“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God.” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB)

There is a philosophy of man floating around that is as old as the ages. I conversed with one of this philosophy’s evangelists recently. The poor person does not see they are ensnared by the very sin that caused Lucifer and one third of the angelic hosts to be cast out of God’s kingdom.

This person was trying to convince me that not only can we grow in likeness to God – truth; but that we can eventually sit with Him as equals – lie. This is the sin of Satan, who thought himself God’s equal, which quickly turned to desire to overthrow the One True God and be god in His place. Such arrogance and pride not only led to Lucifer’s eviction, but it is the lie Satan used to cause the fall of man, getting them cast out of Eden.

Lucifer came to Eve through the voice of a serpent, using a luscious looking piece of fruit. “If you eat this fruit, God knows you will be just like Him, equal to Him, knowing good and evil.” Pride, arrogance, desire to not only emulate God as He desires, but to be His equal. Before you come down too hard on Eve who was tempted through her curiosity, realize Adam fell too, not out of deceit, but from a place of willful disobedience; desiring to please Eve, yes, but he also wanted this great, God-like power.

God is ALL knowing, ALL powerful, ever present, complete and perfect within Himself. He needs no help to be all that He is in purity and perfection; and He cannot be tempted to the dark side of all He is. He is love and He, alone, is good. We can be neither apart from Him.

We cannot come close to Him apart from His provision for us. Only Jesus can open the curtain and empower us to draw near and gaze on His glory. We cannot do that and live apart from the blood covering of Christ. Which leads to another aspect of the falsehood spoken by this deceived disciple of Satan. He not only denies Christ, but the God who would require His will done His way. This is the spirit of Antichrist, active in the world today. Beware this satanic ploy.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. …” (2 Corinthians 10:3-7 NASB)

“… I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. …” (John 15:1-8 NASB)