Satan has, since forever, sought to replace things that are honouring of God with things that honour himself. These are counterfeits. Counterfeit “healings” are not uncommon amongst satanists. Counterfeit signs and wonders will abound, according to Jesus, in the latter days.
Matthew 24:24 (ESV)
[Jesus] “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”
For believers these false signs will be discerned as counterfeits, others will be fooled. There are even counterfeit spiritual gifts, too. For example, speaking in tongues can be counterfeited by satanists. But, this is nothing new. Satan has sought to counterfeit all manner of things in everyday life that seek to erase the truth about who God really is. Often we don’t discern these straight away – but his efforts are often right there in plain sight.
Since 1901 the Lord’s Prayer has been recited at the start of each sitting day in both chambers of the Australian Federal Parliament. This is a long-standing tradition. Current Practice and Rules of the House of Representatives: Under Standing Order 38, state that the Speaker makes an Acknowledgement of Country, followed by a parliamentary prayer and the Lord's Prayer – it used to be just the Lord’s Prayer. In the Senate, Under Standing Order 50, the President gives an Acknowledgement of Country (this was adopted recently, also), and invites senators to pray or reflect in their own way, and then reads out the prayers. Attendance and participation is not mandatory. The origin of the tradition of the Lord’s Prayer is the Church groups who lobbied for daily prayers when the federal parliament first formed in 1901.
The Victorian Parliament also continues to open its daily proceedings by reciting the Lord's Prayer, a tradition maintained even further back to 1857 in the Legislative Council and 1928 in the Legislative Assembly. Just a few years ago there was intense lobbying by the Socialist Left faction of the ALP, The Greens and other Independents to dump the Lord’s Prayer in the Victorian Parliament. This sparked a lot of debate and a petition organised by upper house MP, Even Mullholland, gathered almost 11,000 signatures calling for the retention of the Lord’s Prayer in the parliament. The state government eventually caved in and the Lord’s Prayer was retained. In part of his speech to the house, Mr Mullholland, a devout Christian, said on June 19th, 2024:
“The Lord’s Prayer is a strong reminder that Parliament is not the ultimate authority for building a just and caring society and, since 1857, the Lord’s Prayer has been a longstanding part of the formal processes of both Houses of the Victorian Parliament. The recitation of prayer is a common tradition of the Westminster system, and … is a public acknowledgement of responsible service to the people of Victoria. Multi-faith communities perform a vital role in Victoria’s multicultural society. Any move to secularise parliamentary proceedings would send a clear message from the Parliament that faith has no place in Victoria.”
Though the Lord’s Prayer was overwhelmingly retained this has not stopped the anti-Lord’s Prayer lobbyists from continuing to agitate for its removal altogether. They claim it does not reflect diversity in a secularist society. Other critics, including the Rationalist Society of Australia and various minor parties like The Greens, are still arguing that an exclusively Christian prayer is exclusionary in a multicultural and increasingly secular nation. However, this is not about inclusion or exclusion, at all – that is not the real issue, to my way of thinking, though some may sincerely think this. The real issue, and this is very important, is that the Lord’s Prayer is as an important part of Australia's parliamentary heritage and it is the respectful recognition of a higher power. “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done …” acknowledges human limitations and failings to create a just world. Proposals for replacing the Lord’s Prayer include a moment of silent reflection or personal meditation to better reflect contemporary diversity. Well, that is inherently humanistic, and acknowledges no higher power than ourselves.
I noted this week in an article in Spectator Magazine that the Western Australian Parliament is now considering ditching the Lord’s Prayer there. It is a real possibility. But this should not surprise us in an increasingly irreligious and even anti-Christian society. Advocates for no change, especially Christian MPs and Church leaders are arguing that Christianity and its symbols are being replaced with a new ‘Woke’ religion. This is where counterfeiting is gaining momentum. The new “Religion of Woke” comes with its own compulsory prayer – the Acknowledgement of Country. And attendance and participation is demanded and indoctrinated in Pre-Schoolers onwards, and at every public event, local council meeting or public meeting you can think of – with the Grand Final being no exception. It gets longer each year! The Religion of Woke is incredibly intolerant of those who would rather remain agnostic on racial politics to the point of shrill condemnation.
I am not against the occasional Acknowledgement of Country where that is respectful and appropriate to the circumstances. Many WA parliamentarians want Acknowledgement of Country to entirely replace the Lord’s Prayer – they see no need to acknowledge any “higher power”. But with all due respect to our first nations people though worthy of respectful acknowledgement, they cannot in any way be viewed as a higher power, or prayed to. This push to dump the Lord’s Prayer is seeking to install a counterfeit “prayer” that recognises self, not God. This is Satan’s agenda in thoroughly secularising our nation. It was the very first temptation faced by Adam and Eve in the Garden in Eden. It is the very sin that got Lucifer cast from heaven. That sin is pride. The acknowledgement of self above every0thing. And until our various parliaments recognise this they will continue in the great delusion of human superiority that inevitably brings ruin on the land and in our homes. The counterfeit always seeks to replace the real and genuine with something lesser.
Romans 1:18-25 (ESV)
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honour Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
In their arrogance they exchanged the glory of the divine God for pathetic counterfeits. And now they live with the consequences.
1 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV)
“… but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame.”
Think on these things … accept no substitutes for any other kind of “saviour”, or “higher power” - there is only One. Jesus Christ. Be on the alert for any kind of counterfeit that wants to erase God’s presence and influence I our world; be ready to cast it down … and stay genuinely wise in His eyes.
Psalms 14:1b (ESV) The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
Ps Milton
[Sources: Victorian Parliament website; Australian Parliament House website; Spectator Magazine 25/09/2026]