I thank for His amazing long-suffering and patience…

“There are certain things that leave open doors for the enemy to enter a life and deceive - sabotaging their life and relationship with God - because those open doors these things leave makes one an actual willing partner in a very dangerous spiritual unholy alliance.

Rebellion, pride, deception, and a refusal to die to self, crucifying the flesh swing the doors wide open. Take appropriate measures to seal them shut.

These are demonic influences causing one to become more and more like the father of lies instead of being transformed to become more and more like Jesus.

Eventually they create in a person a spiritual assassin, used by the enemy - without even realizing it, against the people of God.

But this is a not random thing to become like this - it is the spiritual consequences of the continuous willfull sin of rejecting God’s ways and God’s truth - and refusing and stifling conviction so that one is no longer able to see the need to repent.

This all begins with the deception of always choosing the easy path, followed by thinking, that one is the exception to every rule. This causes contempt for godly wisdom and leads to rebellion taking one completely over. It is not possible to only “dabble” in rebellion and selfish ambitions - it is demonic and has a mind of its own - it WILL take one over.

Rebellion, however, cannot thrive where truth is loved. Repentance and walking in the truth is the only cure.

Unrepentant pride only strengthens the grip of the enemy on the rebellious life until it is unable to take the slightest correction - believing one to be above reproach.

Pride surrounds, as with a shield, the spiritual stronghold - protecting behavior that is not of God.

Bitterness and resentment then take over and defiles. This is a wide open doorway for spiritual strongholds - causing one to even bring about division and toxicity in the lives of others. Becoming toxic to everyone they come in contact with in one way or another, depending on the nature of the relationship.

These may seem even religious at times - and even moral. But it is only on the outside. They us “Christian talk/language” so that they will appear the part of a very spiritual person.

Opportunistically people -pleasing at their core, their loyalty only truly to themselves.

They are blind and deluded, walking in a false light, and denying the true transformative power of God, the Holy Spirit, and His Word. “A “form” of godliness, denying its power.” (2nd Timothy chapter 3 and Jude)

Hypocrisy and idolatry had taken root, and opened the door wide to self deception, and they walked in, so that they don’t just tell lies - they actually live inside them, believing them.

They have become master manipulators - rendering themselves unreachable by truth.

Spiritual delusion and confusion have taken over their thinking - to the point where they now destroy others, believing that they are righteous one, and that the righteous are far from God.

This is not just a character flaw we are considering here - this is a demonic stronghold.

When you choose darkness, darkness chooses you back.

Demons whisper to in the ear and it is thought to be God - and every time one listens, the demonic grip tightens.

Because what can be known about God’s truth has been made available but they chose not to listen and obey. (Romans chapter one)

If this is you, even partially, please call out to God, Who alone can deliver you - and repent! Pray for the love of the truth that can save you from deception and cling to, and abide in, God’s Word. If you hear God’s voice, do not harden your heart.

“For still a very little while and the Coming One will come and He will not delay. And the

righteous shall live by faith, and if he draws back and shrinks in fear, God has no delight or pleasure in him. But our way is not that of those who shrink or turn back to perdition and are utterly destroyed, but we are of those who believe - who cleave to, and trust in, and rely on, God through Jesus Christ, the Messiah - and by faith preserving our soul.” (See Hebrews‬ chapter ‭10‬)

(Inspired by an in depth explanation by Kris Reece)