When you decide to present your body a living sacrifice to God you will become attractive to the demons who desire your worship. They will attempt to draw you away from God and toward themselves so you will worship them. If you are diligently seeking God you need to be careful how you respond to spiritual impressions or voices.

It is important that each believer attend an assembly of fervent believers, if at all possible. In such an assembly there are experienced elders. Submit yourself to them. Be accountable to them. When they tell you that you are going into error, listen to them. Listen to your wife or husband, because God often will use your marriage partner to correct you.

If you have Christian friends and they are concerned about what you are saying or doing, consider their warnings carefully. One of the quickest ways to get into serious deception is to harden your heart in pride, being unwilling to listen to people who are alarmed because of how you are acting.

One of the signs that a person is being influenced by Satan is pride—an unwillingness to listen to the counsel of other Christians. The deceived one charges straight ahead, accountable to no one, under no spiritual covering, sinking ever deeper into spiritual bondage.

If you think this has happened to you, seek out a Christian you trust, of the same gender as yourself (wife or husband is fine). Express your concern and ask him or her to pray. Deception often is highly subjective and the opinion of another person can be invaluable.

I understand well that you can be hearing from God and have the leaders of a church reject you. I know this is true. But there ought to be somewhere you can go for counsel, someone you trust. It is extremely dangerous to follow impressions or voices when there is no other Christian in whom you can confide!

The moment you turn to Christ, whether as a new Christian or a believer of many years experience, the demons will seek to take advantage of your interest in the things of God. It is your responsibility to keep them off the sacrifice.

As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. (Genesis 15:12—NIV)

The "deep sleep" reminds us of the deep sleep God caused Adam to enter when Eve was to be formed; also the "sleep" of Christ on the cross of Calvary as God prepared to make Him the flesh and blood we must eat and drink if we would have eternal life.

Perhaps God must "put us to sleep" before He operates on us.

What do you suppose the "thick and dreadful darkness" was? It was the Lord Jesus.

One of the purposes of this brief essay is to show you another part of the Personality of the Lord Jesus. He not only is the bright and morning Star and the Sun of righteousness. He also is the thick and dreadful darkness. We can't really know God until we become familiar with this side of the Lord.

To be continued.