While I was working on a number of tasks yesterday, the Holy Spirit told me that we must detect and reject every counterfeit. These counterfeits can occur in every area of our lives: our personal/social life, our careers, our businesses, and our spiritual life. However we must be attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit warning us about these counterfeits. He will also direct our attention to the proverbial red flags. As children of God, we must ensure that we are able to detect and reject all counterfeits.
Walking in Solomonic Wisdom
The scripture that Jesus gave me along for this topic is 1 Kings 3:16-28. It is the well-known story of King Solomon resolving the dispute between two prostitutes over a living baby boy. One woman accidentally killed her child in the night. She then decided to exchange her dead child for her roommate’s living and healthy baby. They brought their case to King Solomon and both of them claimed that the living baby was her own. The king ordered for a sword to be brought and for the child to be divided in half between them.
Now for this literal division to occur, it would mean the death of the little baby. The real mother at that point was desperate to save her baby boy and asked King Solomon to give him to the other woman as she sought to preserve his life. However, the other woman was urging King Solomon to kill this baby. Why? She was embittered by the fact that her child was dead at her hands, while this other woman still had her baby.
This was what King Solomon was waiting for. He had engineered a situation in which the true maternal instincts would come to the forefront and reveal the child’s mother. He knew that the first woman who was willing to lose custody of her son to save his life was the real mother. King Solomon then ordered that the baby boy’s life be spared and that he be given to the first woman as she was his true mother.
As I read this story, I was led by the Holy Spirit to outline some important general steps in detecting and rejecting a counterfeit. These steps can also be used in a variety of situations. Let’s consider them:
1. At First the Counterfeit Looks Like the Real Thing
That’s the whole point of the counterfeit, it tries to deceive you into thinking that it’s the real deal. Fake currency notes are designed to look just like real currency at a cursory glance. However the fake notes have no true monetary value, because they are not authentic. Since all good gifts come from our Father Jesus Christ, then by the same token, evil “gifts” are from the devil.1 It’s vital that we only accept the true gifts that originate from our heavenly Father. Beloved, whenever we face a decision, we must be prepared to spend the necessary time to discern if we have the real deal or a counterfeit.
2. The Counterfeit Will Try to Convince You That it’s Authentic
The counterfeit option is likely to come with all the bells, whistles, and proclamations of its authenticity. We must be careful not to let our emotions lead us. It’s vital that we are led by the Holy Spirit of God in all things. We must discern or detect the red flags, or the indicators that we are really dealing with a counterfeit.2 The Holy Spirit will always be that still small voice inside of you, pointing out all of these warning signs. Listen to Him – He has never steered a person wrong.
3. Set Up a Test
Test time! Remember Gideon? He was a judge in Israel who wanted to follow God’s perfect will. Gideon tested the Sovereign God of All, two times, twice! Gideon laid out a fleece overnight with specific requests about the condition of the fleece and the ground around it. Each time, God confirmed Himself to Gideon.3 Therefore, if Gideon was laying out his fleece before the God of all heaven and earth, then why should we hesitate to conduct our own tests? However, we must be guided by the Holy Spirit in the setting of the criteria (or the test “questions”).4 We are not being unloving or deceptive when we conduct such tests. We are being careful stewards of the time, resources, health, and wellbeing that Jesus Christ has given us. That way, we will choose His right option every time.
4. Accept the Test Results
Nope – it’s not a mistake that the attractive option failed the test. The warning signs that the Holy Spirit showed you will always result in the test failure of the counterfeit option. Don’t argue with the test results and don’t try to reason around the results. Don’t try to make exceptions or try to work with the “potential” that you think you have seen. A counterfeit has no potential, it is inauthentic, it is fake; there is no “potential” that will come out further along the line.5 If you choose to reject the leading of the Spirit of God and accept the counterfeit in spite of the test results, then you will surely be destroyed!
5. Firmly Reject the Counterfeit!
It is not just enough to accept that you have uncovered a counterfeit. You must clearly reject that counterfeit! Don’t be ambivalent- reject it! Don’t try to keep it around as an option, as its very presence pollutes your walk with Jesus Christ.6 The modus operandi for all counterfeits is: Detect and Reject!
I pray that this word of God blesses your hearts and elevates your wisdom meter. I pray that you will walk in your divine empowerment to detect and reject every counterfeit. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might as you purge your life from the evil weights that seek to keep you from your divine purpose in Jesus Christ.7
Blessings, peace and wisdom upon you,
Sophia.
- Please see James 1:17; Matthew 7:7-12; John 10:10-11.
- Please read Matthew 7:15-20; 1 John 4:1-4; Romans 12:2.
- You can read this account in Judges 6:36-40.
- John 7:24; Matthew 7:15-20.
- Please see Isaiah 5:20; Proverbs 3:5-8.
- Please meditate on Psalm 101:3; Ephesians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 15:33; James 4:4-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:21-24; Matthew 5:13-16.
- Ephesians 6:10-18; Joshua 1:1-9; Hebrews 12:1-2.
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