“How Innocent” loved “Surreptitious! She believed that he was sent from above, never suspecting that “Surreptitious” was a false lover who was like an angel of light come to try her. This secretive one had been raised in a religious home and was well acquainted with scripture and all the trappings of religiosity to supposedly cause the spirit to grow. but instead of true growth, a distorted growth came.

“Surreptitious” was well able to detect the virtues of the Spirit in others and was drawn to the people who had them, but an undetected ulterior motive stopped him from becoming what he deep down desired to be. He compared himself with everyone and when someone had more virtue or accomplishments than he did, he felt inferior and wanted what they had. An inferiority complex plagued him continually.

When he first met “Innocent”, he instantly loved her and built her up telling her how beautiful, wise and gifted she was. “Innocent” felt wonderfully alive when he complimented her as she had never been highly promoted and adored by anyone before. His words seemed to have God’s presence in them and so she fell for them not realizing that she was losing her innocence as she took in his words. They were anointed words….. supposedly.

“Innocence” would soon realize the truth about “Surreptitious” and learn something she had never known before. She thought she had great discernment because she could see into the hearts of others, but that was because she did not have a personal desire connected with them. It was the desire that all women have had since Eve that was going to get her into trouble. Oh my, how quickly the hunger to have fairytale love arose in her heart, blinding her eyes to the true nature of “Surreptitious.”

It wasn’t that “Surreptitious” didn’t have wonderful qualities… He did, and it was those qualities that kept her from seeing what was underneath. People see what they want to see and “Innocent” was no exception. She wanted to love and to be loved. Isn’t this how it is with everyone?

Her relationship with “Surreptitious” eventually became very tumultuous because he was not one to do what anyone else wanted him to do. A deep rebellion was in him and each time “Innocent” requested him to do something, his rebellion became stronger. He was totally unaware that a spirit of rebellion controlled him and was working on controlling “Innocent.” He believed her requests were unreasonable and demanding and soon an intense dislike that became disdain was in him towards her. 

While it is true that almost every woman has a tendency to want to control and that “Innocent” had some of that propensity in her as well, the root cause of their relationship turning for the worse was not due to this. The spirit of strangulation came early on the scene the first time “Innocent” spoke something that “Surreptitious” didn’t agree with. “Surreptitious” was stealthy because he bottled his emotions and because he could not be open and transparent about them, he was unable to know himself and unable to have a true, satisfying relationship with others. 

Deep down he thought he was better than everyone. While he recognized the great attributes that others had, he was certain he would ascend to higher places and become better than they were because he had faith in his prayers and his many fastings to accomplish this. He had no realization of how deep his desire was to be superior and to gain glory and honor from people. When he fell in love with “Innocent”, it was because he thought she could add to him by becoming his mate and thus share in her glory.

In the beginning of most relationships, all the good qualities are in the forefront, but afterwards, the weaknesses, faults and even sins of others appear…  What happens then? If a person has gone through the fires of God so that the knowledge is established that there’s nothing good in anyone’s flesh… that one’s own heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, THEN love can prevail and cover the unrighteous behavior of others. This knowledge is worthless however, if it is only the mind giving ascent to scripture’s words.

“Surreptitious” had been afraid to see his own heart and suppressed and covered up the qualities in him that were not like God’s. Oh yes, he was willing to look at the little sins and address those, but he avoided being real with anyone God could use to convict him of his unrighteousness. How he loved to give the impression that he was humble. “Who am I?” he would say to people giving the impression to them that he thought he was nothing. He knew all the right words, but his actions betrayed him. 

Every day all throughout the day, he would wash his hands and take many showers. His conscious mind was not aware of the unclean spirits dwelling inside him, but his unconscious mind was and consequently he made desperate attempts to become clean while making excuses to himself and to others for doing this

“Innocent” continued to love him knowing that she was seeing the activity of wicked spirits in his life, not the true person God had created him to be. She covered him with many prayers, but without his being willing to look at himself, there could be no change. Sadly, ‘innocent” became defiled by remaining in the relationship, not willing to part from him after God instructed her to separate from him. No one can be helped by someone until they realize they need and then want help, and no one can help another person when they are defiled.

So what is it that makes someone to act differently than what they are? No one starts off that way, so how does the devil get an inroad?

There were signs along the way and always are when something is wrong. Signs are not missed by those with eyes to see. It’s only when we don’t want to see that they are overlooked. 

“Innocent”’s eyes were opened when the veil was removed off her face, for then she could clearly see that what was in “Surreptitious” was the love for the better life that the world had to offer. This false panacea of obtaining something better in the world is in the heart of all men until it is seen for what it is.

Can you hear it?- The kingdom is WITHIN, not in the world… It’s peace, it’s joy, it’s love, it’s righteousness… it’s knowing God and having no other Gods… The God of Mammon is the god of this world!… Oh yes, this is the dilemma- the test that all of us must face: Will we love God or will we love mammon or another idol more than Him?

Thank God that “Innocent”’s story has a wonderful ending and that ours can be, too: No longer defiled, she will soon be married to “Wisdom” and stand before our King crowned with mercy and honor…. This is the fate of all who learn their lessons well!