08/08/2019
Do you say that you are a child of God, and yet you remain fully engaged in the world? Do you find yourself afraid, and so actively engrossed in politics, or social issues that bitterness and even hatred bubble up in you? Who is leading you? If this doesn’t describe you then most certainly you must be leading God’s Children away from the world and it’s frothing.
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-16 ESV
This is an epiphany that hadn’t come to me easily, or over night. This was an awakening to a carefully laid snare of the dark one that we walk right into over and over again, one that as we do, we think we are doing right... doing good... fighting for God. Jesus went out into the world, but he didn’t Engage it, or seek to change it... he changed the hearts of those who were lost within it. He didn’t rally troops to do battle, or seek to overthrow powers, instead He began converting the hearts of the enemy, and the lost.
“And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."”
Mark 2:14-17 ESV
Oh Pastors, and saints, how many of us have preached active battle against the world from the pulpit, or on street corners? How many of us lead our flocks away from the divine, and back into skirmishes with sin; traveling to and fro throughout the world? When we preach political activism, social change, a new world order, then we are as lost as those God has brought to us as they seek the good news of salvation. Separate them, and yourself from the battles of the world; especially when in the house of God... let’s take off our shoes and not track in the dirt from outside... this place we stand is holy ground; are we not afraid?
“Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”
Exodus 3:5-6 ESV
Where are we leading others? Where are we being led? Don’t follow the roads built by men, or heaven’s fallen, but follow the pillar of cloud, and fire. God will lead us, and will remain before us... unless we turn our back, walk away, or pledge ourselves to the world.
“And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.”
Exodus 13:21-22 ESV
So here we are today, embroiled in mock battles that are painted in the colors of good and evil. These are truly God’s battles to fight, and He will, but the dark one uses these false banners to draw us into the conflict, and to draw us away from our true mission as given by Christ. Satan distracts us by using our own faith against us, and to lure us away from the real mission we have been given... teaching the gospel, saving souls, perhaps even our own, through Christ.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."”
Matthew 9:36-38 ESV
So don’t take the bait! Don’t be led like Don Quixote into jousting with windmills. Our job is not to defeat evil, but to tell the story of salvation already provided for us. Our goal is to bring an increase of souls to Heaven through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how can we possibly do this if we are actively engaged in the world, and living our lives tainted by the bloody war that rages around us? Evil is not ours to defeat, but ours to resist... so we pray that God will deliver us from it.
“Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Matthew 6:9-13 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who has redeemed us from sin. Thank you for sending us out into the world, not to fight, but to deliver His gospel to all of mankind. Help us Holy Father to resist the devil’s attempts to draw us away from this, our mission. Help us to resist the desire to fight your battles for you, to the detriment of what you have instructed us to do. Make us to be more like Jesus, and teach us to fend off temptation with scripture... not to use it as a weapon of destruction. Vengeance is yours, and so is the ultimate fight against evil in the world. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who goes into battle for us, and sends us forth as voices to deliver the good news of Jesus to those who are lost. Praised be your name because the saving grace of Jesus extends even into the encampment of the enemy where it lifts souls; just as it did Saul’s and made him Paul. Great are you, and your wisdom that sees into the hearts of the unsaved where it finds a spark of faith to fan. Father, help us to deliver your Word, and the gospel of Jesus. Help us to love those who do hateful things, and seem so unrighteousness, so that their souls might ultimately be claimed by you, and the glory of that awakening be yours forevermore.
Rich Forbes