The Deception of Perception.

Which Tree are you eating from?

The Power of Perception

What is perception?

Perception is our concept, awareness, and comprehension of something. In other words, it is how we see things.

What influences our perception?

The environment and culture we live in, our past, the state of our emotions, and much, much more.

Many times we deceive ourselves because we see through an altered perception, and we judge everything and everybody out of our own heart! Because we are sometimes seeing with a twisted heart through the eyes of guilt, sin, rejection, or offence, it changes how we view everything. It is like putting on eye-glasses when you do not need them. It changes your vision. We think we are seeing the truth, when we are actually seeing a perversion of the truth.

For example, the eternal truth concerning proper godly authority in our lives is that it is a tremendous blessing and protection to us. However, if our experience with people representing authority, provision, and protection in our lives, (such as a father) has always been painful and abusive, our concept of authority would be a very twisted one. We would bristle up with resentment or fear every time someone asked us to do something. We would think they were also going to take advantage of us, even though the fact may be that they actually have our best interests at heart. The truth that they are trying to help us would be missed because of our harmful mind-set. This type of thing happens millions of times every day!

In life, perception is everything. If we think of ourselves as wicked sinners, we will be bound to sin. If we are confident, it will show. If we live in the light of our Heavenly Father’s acceptance, then we will be happy, fruit-bearing Christians, and if we think God disapproves of us, we will bear little fruit. If we believe people do not like us, then every little thing someone does, in our perception, will validate those feelings, whether they are right or wrong. As a man thinketh in his heart...so is he. Perception becomes your reality.

The Problem
It started with the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Let us look at the exchange between Eve and the serpent at the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden:

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, ‘You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’" And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die: For God knows that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be like God, knowing good and evil." And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, where are you? Genesis 3:1-9

Here is what you must notice!

First of all, we must realize the garden was the place of perfect fellowship. It was a place of divine provision, beauty, and open-faced communion with God. This garden was more than simply a fertile place with fruit trees and rivers. It is an allegory of what is available to every believer who will walk by the Spirit in complete obedience, only eating from the tree of life. As Paul said in first Corinthians, “these things are written for our learning and admonition; first the natural, then the spiritual.” Adam and Eve were naked, meaning they had nothing to hide. God came in the “cool” (ruach-Hebrew for Spirit) of the day. Eden means “delight”, and the garden was planted “eastward”. Eastward here is not so much a directional term as it is a reference to time, and it literally means “eternal”, or outside of time! Adam and Eve were openly walking with God in the Spirit in a delightful garden…that is until they disobeyed.

Who changed after the fruit was eaten? God did not. He showed up like He always did! What changed was Adam and Eve’s perception of God, their perception of themselves, and their perception of how God looked upon them. Before they disobeyed, they looked forward to fellowshipping with God. After they disobeyed they were fearful and hid from Him. Before they disobeyed, they did not notice their own nakedness, but now they laboured to create their own coverings. Why? This is the fruit of the tree of knowledge. When we chose our will over God’s will, it creates a distance and separation in our relationship with Him because it demonstrates that we trust in our wisdom more than His wisdom. We want to determine if something is “good or evil” by our own experience, rather than trust the wisdom and instruction of our heavenly Father. We will work hard to cover ourselves still today too. How? With religious activities, legalism, knowledge, good works, and other fruitless “leaves” that give the illusion of a fruitful life. The following word studies are revealing…

The term "knowledge" in Hebrew is da`ath {dah'-ath}, meaning knowledge, to know by experience, cunning, perception, skill, discernment, understanding, wisdom.

“Serpent” in Hebrew is nachash {naw-khawsh') meaning serpent, snake, image (of serpent), fleeing serpent (mythological). Nachash also means to learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortune telling, to practice divination, to observe the signs or omens . Serpent also means “hissing one”, and is a symbol of cunning.

The Greek word for serpent is ophis {of'-is} meaning snake, serpent, and with the ancients the serpent was an emblem of cunning and wisdom.

We can see a clear connection in the definitions of “knowledge and serpent” in that both are associated with wisdom and cunning, and both are associated with learning by experience.

Eating of the tree of knowledge alters the perception, and this is what happened to Adam and Eve. It immediately created enmity in their minds between themselves and God--an altered concept of God. “Enmity” simply means being at odds, or an enemy with someone or something.

And you, that were sometime alienated (separated) and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: Colossians 1:21,22

Remember that God told Adam, "in the day that you eat of the tree of knowledge you will surely die." Gen. 2:16, 17. Yet as we read on in the scripture, we can see that Adam lived to be 930 years old (Gen. 5:5). How then did Adam die? Death occurs in more ways than one! One way is the concept of separation. Adam perceived a separation had come between he and his Heavenly Father, and it had, but mainly in Adam’s mind. What happened that day in the garden still affects the world today. In effect, Adam and Eve had their own “new-birth” experience! They birthed the "carnal mind", and to be carnally minded is death. Today, when we are “born-again, we are born from “above”, but they were born from “below”, or from the lower nature. They were awakened to the appetites of the flesh--a “beast” that cannot be satisfied! It makes us wonder what Yahweh would have done if Adam and Eve had just owned up to their sin, and asked for forgiveness rather than giving alibis and shifting the blame.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Romans 8:6,7

Most people, both Christian and non-Christian, sense a separation and distance between themselves and their heavenly Father, because they never cease eating from the tree of knowledge. Instead of the word "knowledge", we could substitute the words "skill, wisdom, to learn by experience, cunning, or perception". As long as we try to know and serve God by our own skill (dead works), or see Him through twisted concepts, knowledge, or past experiences (perception), we will experience separation.

I Did It My Way may be a nice song for Elvis Presley, or Frank Sinatra to sing, but doing it our way instead of God’s way is called rebellion in the kingdom of God. We can do it in sincerity, but if it is not born of the Spirit, we are sincerely wrong.

We each have our own tree of knowledge called the soul, having its own serpent’s voice called the will. When we partake of this fruit, it is called “walking according to the flesh”, and it brings “condemnation” with it. Many Christians experience a life full of condemnation because they continue to eat of this tree, walking by their own ideas and preferences rather that God’s. Many, in quoting the following verse, end their quote too soon.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1,2

The above verse is commonly quoted, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”, but this will only be true if the remainder of this scripture is also applied. We will always experience condemnation as long as we live out of our own will and knowledge instead of walking by the Spirit, and obeying His voice. Walking by the Spirit is eating of the tree of life and keeps us free from condemnation. Our works cannot substitute for His grace, and our knowledge cannot substitute for a revelation of the Spirit, which only comes from the tree of life.

The Solution

We can all be thankful that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross paid the price for Adam and Eve’s disobedience, and He paved the way for all, Jew and Gentile, to become “spiritually minded, which is life and peace", and thereby be reconciled to Yahweh.

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of two, one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. Ephesians 2:15-17

Through the cross, Christ reconciled man to God, making peace, and putting to death the enmity, alienation, and separation we had in Adam, providing opportunity for all mankind to rightly relate to Yahweh God. When one is born-again now, he is awakened to the spiritual mind, and to be spiritually minded is life and peace, or eating of the tree of life. This makes available to us the mind of Christ, which is the “single” mind Adam had before he ate of the tree of knowledge.

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16

The only remedy for all people is repent, accept Christ, abide in Him, and obey Him, refusing to return to the tree of knowledge. To mingle the fruit of both trees will produce a mingled result, which is confusion. We need the same relationship with Christ that He had with His Father. He did not live from one good idea and new technique to the next. He did not travel about doing His own thing, asking God to bless what He did. Christ had stellar results because He had crucified His will long before He ever went to the cross. He had no agenda. He was not trying to build His own ministry or kingdom. He did not consider His reputation, or how things would look in the newspaper. He only considered one thing, “Is it My Father’s will?”

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. John 5:19…and verse 30- I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Concerning us, Jesus says:

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5

As Christ did, so must we. We need to understand without Christ we can do nothing! That doesn’t mean we are unable to try to do things. We can literally try everything, yet it will amount to nothing if it is apart from Him! Christ’s success was in hearing and obeying. That is eating from the tree of life, and walking by the Spirit.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

Seeing with a Single Eye

Throughout the scriptures, there are numerous warnings concerning what we will call “duality”. Duality is indicative of division, confusion, and not having a made up mind. We are to have a focused, made up mind, therefore God does not like us to be double-tongued, double-minded, double-hearted, having double-vision. The disobedience of Adam and Eve was the birth of man’s struggle with being double-minded! They immediately directed their focus toward self, and from God, and they began to perceive enmity, alienation, and separation between themselves and the Father.

We cannot focus on self and God at the same time, although most never cease trying. Eden was the start of man’s effort to walk with the Creator while eating the fruit and sowing the seed of mixture, and this cannot be done without having mixed results.

For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:7,8

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. Psalms 12:2

Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 1 Timothy 3:8

Man cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve flesh and spirit, self and God, carnal and spiritual, try as we may! Many Christians still struggle with this. As long as we eat mingled fruit from mingled trees, we will feel close to God at times, and separated from Him at others. Just as "the first couple" sensed separation from God and hid from Him when they disobeyed, many Christian people today feel separation and condemnation, and avoid fellowshipping with their loving Father, even though the bible says we are accepted, and we have an advocate with the Father when we do miss the mark. Do not avoid Him, run to Him!

By the power of the Holy Ghost, Yahweh wants His people to walk out of double-mindedness, and see with a single eye! But, in order for this to ever take place we must cease trusting in our knowledge, and eat only of the tree of life, which is every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. This means relating to Him so you can hear His voice!

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:22-24

We can easily see that this passage of scripture has to do with whom we are serving, for it is summed up in "no man can serve two masters:" Consequently, the tree of knowledge offers a host of “alternatives” that look very similar to what the tree of life offers. This makes its fruit much more appealing and deceptive. Initially, when we have eaten from the wrong tree it is not immediately obvious, but because the root is the same, ultimately the fruit will also be the same. Below we have listed some of the “fruit” associated with each tree. Compare the similarities in the fruits.

As one can easily see, it is not “double your pleasure, double your fun”. In fact, eating from both trees is total confusion…a mess…a tower of Babel.

Although the eye is an organ of vision, it is also the seat of expression that reveals the heart. If your eye is “single”, (good, whole) your whole being will be full of light (Jesus is the light), and if your eye is “evil”, or, as the original Greek word “poneros” implies, is annoyed, diseased, and distracted, your whole being will be full of great darkness. In Eastern thought, someone with "the evil eye" is considered to be one who is confused, and has double-vision. He is cock-eyed. He has one eye on the treasures of earth, and the other one turned towards heaven, and is double-minded, and a double- minded man is unstable in all his ways. This is the duality that cannot be tolerated. For us to conform to Christ-likeness, we must have one focus, seeking first the kingdom of God. Figuratively speaking, the evil eye of the flesh nature must be plucked out.

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matt. 5:29

Church of the living God, it is high time we rid ourselves of the mixture that pollutes the purposes of God. We cannot clearly focus, seeking first the Kingdom of God, and pursue every distraction that presents itself, including our own self-centered pursuits! This does not mean we are to never have any fun of course, but it means ordering our lives according to Yahweh’s priority list, not our own. We are to be living sacrifices. We must, as it were, pluck out the offending eye, the eye that is looking to the things of this world for satisfaction. Remember, “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” We are to be living sacrifices.” We must forsake all else, and have a single eye and single-mind to singly seek Him. This is putting off the old man-Adam, and putting on the new man-Christ. This is being spiritually minded, and is life and peace—real life! This is having the mind of Christ! This is overcoming, and eating from ”the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 Only from this position will we bear abundant fruit that remains. This is not something we will be delivered from, but something we will overcome! It is overcome by our obedience, and the effective release of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The angel at the entrance of the garden of Eden is not there just to keep people out, but also to “preserve” the way for over comers. Those who do overcome are promised to eat of the tree of life.

When this is done, we can begin to see Him clearer than we ever have before! We start to see that, through Christ, we are no longer alienated, separated, and at enmity. We are sons and conquerors; we were healed; we’ve been crucified, set free from sin, and raised again. We are His workmanship, members of His body, partakers of Christ, seated with Him in heavenly places! We are those born of God who are dead to sin, and do not sin! We are the salt and light of the world, a new creation, reconciled, sanctified, and made complete and perfect in Him! These are but a few references concerning what Christ bought for us, and we will see and manifest these, more and more, when we make our words and our minds line up with the Father’s.

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

The difference between the Christians who change the world, and those who do not is clear. Those who will change the world are totally focused upon fulfilling the purposes of God, and all the other necessities of life are subservient to that purpose. Of all others...they have a mixture of pursuits, because Yahweh is not enough, and He is not Lord and Master of all their life. They fit Him around all their many other pursuits. They have a double-mind and double-vision.

Having His Mind

When the first couple chose to believe the serpent rather than God, they chose to listen to the father of lies over the Father of truth, thus subjecting humanity to easy deception.

He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44b

Immediately after Adam and Eve ate from the wrong source, they had a shift in focus. When their attention moved away from the tree of life to the tree of knowledge, it also shifted from the Creator and to themselves. They stopped being God-centred and God-focused, to being self-centred and self-focused, thus bringing to life the carnal appetites and carnal mind.

Thankfully, Yahweh sent His Son, who is The Truth, to convert that which was perverted in the garden. Part of this conversion is the renewing of the mind. For this to take place, we must walk by faith, which comes through hearing His voice, and simple obedience, without which, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11). Faith is believing what the Lord says instead of what our eyes see, or what our flesh feels, and at times, what our mind is telling us. As our mind is renewed, we begin to have the mind of Christ, and this gives us a kingdom order to our priorities.

This is only possible when we abide in Him and have a single-eye. When we truly abide in Him by faith, and through the power of the Spirit, our perspective changes! Just as the woman bowed down with infirmity could only look into the dirt for 18 years (Luke 13), when Christ touched her, she could take her eyes out of the dirt (natural circumstances) and see into the heavens (Spirit)! This is where we are to cast our eyes.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:1,2

When we truly are abiding in the truth, we will take our eyes out of the carnal dirt realm too, because when one looks into the dirt realm, all you can see is dirt! That is; problems, faults, sin, demons, and the devil. We can’t live there! But, when we seek that which is above, we are seated with Christ, and we see from a heavenly perspective! We start believing the truth, and cease believing a lie! We see things from Christ’s view.

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 2:6

Remember, perception is everything! "As a man thinks in his heart…so is he." Your perception becomes your reality! If you believe the father of lies instead of the Truth, you will be bound to the lie. That is to be carnally minded, and is death! But, believing what Yahweh has said is being spiritually minded, and is life and peace! The choice is yours to make. Believe God, or believe everything and everyone else. Let God be true, and every man a liar (Romans 3:4).

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21-

We have to come to the place in our walk with God, that when anything in our life does not line up with what God has promised, we recognize that we have bought into a lie, we have been deceived, and by faith, we will not allow it to stay! We will adjust our walk, our talk, our thoughts, or anything else that we need to, in order to bring our life into alignment with His word.

Terry S. Parks, Pastor, The Rock of Roanoke

If this helps you…pass it on!

Read these verses and make your testimony line up with God’s, and see who you really are!

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

"Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, Acts 17:29

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, Romans 6:6

And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:18

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you...10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness...12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors -- not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh...14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." Romans 8:9-15Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:16-17

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37

But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): Romans 10:8

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God -- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption --1 Cor. 1:30

For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2:16

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. 1 Cor. 3:9

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, 1 Cor. 12:13

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ; 2 Cor. 2:15

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself 2 Cor. 5:17-18

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ...21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor. 5:20-21

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit. Gal. 4:6

… even when we were dead in trespasses, He made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Eph. 2:5-6

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Eph. 2:10

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, Eph. 2:13-14

For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. Eph. 5:30

… that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, Phil. 2:15

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight -- 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, Col. 1:21-23

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, Col. 2:9-14

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above,... 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3

…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness -- by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter. 2:24-25

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Hebr. 3:6

For we have become partakers of Christ Hebr. 3:14

By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebr. 10:10

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2

Whoever abides in Him does not sin. 1 John 3:6

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:9

We know that whoever is born of God does not sin. 1 John 5:18