nothing  that  goes  into  a  man  can  defile  him,  but  what  comes  out  of  him.  In  other   words,  the  words  and  habit  that form  root  in  the  heart  can become a stronghold of wickedness, so that what comes out of the mouth reflects what is in the heart, that is rooted in the soul.

 Jesus shared a parable about weeds and wheat--Matthew 13:24-30. In the parable, the wheat and weed grew together, and at the initial stage, there was no difference by merely looking at the blade--outward appearance.

Mistaking weed for wheat

The danger that the church faces if operating without the Holy Spirit is in lacking spiritual discernment that makes it possible to identify the spirits in operation. People can dress in a certain way, speak religiously but operate in a spirit that denies the Deity of Jesus, as written in the Scriptures, sign that it is the spirit of the anti-Christ---1John 2:22, 1 John 4:3.

This error which has been carefully planted in the world and fine-tuned over centuries to give credibility, was responsible for God's anger against the world going back to Noah's time. But many still believe in religions that promote sexual immorality, religions that reward with sexual wickedness disguised with outward dressing of piety and spirituality.

The true God is the only One who hates sin because He is Holy. In no other religion has their god sentenced sin to death, and paid with His Holy and Righteous Life to free humanity from manipulations. Instead they create shrines where they are worshiped by performing immoral acts to please them--keeping shrine prostitutes.

The abominable acts of the Roman church was the sexual immorality of the popes for which the Borgia's were famous.

The  lifestyle  and  customs  of  the  world  was  lived   within  the  church, as it had become a commercial and political organ.  We  are  called  to  expose  what  is  evil to prevent deception within the body.

A church that shuts its doors to the Holy Spirit is one that operates with blindfolds and is interested in pleasing stakeholders.  

Therefore today's  church  must  not  make  the  same  mistake  the  crowd  made,  by rejecting the Bread of Life and asking for food that does not satisfy or drink that cannot quench thirst.  

We all want revival in our communities, but having that light and loosing it is easy when the truth is made an occasional fad.

Remembering the Crucifixion

Good Friday should feel us with shame whenever we seek to coverup sin, all because the perpetrator is in leadership. The cross is a powerful reminder of the cost that was paid to free us from the love of sinning. Every person whatever the position, are equal in His presence, as all are accountable to Him.

The Bible warns of the danger of wolves in sheep's clothing who operate as ministers of righteousness, the danger it causes the body of Christ.

Sadly, this is often overlooked and not addressed as the reason many have given up gathering, as cases of abuse are ignored.

We should show ourselves to be loyal to Christ by seeking to do His will, not that of an organisation, as we hurt God's Kingdom.

I will never forget the day in 2013, when people were so engrossed in lifting up religion above the relationship  with Christ, something that left me concerned. As I reflected on what was going on, I  heard  my  name   called,  and  the  Holy  Spirit, addressed  me by name. The LORD said, “I  love  My  church.” 

I turned and saw the LORD, and He looked sad by what was happening to His church. I will never forget the look on His face.

“Who  then  is  a  faithful  and  wise  servant,  whom  his  master  made  ruler  over  his  household, to  give  them  food  in  due  season?   Blessed  is  that  servant  whom  his  master,  when  he  comes,  will  find  so  doing.”  Matthew  24 :45-46.

“But  whoever  causes  one  of  these  little  ones  who  believe  in  Me  to  stumble,  it  would  be  better  for  him  if  a  millstone  were  hung  around  his  neck,  and  he  were  thrown  into  the  sea.”  Mark  9 :42,  NKJV.