Why isn’t there a seagull hawk that looks nearly indistinguishable from a seagull. It could mix in and get close to the seagulls before its attack.
Likewise I’ve never seen or heard of a predatory cat that looked similar to the deer on the plains of Africa, that could mix and mingle in with the grazing animals before striking.
Pondering on this, it comes to me that function dictates form. A predator would be unable to prey, in the form of its prey. A bird of prey has a completely different construct, from those birds which are preyed upon.
A seagull has webbed feet suitable for paddling as it swims. A predatory bird has talons for grasping and impaling its prey upon. A hawk has long broad tailfeathers for quickly stopping and changing directions in the chase. A hawk's beak is constructed for ripping and tearing flesh. His eyes face forward to better focus and see for the chase. The lion's claws, the wolf's teeth. . . all very different and never to be mistaken for their herbivore prey.
There’s no mistaking. . . no possibility of a predatory creature able to naturally have the form of a prey, the function required of a predator drives its form. From seagulls and hawks my mind went to sheep and wolves. . .
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“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
(Matthew 7:15-20 NLT)
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There are wolves among us which try to pretend and deceive us that they are sheep. A wolf will prefer to kill and eat meat over anything and will abhor eating grass. A wolf spends its nights howling at the moon, and will naturally cause confusion, and distress, unease and even a panicked stampede among the sheep. Sheep are naturally peaceable creatures, wolves are not.
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Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
(1 Peter 5:8 KJV)
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Learn to identify, and avoid the wolves, the lions, all the predators, which scatter and cause strife within the flock. Tolerate nothing, tolerate no one which causes disunity among God’s people. Nothing is more damaging than disunity to the body of Christ. Disunity is a cancer. . . a body turned against itself. . . devouring itself. . . weakening, and ultimately destroying itself. . .
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Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
(Matthew 5:3-11 KJV)
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It might be easiest to define wolves, by what they are not. Spiritual predators are never spiritually blessed. They are not known for being poor in spirit or mournful, or meek, or hungering and thirsting after righteousness. They are not known as being merciful, or pure, or peacemakers.
Spiritual wolves invariably cause disunity, and always lead to the fracturing of fellowship.
Cain was a spiritual wolf. Lucifer, and the fallen angels were spiritual wolves. Saul was a spiritual wolf. Job's 'friends' were spiritual wolves. Joseph's brothers were spiritual wolves. Judas was a spiritual wolf.
The predator of any stripe is at heart a lazy coward. He, of necessity, seeks the easy prey. He never goes after the strongest of the flock. A well placed kick from a strong, healthy, and alert sheep will break the wolf’s leg, and is a death sentence for him. He knows this, so he goes for the old, the crippled or sick. . . the weakened. . . the foolish. . .the gullible. . . the very young, the malnourished, those which separate themselves from the watchful eye of the shepherd, and safety of the herd.
We are speaking here not of fleshly, but of Spiritual things. . . You can look muscular and well fed in the flesh, but spiritually be as malnourished as a withered child in a desiccated land of famine. . .
The predatory spirit comes strongly to attack and lay waste those who are Spiritually weak. . .the easy prey. . . those who haven’t done their daily devotions or spent time in prayer. . . those who haven’t been well nourished by preaching, and strengthened by worship. . . Those who have distanced themselves from the flock, and forsaken fellowship. Those whose faith has faltered. . . All these things lead to spiritual malnourishment, and increase the likelihood of spiritual disease and starvation.
But be aware. This devouring predatory spirit of disunity isn’t born only in faraway lands, but the seed of this spirit can be found within us all. Waiting for good growing conditions to take root. Its father is named pride, and mother is known as envy. . . ambition, and insecurity are also to be found in its heritage. Give it no opportunity. Give it no voice within you. Isolate yourself, protect yourself from those infected with the spirit of disunity. It is subtle. It is a seducing spirit. Be vigilant against it.
The best place to battle this spirit is on your home court. . . within you.
Find your justification, validation, security, and love in the arms of and daily communion with God. . . under the shelter of His wings. God is love. Fill your heart with love. Fill your heart with God. Fill yourself with the Spirit of God, and there will be no room for lying and deceiving spirits within you. . .
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Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(James 4:7 KJV)
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
(Philippians 4:6-9 KJV)
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I love You my God. . .
I thank You my Lord. . .
I thank You for Your love and peace. . .
I thank You for the unified body of the Church
❤
Dave
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