Sons of Issachar

481. Beyond The Pages | Finding Truth Outside the Bible

Mike Parsons –

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We are following a book which has been translated by people with an agenda and a preconceived confirmational bias, rather than out of relationship with Jesus. Yet Jesus said he would speak to us and that we could follow him. We have the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, within us. We do not need another teacher.

So why are we telling people they must follow a book, when they can be guided by the Holy Spirit and through Jesus, who is the Truth? Jesus is the Word of God. The Bible is not the Word of God. The problem is that we have been taught otherwise. I hear people say, “We are going to read the Word.” But they are reading a book, half of which was never intended for them, the other half written for people in the first century preparing for the end. We are not those people.

That does not mean God has not used the Bible. He has used it in my life, but it has also caused huge confusion. I was deceived into believing things simply because I was taught that was what the Bible said. Now, I go with what Jesus says. I will not live by an interpretation of a book; I will follow a person in relationship. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The Bible is not. Even if someone had never read a verse, never seen a Bible, they could still encounter Jesus and through him engage the Father.

This is why I would never encourage a new believer to start with the Bible. It will only confuse them, as they are faced with conflicting interpretations and even two seemingly different versions of God. But it was always just people’s limited view of God, not who he truly is. Relationship is what matters. I can walk in relationship even with those I disagree with, because I do not need to prove them wrong. My faith is grounded in personal experience and testimony, not in the teaching of a book.

I use the Bible only as a frame of reference, because that is how people have been taught. Yet I can count fewer than five times when the Father or Jesus has actually quoted a Bible verse to me. When they did, it was revelatory. For example, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden…” was spoken to me when I was striving to be good enough and keep a behavioural standard. It showed me why I was weary and how I could come into his rest. The principle was what mattered, not the verse.

Jesus is quite capable of saying directly, “Follow me and enter rest.” He does not need to quote Matthew 11:28. People can and do go astray, but many have also gone astray while following the Bible. History shows how it has been used to persecute, to endorse slavery, the Inquisition and Christendom itself. The Bible is not safe. Only Jesus and the Holy Spirit, as the Way, the Truth and the Life, keep us on a safe path. If you use love as the plumb line, you will not go far wrong.

This is what God showed me when he challenged my views of the Bible. He brought me back to the relationship I had with him, and how he speaks directly. He weaned me off my need for Bible confirmation. I know many still need that, but their thinking must eventually shift. They were told “the Bible says this,” but that has to be undone if they are to truly follow God.

Some quote verses about people falling away from sound teaching in the last days. But those last days were AD 66 to 70, when many fell away under persecution. That does not apply to us in the same way today. And this is the issue.

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403. So you think the ‘Word of God’ is the Bible? Think again!

392. Training Your Spirit | Practical Steps to Engage with God

266. A Happy Eschatology

480. The Heart of Evangelism | Meeting People Where They Are

Mike Parsons

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The Importance of Showing Real Interest

God loves people and takes a genuine interest in their lives. If we fail to show any interest ourselves, how will they ever believe that God is truly interested in them? Demonstrating care means asking about their situation and engaging with their story. It is not about forcing a single message upon someone, insisting that they must receive it whether they want to or not.

Instead, it is about recognising that God personally meets each person in their own circumstances. He cares, He desires to help, and He longs for them to discover who they truly are. In doing so, they can understand that God already loves them. This is a very different approach, one that treats each individual as unique rather than as a commodity, project or statistic.

Meeting People Where They Are

In the past, many forms of evangelism tended to focus on strategies and techniques. Courses often emphasised how to deliver a message and how to ensure that people listened. Yet this approach often missed the point. Evangelism should not be about ticking boxes or securing conversions. It ought to begin with real interest in people themselves—the realities of their lives and the struggles they face.

Rather than asking, “How can I insert this message into a conversation?”, we should be asking, “How can I develop a genuine relationship with this person, one that may open the door for them to encounter God for themselves?”

A Personal Approach

People need to meet God in us. They need to see and sense something of Jesus expressed through our lives. This may not always be conscious on their part, and sometimes it may not even be conscious on ours, yet God shines through us all the same. In this way, we carry His presence into every encounter.

As Scripture explains, Jesus was the clear image of the Father, revealing to those around Him what God was really like. Many have no true idea of God’s character until they encounter Christ.

Treating Individuals as Unique

In the same way, we are called to be ambassadors of reconciliation. Our role is to represent God’s heart faithfully and to help others to see that He has already done everything needed to restore their relationship with Him.

Summary: When our lives reflect His presence, others can begin to sense His love and discover for themselves the truth of who they are in Him. By treating people as individuals rather than commodities, we embody the message that God cares deeply for them. Evangelism then becomes not about delivering a formulaic message, but about relationship, love and presence.

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307. God’s Unconditional Love For You

319. Face to Face with God

417. Awakening to Love | Finding Your Place in God’s Heart

479. Unmasking Fear: How Religion Manipulates Belief

Mike Parsons

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Fear in Religious Contexts

Religion often resorts to fear to prevent people from embracing ideas or practices it doesn’t understand or that do not align with its doctrinal beliefs. This is not, in my view, inconsistent with the truth of who God is, nor with Jesus being the embodiment of truth and the core message of the Bible. The presence of fear arises largely from a lack of understanding, particularly when something is discovered or embraced by those outside the Christian community—it’s immediately seen as suspect or wrong, which creates unnecessary problems. However, God is not the author of fear; perfect love casts out fear, so there is no reason to be afraid of scientific discovery.

Historical Opposition to Progress

Throughout history, Christians and the wider religious institution have regularly resisted developments in understanding and technology. This opposition was seldom about genuine scriptural concerns and more often about maintaining control. Consider the printing press: the church burned William Wycliffe at the stake for translating the Bible into English, which meant ordinary people could read scripture for themselves. Previously, only scribes translated and copied the Bible, usually in Latin, ensuring that the common person had to rely on religious authority for interpretation.

Power and Influence in Religious Systems

The fear surrounding change and innovation has been more about preserving power and influence than defending truth. If people could access the Bible directly, they no longer needed leaders to interpret it on their behalf, and so the authority and power of those leaders was undermined. Religious authorities have opposed technology and scientific advancement for this reason. For instance, those who claimed the earth revolved around the sun—such as Galileo—were persecuted and nearly burned at the stake for challenging conventional thinking. Looking back, it’s clear that these actions stemmed from narrow-mindedness and an unwillingness to embrace progress.

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249. The Veil is Taken Away

265. Love’s Good News

454. The Bible vs. Jesus: What’s the Real Message?

478. Decoding Revelation: The Transition from Old to New Covenant

Mike Parsons

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Historical Context of Revelation

The book of Revelation was written to support those who found themselves in challenging times leading up to the end of the temple system—the old “heavens and earth,” or old covenant. As Jesus foretold, the end of the age (completion of that era) would take place within a generation, and indeed, it occurred between AD66 and AD70, when the temple was destroyed. Despite claims that Revelation was written much later, the evidence points to its composition while the temple still stood, specifically to help those who would soon experience the events described. The entire book addresses things “shortly to take place,” in the words of its opening chapter.

Symbolism and the End of the Old Covenant

Revelation is highly symbolic and apocalyptic in style, drawing heavily on imagery from Old Testament sources such as Daniel and Ezekiel. Without an understanding of this symbolism and Jewish apocalyptic language, it is easy to misconstrue its meaning—leading some to interpret its symbols, such as “666” or the “mark of the beast,” as predictions of future global events, tribulation, and so forth. However, this “great tribulation” was a unique event, as Jesus stated. It was fulfilled in that generation, and never to be repeated in the same way. Both Matthew 24 and Luke 21 detail the armies surrounding Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, marking the end of the old covenant.

The text’s references to the heavens and the earth passing away signal the temple’s destruction—the ultimate fulfilment of that age. The period described was truly “the end of days,” a time when resurrection and judgment marked the transition from the old covenant to the new. It was not about individual resurrection, but the spiritual shift described also in Daniel 12, moving from the end of the old to the birth of something new, as Jesus called it “birth pangs”—the end was the beginning.

Misinterpretations and the True Message

Revelation includes figurative language; concepts like a “thousand years’ reign” or millennium do not appear elsewhere in the Bible and were intended as rich symbols, not literal predictions of future historical events. Arguments claiming that Revelation predicts future disasters often rely on literal readings or contemporary events, but the book itself insists its prophecies would happen soon. Much modern speculation—such as equating trumpets and judgments in Revelation with ballistic missiles or helicopters—is nothing more than popular fiction.

At heart, Revelation is about the ending of the old covenant and the temple’s destruction, written for those suffering persecution at the time—particularly under Nero Caesar. The infamous “666” is the numerical value for Nero Caesar in Hebrew, while some early Latin versions read “616” (the Latin equivalent). Early Christians wrote in code since openly denouncing Nero was dangerously subversive. The persecution by Nero included the dreadful burning of Christians as Roman candles, highlighting the harsh circumstances faced by those to whom Revelation was addressed.

Ultimately, Revelation was not written as a roadmap for the distant future, but for events soon to take place and as a comfort for its original audience. It is a book filled with encoded references, rich Jewish symbolism, and apocalyptic promise.

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All Mike’s books, including Into the Dark Cloud and Unconditional Love, are available to order from online and local booksellers; or you can buy them as ebooks and download them instantly from our website.
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295. A New Perspective on the Millennium (1)

296. A New Perspective on the Millennium (2)

318. Not the End of the World

266. A Happy Eschatology

477. Transform Your Reality | Harnessing the Power of Intention

Mike Parsons

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The power of intention

Intention is incredibly powerful. When you hold a specific intention, it can be conveyed to someone else through frequency. We see this in ordinary conversation: when we speak, a wave of air reaches a listener’s ear, is translated by the brain, and is recognised as sound and language. What we say can therefore have an impact in everyday interactions. However, when we speak with explicit intention, it can have a much deeper effect.

For example, if I were to say something negative like, “You’re ugly, horrible, and everyone hates you,” that would clearly have a damaging effect. In contrast, if I said, “God loves you. You’re the apple of His eye, the treasure of His heart. You are unconditionally loved and blessed to be a blessing,” such positive intention lifts and enhances how a person feels.

Dr Emoto’s rice experiment

Scientists have demonstrated that even our words, which are essentially frequencies or waves, can have tangible effects. Studies have shown that speaking or playing sounds to water can alter the way water freezes—positive words produce harmonious, beautiful crystalline patterns, while negative words create unpleasant structures.

A Japanese researcher, Dr Masaru Emoto, famously boiled rice and split it between two jars: one labelled ‘hate’, the other ‘love’. Presumably, he also spoke corresponding words over them. After several days, the ‘hate’ jar began to go off and grow mould, while the ‘love’ jar remained fresh for much longer, suggesting that positive intention had a beneficial effect. He also conducted experiments with polluted lakes, gathering people to focus their thoughts and intentions on purifying the water; astonishingly, the water became clearer.

Intention experiments

Another researcher, Lynne McTaggart, has conducted intention experiments, where people’s focused intentions have helped locate missing persons or bring about other positive outcomes. This area is growing in understanding and application.

In my own workshops, I’ve invited people to experiment with intention using crystal bowls. About ten participants joined in and learned how to play the bowls. I then focused on transmitting a specific emotion while playing the bowls, without telling the group what it was. After I released my intention, I asked the others what they felt—one reported peace, another rest, another calm. My intention had, in fact, been to impart peace, and they each described the experience in their own words. We each took turns experimenting, and some participants were particularly tuned in, picking up every intention sent.

A healing intention

Later, I took this approach to a larger gathering and aimed to release a healing intention using three large crystal bowls tuned to C, D and E. I invited everyone to remain open to receive the intention through their bodies. Afterwards, one man—who wasn’t from a church background but was part of our rehabilitation unit—shared that he had lost feeling on one side due to past drug use. He sensed the sound’s frequency entering his body, began to vibrate, and the numbness completely disappeared, returning normal sensation.

This experiment served to show the power of intentionality. In the gospels, Jesus demonstrated that intention can transcend physical location—He spoke and healed people both near and far, laid hands on some, using vibrational energy. We know of Paul imparting healing through pieces of cloth (such as handkerchiefs and aprons), which carried what many would call anointing or vibrational energy. When those pieces of cloth were placed on others, they too experienced healing.

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468. Unlocking Intentions: The Power of Sound in Practice

Friday 22 August 2025, 1:00 pm 0 boosts 0 favorites

476. Love As A Movement: Challenging the Status Quo

Mike Parsons

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We need to see people restored—brought out of darkness into light. That will not happen by trying to destroy them or confronting them with the same spirit in which they operate. True change comes through love. However, this does not mean that we just sit back and allow them to do what they like—we can and should stand for what is good, for righteousness, and for peace and joy. Importantly, we are not required to cooperate with those who use their power for selfish ends. These individuals typically control vast amounts of money, the media, and many of our major systems.

Therefore, we must begin to consider how we can legitimately remove their power—by refusing to participate in their ways of doing things. Real change starts as a grassroots movement; you cannot simply remove individuals, as new people will always fill the vacuum. What we actually need is systemic change, so when people see that our current financial system only enriches the same few and keeps the rest in poverty, they must stop supporting and engaging with that system.

To achieve this, alternative systems—kingdom government, kingdom banks—are needed, systems where money is not used for usury or lining the pockets of the wealthy, but for good. It may mean moving money out of institutions that fund selfish agendas and into systems set up for the benefit of all. When the time is right, if people withdraw their money, those individuals lose much of their practical power.

But it is crucial that there be something positive to replace the existing system—one truly governed according to godly, heavenly principles. Chasing every new “prophetic” financial trend, such as cryptocurrency, is not the answer; these rely on infrastructures that could fail or be manipulated in much the same way as traditional systems. Instead, there are established alternatives already in place—cooperatives and credit unions, for example—which are designed to support people and communities rather than corporate profit.

Ultimately, genuine change is possible only as people themselves are transformed. When enough people change, society will inevitably move away from corrupt systems. We should expect resistance from those benefiting from the status quo, especially when new technologies such as free energy threaten entrenched interests. Historically, those with power have bought up, suppressed, or blocked such advances to protect their profits. If technologies that advance the common good are to be released, we need the right people administering them and providing the necessary finance—including for practical matters like community-controlled water sources, so no one can monopolise such basic assets when their value increases.

We must plan wisely, ensuring that whatever solution we pursue does not create a new set of problems, but genuinely serves people and fosters a just and sustainable future.

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32. Nations Will Stream To It

369. Living in Abundance: The Wellbeing Economy

312. How We Are Wired To Restore Creation

203. Manifesto of Love

475. Preparing for the Shift: Spiritual Readiness in Uncertain Times

Mike Parsons

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We need to get ready. I think now is the time to ask ourselves: what are the signs? What should we be aware of? We need to seek God, ask for discernment regarding what’s coming, and be prepared to deal with whatever may arise. The parable of the wise virgins is relevant—their lamps were filled with oil, but they also brought extra oil so they were prepared and their lamps kept burning. Likewise, we need to be proactive: ready and prepared.

This preparation covers all areas—building up health and wholeness now, being ready for whatever may come, whether that’s changes in the financial system, new forms of government, or presenting a new, kingdom-based perspective on the planet. It’s about legislating so that the enemy’s plans to rob and destroy come to nothing. We need to legislate for peace—proclaiming that there will not be nuclear war, civil war, or anything else engineered to bring chaos and destruction. Our role is to protect the earth from the significant changes that might be coming.

There may indeed be dramatic shifts ahead—major changes, such as increased solar activity, solar flares and radiation, or even changes in the gravitational field. No matter what happens, our call is to remain in a place of peace and rest, to be ready, and to engage with a governmental, creative authority as those made in the image of God. If something needs to change, we change it—not by simply repeating old patterns or creating yet another doomed system, but by calling things into being, by creating change in line with God’s original purpose.

We must abandon the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and instead pursue God’s original design for humanity and the earth. How would God have us live? Christians, as it stands, often struggle to live harmoniously even among themselves, let alone with others. We must move beyond division, set aside arguments over theology and doctrine, and instead establish relationship with God as our solid foundation—a plumb line for all else to align with. I believe this is where God is leading us.

More and more people are becoming disillusioned—with life as it is, with religion, with government. People are realising current systems simply aren’t working. Around the world, major democracies are seeing fractured outcomes—coalition governments in India and South Africa, for example, and a lack of representation for many in the UK’s first-past-the-post system. There is no longer a simple black and white; we’re seeing more of a ‘grey area’—a mixture of views and values, which is healthy. Coalitions, handled well, allow genuine balance, agreement, and sensible progress; it opens the door for decisions based on what’s best for people and for the planet, not just for the few who hold most of the wealth.

This shift means there’s increasing grassroots movement, protest, and people raising their voices—a trend I expect will only grow. Let’s legislate and pray that this will remain peaceful, and not be hijacked by those seeking violence and disorder. We’ve seen peaceful reforms before: Northern Ireland, for instance, moved from violence to the Good Friday Agreement, as people persisted, prayed, and worked for peace and unity. In South Africa, Mandela chose reconciliation over revenge, helping end apartheid, even if there are still challenges today. Major change is possible when people persevere for the good.

The fall of the Berlin Wall and the break-up of the Soviet Union were once unimaginable too, yet significant pressure from people within those countries brought about change. Even if new problems arise, the point is that change can happen—and we should be active participants, seeking wisdom, praying, and legislating for peaceful, transitional change.

Don’t just sit back and hope for change—let’s call it into being. Come together, enlightened, in unity, focusing on God’s heart and on the main thing: bringing about peace on earth and establishing God’s kingdom. The restoration of all things is what is needed—even those who have gone to the ‘dark side’ can be restored (as even in stories like Star Wars, Darth Vader’s true identity was rediscovered and restored). In the same way, fallen beings were not always lost; they were deceived down the wrong path, but there is no reason why they cannot be restored to their true identity.

Let’s be proactive—working and praying for restoration, for unity, and for peace on earth. The more we do, the more people will be restored to work for good rather than being used by forces seeking destruction. Ultimately, that Luciferian agenda will not prevail—we must ensure it doesn’t.

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32. Nations Will Stream To It

369. Living in Abundance: The Wellbeing Economy

298. Revealing the Function of the Earth Shield

256. The Period of Restoration of All Things

474. From Low To High | How Frequency Impacts Your Health and Happiness

Mike Parsons

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Frequency, by its very nature, has an impact on our bodies and every aspect of our lives because everything is constantly vibrating. Take love, for instance—it is considered a very high frequency. When you engage with love, it can raise your own frequency and entrain you to operate at that higher level, bringing you into harmony with love itself. The result is a state of resonance that benefits your entire being.

Conversely, when the body is dominated by anger, unforgiveness, or similar negative emotions, it operates at a lower frequency. These low frequencies attract more of the same and bring you into agreement with them, which can potentially lead to disease. Disease, after all, is simply a state in which one’s system is out of ease—out of rest and harmony. This is how frequency affects us in a very practical way.

Scientifically, frequency is just the rate at which something vibrates. For example, tuning musical note A to 444Hz means the entire musical scale operates on a specific set of frequencies. There is a wealth of information online about this—my friend Del Hungerford, a concert musician and music professor, has written extensively on frequencies and how they relate to solfeggio scales and similar concepts.

Tuning standards have changed over time. In recent years, some Christian musicians have started tuning to 432Hz or 444Hz, each producing distinct energetic properties when engaged with. Personally, I found that when our musicians made this adjustment, I experienced a deeper connection with the songs, and my whole being resonated in a way that felt more harmonious and in tune with God.

When I first began consistently accessing heaven in 2010, one of the first things God spoke to me about was frequency, harmony, and resonance—concepts that at first seemed to be ‘new age’, but turned out to carry much deeper significance. God also spoke about quantum physics, quantum entanglement, quantum tunnelling, and similar topics. Over time, I realised that understanding how God created the universe is rooted in both the mystical and the scientific—when God spoke, light responded, and reality was formed. This is echoed in quantum physics: the observer affects reality by observation, as demonstrated by experiments like the double-slit experiment.

It’s an area where science and spirituality converge, giving us insight into the creational dynamic God designed. For example, quantum entanglement demonstrates how two or more things, separated by immense physical distances, can be affected instantly and simultaneously. In the same way, when we are in heaven, our whole being—body, soul, and spirit—can be directly and instantly impacted by that connection.

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107. Agreement, Resonance and Harmony

276. Living In Dual Realms

473. Why Do We Assume? | Questioning Our Beliefs and Practices

Mike Parsons

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We often make assumptions simply because we’ve never thought to question things, or even paused to ask, “Why am I doing this?” It’s so important to consider our motives. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t gather, worship, or take part in services—if that’s how they want to express themselves, that’s perfectly fine. But it’s worth asking ourselves and one another, “What’s at the heart of this? Why am I really doing it?”

A friend of mine, for instance, shared how God told her and her husband not to attend the Sunday meeting anymore. Her husband was delighted—he could use the time for other things—but she was horrified. Every time Sunday rolled around, she felt guilty for not going. It took her six months to work through that guilt. Guilt doesn’t come from God—it stemmed from her conditioning and an internalised mindset of what she thought she ‘should’ be doing. Once she processed those emotions, she found incredible freedom and began enjoying life outside of that obligation. She also found that her relationships changed: there were genuine friends who stuck by her whatever she did, and ‘church friends’ who were only present if she attended church. Real friends are those who stand by you through thick and thin, not just casual acquaintances from shared routines.

Whenever we feel compelled or would feel bad for not doing something, it’s worth asking ourselves: why? What is driving that feeling—guilt, compulsion, or freedom? God never wants us to be in bondage to something because we’ve assumed He desires it when it may not be His intent at all. Asking “Why am I doing this?” is always helpful, and I’ve had to do this myself many times. God has nudged me out of many such patterns. For example, a few years ago—around 2022—He told me to stop doing my annual Vision Destiny teaching series. The idea was that people should discover their own destinies with God and engage in their own conversations with Him, rather than relying on mine.

I realised that, even after stopping public teaching, I was still journaling out of habit. When I asked whether God wanted me to continue, He made it clear that it was up to me—He didn’t require it as a condition for our relationship. It was freeing to realise that my sense of duty was self-imposed, not divinely required. Eventually, I let go of journaling, and even changed how I approached my time with God in the mornings.

This shift wasn’t about having a better or worse relationship with God, just a different one. I learned that intimacy and union with God doesn’t depend on set routines or religious disciplines; it can be experienced just as deeply in everyday life, in the garden, the workshop, or wherever I am. Sometimes that connection comes through a conversation with God, but just as often it’s a felt sense of His presence throughout the day.

Since embracing this freedom and releasing the conditions I thought were required, my experience of God’s unconditional love has grown so much deeper. I realised that the expectations I thought God had of me were really just conditions I’d placed on myself. As I allowed those to fall away, I became freer, more connected, and filled with joy in everyday life, knowing that God’s love is unconditional and not dependent on any ritual or discipline.

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307. God’s Unconditional Love For You

FREE – 2020 Vision Destiny

442. Unconditional Love – NO GUILT, NO SHAME

472. The Cost of Shortcuts | Understanding Negative Trading

Mike Parsons

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The cost of shortcuts

If I look at my life personally and reflect on where I have exchanged one thing for another, often these ‘shortcuts’ are presented as opportunities, but there is always a cost involved.

[Questioner: “This question came from your book, Unconditional Love.”]

All Mike’s books, including Unconditional Love, are available to order from online and local booksellers; or you can buy them as ebooks and download them instantly from our website.

More info at eg.freedomarc.org/books

Lucifer traded his heavenly position

Before the fall of the world, Lucifer fell from his position as an angel of light and music bearer of heaven. This fall arose from “I will” statements: “I will ascend,” “I will be like God.” His jealousy stemmed from his understanding of man’s role in creation, particularly as sons of God. He left his appointed role, which was to help mankind ascend. Having walked in the fire of God and the garden of God, he knew his purpose was to reflect God’s glory to mankind. Yet he chose a different path. In effect, he traded his heavenly position for a false aspiration of ascent—resulting in his fall into darkness and deception, losing his rightful role concerning mankind.

When considering trading or exchanging things, I focus on the positive side. Trading can happen in a covenant relationship, such as our covenant with God, where “what is His is ours, and what is ours is His.” If I give myself to God, I receive from Him. However, the negative side appears when we accept shortcuts that lead to harmful consequences. There is always a cost to taking a shortcut, in relationship with God.

One example is when Lucifer tempted Jesus in the wilderness: “You can be above all these things if you bow down to me.” That was a shortcut—a trade for a deceptive, false position that would have cost Jesus His true position and authority. Thankfully, Jesus resisted temptation in a way Eve did not, by quoting God, His Father.

The true cost is hidden

We all have weaknesses and needs in life where trades might function—these are not just spiritual but practical. For example, intimacy is a core human need. Pornography can become a substitute, a shortcut that results in addiction and loss of genuine intimacy. The same dynamic applies to finances, power, or position—“I will give you this if you pay this cost.” Often, the true cost is hidden beneath deception.

I recall early in my ministry when I helped plant a church. The main leader took advantage of my desire to serve full-time and got me to do all sorts of his dirty work. Looking back, I realise I traded my integrity and position for his approval and the prestige of that role. Though it was 30 years ago, I regret doing some of those things—not necessarily bad things, just things he didn’t want to do. I took on roles that weren’t mine, and it ultimately diminished my own value and worth.

There are many such trading floors that people fall into when they don’t know or aren’t secure in their true identity. The enemy exploits our insecurities and needs to trap us in behaviours that contradict who we really are. If you know who you are, you won’t fall for such traps.