Wow...that would have sent my imagination into overdrive had I been there and heard that. God, it seems, has to lead us into this ‘promised land of rest’ in small increments. It’s almost as if He is suggesting that we just can’t handle it all at one time...reminiscent of when He told the folks who came out of Egypt that as He led them into the this new land that He was going to drive out the enemy ‘little by little’. (Ex. 23:29-30)
Keep in mind that this ‘leading’ deal works a lot better when we are ‘following’. ;-)
Yesterday’s post dealt some with this idea that those who are ‘perishing’ are blind to the fact which in some ways, is problematic and in other ways, makes perfect sense. We as humans are so hard-wired to respond to and see everything from the ‘natural. Jesus pointed this out in a few places and usually when talking to religious folks who seemed to think they had it all figured out already. Once was in Matt. 16:1-3 scolding them because they were so in tune with discerning weather patterns in the sky but yet could not see the “signs of the times”.
Another time was when they came asking for some sign and Jesus responded with “the kingdom of God does not come with observation...for indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20). We get so preoccupied with external things...thinking we can ‘figure it out’ with our own intellect. Especially when it comes to ‘end time world events’. Yet Jesus reminds us in Luke 10:21 that God has ‘hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and reveals them to the babes’. Maybe that is why He taught that unless we became like a child we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 18:3)
I don’t know about you but I would much rather have God ‘reveal’ His word to me than for me to think I can figure it out on my own. I tried that for a long time...doesn’t end up well.
Now let me circle back to the topic I was addressing over the past week regarding this unseen ‘spiritual enemy’ that God uses as instruments of His wrath and indignation. (Ps. 78:49-50). If your preoccupation lies in trying to figure out what the Russians are doing or what the Chinese are going to do or what those ‘pesky liberal Democrats and mainstream media’ are up to...then just keep on doing so. But they are not our enemy. (Eph. 6:12; 1 Pet. 5:8).
I have shared my personal testimony many a time with others, and on here as well regarding the very first day, after much thought and study and discussion, that I was ready to ‘give my life to Jesus’. I met with a man I worked with who led me in a simple, short prayer and then off to work we went. It was not long after that my mind began to be flooded with thoughts of skepticism and doubt and feeling foolish and vulnerable.
It wasn’t long after that before my friend, Glen, came by to see how I was doing and I confessed to him that I was just riddled with doubt and feeling silly thinking I had just joined a cult. He laughed. And that puzzled me. He went on to explain that any time a person repents and makes a turn to pursue God that the ‘devil’ begins to war against that decision and will do all he can to steer me back.
I was incredulous. I had never given a second thought that a real ‘devil’ existed. I mean, I know there were plenty of books and movie and such glorifying him...but in real life? C’mon...I just didn’t see it. Again...I just didn’t see it.
Just because you may not ‘see something’ does not mean it does not exist. I had much to learn. And that night...when I got off work...some 9 hours after ‘surrendering my heart to the Lord’, Lesson 1 in this new ‘walk of faith’ was underway... and God ‘opened my eyes’ to a spiritual world that included a spiritual enemy of darkness. I learned real quick this was not something to scoff at or dismiss as fantasy. It remains to this day, one of the most horrifying nights of my life.
I realize that in our modern, educated and ‘enlightened’ age that we live in, giving serious consideration to a literal ‘devil’ might be the source of some serious eye-rolling and chuckles and even laughs by those...who find it all foolishness. Sadly, many professing believers today lean closer to that mindset as opposed to what scripture suggest should be our view. We are not taught to ‘ignore’ the devil...on the contrary we are taught to ‘resist’ him. (1 Pet.5:8-9; James 4:7). Peter also admonishes us to be vigilant and alert to him as well. But that does not suggest we need be consumed or pre-occupied with him either.
You see...IF...we are abiding in/with Jesus...He is who we are preoccupied with. Our mind is ‘set on him which provides ‘perfect peace’. (Col. 3:2; Isa. 26:3; Psa. 1:2-3). This really is a legitimate place that we can walk in. It’s more challenging if you still have a mind longing to please or cater to the flesh. James refers to this as being ‘double-minded’ and it just does not bode well for any believer. Paul wrote in Romans 8 that those whose minds are set on the flesh are ’hostile’ to God and will not submit to the law of God. It eventually leads to death. (5-13)
To have the ‘mind of Christ’ changes everything. This is how can actually walk and ‘not sin’ as you abide in Him because there is a new awareness of His presence...you hear His voice...and you follow Him. (John 10:27). He will give you a ‘heads up’ when the enemy is lurking...He equips you with the grace to stand and resist in the time of temptation. And, as Paul writes about us not being ‘ignorant of the devil’s devices’, (2 Cor. 2:11) the Holy Spirit is constantly raising your awareness in ways you cannot imagine. Let’s look at 2 Cor. 10 for example.
Paul instructs us that though we ‘walk in the flesh’ (natural world) we do not ‘war according to the flesh’. (3). He talks about having ‘weapons that are not carnal’ but are ‘mighty in God’. (4). Let me just say that this ‘weaponry’ is not available to us unless we are truly abiding in Him and He simply has to have your whole heart to make this happen. He goes on to suggest how we can ‘pull down stronghold, cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God’ (5)...but I like this part: “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ’.
The best way to describe this is like it’s having an internal ‘filter’ activated. Nearly every thought that pops in my head goes through that filter and I find it easier to ‘analyze’ and dismiss so quickly...those thoughts that are not of God. I shared awhile back how I was truly set free from a spirit of ‘self-pity’ where just the most subtle thought of suggestion could be ‘dropped’ in my mind and in the past, I would let that thing linger, take root, and before I knew it, was acting on that thought or ‘emotion’ that had begun to bear fruit. I was blind to that until God made it clear to me what was happening. It has truly been liberating.
I find that same filter in operation all the time when it comes to speaking and ‘posting opinions’ on social media. I won’t lie...I so wish others had that same filter in operation. ;- ). And with the ‘speaking my mind’ part...I won’t say there is still not some ‘tweaking’ the Holy Spirit is doing to make it 100% efficient but I’m getting closer to that. :- )
I also remember vividly that week the Holy Spirit made it so clear to me that much of my struggles had to do with all the garbage and ‘bad seed’ I was inviting in to my heart on a daily basis...either through the TV or car radio. After awhile, we grow immune to so much of it...it hardens us. You know what I’m talking about...how we learn to tolerate so much that you know full well you would not allow in to your home if Jesus was sitting right next to you. I mean, why ask God to deliver you from lustful thoughts if you are going to continue inviting in all that imagery that will often catch you unaware.
Again...allow me to direct you to a very short but significant lesson Jesus taught in Matt. 12:43-45. He explained that when an ‘unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places seeking rest and finds none.” So then it gets the idea to return to the ‘house’ it was removed from and when it returns, finds the house ‘empty, swept, and put in order’. The fact the ‘house’ is still. ‘empty’ and not replaced with the Spirit and word of God speaks volumes. So what does that spirit do? - Brings back “seven other spirits more wicked than himself’ and they enter and the condition of that man in the end is worse than he was at the start.
By the way, if you think you are too educated and enlightened to believe in demons and unclean spirits...are you saying you are smarter than Jesus? (asking for a friend )
I’m not really a big ‘numbers guy’ but lots of folks do like to study numerology from the bible and I won’t deny there is probably much to learn from that. But if you do like to compare, check out Leviticus 26:21. God warns that if we are going to walk contrary to Him (after He has brought you in to this land of rest and promise) that he will bring on us -how many more-plagues and curses? The point here is...if you are going to ask Jesus to set you free from a particular sin or area of weakness...you better be prepared to do whatever He advises to ‘keep that door shut’. And you may be asked to ‘die’ to something. If you don’t...what can you expect your final condition to be? (Matt. 12:45)
There’s just a tad bit more to this ‘spiritual warfare’ than quoting ‘Greater is He that is in Me’ several times a month. But know this: God is For you. And His plan is for you to overcome ALL the power of the enemy. He even reminds all seven churches there in Rev. 2-3 that good things await them who do overcome. It almost sounds like it is not an option.
See you tomorrow?
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