We are talking about how you should not be taken captive by Philosophy.

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Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Colossians 2:8a “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception…”

See to it that no one takes you captive with their philosophy and empty deception. Don’t be fooled into following another master other than Jesus. Philosophy means the love of ideas and knowledge. An empty deception is when an idea is already proven not to be true or has no real value, but you are being deceived into believing the idea is true or has real value. These deceptive ideas can take you captive.

The longer anyone defends a deceptive false idea the more they become taken captive by it. When a false idea is accepted, it becomes part of what the person believes is true. It is embarrassing when the real truth finally comes out. How do they unravel all the times they have defended their false idea? It’s not easy to walk away from it. Do they humble themselves and admit they were wrong?

Many empty deceptive ideas contradict Jesus’ own words. Is Jesus a liar? No. Many of these false ideas make Jesus out to be a liar. If Jesus is a liar He is not God. Here are some examples of fiction in science, human ability, and human religion.

The fiction in science:

  1. the age of the universe: Within the boundaries that Jesus has given us, we evaluate the age of the universe. We see the timeline from the beginning in Genesis to the end in Revelation. Jesus knows the age of the universe because He created it and He declares in John 17:5, "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Also, Jesus in Matthew 5: 18 confirms the accuracy of the scripture that He has given, when He says that even the smallest stroke will be completed.

  2. livable planets: We’ve been around the block, but not any farther. We can only consider taking stuff with us to the Moon to create a base station. Mars is currently a long shot, and a death sentence for those who go. Many are taken captive by the idea that the earth is about to end, and they need this possibility of another livable planet to make their escape.

  3. flat earth: The earth is round. Our eyes and cameras have seen it. A camera or person needs to go only 235 miles out into space to see the curvature of the planet, yet many have been taken captive by the idea of a flat earth.

  4. space travel: We’ve been around the block, but that’s it. It is possible to travel in space, but not for very long. You need air, water, food and more. Theories of deep space travel have yet to be proven because of the barriers of speed and distance and obstacles along the way.

  5. time travel: Time is fixed. It is declared by Jesus in Acts 1:7 when Jesus said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.” So many are taken captive by the idea of time travel.

  6. dimensional travel: There is another realm outside of this physical one. There is a spiritual realm that intertwines our realm. In John 8:23 Jesus was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.” Jesus is technically an alien. Are there other realms that are beyond Jesus or out of His reach? Jesus says in Revelation 22:13, “ I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and end.” Remember John 17:5, that Jesus existed with God the Father in glory before there was anything else.

  7. aliens on earth or other planets: People seeing aliens and going on journeys in spaceships is mostly influenced by alcohol, drugs, and demons. As far as seeing angels, Ileana saw an angel close by in the sky with wings fully spread out in ominous power. While in India I talked face to face with two angels who disappeared right in front of me.

The fiction with human ability:

  1. super powers: It says in Isaiah 40:7, “The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.” And in John 15:4, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” We are like grass with short lifetimes, and without the strength from God we can’t do anything.

  2. re-birth, reincarnation, death: It says in Hebrews 9:27, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” Every one that has gone before us has died and then stood before God for judgement. We do not get to start over.

  3. possession: [1] You and God: In John 14:15-16, 21-26, You can have God the Son (Jesus), God the Father, God the Holy Spirit living inside you. [2] Demons: Demons can live inside those who don’t follow Jesus. Jesus gave the disciples authority in Matthew 10:8, "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” [3] Humans cannot possess another human. When a human dies they stand before God and are judged in His throne room. They remain in heaven or they are separated from God in hell. See Hebrews 9:27 and Matthew 25:31-46 [4] zombies: A demon can possess and control a dead body. God and His angels will not do this to deceive us. In Jude 1:9, the devil wasn’t allowed to take Moses’ dead body to deceive the Israelites who didn’t know Moses had died.

  4. human anatomy vs. human desire: There is human anatomy with male and female. Jesus said in Mark 10:6, "But from the beginning of creation, God MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE.” Also, there is human desire. Rather than follow the original plan of God, they dishonor God and choose to follow their own lustful desires in all types of relationships. In Romans 1:24 it states that God then gives them over to their own lustful desire. God gives them the freedom to choose what honors Him or offends Him.

  5. human fantasy vs. reality: The fantasies that people have said they have lived are mostly influenced by alcohol, drugs, and demons.

The fiction with human religion:

  1. humans cultivating into gods: In Ephesians 2:8 it says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;” We cannot earn immortality by our own effort. Increased abilities are temporary and are influenced by drugs and demons.

  2. many gods and many heavenly realms: There is only one heaven. In Philippians 3:20 it says, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;” There is only one God. It says in Isaiah 44:6, "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.”

  3. angel-human babies: Spirits cannot have babies. God created all the angels as spirits. It says in Psalm 148:5, that God commanded and they were created. In says in Colossians 1:16, “For by (Jesus) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.” Angels and demons can’t create spirits or humans. Babies are formed by God himself inside the womb of the woman. It says in Psalm 139:13, “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb.” Lastly, there is no marriage in heaven. Jesus says in Matthew 22:30, "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” Children come from a marriage, so if there is no marriage in heaven there will be no new born children while in heaven either.

  4. human spirits float around earth or become angels assigned to earth: It says in Hebrews 9:27, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” When judged they remain in heaven or they are separated from God in hell. See Matthew 25:31-46.

  5. heard with repetitive prayers: It says in Matthew 6:7, "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.”

  6. earn your forgiveness through works: It says in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”

  7. Mary as a deity: Jesus’ disciples knew Mary was not deity. They didn’t worship Mary. Jesus called Mary “woman” and not mother. He redefined family when He said in Matthew 12:50, "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."

  8. pray to human “saints” or worship angels: Jesus’ disciples didn’t let people bow to them or pray to them, and neither did the angels in Revelations 22:9 where it says, “But he said to me, "Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God." In Luke 4:8, “Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'"

  9. priests as intermediaries between you and God: Jesus’ disciples didn’t do this. They knew that Jesus and the Holy Spirit intercede for us. It says in Romans 8:34, “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” And in Romans 8:26 it says, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;”

  10. membership required to go to heaven: It says in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;” Also, Jesus’ disciples didn’t require membership to go to heaven.

Prayer coaching: “Jesus I give you permission to confront me when I am wrong about my ideas. Show me my sin and weaknesses. Correct me and tell me what to do. Turn me around and help get me on the right path.”