It’s been said that many of the things that God has or initiates, Satan has a counterfeit for. I can see where this is true in many instances.
Paul was of course referring to himself sowing God’s word and confidant that others would be along to water it. That is my prayer with these daily postings as well.
But the enemy is no stranger to doing the same kind of work. I need only to point you to the parable of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13 where a man planted a field of wheat and while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.” (vs. 25) Jesus would later explain that parable to His disciples and made it clear that the devil was the ‘enemy’.
But it’s important to note that the enemy did this while others ‘slept’.
We’ve been talking the past few days about what sin is…and is not - as in the idea of: Is it a ‘sin’ to have bad thoughts’? Hopefully that has been cleared up and brought some relief to anyone struggling with false guilt. It is what we do with those bad thoughts that created problems for us, and if not dealt with, can lead to eventual sin and then death. (James 1:15)
The only thing I would want to add here before moving on to the next area in sharing what is Not sin has to do with those who seem to struggle with the same thoughts over and over again. For many folks, those thoughts come when we are ‘dozing’ or let our guard down.
Jesus did warn us saying “Know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.” (Matt 24:43)
**News Flash** we are engaged in a ‘spiritual war’, so to speak, and sleeping on duty is never a good idea.
But let me offer this up for you to consider and pray about. It is quite possible that a ‘believer’ can still have an unclean spirit influencing them within. And that might be the source of continuous thoughts that are all in the same vein. I know we don’t like to admit such things…but the sooner we come to terms with it, the sooner we can ‘clear the land’ of those spiritual ‘Canaanite nations’ that need to come off the land, right?
I had an interesting experience about 10 months ago where I had this dream that woke me up and I won’t go into all the details for space/time sake. But God seemed to make it clear to me that I had (for lack of a better phrase) a ‘spirit of self-pity’ at work within me that had been there for some time. I was totally blind to it. Yet…in that moment so many ‘missing pieces’ came together and I could see how over the years, the most subtle thought or word or action could lodge in my thinking and quickly access my heart and send me into a downward spiral of melancholy and self pity.
It never even dawned on me to ‘bring those thoughts into captivity.’ There was no mistaking that God had my attention that night when He revealed that to me.
I immediately could see it…agree with it, and fell to my knees beside the bed and repented of it. In that very moment, I was so aware of ‘its departure’. And not in some Hollywood movie style, rather just like when you turn a light on and a varmint exits the room quickly…yeah…that happened to me.
That is kind of how this works… this ‘clearing the land’. But it’s not evil nations we are dealing with. Refer to Mark 7:21-23 for what needs to come off the ‘land’.
Think what you want, but I know what happened that night. And if you refer to Matt. 12:43-45, Jesus tells us plainly what an unclean spirit will do when it exits a ‘house’…it will come back looking for re-entry.
Ever since that night, I can smell him now a block away. And when those ‘thoughts’ head my way, I hold up that ‘shield of faith’ and bring into captivity every thought as I resist. And it is not even an issue or challenge for me anymore. It’s amazing how easier it is to ‘fight this war’ and win, when the enemy is no longer residing in your own camp.
What has been working in you that needs to be removed…a critical or judgmental ‘spirit’? A spirit of lust or anger or jealousy or gossip? Ask God to show you and when He does, repent of it and see how quickly the Holy Spirit will move on your behalf. I’m telling you, Jesus came to set the captives free. And here’s the beauty of it…you don’t need some man in a tie to pray over you after getting all worked up in a song service. I love Psalm 107:20 that declares “He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions.” (Not saying it’s bad to have folks pray over you though)
What else do people commonly assume is sin…and is not?
When people say they ‘sin daily’ or ‘all the time’, it does stand to question ‘why’ are they sinning all the time if Jesus set them free of sin. (Rom 6) But I’ve been making the case that folks can just assume something is ‘sin’ and then feel beat down and like a horrible person because of it. Like having bad thoughts which we have gone over now for a few days.
But the other area where the enemy brings a false burden of guilt has to do with all the ‘wrongs’ in the world that you have for some reason failed to make ‘right’. Like how can you live in a house with nice things while all those starving children in other parts of the world are dying? How come you have not ‘done enough’ to fix all the broken lives that surround you?
Ha…and you thought you were the ONLY one who had thoughts like that?
Remember, we all agree that Jesus was perfect when He walked the earth. And guess what: He did not heal every broken body or feed every hungry child. There was still much heartache and ruined lives and people tormented by demons that existed when He left and returned to heaven. Are you suggesting that He sinned by leaving all that ‘unfinished business’?
Why take for example the lame man in Acts 3 who sat daily begging in front of the temple gate. There’s no telling how many times Jesus must have passed him when He went about in that area.
I like to point to the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25. A lawyer came to Jesus asking what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus again…pointed him to the law and his understanding of it.
The lawyer responded perfectly in saying we are to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and to love our neighbor as our self. Jesus applauded him saying to do this and he would experience what he came seeking for. (vs. 28)
But the lawyer, wanting to justify himself pressed Jesus as to who was his neighbor. Hence we get this parable where a man was traveling along a road to Jericho and was mugged and left for dead. We are told a certain priest and then a Levite came upon the body and went out of their way to go around him…not wanting to get involved at all it seems.
Then came this Samaritan. But notice in vs. 33 it says ”as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.”
You and I are on a journey. If/when God has something for you to do, you won’t have to hunt for it. It will be right in front of you. In fact you’d have to go out of your way to avoid it.
So in that moment, in that divine appointment, you allow God to work through you to do whatever needs to be done. What is important to note here is that the Samaritan did not quit his journey and then work on building a shelter for mugging victims. He did not get involved with local government to put lights up and bring in more policemen. He dealt with the matter at hand and moved on.
Kind of reminds me of that story of the man throwing starfish back into the ocean that had washed ashore. When asked what difference it would make given the thousands that lay on the beach, he responded ‘to this one, it makes a difference’ and threw it back into the water.
God did not send you out to rescue and fix the world. That is not your job. He called you to repent and turn and take up your cross and follow Him. That’s Your journey.
Until you and I have indicated to God that He has ALL our hearts and we are willing to submit to His leading, we are of no use to Him.
Do you want to help change the world around you for the better? Let Him change you first. You have to decrease in order for Him to increase. (John 3:30)
It is then that the power of the Holy Spirit can begin to operate through you just like it did when Jesus ‘passed His test’ in the wilderness. (Luke 4)
And if a particular situation is on your mind now as you read this and you know…it was a ‘missed opportunity’ that God had for you….take a load off…and just confess it to Him and tell Him how sorry you are and be ready for the next opportunity He provides.
He will forgive you. He’s good at that.
Have a great day.
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