Spiritual warfare is first and foremost about discernment and spiritual perception. The Holy Spirit gives us the discernment to know what spirit we are battling when we come up against the enemies strongholds. This discernment enables the Body of Christ to first understand what we're dealing with, and then how to effectively deal with it, then get back to the preaching of the gospel and the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Such is the case with the discernment and subsequent battling of the spirit of religion that is dominate in the South East. In this post, we will continue to deal with the destructive effects the spirit of religion has on the Church of Jesus Christ.
The Lord has determined that His people are to be a part of a local congregation. If we are "IN" Christ, and Christ is "IN" us, then we are a part of the Church Universal. However, we all live, work, raise families, and worship in local areas. God expects of us to find a "LOCAL" expression of the "UNIVERSAL" Church and to become a part of it. The attack of the spirit of religion that undermines this, is that it encourages Christian believers to never really become a part of a local congregation and to reach maturity within that body.
The reasons for being a part of a "local" church body are extremely important and "life-sustaining" to Christian believers. First, within the local body there is accountability. Throughout the writings of the Apostle Paul, we see admonitions of local bodies of believers to hold each other up to a holy standard of faith and living. In other words, there is accountability within the Body of Christ. Second, we are all meant to receive and use, various "gifts" from the Lord, through the Holy Spirit. Those "giftings" have a two-fold purpose: 1) For the purpose of having power to be witnesses of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. 2) To edify and build-up the local body of believers, the church. Third, we are placed within a local church body for the sake of "Christian mutuality." Christian mutuality is the principle within the Kingdom of God in which God's people mutually support one another. When one grieves, we ALL grieve. When one rejoices, we ALL rejoice. When one is in need, we ALL are in need. When one has abundance, we ALL have abundance (see Acts 2:43-45).
However, the attack of the spirit of religion renders these extremely important principles about the church and the Kingdom of God, null and void. At the prompting of the spirit of religion, Christians move from church to church, masking the spiritual deception as "promptings" from the Lord. Phrases like: God is done with me here! I am just here for a season! Or, my ministry is to go from church to church and help out the pastor, then leave! This spiritual deception renders the Body of Christ weakened and underdeveloped! Perhaps that's why the statistics on the effect the Christian Church is having on America is so pathetic! We are loosing the battle for the soul of America because we do not recognize our enemy and how he is attacking us! Consider the outcome of this type of spiritual deception: There is NO accountability! There is NO spiritual edification of the Body through the giftings of the Holy Spirit! There is NO Christian mutuality! For many Christians do not stay in a local church long enough to develop any of these Divine principles of growth and maturity! Hence, the Body of Christ is severely weakened! We sing our songs. We pray our prayers. We listen to Pastors preach good messages. We may even do some outreach and ministry. BUT.... We "NEVER" fully develop! We "NEVER" fully mature! We "NEVER" quite get to the place where our commitment and faithfulness supersede our desire to "leave" and "run" from our spiritual obligations!
Look, growth and maturity are not easy things! Accountability sometimes is not the most pleasant thing! Staying with your Brothers and Sisters through the difficult times, well, can be.......... DIFFICULT! But, this is where and when we experience GROWTH! This is where we are REFINED! This is where our faith GROWS in "leaps and bounds" and this is exactly what God intended to happen! However, for many it NEVER happens, because just when it gets a little too uncomfortable; or demanding; or a little unpleasant, ...... God suddenly "CALLS" us somewhere else! This my Brothers and Sisters is "DECEPTION!" The deception of the "spirit of religion!"
My Brothers and Sisters, if this describes your Christian experience thus far, ..... YOU CAN BE FREE! The steps are relatively easy! The first key is recognition of your enemy and his tactics. Then confession and repentance to God for believing that deception. Third, (and this one gets kind of hard but is necessary) you may need to make restitution. Restitution to the Christian Brothers and Sisters and/or pastors, God lays on your heart, that maybe your actions have offended. Unity within the Body of Christ begins with reconciliation! Reconciliation brings unity, which in turn brings the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit!
I write this to you as a Pastor. I have seen people leave, just when they were about to have a "breakthrough" and their faith reach new levels of maturity and depth. However, I do not write these blog posting out of anger or hurt, I write them out of a sincere desire to minister to Brothers and Sisters who have been deceived by the spirit of religion! I write these blogs revealing what God has shown me, we are battling within the church! Please receive these writings with the love, concern, anointing and truth God is using through me to those within His Body! Together, we can defeat our enemy, ...... the spirit of religion! GOD BLESS YOU!
Steve, I agree with the influence of the spirit of religion and the stronghold it has in the Body of Christ. Another major issue is that believers do not develop close relationships in their local church. They use the church as a social feel good environment to recharge their batteries emotionally and to a certain degree spiritually but don't sink roots that integrate into other people's lives.
ReplyDeleteOnce the believers received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit came down (Acts 2:1-4) that small body of believers were transformed and filled with God's power and authority. Acts 2:43-47 gives us a clear picture of how they functioned in unity. They were in relationship that was deep and meaningful, which allowed them "to have favor with all the people and add to the church daily" They were followed with signs and wonders and filled with a sense of awe.
I believe for those who have an ear to hear and wish to be revived, this is the church that God is raising up in these last days. We are in the age that will manifest the "Greater thans" that will be marked with the full power and authority of Christ, and the Holy Spirit. As for me and my house, we will Raise His Standard!