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Wednesday,
January 16, 2008
A World of Hurt
1 John 4:1-5 Beloved, believe not every
spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false
prophets are gone out into the world. (2) Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:
Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of
God: (3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in
the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye
have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
(4) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater
is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (5) They are of the
world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (KJV)
The Lord and His people have been warning
us to be on the lookout for not just a few but the many false prophets, who
like wolves, prey on the wounded and the weak of the flock. Too many
Christians have let their guard down; and like an unsuspecting boxer, end
up getting sucker punched by someone they thought was legit. When you
listen to these sermons today they focus on worldly areas that many people
struggle in, and like with many infomercials you see on TV they promise
quick fix solutions to people still in bondage to spiritual ailments, which
if they addressed those first, then the troublesome areas in these people’s
lives would be more easily overcome. Rather than focus on the spiritual
(which is why it is the spirit of antichrist), the one thing that would set
them free is ignored; they keep giving worldly solutions to solve a
spiritual need and many then end up falling short and discouraged. If any
man has not the spirit of Christ, a working knowledge of the Son of God,
then He is none of His. Greater is He, Christ in you the hope of glory,
than he the spirit of antichrist; which is roaming this planet like a
roaring lion seeking whom he can devour with the cares and distractions of
this life. Case in point, again I see the headlines ministers that complain
about opening their books to congress to give an account of their spending
habits. These ministers claim government intrusion, the same government
they bowed down to in order to get their tax exempt status. If you don’t
want them intruding into your business then get out of theirs and just pay
your fair share of taxes; which according to God’s word is the obligation
of the Church. Wake up people and quit letting the fox guard the henhouse.
Matthew 4:8-10 Again, the devil taketh
him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of
the world, and the glory of them; (9) And saith unto him, All these things
will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (10) Then saith
Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (KJV)
Jesus Christ was faced with this spirit
of antichrist which would have liked nothing better than to see Him change
His message of salvation, soften His stance a bit, and maybe start
compromising. Unlike many we see today that think they can mix and match
like a buffet table, taking the things they desire and try to match them up
with spiritual things, the Lord held His ground knowing that this life is
temporary and that the message of salvation is eternal. The Lord knew He
could not serve two masters because if He was double minded, like we see
and hear in so many of man’s sermons, then He would have become unstable
and unable to receive the things of God. Are you holding fast your
profession of faith this moment without wavering? Or have you been sucker
punched by a worldly doctrine that you never saw coming because you weren’t
watching and keeping your guard up?
Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) According as he hath chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him in love: (5) Having predestinated us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good
pleasure of his will, (6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein
he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (KJV)
With an unending priceless gift of
spiritual blessings, have you even begun to explore all that is available
to those in Christ? No wonder the devil comes a knocking. After all he was
at one time seated in the heavenly places but fell because of pride and let
go of his eternal reward. That spirit of antichrist would like nothing
better than to keep you focused on the dead end things of this world so
that you won’t look into the realm of the Spirit to see all that God has
blessed you with. That joy and peace you have experienced is a result of an
eternal plan of salvation God has for His people; and by His grace He has
made it available for our benefit. So being this plan originated in the
heavenly realm and not this worldly one then it would only be fitting to
say that you can only continue in this new found joy and peace by looking
to Christ and not this world.
1 Corinthians 7:32-35 But I would have
you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that
belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: (33) But he that is married
careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
(34) There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried
woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body
and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world,
how she may please her husband. (35) And this I speak for your own profit;
not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and
that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. (KJV)
Here is an area where many let their
guard down and get sucker punched. Rather than continue seeking the spiritual
blessings in Christ they think the only way they will be complete is to
have that special someone in their life. Now granted, God ordained marriage
and it is a blessing when it is done according to who He joins together and
not what our lower nature becomes attached to. Ever hear the term high
maintenance? Well if you marry someone for the wrong reason and they are
still quite attached to the things of this world and not the things of God,
you will find it nothing short of a distraction and a hindrance to your
walk. I have seen many people who rather than realize they are complete in
Christ, they try to fulfill a spiritual need with a physical one and end up
bruised and beaten. Any time you look to the world or worldly people to
find the answer, you will find that it did not come from God. It may look
good and sound good to the outward man but inwardly it is a total
abomination, a heartache that could have been avoided. Remember the devil
will show you just the highlights and not the consequences. So when the
party is over there will be a huge tab to pick up.
1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the
love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the
lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not
of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passeth away, and
the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (KJV)
The world and its ways are passing away
and so are those that hang onto them. Only those that do the will of God
and seek those things which are above will experience a life of joy and
peace above and beyond what this world could ever offer. So what is your
priority today at this moment? Are you seeking the spiritual blessings or
are you still chasing your tail stuck in this dead end realm of misery and
heartache? Jesus Christ came that you would have life and have it more
abundantly in Him so that you could avoid a world of hurt, and not end up
with some cheap imitation of the devil.
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