Jeremiah 23:1-4

23 “How terrible it will be for the leaders of Judah. They are destroying my people. They are making them run in all directions,” says the Lord.

² They are responsible for the people. And the Lord, the God of Israel, says to them: “You have made my people run away in all directions. You have forced them away. And you have not taken care of them. So I will punish you for the evil things you have done,” says the Lord. ³ “I sent my people to other countries. But I will gather my people who are left alive. And I will bring them back to their own country. When they are back in their own land, they will have many children. And they will grow in number. ⁴ I will place new leaders over my people. They will take care of my people. And my people will not be afraid or terrified. None of them will be lost,” says the Lord.

[Interpretive]

You lead the masses through your strong arm of influence. The spiritually blind accept your words like an infant desiring nourishment. The cloak of deception blinds the crowd to your splintered tongue. Your followers reach the edge of truth and blindly fall into the valley of deception. Charism, intelligence, and wisdom hide the stench of lies, hypocrisy, and pride. You defile the inner sanctuary and set traps for the weak. The destructive goal cannot be satisfied as ego, control, and fame continue to ignite your passion. The crowd shouts your name; the congregation longs to hear from you, oh deceitful one. Truth cannot be found on your lips as your dark chariot awaits.

Yet, the warriors among you know your name. Their discernment comes from the Lord. The Holy Spirit shields your fiery darts from the elect. Your filth is uncovered and your wicked ways will be made known. The belt of truth girds all the other pieces of our armor. The sword of the Spirit is sharper than anything from your mouth and it pierces even to the division of soul and spirit. Your wicked ways are no match for God’s army and you will face judgement. Your false kingdom will fall. Your hypnotic timbre is nothing but clanging parlance. The secret prayers of the faithful will destroy your weak foundation. You have been identified and your kingdom will be destroy along with you.

I read Jeremiah 23 as part of a daily devotion today, and it really opened my eyes. The Bible makes it very clear that there will be false teachers among you. Yet, are we really spiritually in-tune to recognize these false prophets, leaders, and teachers? It is vital that we keep our eyes on the good Shepherd, Jesus. I strongly encourage you to surround your church leadership teams and bathe them in prayer. I also find it vital to assess the spiritual health of your leaders. Who are you following and why? Be cautious submitting to the authority of a false teacher, one who speaks with honey yet his actions detail venom.

Challenge: Seek truth; open your spiritual eyes; pray without ceasing; guard your heart; and put on the full armor of God as you go out and battle in this deceitful world.

Thankful,

Christian Armetta