PIRATES IN THE CARE OF DEMONS - TAKEN CAPTIVE
Shocking Identity Theft Statistics
Prevalence: Almost one-third of Americans have been a victim of identity theft.
Cost: In 2023, American adults lost $43 billion to identity fraud
· Victims spend over six months and 200 hours trying to recover their identities.
The average loss of victims to identity theft is $500.
The average age of identity fraud victims is 30 to 39 years.
WHY STEAL YOUR IDENTITY?
TO MAKE MONEY
TO INFLICT PAIN
TO HAVE FUN, PRANK
Currently in a Series on Colossians 2 – which is really about Hidden Treasure we have in Christ and the Pirates in the Care of Demons who want to come and steal it.
REVIEW
Colossians 2:3 (ESV)
3 in whom [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
In Christ are hidden all the riches of wisdom and knowledge – All the answers are in Him.
Our minds are like colanders – affected by experiences we have that contradict the Word of God – need to take the truth of God’s word and plug up the holes – to keep more of the Word of God
Colossians 2:4–5 (ESV)
4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Plausible - Seemingly or apparently valid, likely, or acceptable; conceivably true or likely
THE TEST OF FAITH – MY EXPERIENCE SAYS THIS; GOD’S WORD SAYS THIS
PIRATES IN THE CARE OF DEMONS – Well meaning people, following the wisdom of demons instead of Christ
Colossians 2:6–7 (ESV)
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
IDENTITY IN CHRIST - walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him.
Colossians 2:8–10 (ESV)
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Taken captive – other translations:
“cheat you”/plunder you (ultimately steal your identity in Christ)
Captivate – steal freedom, tries to control/enslave, own
Many Christians are captivated by Reels, YouTube, News, Porn, video games, phone games (Candy Crush?)
YouTube/Social Media/Web – want our attention
Control my attention, control my time, ultimately my wallet
Captivate/Cheat/Plunder by
Philosophy
Empty deceit
Human tradition
Elemental spirits of the world
Philosophy – “love and pursuit of wisdom” – or investigation of truth and nature
A worldview is a collection of attitudes, values, stories and expectations about the world around us, which inform our every thought and action. Worldview is expressed in ethics, religion, philosophy, scientific beliefs and so on (Sire, 2004). A worldview is how a culture works out in individual practice.
Worldview – a framework to interpret life
Red or Blue/Republican or Democrat?
Conservative or Liberal/Progressive
Christian, Atheist, Buddhist, Muslim?
Life came from God, from aliens or simply evolution over millions and billions of years?
Sermons are worldviews
EVERY MOVIE, VIDEO, YOUTUBE, PODCAST, SONG HAS A WORLDVIEW!
Every Movie, Show, YouTube, Reel, you watch has a worldview
Is it based on truth or lies or distortion?
Reason and argument can lead us away from the truth, is the great arguer and manipulator.
Or is it completely taken out of context to distort or manipulate perception?
60 minutes interview of Kamala Harris -
Colossians 2:8 (ESV)
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Captivate/Cheat/Plunder by
Philosophy
Empty deceit – “that which gives a false impression” (Vines)
Fake News????
Deep Fake Videos – TikTok Channel devoted to Fake Tom Cruise Videos DEEPTOMCRUISE -
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6yw9YszJEmA
SLIDE: 2 years ago Russia release video of Volodymyr Zelensky telling his troops to surrender to Russia.
Got News?
Rumor – 2nd hand information
Print – in print, newspaper/magazine/web
Voice – audio recording
Video – video recording
Our culture – believes if it is on the web, it is probably true.
Headlines often misleading
SEARCH ENGINES – algorithm bias to our bias (or theirs!)
2016 elections Google biased search results to favor
“clickbait”
Gaslighting - is a type of emotional abuse that involves manipulating someone into questioning their own thoughts, memories, and reality. The gaslighter might convince the victim that they're remembering things wrong or misinterpreting events.
Comes from 1938 play and 1944 film Gas Light.
It’s like he says about sin. This is so good so fulfilling I love this, it’s amazing, trying to entice us, but then before giving it to us, he says oh. But your Christian you shouldn’t do that, so that we dig deeper in our rebellion and distrust of God and do it thinking it was our idea and not his.
Colossians 2:8 (ESV)
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Captivate/Cheat/Plunder by
Philosophy
Empty deceit
Human tradition
We tend to co-op the views of those we trust.
We set up monuments for the people God used in the past – it was good enough for Luther, Calvin, or A.B. Simpson -
Tradition – has value – but not over the word of God.
Mark 7:5–13 (NLT)
5 So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.” 6 Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ 8 For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.” 9 Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 12 In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. 13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”
Colossians 2:8 (ESV)
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Captivate/Cheat/Plunder by
Philosophy
Empty deceit
Human tradition
Elemental spirits of the world (principles, spiritual powers)
Danger of dreams, visions, impressions
Joseph Smith (founder of the Mormons) and Muhammed (founder of Islam) visited by angels.
1 Timothy 4:1 (ESV)
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
Pull away – isolate from Body of Christ (perceived rejection)
Twist the Gospel
Doctrines of Demons
Will always add or subtract to the gospel
Pervert the nature or character of God
Steal your identity in Christ
If you allow sin, it deadens your sensitivity to the Spirit.
How do you know if you’ve been plundered?
You are back under law
You are trusting in your ability, self-righteousness
You are unforgiving, suspicious of others
Your identity and self-worth are in something other than Jesus
John 18:33–38 (ESV)
33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”