The Mind of Babylon

The mind of Christ cannot co-habitate with the mind of the world…they are incompatible.

Yet, most American churches who lift their hands to the Lord have bowed their knees to Baal. Many American Christians claim the kingdom yet think like the world! The god of this world has corrupted their minds.
“…For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” II Cor. 11:2-3 The Apostle Paul likens the believers as being married to Christ. You can’t have a heart for God and your mind be somewhere else. “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me?'” Jud. 16:15 One cannot be married and also be joined to another, that would be adultery. Likewise a believer cannot be married to Christ and joined to this world, that is spiritual adultery. We must be one in heart and mind with Christ.
God called the children of Israel out of Egypt as His own special people to join in covenant relationship with Him. Balaam, a serpent of deceit, could not corrupt them himself. In his craftiness, he caused Israel to corrupt themselves by advising their enemies to seduce them through idolatry and immorality. Rev. 2:14 The strategy worked and the devil succeeded at getting the mind of the Jews set on the things of the flesh and at enmity with God.
Satan has no new tricks. His desire is to corrupt the mind of the church and to diminish its power on earth. The more the church blends with the world, the more it loses its power and influence! Since the devil can’t curse God’s people, he’s busy master minding ways to seduce them to corrupt themselves by unholy alliances with his kingdom of darkness. Every believer needs to guard his mind against being seduced by the carnal appetites of the world. The mind is the devils passage to the human soul. If he can deceive your mind, he can corrupt your ways. That’s why every disciple needs to set his mind on the things of the Spirit and live accordingly. “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God…” Rom. 8:6,7
In my thirteen years of ministry. I have found those who claim to be “spirit-filled” to be the most carnal. Brother Paul addressed this problem when he wrote to the “spirit filled” Corinthian church. “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.” I Cor. 3:1 Like today, they were shallow without substance. What many call the spirit is simply flesh!

In our free-thinking culture, most Christians do not think Biblically, they think like Babylonians…they have the mind of Babylon.

“The people of Israel…have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands…for they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed is intermingled with the peoples of those lands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this trespass.” Ezra 9:1,2 Ezra lead the second colony of Israelites from their captivity in Babylon to repatriate them in their national homeland. However, he learns that the holy remnant has intermarried with their heathen neighbors…the very sin that caused the captivity in the beginning. The spirit of Babylon had infected their minds in breaking God’s law…again! Ezra laments and effects a great social reformation. The Exiles renew their covenant with God to conform to His law. In obedience they separate themselves from the peoples of the land. The corruptible seed of Babylon had to be supplanted by the incorruptible seed of the word of God. Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Before our ways can be changed our minds must be renewed.
From early in human history, Babylon was a center of false religions, sorcery and rebellion against God. Babylon represents a pagan, self-centered culture reflected in sensual living and godless pleasure. Seated on the throne of Babylon is the philosophy of secular humanism. Today, end-time Babylon represents the ungodly world system – the enemy of God’s people – and all that opposes Christ.
God is raising up a holy remnant, a holy company of believers being renewed in the spirit of their minds to be conformed to the image of Christ. He is calling the true bride out of Babylon, preparing her without spot and wrinkle to meet the glorious Bridegroom. The holy seed cannot intermingle with unholy ways of the world and marry-up to the philosophies of its enemies. It is an urgent call for separation. The Head of the church is not seated in Babylon but in Heavenly places. The American church and its leaders have picked up the ways of Babylon and has polluted the sanctuary of God. “But they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works.” Ps. 106:35
The church of the living God cannot have any fellowship, communion, or agreement with this world system. “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God…’Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.'” II Cor. 6:16,17 Yet, many Christians have been seduced into enjoying the comfort and ease of Babylon. Many of God’s shepherds have been foremost in being lulled to compromise. They’ve become dull-hearted and de-sensitized to the ways of Babylon. Jer. 10:21; 12:10
We must be joined unto the Lord and established in Him before we can be separated from the world and re-established into His kingdom. Interestingly, the first colony to return from the captivity led by Zerubbabel concentrated on restoring the temple. Their priorities were in order. Before their national life could be restored, their national religion had to be re-established. The first order of business was to build the altar of God so worship and sacrifice could begin. Secondly, the foundation of the temple was laid and thirdly the temple itself completed. Ezra chapter 3 In the same way every disciple of Christ is the temple of God. Our relationship with the Lord must be established before we can get our lives in order. First, the altar of our heart must be established. On this “slaughtering slab” is where we die and Christ lives so true worship from the heart can begin…with uncompromised conviction. Secondly our foundation is laid with the absolute standards, principles, and patterns of God’s word to renew our mind. And thirdly, we are the temple where Christ is sanctified as Lord to display His presence on earth.
It was here at the building of the temple that the returning Jews were met with opposition from their enemies. The temple was God’s manifested evidence of His presence in the land…God’s outward and visible expression. God’s enemies sought partnership in the building intending to render the purpose of God ineffective. “Let us build with you…” Ezra 4:2 It is here where the devil antagonizes the disciple of Christ to compromise. He wants to partnership with the disciple with the intent of intermingling his ideas. The devil’s agenda is to undermine and frustrate the purpose of God. He wants you to keep your Christianity to yourself, in the church; not in public where Christ can be seen by the world. This is where the enemies of God fight to halt Christian influence and religious expression. Many have succumbed to the Babylonian mentality of privatizing their relationship with the Lord. It is the manifest evidence of Christ in our lives that brings conviction on the world of the ungodly. It is when we are holy and separate that fear strikes the devil. This is where the world should say, “There! A people dwelling alone, not reckoning itself among the nations.”
We are the light of the world, called to be a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Matt. 5:14 We are not called to sit in the shadow of Babylon but have our light shine before men. God raised up Haggai and Zechariah to resume building the temple, and the Lord is raising prophetic voices today prophesying to rise and build. Unfortunately, many have compromised! Trumpeters of holiness have been labeled as legalists by those who have conformed to, instead of resist, the threats of Babylon. God is also raising up Nehemiahs to rebuild the walls of the church to defend her from the menacing mind of Babylon.
The Babylonian mentality started in the garden at the fall of man. It began with the lie. “You will be like God.” Gen. 3:5 Through human knowledge, mysticism, and false religion Babylonians believe they can enlighten their minds to rediscover their hidden potential within. The more education, the more one is enlightened through knowledge. The message of the cross has no place in this ideology, instead they believe in self-salvation through human achievement.
Babylon glories in the power of man and scoffs at the power of God. Babylonians see no need to change the heart but to change the mind. Gen. 3:5 “…your eyes will be opened.” They believe humanity holds the power to change his environment; with a better environment he can be a better person.

Babylonian thought has saturated our culture in language such as “awareness.”

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked.” Gen. 3:7 (The Hebrew word for “knew” means to “be aware.”) Though mankind became physically aware of his condition he was spiritually dead. Without spiritual insight a man can only try to cover or “band-aide” the problem but cannot cure it himself. Gen. 3:7 “…and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” Man cannot cure his situation by his own inventions, knowledge or awareness. God provided the cure by the atonement of His Son Jesus Christ. Not by mans inventions but by God’s intervention. An unregenerate man may be cognizant but he remains spiritually blind. In other words, Adam and Eve became aware of their circumstances yet spiritually blind to its cure. Natural man can be enlightened to detect societal ills yet unaware of the spiritual connotations behind them. “But we have the mind of Christ.” I Cor. 2:16 As Christians we have the capacity to understand spiritual things. The mind of natural man cannot understand spiritual matters. Rom. 8:7 He can only see or perceive knowledge by the natural mind through the lens of natural wisdom. He must be reborn spiritually in order to perceive spiritual knowledge…a change of heart not the mind. I Cor. 2:10-15 Babylon pollutes the spiritual mind and is antagonistic toward it. Its influence is deadly to Christians.
The Babylonian value system is based on wealth and intellect. “…and never seek their peace or prosperity.” Ezra 9:12 The Biblical mind believes the just shall live by faith in God. The Babylonian mind believes he shall live by faith in himself. Rom. 1:16-25 Babylon desires to strip you from the image of Jesus Christ and fashion you into the image of the world. Its hidden agenda is to re-educate your mind with the spirit of the age.

The mind of Babylon is offended by the word of God.
So many Christians today have been conditioned by the spirit of the world that they are unaware of their spiritual poverty. Their minds have not been washed by the water of His word. Holy principles and patterns have never been laid and they think and walk in the ways of the world.
Recently, I flew to Atlanta on a ministry trip. While the plane was awaiting takeoff, I had learned that the captain was a female pilot. I asked the stewardess if this was true. Needless to say, my question caused no small stir in the cabin. The stewardess was so offended that she yelled from the back of the plane to the other stewardesses to let the captain in on the chauvinist on board. In parlaying with the stewardess, she touted, “So you think women should be home having babies…in the kitchen!” She also informed me that she was a “spirit-filled” Christian. Point in case: this is a sad reality of a so-called Christian who thinks like a feminist…her arguments were straight out of the world. For the word of God says, “…the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” Titus 2:4,5
This stewardess, like so many today, had a Babylonian worldview. It wasn’t so much that we disagreed on the issue but that I had an opinion contrary to the status quo. The Biblical worldview is offensive to the socially accepted political correct mindset. It was totally acceptable that I was labeled as a chauvinist but unacceptable that I would challenge her viewpoints as feminist. During the whole ordeal, I was singled out. No one stood in my defense. The audacity that I had a socially unaccepted “opinion,” that women were most honorable in godly, traditional roles, totally repulsed her.
Christians like these are not only to be blamed but their spineless shepherds behind the pulpits also. “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and beguile My servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols.” Rev. 2:20 The spirit of Jezebel had invaded the church of Thyatira. Today, in the 20th century, she has also found acceptance and many have fallen for her way of thinking.
Jezebel, princess of Tyre, married King Ahab, king of Israel, and plunged Israel into the depths of depravity. Behind the scenes, Jezebel wore the pants. Jezebel represents the marriage of the church to the world…a partnership leading to fatal compromise with the immoral, idolatrous pagan world. Worst yet, like today, it was tolerated and socially acceptable. “…I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.” I Cor. 10:20,21
Jezebel hated the Lord’s prophets who threatened her authority and control. Her false prophets ate at her table where she kept them under her spell and control. Absolutely defiant to true spiritual authority, she’s a master seductress. She is skilled in covert assassination by influence from within…a master of sedition. I Kings chapters 18 & 19
The charismatic movement gave this controlling spirit an outlet in the church. It began as a genuine move of God. Spiritual gifts were being restored to the Body of Christ and God was pouring out His Spirit on men and women alike. God proved Himself mightily, especially among Catholics calling them out of the Babylonian doctrine of Catholicism. But the Holy Spirit departed when they decided to stay in and create a new movement of charismatic Catholics. Jezebel moved in with another unholy marriage and the intermingling of unholy seed. Today, many are still eating from her table. The partnership tries to join the “Queen of Heaven” (Babylon: doctrine of Mary) with the King of Kings (Bible: doctrine of Christ) as co-equals. It’s another seduction of the mind of Babylon infiltrating the church to undermine the authority of Christ.

The main objective of the spirit of Jezebel is just that…to undermine Christ’s authority.

Jezebel has brought sedition into the church to usurp God’s ordained authority and order. Many pastors have failed to confront the spirit of Jezebel because of their cowardness. As a result, many God-called men have been neutered of their purpose and effectiveness. Also, the door was open for women intercessory groups to move out of submission and enter into witchcraft.

Truth liberates, lies captivate.

We all must be on guard from the wiles of the devil lest he take advantage of us…especially when God is preparing His people. Even though God had led a remnant out of captivity, the devil was working hard to hold them captive in their minds. “…that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” II Tim. 2:26
The church must make a clean break from Babylon in order to move forward with God. It is for our very survival! “Should we again break Your commandments, and join in marriage with the people of these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant or survivor?” Ezra 9:14

Brethren, make no mistake about it, we are in a war…a battle of the minds!

We must be Biblically minded to win this kind of warfare. “I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God…” There can be no friendship with the enemies of the cross of Christ. Phil. 3:18-19; James 4:4 Loving our enemies does not mean unifying with them, but winning them to Christ…to His way of thinking. God is desiring to pour out His Spirit on His faithful remnant. It’s time that we gird up the loins of our mind and be sober…to be holy as He is holy. I Pet. 1:13,15 We must be pure in heart and mind to manifest His glory on earth. “This I say…and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind…you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus…and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.” Eph. 4:17,20-21,23-24

Re-edition, original word 1995