The enemy of our soul is very sly. Tripping us up by our own belief systems. First, many Christians have been drawn into a Faith where God’s only purpose for salvation is to “bless us” and if we’re not blessed, we think God hates us. Of course we want to be blessed, but at what cost? The “bless me gospel” has made the Church in America weak. This mindset keeps us from being a warrior and maintaining an overcomer mentality. It keeps us from an unwavering faith that trusts God has a purpose for all we go through. Because of this all about me faith, we also want to close our eyes and ears to all that is uncomfortable; like the fact that Christians are being persecuted and even murdered for their faith in many parts of the world. We might feel like there is nothing we can do, but God does hear and answer prayer.
Secondly, the enemy gets us to pick up offenses so that we work against ourselves. Why are we so “thin skinned?” Why do non-eternal things become eternal? Not only is this a result of the bless me gospel, but it also shows an unwillingness to die-to-self, or as Jesus said, “To take up our cross daily.” This usually coincides with a lack of respect for others which hurts relationships instead of making them stronger. Plus, the problem is getting worse because it’s starting at a very early age. Children have been taught to always get their own way and that there are no consequences for their actions. My concern is: those children are coming of age. Entitlement and the “it’s all about me” mentality have flooded our society, and unfortunately, this attitude is increasingly noticeable within the church. Remember, the enemy is sly! All the more reason we should help encourage one another to look beyond ourselves to represent JESUS well.
Thirdly, the enemy gets us to compromise what we believe by using God’s Word against us. For example: “God is love.” Yes, God is love, but that does not negate the fact that He has laws, standards and even consequences for sin. He expects us to live by and uphold these laws and standards as well. Though most of us live what we believe, we often want to avoid confrontation, especially if standing up for what we believe brings reproach or persecution. This sly tactic has silenced much of the Christian voice and positive influence on society. The enemy mocks our lack of backbone as we justify our actions by taking scriptures out of context. I dare say this does not please God.
Ex 34:12 says, “Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, (where you live), lest it be a snare in your midst.” The snare is to accept everything in the name of God’s love. But, does this kind of “love” draw people to repentance and salvation? Are lives changed and made better because of this acceptance of ungodly lifestyles? Absolutely not. In the church at large, there is a lack of conviction when it comes to sin; a lack of willingness to be better, to be holy, to be thankful for God’s love instead of abusing it. Yes, we must love the unsaved. But, just like parents, we must love them enough to tell them the truth. God’s truth. To pray for them that their eyes be opened to a salvation that will set them free. A salvation that might not take all their problems away, but will give them a hope and a future, and most importantly: eternal life.
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