If we are not careful, we can become spiritual wimps willing to accept whatever we hear, follow idols, and disconnect from the grip of Jesus’ hand.
~ Lisa Blair
“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Paul wrote 1st Corinthians, and in 16:13,14, he states, that we must always beware of our surroundings, and to have a watchful eye. He is cautioning us, Do not be a wimp, easily swayed. We are not to walk around blindly, ignoring everything around us. The blind are easy prey. Far too often, we fall into the traps of the evil one because we are not alert. Case in point, my husband and I began watching a supernatural series, before we know it demons entered the story. We finished watching the episode, and in the end, we both made the same statement at the same time. We acknowledged the theme was demonic in nature and was portrayed in such a way as to lure you in. We knew we shouldn’t watch the TV series. Why did we come to this conclusion? God commands us to be vigilant and not be seduced by evil. When we watch these types of shows or movies, we are opening a gateway into our soul. It sounds extreme, but what we view and listen to either strengthens our resolve or begins to weaken it. These types of fruit begin to rob us of our vision. Galatians 5 reads, the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. The works of the flesh are listed in Galatians 5:19-21.
Jesus gave sight to the blind. We were blind before we received Him as our Lord and Savior. We were subject to the wiles of the evil one highlighted in Galatians 5:19-21. However, once we were saved, the Holy Spirit took up residence in us. It is His voice that awakens us to the attacks of the world around us. It is our responsibility to listen, study the Word, and stay awake. Why, because, at least in my experience, He often uses scripture to warn us. The scripture provides the necessary information to assist us in living spiritually and not carnally, hosting false idols, which includes watching television programs that degrade the spirit.
Further, Paul writes in Ephesians, we are to stand firmly in place, and not to become comfortable on a spiritual rollercoaster, ignoring the clues that we are beginning to walk to the left or right of God’s plan for our lives. He tells us to act like adults, not children. He urges us to grow in wisdom, stature, and favor. Jesus encourages us to act like him. There is an old commercial, the catchphrase is, give it to Mickey, he will eat anything. Are you a Mickey when it comes to the Word? Are you gullible? If someone begins speaking to you spiritually, do you fact check, or do you blindly follow the rhetoric? Paul writes that Satan knows the Bible better than we will ever know it. He will deceive you by modifying the Word to meet His needs. It began in the Garden of Eden and became more pronounced and conniving as the evil one travels through time. He will become more proficient throughout our days on earth and through the End-times when he is finally destroyed.
Until the End-times, we are commanded to be strong, admit our weaknesses, and ask God to strengthen us so we can stand in a world that is wrought with sin, idol worship, lies, and cheating. However, do not be naïve, our strength is no match for Satan’s power, and we cannot win the battle alone. We need Christ in our lives to protect us and guide us in the ways to overcome the strength of the evil one.
And, above all else, we are to do all things in love as Jesus modeled for us. He stood against the evil one, the idol worshippers, the leaders that used the law, God’s, and man’s to further his own ends. Doesn’t this sound like the world we live in today? The talk often sounds like the Word, but in fact, has been either misinterpreted, used in the wrong context, or is a flat-out lie. The problem is, we are often slowly indoctrinated, much like cult leaders convince us that they and only they know the Word and the way.
We hang out with the wrong people, listen to the wrong music, watch the wrong television shows, movies, and news, and suddenly we are sliding down the slippery slope. We slowly lose our footing in the Word, and we no longer stand on solid ground. Today our sin nature is being empowered, our greed overpowers our thinking, and we are much like the grass that sways in the direction of the wind. The things of this earth tempt us. If we are not careful, we can become spiritual wimps willing to accept whatever we hear, follow idols, and disconnect from the grip of Jesus’ hand. Do you find yourself becoming a wimp? Jesus taught us to stand, stay strong, and exude love in all things. Today, more than ever, we need to adhere to His Word and stand firm in the face of the wiles of this earth.
Resources: biblegateway.com; libertylive.church; bible study tools.com
Images: Google images
Lisa’s Daily Inspirations 