Thursday

Some Ways the Enemy Opposes God's Kids

In the last few days, I’ve had interaction with a wide variety of folks:

·         An author who insists that Christians are still obligated to obey the whole law, and how dare I declare that the Old Covenant is past!!!
·         Some folks who are angry at me because I teach that God is good and kind and well-represented in Jesus.
·         A friend who insists that the Resurrection was metaphorical, not literal.
·         Several “unbelieving believers” whose whole world view is built on their poverty spirit and whose theme song seems to be “I can’t! I need someone to do it for me!”
·         A “prophet” who is convinced that his job is pointing out fault in every congregation he visits (and who never visits a congregation a second time).

As I was reflecting on these, I felt Father’s sadness. “These are manifestations of the influence of an antichrist spirit,” he murmured softly.

I realized, that’s certainly not saying, “They’re the Antichrist!” or even “They’re possessed.”

It’s just acknowledging that these are some of the ways that an “anti-Christ” spirit works to influence God’s children. These are some of the accusations that the enemy makes against God, against Jesus, against the Cross.

As I reflected, the quiet voice continued, “How will you respond to them?” and I knew that my response must not include anger or rejection or resignation.

There is one thing that stood out in my heart in response. Sure, I must love them, but that’s not a real answer. The thing that stood out to me is that I need to be careful not to change my message in response to them. I must not react to them in anger, rejection, or resignation; I am not permitted to change my message because of them.

If I don’t speak of who God really is in me and to me, then it’s not really my testimony, it’s just empty words. If I soften the message in order to placate some, or if I sharpen it to make it hit others harder, then these voices that carry the echo of the antichrist have shaped my message, my heart. My message would likely carry further, but it would not carry the truth I want it to.

And then my voice would also carry a manifestation of the influence of an antichrist spirit. I’m thinking that this is not where I want to go. There be dragons down that path.

I'm working on keeping my message true. Your prayers - and your company - are invited.


2 comments:

Unknown said...

I've come to call what you're talking about The Divine Balance. Christ walked it; he remained disengaged from the political zealots who wanted to co-opt Him to become their earthly king and kick Rome out of the land. He remained disengaged from the Scholars and the Teachers of the Law who wanted Him to cow-tow to their earthly religious empire. He said, as you well know, again and again,"I only do the Father's will. I only do what the Father tells me to do. Period!" And it seems, Pilgrim, so do you. Thank you for sharing what can appear to be a difficult position, but pleasing God, and not mankind isn't that difficult, is it?

Blessings
Lew Curtiss

Jon B said...

The concept of "antichrist" has been so sensationalized that if you call anything "antichrist" it sounds like you are demonizing it.

A more scriptural view taken from 1 John is that every spirit that is not from God is antichrist. Any teaching that is not from God is antichrist. Either it acknowledges that Jesus came in the flesh, or it doesn't.

And just because you say a teaching is antichrist, does not mean that you are saying an individual is "The Antichrist", or something like that. It doesn't even mean that you are saying they aren't Christian. It's just that the teaching itself is antichrist.

I'm glad to hear that you get that!

-Jonathan Brenneman