C O U N T E R F E I T

Young’s analytical concordance defines ‘counterfeit’ as a SPURIOUS imitation of the real thing. I like this definition because of the word ‘SPURIOUS’. When it comes to the spiritual realm as compared to the natural realm, the adversary counterfeits everything that the true God does. It is most important in your spiritual walk that you understand this. To make it a bit clearer, the enemy is a parasite and he can only counterfeit what the true God does. He lives off of the good that emanates from the true God.

Let’s take a look at Webster’s New World dictionary definition of SPURIOUS. Most of us do not understand the meaning of this word. But Webster’s gives an excellent and clear definition of what this word means.

Webster’s dictionary defines spurious as “not true or genuine, false, counterfeit like in appearance but unlike in structure or function”. I have to give Webster’s credit for such a tremendous definition. Although Webster’s is not one of my spiritual books, I use it to complement areas where there appears to be difficulty. Now let’s take a look at the definition as we break it down.

Spurious means not true or genuine. This is one of the major attributes of the god of this world. He is a parasite and copies the true Word of God but it is not genuine. It is not His Word, but it is a very close copy of the genuine Word of God. I was somewhat fascinated by this definition that came from a common dictionary. Next, we see that it is like in appearance, but unlike in structure or function. The enemy will fool you by appearing to you as an angel of light.

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. – II Corinthians 11: 14

You should also read verses 13 and 15 so that you have an overall view of how Satan operates. I am trying to get many of you to work the Word of God without me holding your hand. This is how you become independent and can function with the Word of God by yourself and with God alone. Do not misunderstand what I just said. Many of us need great help when it comes to understanding the rightly divided Word of God. That is the site’s purpose. But there comes a point in time when you need to work the Word on your own. You will find this venture to be rather exciting and very rewarding. You will spark your own interest by working the Word of God on your own. God will teach you if you do not quit.

And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not [in our mind]. -- Galatians 6: 9

For some reason, I had a saying running through my mind last night. It is probably very common to you, but how often do we apply it? It goes like this: Winners never quit and quitters never win. That is why I have decided to teach you about the counterfeit god and how he operates. This will strengthen your spiritual ability to be able to recognize truth from error and to give you the ability to almost constantly become a winner. God does not make losers, but He only makes winners. Only by the rightly divided Word of God, can you become a winner. You’ve got to see that you might think you are winning in this game of life, but in reality, in structure and function, you are losing. The enemy is more deceptive than you can ever imagine. Let’s take a look at II Corinthians 4: 4. This will give you an answer as to why this world is so messed up, evil, and confusing. Remember that this present situation that I am about to share with you is only temporary. Jesus Christ is going to come back and is going to clean house.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. – II Corinthians 4: 4

This is a very simple teaching, however how many of you have forgotten or overlooked these basic principles that are set forth in the Word of God. Who is the present god of this world? The devil or Satan or whatever you want to call him is presently the god of this world. The only thing that defeats him is the Word of God. So I congratulate you for studying the Word. You are the wiser of the many. Satan is the major counterfeit source of everything in this world. It says in the Bible that he can deceive even the very elect. Once you lay your Bible down for three or four days or even longer, you become open season for the enemy to attack you in some way, shape or form. We are all subject to being attacked and deceived. Just lately, I began to go over my Scripture retemory cards which are little cards that I printed on my computer. They are about the shape of a business card and they have Scriptures written on each one. As I started to relearn the Scriptures by heart, I began to obviously feel better about my overall life. Once you get into a certain routine that works for you, don’t quit. It is a trick of the enemy who is deceiving you into quitting. If you can only believe that one sentence, we would have accomplished a great deal. Another thing that I must stress with you is that the enemy does have a great deal of power. Remember that Christ in you is greater than his power. But you should know that the god of this world is second in power to the true God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So when the enemy counterfeits something, you must be very sharp and know the Word of God really well so that you can recognize the counterfeit and counter what the enemy is trying to accomplish.

Let me use another very simple example. Let’s say that you are hired by the Department of Revenue to weed out counterfeit currency. I am certain that there are some counterfeiters that are really good at what they do. So you must be even better. I think that is a good example of why you need to know the Word of God extensively and apply it in your life.

Now let’s talk about one of the main areas and categories which involves a counterfeit. We are going to talk about some of the people who were subject to the influence of the counterfeit. Mainly, the adversary is trying to destroy people. This is clearly spelled out in the gospel of John.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I [Jesus Christ] am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. -- John 10: 10

You can clearly see the difference here between the Will of the true God and the will of the counterfeit god. Seriously, you should have this verse memorized and never forget the lesson that it is trying to teach you. The enemy has a ministry and that ministry is to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. That is all that he does. By having you believe a counterfeit thought or principal, he is slowly beginning to steal your thoughts and to kill and destroy you. Now let’s get back to some of the people who he specifically attacked with his counterfeit. One of his great counterfeits even in this present world is the antichrist. He will bring people into this world and teach them how to act like the true Jesus Christ. But this is nothing but a counterfeit and I’m going to show you what Jesus Christ said about this subject matter.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. – Matthew 24: 4, 5

I am sorry to say that there are many of these counterfeits in the world today. You must be extremely careful when you watch people who call themselves ministers teaching on the television. Most of those people who are in the audience are worshiping the teacher and not God. This is a major fault of many Christians. God says that we are not to be a respecter of persons. We are all equal, but some of us can believe much stronger. I am no different or better than you and we all have the same potential as far as spiritual power is concerned. Jesus Christ told it like it was – he said that these people will deceive many. And they will always pass the basket and then travel to different cities in fancy jets that they own and have been paid for by the tithes that they collect. Oh, but they say, we have all of these material things because we teach God’s Word. Which God? I know of a television preacher that has her clothes made special for her appearances in large auditoriums. Is this necessary? Of course it is not necessary – it is a counterfeit and it makes other people feel small. Well, Jesus Christ goes on later in this chapter to expound even further the subject matter of being a counterfeit. Let’s take a look.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. -- Matthew 24: 24

I hope I don’t shock some people but I’d rather tell you the truth and have you dislike me rather than to see you deceived by the counterfeit god of this world. You may have seen what appears to be genuine healing on some of these television ministry shows. The enemy has this power but in the long run, it fails and that person becomes even sicker than they were. I know this to be a fact. Whether you want to believe it or not, you have free will. I have someone in my family that tried to tear down the ministry that taught me the Word of God that you are reading. She knew absolutely nothing about the ministry that taught me everything that I know. She tried as hard as she could to get me to go to one of these big meetings from this woman minister that has the tailor-made clothes made especially for her. This Minister not only has one jet, but she has two. I adamantly refused to go to one of these meetings because I knew that in most cases, it was a counterfeit. Now don’t get me wrong, there were some things being taught by this person that were right on. Because if the adversary works in a person to teach things that are suspicious and hard to believe, then no one is going to believe them. So he is sly and he mixes in truth with error. To such a point, that as I said before, he can deceive even the very elect. A person may study the Bible every single day, but if he does not know how to rightly divide that Word of God, Satan will deceive him also.

Does Satan deceive even certain apostles? You bet he does. Let’s take a look at second Corinthians.

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. – II Corinthians 11: 13-15

There are many apostles even this day that are counterfeits, influenced by the god of this world. And as I said before, many times they are going to speak the truth luring unknowing Christians into believing and following their teachings which in essence are counterfeit. These counterfeit ministers who the enemy transforms as the ministers of righteousness will someday get what they got coming to them. There is a law of the true God called giving equals receiving. There is no escape from this principle. When you do something wrong and especially something that transgresses the Word of God, your day is going to come and you’ll be sorry when it does.

Let’s talk for a minute about what counterfeit doctrine can do to a normal Christian believer. There is a record in Galatians that I would like to go over. I am going to start in verse three of chapter 2 only to give you some idea of the context of the subject matter that will conclude in verse four.

But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: -- Galatians 2: 3

Actually, you should read most of this chapter to get an idea of the context and subject matter. You should remember by now that context is one of the ways that the Word of God interprets itself. For now we are going to jump right to verse four and this is what I would like you to learn.

And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: -- Galatians 2: 4

These men who were counterfeits and false brethren posing as Christians wanted to bring God’s true people into bondage. These false brethren came in privately to spy on the liberty which the true believers had in Christ Jesus. This is how the enemy operates. He tries to do everything in secret whereas the true God comes right out in the open. It is why it is so hard to detect the influences that the adversary may have over a person’s life. He sneaks around and he does so privily. This word means in a private manner or secretly. How many times have I taught you that the secret to the enemy’s success is the secrecy of his moves? This is how he may deceive you with some type of counterfeit. However, as I said before, if you know the Word of God and you know it really well, you can recognize the counterfeit and the enemy cannot fool you. The Christ in us is greater than what is in the world.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them [all the negatives]: because greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world. – I John 4: 4

This is one of the greatest Scriptures that you can ever learn. It is power packed by telling you what you have once you are born again. You have overcome all the negatives in this world because greater is Christ in you than anything that is in this world. I have learned this Scripture at least 15 or 20 years ago and I still say it to myself many times when it appears like I am being defeated. We, as Christians, are never to be defeated. We are winners and all that is required is that we know and we believe and act on that Word of God. You must realize that the only thing that defeats the god of this world is the rightly divided Word of God living in our minds and being applied in our lives. It is just that simple.

Let’s take a look at what happens to a false prophet and even false teachers who try to secretly bring you into damnation.

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. – II Peter 2: 1

These false prophets and false teachers secretly try to put in your mind counterfeit ideas. They even deny the Lord Jesus Christ who bought them. Don’t forget we are bought with a price and that’s the price that Jesus Christ paid upon the cross for us. So what is the final the final fate or end for these counterfeit prophets and teachers? They bring upon themselves swift destruction. Did you ever see that advertisement about Reese’s candy on television? I think it’s kind of impressive because they say something that no one else ever says when they are advertising their product. I kind of get a kick out of it and am going to say it here just to try to put some humor into such a serious teaching. Okay? “Not sorry” when it comes to the final end of those false prophets and false teachers. They do more harm than you can possibly imagine and mainly they want self-worship. They even deny the Lord Jesus Christ, so as far as their swift destruction which will absolutely come upon them, I say “Not Sorry”.

Well, I think we’re getting to the end of this teaching because as I said many times, there is no profit in constantly repeating the same things over and over again. I thank you for those of you who have been following this site and I pray to God for you to get blessed beyond belief. Someone is teaching you the Word of God in a sensible reasonable manner and not in a religious format.

I was taught by one of my leaders who was the greatest woman of God I have ever met, to stay out of the book of Revelation. I was going to go there next. We are not in the book of Revelation and we will not be until after the second return of Jesus Christ. The antichrist is mentioned in Revelation and we know that this is nothing but a counterfeit.

I thank you all for studying this teaching and staying with me through all these years. I will never give up and you will never ever be charged one penny for these teachings. You thank God for that because I do it willingly from my heart so that I can help some of you get through the counterfeits that are in this world and to live the more than abundant life every day of your life. God bless you. I love you.

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