“The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work… when you go to church… when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.”

The most important thing to take away from Morpheus’ explanation of the Matrix is that it is a corrupt system that seeks to perpetuate itself through internal blindness and spiritual darkness. Its effects can be seen in every dimension of human life as we know it, including religion. What we refer to as “church” or “Christianity” today is also not exempt from its evil influence. It is rooted in error and deception.

For the vast majority of us, we have been living and operating in this false and corrupt system called the Matrix for so long that we have been completely desensitized to its presence and effect in our midst. We have grown accustomed and content with the “normal.” We have grown complacent maintaining the status-quo while substituting truth for what is common and popular.

We live in a day and age when there is much talk about “Kingdom” and “reformation.” After all, these have become the new buzz words in “apostolic and prophetic” churches and ministries. But even though there has been a lot of preaching and teaching about these subjects in various circles, most of the people using these terms have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about. Many of these men and women are still a part of the system, and “many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it.”

When Moses entered Egypt as the deliverer of Israel, he was sent by God as a reformer to deliver the children of Israel from the corrupt system of Egypt. When Jesus began His ministry as Savior of the World, He, too, was sent as a Reformer to bring light and truth so that all humanity—including the religious Jews—could be unplugged from the Matrix’s system. We can find a similar pattern with Martin Luther in the 1500s, when he reportedly nailed his ninety-five theses on the Wittenberg chapel door confronting the corrupt beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church. During each of these eras, these reformers were (for the most part) the lone voices crying out against a corrupt system that had affected even the people’s worship and religion. In each case, none of the people at the time—including the leaders, religious rulers and elders—recognized anything wrong with their current worship practices. Everything appeared to be okay with the popularly accepted “normal.” Furthermore, the majority of the time, these reformers were rejected and their calls for repentance ignored.

Similarly today, what we have grown accustomed to as the accepted “normal” of Christian worship and practice is under constant and comprehensive revision by divine decree. What we have labeled and accepted as God’s Kingdom is really a cheap and/or satanic counterfeit that is deeply rooted in selfishness and pride. We can change the outward appearance and rename our religious structures with the word “kingdom” as much as we want to, but the core principle is still the same false Matrix that perpetuates blindness and deception.

The Need for Sight

Like Morpheus said, it is very difficult to explain exactly what this Matrix is. You really have to see it for yourself. You have to humbly acknowledge your blindness and ask God for sight. God gives sight to anyone who asks. The reason we don’t see is because we really don’t want to see. And many who claim to see are already blind and deceived by sin (John 9:41; Rev. 3:17).

This sort of blindness is usually the result of three main areas:

1. Ignorance and Immaturity. A baby is basically born blind in every respect (physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually) until sight is developed during the early stages of development. Physical sight comes early, but it can take a lifetime of development to accurately see in the internal areas.
2. Infirmity. Sickness and infirmity can severely erode or diminish sight completely. From a spiritual standpoint, this speaks of sin and iniquity. It is usually the hidden, internal sins of the heart and mind that cause the most damage.
3. Old age. It is a known fact that sight degenerates with age. This speaks of an “old wineskin” mentality that is blinded by a self-righteous confidence in its knowledge and understanding of God. People with this mentality are no longer open to change or any new revelation or command from God that contradicts their religious beliefs, standards, doctrines, practices or traditions.

There must be divine revelation and insight received directly from God in order for us to see and recognize the Matrix for what it truly is. Therefore, the battle at hand is really a battle for sight. In addition, it will require childlike faith to believe and receive what the Father shows us. Even Neo, in the movie, had trouble coming to grips with the reality of the Matrix. At one point during the process of becoming unplugged, he almost went into a cardiac arrest and passed out. Morpheus apologized for this afterwards because he knew how hard it is for the human mind to let go, which is why they usually didn’t pursue anyone after they had reached a certain age. No wonder Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Mark 10:15).

An old wineskin mentality can never receive the new wine from heaven. Our minds have been religiously pre-programmed to think a certain way and our hearts have become fully invested in this false system we have grown accustomed to; therefore, we aggressively reject and condemn those few who oppose it. Many of us are not ready to be unplugged and have become hopelessly dependent upon this false system for earthly power, recognition, success, or personal prosperity, so, like the Pharisees, we zealously fight to protect it.