Artificial Intelligence: A Time of Delusion

I called us to gratitude, to joy, and to a holy steadiness: be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. We laughed like family, honored faithful servants, and comforted those who grieve with the hope that we will see our loved ones again in Christ. But I also pressed a sober truth from 2 Thessalonians 2: if we refuse the love of the truth, God himself sends a strong delusion. This is not abstract; it is present. We are living in an age where deception is scalable, portable, and fast, riding through our screens into our homes and hearts.

I named our moment: Artificial Intelligence, a time of delusion. I am not anti-technology, and neither is Scripture. Yet there is a difference between tool and trust, between depiction and deception. Our children are being formed inside algorithms that slip small violations into childish content; the church must become discerning—thoughtful about sources, careful with sharing, and alert to spiritual counterfeits. I shared a dream of a counterfeit “Adonai” demanding worship, then took us to Revelation 13 where the “image” (icon) is given “life” (pneuma—spirit). The text is not just about machinery; it is about spirits leveraging images to demand our allegiance.

I explained narrow AI, general AI, and the coming allure of superintelligence—how people may ascribe godlike omniscience and unquestioned authority to a system. That is why we must insist: AI is not the Holy Ghost. Google cannot convict of sin. A model cannot comfort the brokenhearted. Only the Word hidden in our hearts and the Spirit dwelling within can hold us upright when the noise is loud and the lies look polished.

So we prepare—a 21-day consecration to clear our minds, re-center our loves, and uproot what sin tries to normalize. We refuse “Christianities” that bless what God calls bondage. We set guardrails for our children and courage for our own appetites. And we choose, now, whom we will serve—because every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Not an algorithm. Not a trend. Jesus.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Delusion follows rejected truth. God doesn’t merely punish; He hands people over to what they insist on loving. When truth is refused, a counterfeit truth rushes in to fill the vacuum—and it will feel convincing because our desires will want it to be. So cultivate not only knowledge of truth but love for it; repentance is the re-training of desire, not just the correction of facts. [35:56]
• 2. Practice disciplined digital discernment. Not every “official” post is real, and not every viral clip is trustworthy. Train your eyes to slow down—check sources, compare reports, and notice anomalies before you share. This protects your soul from embarrassment and your community from confusion, and it builds reflexes you will need when spiritual counterfeits speak with authority. [44:27]
• 3. Guard children in the algorithm age. Seeds of compromise often hide inside playful content; repetition wires affections before ideas form. Parenting now requires curating attention as much as correcting behavior—presence, conversation, and limits that teach wisdom, not fear. The church must be a community where holiness is modeled with warmth and clarity. [43:06]
• 4. Technology is a tool, not a savior. We can benefit from AI, but we must never outsource dependence or discernment to it. The Spirit—not a system—gives wisdom, conviction, comfort, and power to witness. Keep Scripture hidden in your heart so that when pressure comes, your reflex is worship, not a web search. [59:04]
• 5. When spirit rests on icons. Revelation 13 warns not only about devices but about spirits working through images—icons animated with “pneuma.” That is why the line between depiction and necromancy matters; reanimating the dead for influence invites deception. Guard your worship, your memory, and your grief; Christ alone mediates life beyond the veil. [64:27]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [26:12] - Opening prayer and readiness
• [27:00] - Joyful fellowship and steadfastness
• [29:57] - Worship team’s citywide witness
• [31:00] - Comforting the grieving with hope
• [33:14] - Jesus will be revealed as Lord
• [34:36] - 2 Thessalonians 2: strong delusion
• [39:19] - Artificial Intelligence: a time of delusion
• [43:06] - Guarding our children’s minds
• [45:29] - A dream confronting a false “Adonai”
• [55:05] - What AI is: ANI, AGI, ASI
• [59:04] - AI is not the Holy Ghost
• [60:35] - Revelation 13: spirit on the icon
• [84:30] - Choose the Lord’s side

1. What does 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 say will happen to people who "receive not the love of the truth"? How does that description challenge easy assumptions about who is deceived and why?
2. The warning “God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie” was read and emphasized in the message. In that context, what reasons were given for why God would allow such delusion? [35:56]
3. Revelation 13 speaks of an image (eikon, “icon”) that is given life (pneuma, “spirit”) and can speak. What concrete details in that text stand out about how the image functions and how people respond to it? [01:00:35]
4. The three types of AI—narrow (ANI), general (AGI), and superintelligence (ASI)—were described as different in scope and spiritual danger. What practical differences were noted between these categories? [55:05]

1. How does the statement that God “sends them strong delusion” operate both as a form of judgment and as a result of human choice to reject truth? Consider what this implies about responsibility and consequence. [37:03]
2. What difference does it make that the Greek of Revelation uses pneuma (spirit) rather than bios (biological life) when it says the image was given life? How does that shape the understanding of technological images that “speak” or exert influence? [01:04:06]
3. If “AI is not the Holy Ghost,” how should that shape the church’s use of technology for pastoral care, conviction of sin, and spiritual formation? What limits or safeguards flow logically from that claim? [59:04]
4. What pastoral concerns arise from the claim that repetition inside algorithms can wire children’s affections before ideas form? How does that change how the church and families should plan discipleship and protection? [43:06]

1. Before sharing an article, post, or clip, what specific checks will you do to avoid spreading misinformation? Name the steps you will do next time (e.g., check source, verify with two reputable outlets, pause before forwarding). [44:27]
2. What one new guardrail will you put in place this week to protect a child or young person in your care from algorithmic exposure (examples: scheduled device-free times, curated playlists, family viewing, stronger parental controls, co-watching)? [43:06]
3. What desire, habit, or entertainment pattern do you need to “uproot” now so you’re not predisposed to embrace a comforting lie later? What is one concrete action you will take in the next seven days to begin that uprooting? [39:02]
4. How will you practice hiding God’s Word in your heart so that your reflex under pressure is worship and Scripture rather than a web search? Name two daily practices you will adopt or strengthen (examples: memorize a verse a week, read a Psalm each morning, scripture-based playlists). [59:21]
5. If an image, voice, or “revived” recording appears that seems to speak for a dead person or claims authority, what immediate boundary will you observe before engaging? How will you explain that boundary to family members who might be tempted to interact? [46:12]
6. Which technology uses will you intentionally limit so technology remains a tool and not a savior (for example: replace nightly scrolling with family time, limit AI assistance on spiritual questions, set device-free zones)? What specific limit will you set this month? [55:05]