Tag: distinguish between spirits

21.m. “WATCH OUT”!!!!!

 

 

Romans 16:17  I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

 Acts 15:24   Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds

 1 Corinthians 3:3    for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

 Jude 1:19    It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

 Galatians 2:4    Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—

 Philippians 3:2-3  Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers

 Colossians 2:8    See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

 2 Peter 2:1-2    But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies,

 2 John 1:7-10   For many deceivers have gone out into the world

Watch out for those who cause division and create obstacles. Watch out for the dogs and evildoers.  Watch out for empty philosophy, human tradition, and deceit. Watch out for false prophets and false teachers. Watch out for deceivers.  It is often overlooked, but good to know and realize all of the verses in the bible that speak about being careful not to be drawn away from Christ by the craftiness of man.  These are but a few and they are there for a reason so that we might walk in the fullness of Jesus Christ.  It is one thing to say “watch out”, and an entirely different aspect to be able to recognize it.  If there is one thing that limits the ability to recognize “watch out” signals it is the lack of God’s Word in our daily lives.  When His Word is neglected, the clarity of these “watch out” signals becomes blurred and believed as truth or true enough that is possibly true.  When this happens we are at the hands of Satan and not of God.  Be in His Word, study it, hunger and thirst for it, and meditate on it.  Know what you believe and why you believe it.  Know there are those who will pervert the Word of God and draw many away from the blessings of honoring, following, obeying, trusting, and hoping in Jesus Christ alone.

97. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days

1 Samuel 3:1   Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

1 Corinthians 12:6-11     and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Can you imagine what it would be like to to have the word of God almost not available?  Days, weeks, and months would pass by without reading or hearing His word.  Hebrews 4:12–13 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

We know the Bible to be the true Word of God and seek to align our lives to what it says. We also have the indwelling Holy Spirit who is transforming us to be more like God. As we grow in our walk with Christ, we bear fruit. This fruit has an impact on those around us. As the Bible influences us, it influences society.  Likewise, if the word of God is not active, desired, needed and intentional in our daily life, then the reverse happens.  We are influenced by society rather than by the word of God.   Somehow we seem to have come to an understanding of service to God to mean we attend church.  It is not as though we thought about it and said: “this is what it means to serve, honor, follow, worship, and obey God.” More than likely busyness of life, technology, family, work…. all have taken their part into our lives, pushing out the word of God and by result our influence on family, friends, society.

The word of God will never influence the life of the person who spends no time in it.  Is it possible we have chosen to only have enough of God’s word in our life to feel good but not enough of it to transform, lead, instruct, convict, and empower us to hear it speak to our heart and mind?  Choosing to be in His word with desire to know and be known by God is an active and intentional choice.  No one at the end of their life has said: “I spent too much time in God’s word and in service to Him.”  Many have said I wish I had spent more time on the important (knowing and being known by God) and less on everything else that I thought important.

Daily commitment to time in God’s word is never a waste of time.