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Christianity, compassion, dogs, fellowship, foxes, friends, God's voice, heart, Joseph Benson, Michael Clark, Satan, shepherd, swine, the new self, the old self, true faith, vipers, wickedness, wolves
I have often pondered the thought to close the comments section completely and to remove the LIKE buttons, too. The reason why I have not done it until now was that I appreciate feedback on what I write and that I have learned a lot from commenters as well. However, it has become clear to me that this continued struggle to moderate or to not moderate responses, or to eventually delete replies I had moderated before as another hidden evil spirit finally manifested in a longer comment thread, this struggle is quite exhausting for me and it is very distracting at that. I sooo love and long to hear God’s voice through commenters and, dear reader, sometimes it really happens! There is a handful of faithful commenters who only weigh in when they have something encouraging to contribute. They act cautiously and lovingly, pondering on what God might have to say. As for these, I paste a quote I found today on my daily Catholic kitchen calendar. It reads,
“A friend is someone who takes your hand and touches your heart.” (Author unknown)
On the other hand, there are commenters who either have an answer to every question that might arise or they weigh in with phony compliments in order to snow you, but when you disagree with their advice on what you should do or not do, the viper comes out. It was Michael Clark who pointed me to this phenomenon in Christianity I was not aware of before. Meanwhile I have seen that there are truly a lot of vipers around, not only on the internet! I have also come to know some believers of this specific sort here in Germany. Whenever you have to do with them, at the very first moment they seem to be innocent and really interested in what you have to say. But as for me, I always get a strange feeling, even at the very first moment of spiritual contact with such snaky and creepy creatures (i.e., the demons behind these human beings). Problem is, I cannot explain it right at the outset since it is a mere spiritual perception.
Here it is important to not listen to Satan who tries to ridicule this initial spiritual impression by telling us how unloving we were since, sooner or later, we will observe that these people start to inject their poison as their old nature’s pride raises its ugly head and they want to rule over us. The demons that drive these people want us to submit to their arrogant and authoritative manners in order to pull us away from God. In such cases, it is good to know that we do not need to be ‘nice’ with these guys. As many of these little ‘gods’ might sneak around on the net or elsewhere, we need to split up with them, even ruthlessly. That does not mean we should not pray for our enemies, but fellowshipping with these false friends must be avoided by any means.
Just lately as I have not been doing very well, I heard some weird advice on what I should do or not do, both from people around me, on the phone, and on the internet as well. Of course, you could say that they simply wanted to help me. However, brother and sisters, I am not that naïve any longer. If someone claims to have compassion for what I have been going through and I refuse to accept their pre-formulated ‘prayer weapons’ to fight against Satan or I say, ‘No!’ to their biblical/worldly advice because I could not hear My Shepherd’s voice through them, are they not of another spirit when they attack me later for not having listened to THEM?
I am really saddened about the fact that many uncrucified believers who are well-read and educated are so easily accepted. In fact, it is dangerous to simply listen to someone, only because they quote Bible verses or appear to have something impressive to say. If they do not speak from their own experience, they do not speak from their hearts, either, and therefore they do not really understand the one who is suffering. Faith is a matter of the heart, not of the mind which should follow the heart always. Whether the spiritual label we might use for these demons behind a believer or non-believer is viper, fox, dog, swine or other (see commentary below), just confer this excerpt from Joseph Benson’s Commentary on Matthew, chapter 3, verse 7 which I thought could be helpful. He wrote,
“O generation of vipers — A wicked offspring of wicked parents, crafty, malignant, mischievous creatures. In like manner the crafty Herod is styled a fox, and persons of insidious, ravenous, profane, or sensual dispositions, are named respectively by Him who saw their hearts, serpents, dogs, wolves, and swine; terms which are not the random language of passion, but a judicious designation of the persons meant by them. For it was fitting such men should be marked out, either for a caution to others, or a warning to themselves. Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? — To put on this form of humility and repentance? What hath moved you to it? How came you to think yourselves in any danger of divine and future wrath, or to use any means to escape it? since you Pharisees think yourselves secure from it, on account of the sanctity of your lives, and you Sadducees imagine there is no such wrath, and that all that is spoken of it is a mere fable and delusion?”
http://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/matthew/3.htm
In this quote from Benson we might see how dangerous it is to simultaneously have an uncircumcised heart and to claim to be a believer in Jesus Christ since our old nature’s heart is terribly wicked and will always seek to have its own way, both with us and with others. Usually, God is the last one in whom our Old Adam nature is interested unless He acts as we wanted Him to. If someone cannot believe what I just stated, they might ask God to search their hearts relentlessly. Please, dear reader, let us not be deceived about our own wickedness! If we merely relate to ourselves and to others by avoiding to seek God’s heart and His will for our life, we run danger to simply be part of horizontal (*) Christendom and not of the Church, the Bride of Christ, whose only Head is Jesus Christ in heaven. Indeed, we must be vertically joined with Him through the Holy Spirit before we begin to speak up and act for God in a ‘horizontal’ manner with other Christians and non-Christians here on earth.
(*) this is a term Michael Clark pointed me to as well
Michael said:
This was very insightful as to the nature of the warfare we are engaged in, Susanne. As we know, Satan is quite able to quote scripture to accomplish his twisted goals and vipers are of the very nature of the Great Serpent with whom we have to deal. Jesus called the Pharisees (who often quoted scriptures) a brood of vipers as they tried to tempt Him with their logic. There is a very instructive story about what happened to Paul when they were shipwrecked on the island of Malta…
When we are the weakest and struggling to maintain our lives, as it was with Paul, this is when Satan likes to sneak in and fasten himself to us and inject his spiritual life killing lies into our hearts. Notice, as with our blogs, there have been those who have shown us kindness and kindled a fire in our hearts with their words. But then there is this other creature. Paul, evidently, had picked up this snake up with the sticks he had gathered for the fire and even had clutched them to his breast, but because of the cold, the snake did not act until he felt the warmth of the fire. False Christians who harbor demons in their natures are like that. These demons can be dormant in them until they feel the warmth of the Spirit and then they spring into action and fasten themselves onto a saint of God in their moment of weakness. What should be our response when this happens? Should we listen to and cajole them and try to save them from their folly? NO! Jesus didn’t give the Pharisees any quarter when they spoke their venomous words and neither should we. We should do just as Paul did and shake them off into the fire least they continue to inject their poison into us and draw us away from the path of Christ, the way of the cross.
It is interesting to note that part of the effect of a viper’s poison is to make us swell up with pride if we take their words to heart. When the gracious Maltese saw this attack they, too, were confused and took Paul for an evil man, but when he did not swell up or die they started to idolize him. Carnal Christians are like that. They are easily moved by every wind of doctrine. On the one hand they might want to make us their spiritual gurus because of God speaking through us, but on the other hand they turn and walk away when they see that our hearts are fixed on following Jesus even unto death. That is how the crowds treated Christ and it is what Paul was talking about when he wrote,
Yes, who IS sufficient for these things? Our sufficiency must be IN Christ.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Great blog article of yours, Michael! ✡✡✡ Looking forward to seeing it published on A WILDERNESS VOICE blog. 😉
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Michael said:
Susanne, my dear sister. I got it finished and published on AWV blog
https://awildernessvoice.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/beware-of-vipers/
Thanks once again for the inspiration that comes to me through reading your blog.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Michael 🐻
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
You are very welcome, my dear brother. ❤
I am glad to hear you got your excellent blog post finished and published now. I do hope I was the first ‘liker’ since I would give you a blogger like from the phone one minute after I had seen the notification before going to bed. 😉
Susanne 🐱
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Michael said:
Yes, I think you were the first and I was shocked that you were still up at that time in the early morning. 🙂 Actually, you gave me the first like when it was still only a comment on EPL. ⭐ 🐻
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
I was already in my pajama and about to switch off the light as I saw my phone blinking. Seeing that your post was identical with your response on my blog, I gave you a (very much) LIKE. 🙂
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Carina said:
I’m really grieved over this, and I have experienced it, too.
When I share my spiritual struggles, or when I’m superburdened and totally in the dark, I cannot read a to-do-list. I’m in the dark. And not only is the world around me foggy. My mind, my heart, my spiritual senses are foggy, too. I cannot take step 1, step 2, step 3 to get out of my depression. It’s not that simple. Some people, even with the best intentions, jump in to offer solutions, but they don’t really take the time to listen to your heart and empathize first. Unless someone can really cry with me, really step into my shoes, sort of feel my pain, their advice will ring so shallow.
Perhaps the best words you can hear when you’re in pain is “I’m sorry you’re going through this. I’m here for you. Let me know if I can help.” Well, here are my words to you now. 🙂
May God offer you all the comfort you need right now. I hope I’ll never ever act like Job’s friend either to you or to anyone who is suffering.
Lots of love, my sister.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thank you very much for your tender words, dear Carina. 💟 I can fully relate to what you said above. May God comfort you with every divine comfort available, my sister! Lots of 💜💖💙💚💛💚💙💖💜 2 u 2! 😻
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Renee said:
Susanne Sis, I’m truly sorry that you’re having to deal with snakes while going through so many trials. The same thing has happened to me so many times, sigh. I don’t have any special words to share. I wish I could just give you a great, big HUG Sis. Abba loves you and I see Him at work in your heart. {{HUGS}}
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Because of comments like yours, dear Renee, I am happy I did not close the comments section. Your words really touched my heart and your compassion means a lot to me. What knows the one who has never suffered? I am very sorry to hear that you have had your own experiences with these vipers. 😔
You have a great heart, my sister! 💖
Every blessing and a big hug back to you! XOXO
Much love,
Susanne 💜💖💙💚💛💚💙💖💜
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Pingback: Beware of Vipers! « A Wilderness Voice
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thank you very much for the pingback, Michael. 😊 It seems to have been a complementary thing, this inspiration, once again. If you had not pointed me to the fact that there are vipers who want to kill you when you are at the weakest, I could not have given it a name as it really happened.
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Michael said:
Susanne, as we both abide in Christ, even when we feel low and worthless, He can come through each of us to help the other. Like Paul said, “Death works in me that life might abound in others.” I am glad that we know one another IN Him, dear heart.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
I hope that life might abound in others as long as God keeps us in this dying process, my brother. I am so grateful to have this fellowship with you, Michael!
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Michael said:
And I with you, too. ⭐
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dimple said:
Hi Susanne,
I read this after reading Michael’s. We do run into enemies disguised as friends, don’t we…
Blessings to you, and refreshing from the Lord.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Alas, Louise, at times we do run into ‘love bombers’ who wear a mask. Very sad, isn’t it… 😦
Blessings to you, too, and thanks for the encouragement. May HE refresh you as well! ❤
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Nancy said:
Susanne, both yours and Michael’s commentaries have touched my heart and both your insightful messages have been quite timely for me. “Vipers” “love bombs” – it is painful to admit when they can also be family members who profess Christ Jesus. For those of us who have been led out of church organization by the Holy Spirit, we do hunger for fellowship with like believers. We must use caution and spiritual discernment so as to avoid these “vipers” and “love bombs.” The straite and narrow road is lonely and that has been my biggest struggle of late. I continue to turn to the Lord for His fellowship and companionship (2 Cor. 12:9). Thank you both for your faithfulness to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
You are most welcome, dear Nancy. 💖
Yes, this loneliness can be very saddening at times, my dear sister. I have also experienced this particular pain through a viper in my own family. It is very painful to feel their poison in our spirits and hearts. 😔 Just yesterday and the day before I had an exchange with another sister who has also suffered extremely from being rejected by her family. We can only pray for one another and leave the rest to God. May the God of all comfort help you through this difficult time, Nancy.
Every blessing and love from God,
Susanne 💟💜💙💚💛💚💙💜💟
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Michael said:
Nancy and Susanne, thanks for sharing your own experience here. Part of the method of vipers is that they try and slither in close to hearts with false love to get us to let our guards down and then they strike and inject their hateful poison into us us in a moment of weakness. This is especially hard when it happens through a member of our own families. Yes, we do desire spirit to spirit fellowship with other members of Christ’s body and this is only natural of we are members one of another and no longer of this world. But we must learn to discern who is of the world and who is of Christ if we are to avoid being open to a lot of false spirits. I just wrote the following on my blog in a reply to a comment on my “Beware of Vipers” blog…
“They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” (1John 4:5-6, KJV)
Carnal Christians are given away by their speech. They speak of the things of this world out of the abundance of their hearts. When you try to have fellowship with them, what do they speak about? How much of their speech is about themselves and how often do you hear “I, me, my, mine, etc.? This is all of the world and focused on the things of the natural man, not on Christ as their ALL. Those focused on themselves and this world will not be speaking from the Spirit of Truth, but from the error they walk in, speaking of themselves.
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: FOR HE SHALL NOT SPEAK OF HIMSELF; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13, KJV- emphasis added)
Thank you both for sharing your insights in this walk,
Michael
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
You are very welcome, Michael. Thank you for sharing more of your insights into these carnal vipers we have had to do with, not only lately, almost every day of our walk with Him as it seems.
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Michael said:
So true!
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thanks for confirmation, Michael! 🙂
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Just in case Nancy or someone else has not read it already, here is the link to Michael’s latest blog about vipers.
https://awildernessvoice.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/beware-of-vipers/
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Michael said:
Thanks for the ping back, Susanne. It seems that walking together in the spirit is also coming under the same type of attacks from the enemy. So often we end up learning the same lesson is in writing about the same things. The fruit of this is that it drives us ever closer to God with our hearts as well as closer to one another. You are such a wonderful blessing to me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thank you, Michel! 🙂 You are a treasure!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Nancy said:
Michael, your response to Russ was spot on and quite helpful. I do agree that it is fairly easy to identify carnal Christians who use I, me, mine, my a lot. There are times I need to be mindful of this myself. See, I just said “I” and “myself” in one sentence. It depends upon the context that it is being used. Having said that, it is very easy to be deceived (and put down) by the professing Christian who uses all the right Christian lingo (rarely uses the I, me, mine and myself…he/she knows better), and acts righteous and humble. If you happen to be one who sees right through their façade, you will be public enemy number one. This is who I am dealing with in my family. A person (actually husband and wife) who are EXTREMELY knowledgeable concerning theology, the history of Christianity and can rattle off Scripture verses in a flash. You walk into their home and the dining room is full of theology books in beautiful custom book cases. It gives one the impression that the person who owns these books must be an authority on the matter. It can be very intimidating. Anytime I have RESPECTFULLY questioned their position, I have been labeled one who causes strife.
It is this person and his wife who have tried to shame me for leaving the church institution. Rarely have I ever heard the words “grace” or “Holy Spirit” come out of their mouths in conversations. They spend a lot of time in the OT, particularly Jeremiah, whom they quote Scripture from a lot. Legalism and Grace (the Gospel) are at enmity with each other. THIS is what I am dealing with when the rubber meets the road. If I am full of the Holy Spirit and they are full of the Holy Spirit, then how is it that we are not in agreement? One of us is walking a different path and following the spirit of error.
When I read about Job’s “friends,” I see that Job is dealing with a moralist, a judgmental traditionalist, and one who deems himself as Mr. Experienced. These are unsympathetic fair-weathered friends. These are they who have head knowledge that never made it to their hearts. These are the “vipers” and “love bombs” who deceive and hurt those who are IN CHRIST. They are frauds who are so impressed with themselves because of all their head knowledge. Prideful Pharisees! And these are they who can be difficult to detect. It will be the Holy Spirit who will give us spiritual discernment when we are up against these types who profess Christ.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Great comments, Nancy. Sorry again to hear about these annoying problems with your family. 😦
At first I was a bit confused because you referred to Michael’s reply to Russ. Just now I checked it out on A Wilderness Voice and it is truly very good. Here is the link to Michael’s comment if someone else wants to check it out as well.
https://awildernessvoice.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/beware-of-vipers/#comment-5344
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Michael said:
Susanne, thanks for the ping back to my comment, dear sister. 🙂 ⭐
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
You are very welcome, Michael. 😊
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Michael said:
Nancy, I have a family member by marriage that is a pastor and a know-it-all not only about things pertaining to the Bible and religion, but about almost any subject that comes up and if you do not agree with his view point (he is quick to show you that yours is wrong) he will argue without bothering to hear you out as to why you believe the way you do. Somebody once said that the pastor of the church is always the one who is the last man standing in any argument. Pride loves to cloak itself in religious garments. This is why Jesus called the Pharisees, white-washed sepulchrals. They are pretty on the outside and are all about outward appearances, but inside they are full of all manner of death and corruption.
True saints of God are not this way. They are “what you see is what you get.” Jesus spoke about John the Baptist in this way,
I can tell you that John was not a pretty sight after living in the wilderness all his life in his camel hair suit and wild hair, but he was beautiful to the Father for he pointed to all men to the Son and got out of the way. We who aspire to be “in ministry” could learn a lot from what John said,
As for your other comment, I was led to the Lord by an old Free Methodist pastor and he was dear to me, though he had been ousted from his church by a political coup and I did not see him but once after that for he had moved away. When we met once again, I found out that he had not grown spiritually and was still where he was when I knew him before (see Hebrews 6:1-3) and I had grown beyond where he was and our time together was not what I had hoped for, for God had continued draw me to Himself. Sometimes when we obey the voice of the Spirit it causes a division between us and the ones we love. This is what Jesus was talking about when He said,
God bless you Nancy D.,
Michael
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Nancy said:
Susanne, so sorry for the confusion. I was responding to the link you recommended. I probably should have commented on Michael’s blog instead. But this tied into your insightful commentary regarding Job’s false friends. I really liked how you both (you and Michael) tied your commentaries together. As for family, I know I am in good company with others who are dealing with the same thing. With this sibling, it hurts a little more because she is the one who shared the Gospel with me 40 years ago and I remember it as if it were yesterday. As hurtful as it is, we just continue to lift them up to the Lord. He is sovereign; He has a purpose and He has a plan. So important that we do not let our hearts become bitter and hardened. Blessings sister.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thanks for encouraging words and clarification, Nancy. Every blessing to you, too, dear sister.
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Nancy said:
Susanne and Michael, thank you for your thoughtful comments, they have truly blessed me. The Holy Spirit is moving strongly in my life right now and is revealing some very interesting things that concern my family. He is showing me a much bigger picture – one that I have never seen before. At this present time, I am the only one who has received the gift of Salvation out of a family of 8. However, as for the sister who shared the Gospel with me, at this time I cannot comment one way or the other as far as her standing with the Lord. That remains between them. It is not my call nor my place, but we will know them by their fruit. Blessings to you both and to your ministries.
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
You are welcome, Nancy. Glad you have been blessed.
Blessing to you, too! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
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Anna Waldherr said:
As always, a vigorous and enlightening post and discussion. Do whatever you need to do to safeguard your spirit and your heart, Susanne. None of us who love you would want to see you discouraged or harmed, as a result of ministering to us online. May God keep you in His care. Have a blessed Easter!
Much love,
A. ❤ ❤ ❤
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Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thank you sooo much for your strengthening and wise words, dear Anna! ❤
As I have come to see it, this ‘discerning-the-spirits-thing’ has been a lesson I have particularly learned online, but meanwhile I can use the insights I drew from in my everyday life here as well. However, you are right, there are limits to that which someone should swallow as for these internet insults. It is clear to me that Satan is angry when someone serves God and therefore I know I will be attacked again and again. Yet I do need God’s strength here. Mine is not enough!
May you enjoy a blessed Easter as well, Anna! Wishing you nice weather, rest for your soul and body, chocolate bunnies and eggs! 🙂
Much love,
Susanne ❤ ❤ ❤
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