Many years ago, I was driving from Hartford to my home in East Hampton, Ct. It had just turned dark and the most dense fog one could imagine rolled in. Visibility was basically zero. Had my lights on regular, as high beams just made things worse. At one point I opened the door and looked down hoping to see the line in the road showing I wasn’t running off the road. Not a smart move. I could not see well enough to pull to wherever the side of the road was and I realized that if I didn’t try to keep moving, I could be a sitting duck for someone to run into me. And yes, I prayed for protection for myself and my wife. It took a long time to get through the worst of the fog, and I made it home safely, but I never forgot that experience. In fact, we are all going through that now. Intense fog is not just atmospheric.
Fog forms when water vapor, or water in a gaseous form, condenses. During condensation, molecules of water vapor combine to make tiny liquid water droplets that hang in the air, thus creating fog. This, in turn, effects and impairs our vision so that it’s difficult to see beyond 3 feet in intense fog. This has nothing to do with an impairment of the eye, but arises from normal variations of perception in the brain. In aviation, it’s called “spatial disorientation” or the “Mandelbaum Effect.” This can create a situation where we become so disoriented that we cannot tell if we are right side up or upside down. Failure to pay attention to what can happen in these foggy conditions can result in injury or death. It’s common.
As I stated, fog is not just atmospheric. It can be spiritual or cause mental impairment. We are at a place spiritually in this country and in the world where too many cannot distinguish between light and darkness. Vision is cloudy. Thought processes are impaired. And we have many who proclaim to be visionaries for the Lord who consistently speak from what they have seen with high beams on. Their fog is just amplified, and they are sharing what they believe to see with those who follow them. If we are not grounded in the Word and consistently watching and listening, we too will crash or be led astray. This fog creates uncertainty, isolation, confusion, blurring of reality. The easy exit door proclaimed by some leads only to self-condemnation and even death. God is not the author of confusion but of peace. Yet so many continue speaking prophetically when the only thing it brings is more chaos. The Moffatt Translation says of 1 Corinthians 14:32-3, “Prophets can control their own prophetic spirits, for God is not a God of disorder but of harmony.” Yet many still speak from the fog as if from clarity.
We are in a time where indecision as to Truth, and the inability to discern what is or is not His word, has allowed a steady fog to cover our land, principles, tenets and faith. This will become like that darkness in Exodus 10 that was palpable. Spiritual fog lights are needed. That starts with our steadily being before Him in prayer and repentance. Standing for His truth and speaking that same Truth to what is false. It’s easy to be tempted to follow along when so many notable voices speak something, even if contrary to scripture. But God is faithful and will make a way of escape so you will not be tempted. It’s staying before Him. Who do you follow? This is no different than people being misled by witchcraft in Acts 8. People believed a false messenger had the great power of God. But Phillip spoke of things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, and the people believed. What has caused us to stray from His truth? Just as Paul said to the Galatians, who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth? As Paul stated in 2 Timothy 4, there will be a time when people refuse to hear sound doctrine, and they’ll accumulate teachers to suit themselves and be turned from truth. Is that not where we are and have been for a while? How has a political system of nationalism and so much of the body of Christ joined hands? The historian John Meacham said “Politicians are more often mirrors of who we are rather than makers.” We are to be mirrors of Him alone. If it doesn’t line up with Him, walk away.
In Matthew 22, Jesus said we are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and we are to love your neighbor as yourself. That should keep us pretty much occupied and seeing correctly if we manage to do that. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. Even our vision. Planting seeds of division and confusion. Keeping us in a spiritual fog of his design. But the good shepherd has come that we would have life. More abundantly and with clarity. The steadfast in mind God will keep in perfect peace because you trust in Him. (Isaiah 26:3) So this all comes down to getting our directions from He who created everything. From He who gave His son for us that we would have abundant life. He has given us the ability to discern spiritually. He is our strength and our shield. Let our hearts trust in Him alone. Keep our spiritual eyes fixed on Him and see spiritual fog lift. Confusion will give way to spiritual and mental stability. I pray He lift any fog, any spiritual error from all who are caught up in this trap of uncertainty of thought, and that He set you on solid ground. Be assured that if you are in Him, you have the mind of Christ. Blessings.
Stand My Watch 