DARK SHADOWS OVER OUR LAND
2004
“And Jesus answered and said to them, “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; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” Matthew 24:412
As we pick up our newspaper, turn on the radio or TV, this prophecy that Jesus gave is being fulfilled by the minute here and now. It is no longer something in the future.
As I, Daniel, was reading this passage in Matthew, an angel lifted me once again above the earth.
He said, “Come, I want to show you what Satan is doing right now.”
As I looked, the angel pointed down and said, “Look what is coming out of the belly and mouth of Satan.”
As I looked I could see a cloud coming up out of his mouth covering the whole earth. Casting a shadow over the whole earth.
I asked the angel what this cloud was.
He said, “Look closer.”
As I did, I saw that the cloud was actually made up of what looked like tiny insects – too many to number. These insects were going down across America into the churches and into the Christian homes. I did not see any non-Christians being affected at this time. As the “insects” landed on the Christians, on what appeared to be at least two-thirds of them or more, the “insects” crawled up to their ears, and in most, even crawled right into them through their ears.
“What are those things and what are they doing?” I asked the angel.
“Each creature that you see that looks like an insect is actually a demon spirit,” he replied. “They are demons of the desires of the flesh. They feed and grow on the fleshly desires of human beings. The desires that Paul wrote to the Galatians, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. . . . Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murderers, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:17-21
I was shocked to see how many Christians these demons were entering into.
“How can this be?” I asked the angel. “How can those demons be entering into so many Christians?”
He said, “Because of their desires.”
“But don’t they desire God and the teachings of Jesus?” I asked.
He said, Yes, and No.”
“I don’t understand,” I replied.
“We are living in the last hour,” he said. “The clock is already striking midnight.”
“What? So what’s going to happen?”
“Look!” the angel pointed. “Look at the feeding frenzy those demons are having on the Christians.”
I was completely dumbfounded. “How can this be?”
He turned and looked at me. “Do you not know the condition of God’s church and His bride?”
“Well yes, I know it’s weak,” I replied.
He replied, “Yes, and growing weaker.”
“But they’re praising God, lifting up hands, tithing, and trying to live a godly life.”
Solemnly the angel quoted:“ . . . Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Revelation 12:12
“Yes, I know that passage,” I said, “but doesn’t that speak about a time after the rapture of the Church?”
The angel looked at me with an expression of anger. “Don’t you know that after the rapture you won’t need to read this?! No! This is happening right now, today on the earth. Satan is growing stronger every day. Take a look at the Church. They are divided – politically, over theology, over everything possible. The people of the Church are living in the lusts of the flesh instead of the Spirit. The Church has allowed every sin imaginable to exist comfortably within it. People don’t even recognize what is sin anymore! The pastors and leaders directly disobey God’s command in Ezekiel 44:23. “And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel 44:23 The pastors don’t mention sin, nor teach the people to recognize it. On top of that, the human heart is so deceitful, (Jeremiah 17:9) they think they are walking with God when they are walking in their flesh. They think they are hearing from God when they are really hearing from their own sinful desires.”
“O.K., so what are these demons going to do in their lives?” I asked.
“They want to destroy everything of God. They put the people under deception, making them think they are hearing from God when they are not. They are preparing the way for the false prophets and teachers that Satan has already placed within the church. They sow great discord amongst the Body of Christ. They are there to turn brother against brother and sister against sister. As it says in Matthew, “ . . . many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.” (Matt. 24:10) They are here to destroy marriages and families, to tear the church apart, and to turn brother against brother and sister against sister. They make people mad at one another, cause them to be offended with one another and believe lies about one another. They give them false memories, false visions, and false discernment. They speak lies to them, making them think they are hearing these lies from God when they are not. They are there to fulfill: But know this, that in the last days perilous time will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captive so gullible women loaded down with sins led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:17
I turned once again and looked down for a long time at what these demons were doing. They were crawling in and out of the ears, nose, mouth and eyes of people. They were stealing the Spirit of God right out of people. People could no longer want anything of the Spirit of God in their lives. They only wanted what pleased their flesh.
The angel said, “This is making God ashamed of His Church.”
I looked at the angel and said, “I know revival is coming, I know Joel 2:28 says the Spirit will be poured out on all flesh.”
He said, “Yes, it will come to pass, but it will only be a handful who will be willing to endure the suffering in order to receive the coming outpouring. God wants to give His Son a full bride without spot or blemish. Right now, the church is truly in the valley of decision.”
Then the angel showed me a valley with multitudes in it. Christ was on one side with His angels and Satan was on the other side with his demons. I saw that the angels had no sheaths for their swords. Their swords were always drawn, ready to go to battle. On the other side, I saw Satan and his demons sifting through the people, but the people weren’t crying out to God, they were looking to men. They were looking for a leader, not to God. I saw great churches fall in this battle. I saw what are called prophets, pastors and leaders operating in the spirit of the flesh, not the Spirit of God.
I asked the angel, “Why, why, why are not the angels down there fighting to protect the people? That’s their job!”
“They will not disobey God. If you call on God’s name, then He will send the angels. God has warring angels for everybody. He has angels that will war for you and your family, for your friends and loved ones, for your home, job, even for your country. BUT as long as the Christians keep their eyes on man and not on God, they will stumble and fall. As long as they operate in the flesh, God will not send out the angels to fight for them. They can even call on God and beseech Him to send His warring angels to keep those insect demons off of them.”
“Christians want to see and feel something exciting. They want the Holy Spirit to perform for them. Therefore, they fall into operating in the flesh to try to bring this about. They want the desires of their heart fulfilled so much that they deceive themselves. This is especially true with parents. They are simply unable to believe that their children ever do anything wrong. People so want their desires of the flesh fulfilled that they will accept any false prophecy coming from the flesh especially prophecies of wealth, popularity, power, success, etc. Their desires are so strong that they are not willing to even ask the Lord to show them if they have been deceived.”
“For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matt 24:24) The angel quoted slowly and solemnly.
“Hear well the words of our God! Even the strongest of Christians can be deceived! The most devout and devoted can be deceived. The very elect!”
“Then what hope is there?!” I exclaimed.
“There is always hope in a loving and merciful God. But, each Christian must be willing to fall on his face and humble himself before God and cry out to God and ask Him to protect them from deception, and even more importantly, to ask Him to reveal to them if there is deception in their lives, no matter how painful the revelation can be. Understand this, anyone can be deceived, no matter how strong in the Lord you are! Satan always works through deception. No human being is strong enough to stand against Satan’s deceptions on his own. Even many of the angels fell to his deception, and they stood directly in God’s presence all the time! Only God can keep you, but you have a responsibility to continually cry out to Him asking Him to do so. Ask Him to send His warring angels to fight for you and to fight for others, and to fight for your church and your country. He will send them, but you must ask!”
After the angel had shown me these things, I was in awe. Persecution is something that has happened in my life and in my wife Rebecca’s life. It is also happening in the lives of other Christians we know. I thought about the fight that’s going on again the flesh, and there’s no one teaching people how to fight against the fleshly desires. There are few teaching the true way of God, and those that are, are being destroyed by Satan. Christians are so willing to believe any kind of lie against anyone. It reminded me of a scripture: “Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Christ depart from iniquity.’ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:1426
It is time for the Church to stop arguing and fighting over the teachings of Christ. Sin is sin. Black is black and white is white. God never meant for us to be divided. But He said we can be different. We’re all to be of one faith, one body, one mind. There is only one God, one Son of God and one Holy Spirit. We’re altogether in this to build the kingdom of God, not tear it apart because of our fleshly desires to be big and important. We are to turn away from profane and idle babblings. We are not to dispute with each other to the point of division and hatred. The messages of Hymenaeus and Philetus spread like cancer in their day. The same thing is happening today. Just look at the politicians running for office. We never look at the good in someone’s life, we only want to look at the evil. Every man has both! Jesus taught us that a kingdom divided against itself will never stand. We can choose today, do we want the warring angels on our side? We can cry out “Satan get thee and thy demons behind me in the name of Jesus! Get away from me. I want to serve God!” What vessel do you want to be in God’s kingdom?
The hard fact is that your heart CAN deceive you. You CAN think God is speaking to you when it is really your flesh or a demon feeding on your flesh. You can be deceived! Are you willing to fall on your face before God and ask Him to show you if you are being deceived no matter how painful the truth is?
Many people are never willing to see that they are deceived because the truth is too painful for them to face. These folks will quickly become completely bound by the demon spirits. Yes, you can be a vessel of honor in God’s kingdom. You don’t have to be perfect to be one. But you have to be repentant. You must have the fruits of the Holy Spirit in you, which are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and selfcontrol.
We have stopped loving, we don’t know God’s joy, most families don’t have peace in their home, brothers and sisters are no longer longsuffering with each other when it comes to problems, we forget to show kindness, there doesn’t seem to be much goodness left in our lives, and few are faithful to their word, much less God’s tithe. We have forgotten how to be gentle with others, we no longer have self-control and are subject to fits of rage and anger. As it says in Galatians 5:24, “Then those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” If we want to live in the Spirit, as in Gal. 5:25, then we had better start walking in the Spirit.
Let’s stop being conceited and provoking one another. Stop being envious of one another. Where is godly friendship in the church? Where is forgiveness? If someone does something wrong in the past, can they not be forgiven? The past is the past. Let’s look for a new life in Christ from this day forward. Don’t be deceived, God is not mocked. You WILL reap what you are sowing. Remember this, forgive, forgive, forgive and keep on forgiving forever, and forget! This is God’s message to you. Let’s bury the past once and for all. Let’s climb out of that valley of decision and stand with God and His warring angels.
A note from Rebecca Brown:
Over the past several weeks, I have seen a number of people suddenly come under complete deception. It has been a great puzzlement to me as to how this can happen until Daniel had this vision. Now I understand. Giving in to the desires of our flesh opens us up to deception.
Let me give you some direct examples. Suppose you submit yourself to a so-called prophet. Allow him to lay hands on you and prophesy to you falsely that you are going to gain great wealth. As you accept this false prophecy, because of your fleshly desire for wealth and the life of ease and importance it would give you, you accept his demons into your life.
From that point on, you are going to believe you are hearing from God and will receive false visions that will lead you into terrible trouble as you strive to fulfill the prophecy. This is why the Church today is so open to every get rich quick scheme and con artist out there. People think they are hearing from God to get involved in these things because of the false prophecies in their lives. Instead, they are hearing from demon spirits or their own flesh.
As you give into the lusts of the flesh, one of the greatest ones is idolatry. Idolatry is valuing something more than God. How many times I have seen adult children destroy their parents because the parents value them more than God. The parents are simply unable to ever believe that their children will do anything wrong, and thus enable them to operate in all kinds of sin, trying to bring them to great “success” in their lives.
God often works through our failures more than our successes. We must first prove faithful in little before God will give us much. Unfortunately, most children today want to start out in their lives at the place their parents took 30 plus years to build. We cannot sidestep the principles laid down in God’s word! It is idolatry to try to do so.
Discovering that you have been deceived is one of the most painful things a person can ever face! The only way to overcome being deceived is to humble yourself and cry out to God to reveal any deception to you, no matter what the cost!
I have been deceived, more than once. It is sooo painful! But each time I am humbled and learn through the experience. Believe me, there is life after you have been deceived. Why does God allow us to be deceived? I believe it is because that is the fastest and most effective way He has of humbling us.
There are two books that I believe every Christian should read. I am dead serious about this. The first is Protection from Deception, by Derek Prince, and Thus Saith The Lord, by John Bevere. The book by John Bevere will help you sort out the difference between true and false prophecies. It is absolutely a mustread for every Christian.
[Source: Harvestwarriors.com. Harvest Warriors is a spirit-filled Christian ministry led by Rev. Daniel Yoder and his wife Rebecca (Brown) Yoder, M.D. Rebecca Brown has gone home to the Lord on 24 June 2020. ]
