THE FALL OF THE END-TIME CHURCH – The Python Spirit and Deceit - article #1
By Paul M Hanssen
1. THE PYTHON SPIRIT
The spirit of Python has to do with divination.
Acts 16:12-17 (vs 16) And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
Divination = Πύθων / Puthōn (poo'-thone) - From Πυθώ Puthō (the name of the region where Delphi, the seat of the famous oracle, was located); a Python, that is, (by analogy with the supposed diviner there) inspiration (soothsaying): - divination.
Divination, in this case, is translated from the Greek word poo’-thone, or python. Divination is to speak oracles under an inspiration. Divination is the demonic counterpart to true prophetic utterances. Prophecy is to speak under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. Divination is speaking error, often mixed with Truth, under the inspiration of the pythonic, divining and familiar spirits from hell.
In this article and the articles to follow, we will see that this spirit is rampant in the church world today as it was in the church of Pergamos during the days of the seven churches in Asia Minor.
The natural python is neither poisonous nor venomous. Pythons carry no sting and can seem harmless and unthreatening. However, if certain species of the Python snake are fed enough and grow large enough they are indeed deadly to a human. The strength of a python is incredible. They have strong teeth, curved inwards, fashioned for the purpose of grabbing their prey and holding on while they coil their long bodies around their victim and begin, slowly, to limit their ability to breathe. The bite, in itself, does not kill. The bite is the initial “grab” which leads to the kill. The victim is then killed by the python wrapping itself around and restricting the breath of their catch, little by little, until the victim is suffocated to death. The church has been bitten and the python is coiling around the very existence and fiber of the people of God. With every exhale the crushing continues and the move of God’s Spirit becomes more and more restricted and limited. We are coming to the place, if not have already arrived, where the church is void of God’s presence, but filled with “customer satisfaction”. The breath of the Spirit has been crushed out of the church while the focus is placed on making everyone happy and comfortable.
The picture of the natural python is a powerful demonstration of this destructive spirit at work in the church-world. The purpose of this article is to cause an awakening within God’s people and to bring a conscious awareness of this deadly force that is moving in the midst of the church today. May we find ourselves on the watchtower, alert, awake, and aware of the forces of darkness that have, and continue, to infiltrate the church while inflicting spiritual death within the body of Christ in these last and final days of time. Be not deceived. The greatest weapon and tool of the devil in these last and final hours of time is deception itself.
2. SPIRIT OF DECEPTION
Matthew 24:4-5 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Deception simply means to cause someone to believe something that is not true.
The first sign that Jesus gave to His disciples in His response to their question concerning the signs of His coming was that there would be deception. He warned us, His followers, to take heed that no man deceive you. These notes are written with that in mind. May we become awakened to the spirit of deception that is lurking in the way with the intent of deceiving and leading God’s people astray from the Truth of God’s Divine Word.
Take heed means to hedge about (as with thorns), that is, guard; generally to protect, attend to: - beware, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keeper, keep self, mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, wait (for), watch (-man).
To take heed we must hedge about the truth that we know to be real; we must protect truth; we must beware of those spirits that would come in privily and seek to lead astray; we must be keepers, observers, waiters upon; and we must be watchmen on the watchtowers.
All overcoming begins with watching. Without setting up the watchtower and being a watchman upon the tower of prayer and spiritual awaked-ness and awareness, we are in danger of being overcome even before getting the chance to go to war. If we are not watching, the enemy has the advantage of surprise in his attacks.
The devastation, loss of life, and destruction of military equipment at Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 would never have happened had the US military been on the watch. Pearl Harbor was attacked at 7:48am by 353 Imperial Japanese aircraft. It was a surprise attack that no one on the US side expected. They were not watching for it. All eight US Navy battle ships that were in dock were damaged, with four of them being sunk. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship, and one minelayer. Also, one hundred eighty-eight U.S. aircraft were destroyed; 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded. (information from Wikipedia: Attack on Pearl Harbor).
1 Peter 5:8-9. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
To be sober and vigilant simply means to be alert and watchful. One of the greatest weapons of demonic warfare against God’s people is what I call the “lullaby song”. A lullaby is a quiet, soft, gentle song that is used to cause a baby to fall asleep. The devil uses such “melodies” to cause God’s people to fall asleep. These melodies, figuratively speaking, are quiet, gentle, and soothing to our hearts. They feel so right to the flesh. They move the sense of spiritual discernment and alertness to become dull and nullified, inactive and senseless. They cause one to “feel” that everything is just right and that the path being trod is the right path.
Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
The devil’s lullabies are made up of false, unsound doctrines, twisted truths, and carnal reasoning. They appeal to man’s carnality and take grip of his inner most being with a subtle and yet devastating sting of death. Once the mesmerizing lullaby grabs the soul, the python spirit is able to grab with his teeth, and coil around his victim who has become paralyzed and spiritually unconscious, all while squeezing the spiritual life out of his victim’s being.
The watchtower must be erected and occupied in the life of an overcoming believer!!!
Luke 21:33-36. 33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
In the case spoken of in Acts sixteen, Paul, and others, were on their way to pray when this pythonic spirit “attacked”. This spirit will go after sincere people who have a genuine hunger and thirst for God. It will attack us in our attempts to serve God. It is sly, and seemingly “on your side”, and does not seem to be threatening or life altering. But it is! This pythonic spirit works through and by the spirit of deception. Be alert; remain on the watchtower; stay awake!