Counterfeits to ChristExemplo

Day One – Settling For What Is Fake

In the earliest days of our ministry, the city we lived in was reported as a place of common coven activity and witchcraft. We saw many young people coming to Christ from backgrounds of witchcraft, deep drug use, and the occult. They shared about horrifying night terrors they were having and supernatural experiences they could not explain.

Among the most vivid was a young new mother. She literally grew up in a witchcraft store where covens met and spells were cast. She had been a practicing black witch from a young age but had gotten saved. She told us that her husband had looked in on her rocking their baby, and he found the rocking chair reportedly floating a few feet off the ground while she and the baby slept in it.

These kinds of things were fairly common in our first two decades of ministry—numerous demonstrations of spiritual power that were counterfeits to Christ. We’ve not seen nearly as much supernatural activity in our second church plant, likely because of a much higher concentration of mature saints who are devoted to praying for protection over our church.

God creates. Satan counterfeits. That simple truth is significant. Anything valuable is counterfeited—from Air Jordan shoes to women’s handbags to financial currency. Since the kingdom of God is invaluable, it is not surprising that the devil and his demons counterfeit the works of God. The goal, like that of all counterfeiting, is to fool people into settling for what is fake rather than finding what is genuine. God creates angels; Satan’s counterfeits are demons.

God creates truth; Satan’s counterfeit is lies. God creates the kingdom; Satan’s counterfeit is the world. God makes people Spirit-filled; Satan’s counterfeit is making people demon-possessed. God makes covenants; Satan’s counterfeits are inner vows. God creates blessings; Satan’s counterfeits are curses.