Mind Control or Manipulation?

The Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Set Apart Spirit/Holy Spirit) woke me up this morning to this question, “is there a difference between “mind-control” and manipulation? After He showed me some things I answered that question. I pose the same question to you readers. Is there a difference between “mind-control” and manipulation? Also, how do you recognize and fight off either of them?

I am starting this blog off with scripture and those who have read my blogs before will know that I will quote scripture throughout. In 2 Corinthians 4:1-4 it states; “Therefore having this service, even as we received compassion, we do not lose heart, but have renounced the secret ways of shame, not walking in the craftiness nor falsifying the Word of Elohim, but by the manifestation of the truth recommending ourselves to every human conscience, in the sight of Elohim. And indeed, if our Good News has been veiled, it has been veiled in those who are perishing, in whom the mighty one of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that the enlightening of the Good News of the esteem of Messiah, who is the likeness of Elohim, does not shine on them” (ISR98). In those verses the Apostle Sha’uwl (Saul/Paul) was first off stating continued faith in service and showing it, by refusing dishonesty, not deceitfully using the Word but showing it in truth to all. He then goes on to say that the Good News /Gospel is only hidden to those who don’t believe and the reason they don’t believe is because Satan the adversary has blinded their unbelieving eyes to keep the light of truth from shining on them. Pay close attention to the “blinding the minds of the unbelievers” quote here and keep that in mind throughout this discourse (writing).

There is a saying that states; “the mind is a terrible thing to waste.” How do you feel about that saying? What does that term “lose/lost/losing my mind” really mean to you when you hear it? What do you think of when you hear the term “mind control?” Most of you probably think of a person who is a mindless being that is fully controlled by another entity or someone, void of reasoning altogether. The term “mind control/brainwashing” is basically a re-education, coercive persuasion or thought reform. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines mind as: the element or complex of elements in an individual that feels, perceives, thinks, wills, and especially reasons. Let us not just stop with that definition but also look at the definition for control while we are at it! The definition for control is: the power to influence/direct behavior, to hold in check, to test or verify (a scientific experiment) by parallel experiment or other standard of comparison. Now when we look at 2 Corinthians 4:4 it would seem that Apostle Sha’wul (Saul/Paul) is saying that Satan has influenced, directed or held in check (mind controlled/brainwashed) the perception, will and reasoning of unbelievers to keep them from the light. For some people we could just open up the doors and do the benediction off of that, but we must go deeper. Remember the other part of the definition of control, which talked about a scientific experiment? Those who studied the sciences know about the term control. The “control” (independent variable) is the test subject(s) group that receive a placebo or false thing, while the “experimental” (dependent variable) group receives the actual administration of what is being tested. An example: a person will be given a sugar pill, while another person is given a pill that actually has the drug. Both are told that the pill is supposed to do a specific thing. The person really being watched is the subject (experimental) with the actual drug, since the “control” can be adjusted and is actually affected by the “experimental.” Now when you read about the “wheat and tares” in Matthew 13:24-30;36-43 you will get a better understanding especially of verse 30 when the Messiah said “let both grow together until the harvest” (parallel experiment/standard comparison). Other showings of parallel experiment/standard comparison are found in Ex 32:26, Joshua 24:15, Matt 7:13-14 to name a few. The wheat (believers) were the experimental/dependent variable and the tares (unbelievers) where the control/independent variable. Believers are empowered with the Holy Spirit and unbelievers are “empowered” through fallacy (falsehood). Now when you think about population control, gun control, government control; etc. you have another aspect to look at it from and to think of who is the “control” and the “experimental” variables.

Mind-control/brain-washing is a very controversial subject because of what it implies as well as the fact that these things could actually be going on. Many who are awake, know of MK-Ultra and other secret governmental organizations that do things like this, but have you ever considered advertisement as well? Advertisement shows you something to make you want it. It is a “medium” to draw your attention or “speak to you” to influence your mind/will.  A medium is: an agency or means of doing something and the intervening substance through which impressions are conveyed to the senses or a force acts on objects at a distance (think of a radio). Why do you think “spiritualist,” “seers,” diviners, tarot readers; etc. are called mediums? They are radios tuned into the wrong frequency drawing attention to those who are not tuned into the True Set Apart Spirit (Ruach Ha’Kodesh/Holy Spirit). Remember that the thing being advertised is something that you either don’t have or something that is considered better than what you have.

Let us look at Genesis Ch. 3 where the serpent (Satan) spoke to the woman in the Garden. He asked (advertised) her some questions and then he answered (advertised) them for her (just like commercials). But in doing these things what was he really doing to her. Was he mind-controlling her into eating the fruit or was he manipulating her into eating the fruit? The definition of manipulate is to: handle or control (a tool, mechanism, etc.), typically in a skillful manner, control or influence (a person or situation) cleverly, unfairly, or unscrupulously, exploit. There seems to be a certain theme with control/influence in both terms of mind-control/brainwashing and manipulation don’t you think? The serpent/Satan was using the power of influence through advertisement of something that the woman didn’t have, or did she? Did he not promise her that she would have knowledge? Didn’t he say that The Father lied and that instead of death that she would be like The Father? What she didn’t understand was that she was “like” The Father in that “man was created in His image; in the image of Elohim created him, male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27). Adam was made in the image of The Father and the woman was made from that image of Adam (see Gen 2:22). She also didn’t realize that she already had knowledge because she had the source of knowledge which is The Father. She was “influenced through the very same advertisement schemes that get many today. You already have a car, a home, food; etc. but a commercial comes on advertising the things you already have, influencing you to want to get the very thing you already have. Many people get into debt by the influencing of those advertisements. The Father didn’t need to advertise anything because He gave them everything they would need. He didn’t advertise dominion of the earth or the woman to Adam, He gave them to him. Satan has to advertise to get you in debt, while The Father gives to you to keep you out of debt. “For Yah so loved the world that he GAVE…(John 3:16) and “the wages of sin is death but the gift of Elohim is eternal life through the Messiah” (Rom 6:23). The fall brought about a debt mankind couldn’t pay, thus the need for a deliverer (debt payer) known as the Messiah. My parents always quoted to me 1 Samuel 15:22 that says “obedience is better than sacrifice.” What the serpent/Satan did seems very mind-controlling and manipulative to me don’t you think? There are various scriptures speaking on the blinding and deafening of those in regards to the Good News. Scriptures like Isa 1:23; 6:9-10, Jer 5:21, Ezek 12:2, Matt 13:14-15, Mark 4:11-12 and Heb 5:11-14 talk about those having eyes and ears but not being able to see or hear. What was keeping them from seeing and hearing, was their unbelief and that came from the influence of someone (Satan) and something (sin). In John 12:40 again it was stated that “he (Satan) has blinded the eyes and hardened the hearts so that they should not see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn, and I should heal them.” This was quoted from the book of Isaiah 6:10.

To answer the question that I posed at the beginning, No! There is no difference between mind-control and manipulation. A rebellious person can be mind-controlled/brain-washed; manipulated. Your rebellion, unbelief, self-reliance (idolatry) opens you up to that. Adam had relationship with The Father and the woman had relationship with The Father through Adam, but she didn’t have a strong enough relationship with Elohim that is why Satan came to her. After the first Exodus of Egypt Israel sinned in the wilderness with the “Golden Calf” because of the relationship issue to where even the high priest Aaron (Aharon) fell prey to manipulation. Throughout biblical history to present day Israel has been dealing with affliction because of our relationship issue. The Messiah told us that “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:41) and the Apostle Sha’uwl (Saul/Paul) said in 1 Cor 9:27: “I treat my body severely and make it my slave, lest having proclaimed to other, I myself might be rejected” (ISR98). Why do you think scripture constantly tells us to “meditate on the Word day and night,” (Josh 1:8, Ps 1:2) and to “hide His Word in our hearts so we don’t sin against Him” (Ps 119:11)? When we look at 1 Timothy 3:16 it tells us, “ALL scripture is breathed out by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for setting straight (rebuke), for instruction in righteousness, that the man (this is for woman too) of Elohim might be fitted, equipped for every good work.”  You recognize the manipulation/brain-washing by having a close relationship with The Father. You recognize the manipulation/brain-washing by spending more time with Him than with the things of the world (i.e. television and radio programming, games, clubs, social media, internet, alcohol, drugs; etc.) You recognize the manipulation by staying awake and seeing who else is awake. In Divergent Series: Insurgent movie, there was a part where an enemy faction was looking for those who are termed “divergent.” This faction descended upon the people at night and shot everyone in sight. They shot them with “sleeping ammunition.” They did this to find those who were “divergent” since they were immune to the sleeping agent. Anyone who was immune (awake) to the slumber agent was apprehended and murdered if they weren’t a high enough percentage to be used for the factions purpose. Those that are truly awake are being watched and some of us have been and are being round up and murdered. The “sleeping agents” are not just media, internet, chemicals in food and water to poison and make you docile, because they are also people. There are agents sent in to disrupt, corrupt, poison and turn people away from the Truth! These agents are not just in the secular world for they have “slipped in, whose judgment was written about long ago, wicked ones perverting the favour of our Elohim for indecency, and denying the only Master (The Father) and our Master The Messiah” (Jude 1:4 read the whole book). The false teachers and prophets that are in the congregations lying, giving false doctrines and putting people in bondage. They have no true spiritual power because they are not linked with the Holy Spirit. Their fruits show who they truly are. How do you fight this manipulation/brain-washing? You fight the “brain-washing” by “not being conformed to the world, but being transformed by the renewing (spiritual cleansing/washing) of your mind” (Rom 12:2). You fight it by living righteously daily. You fight it by living a life of daily repentance. You fight it by choosing The Father over the world even unto death. Satan is many evil vile things, but one thing that he is also great at ironically is law/legal matters. He is a prosecutor going before the Father day and night against your life you live (read Rev 12:10).  He has no legal right to do anything to you unless the Father allows him (look at Job’s life and account) or you allow him by sinning (look at The Fall and thereafter). In Hebrew culture, when someone was born with an infirmity or had a lot of misfortune in life, it was thought to be brought about because someone had sinned. In John 9:2 The Messiah’s disciples asked him in regards to the blind man “who sinned him or his parents” as his reason for being blind. The theme here is of course sin. Satan knew he had to get sin in us to be able to be able to do anything to us, hence the manipulation tactic.

Upon reading all of this, you must make a choice. That is one thing that people always need to realize is that you do have a choice. The Father doesn’t take our choice away and Satan can’t take your choice away (how do you think those who use to be under his control ended up getting saved?). You must renounce all sin: hate, rebellion, murder, gossip, idolatry, fornication, pornography, lust, adultery, homosexuality, gluttony, pride, depression, bitterness, rejection, lying, double-mindedness, addiction; etc. Realize that anything that The Father hates has to be the same things that you hate. Sin can’t stand in his presence for it will be judged! Anything trying to talk you away from The Father is manipulation. Anything that influences you to follow yourself and your wants/desires is trying to reform your thoughts (brain-washing). The Messiah made a choice to do the will of the Father so don’t you think you should as well? Remember what The Messiah told Kepha (Peter) in Luke 22:31-32: “Shim’on, Shim’on! See, Satan has asked for you to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your belief should not fail. And when you have turned, strengthen your brothers.” Satan again asked for Peter like he did for Job so he could manipulate/brain-wash through sifting (examine and isolate) him. The Messiah knew Kepha (Peter) would deny Him, but He also knew that His chief disciple would need his faith restored and once it was, that his brothers (fellow disciples) would need him to strengthen them. 1. Mind-control/brain-washing and manipulation are the same. 2. You recognize it by being awakened in The Word, and you fight it by utilizing the Word by living by it. Stay awake, stay blessed….