OUR SPIRITUAL WEAPONS Whether it was Moses, the prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, or the Apostles, they were always aggressive against religious flesh. Those who are walking in the Spirit have a low toleration of those who walk in the flesh, yet dare to claim any form of meaningful identity with the Lord. A brief sampling of how holy men dealt with religious flesh will suffice to buttress this point. -- Tomorrow:
"Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Cor 10:1-6)
Devotion 18 of 44
1. MOSES. "For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?" (Deut 31:27) 10.
2. JEREMIAH. "I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?" (Jer 13:27).
3. JOHN THE BAPTIST. "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham" (Matt 3:7-9).
4. JESUS. "But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not" (Matt 11:16-20).
5. PETER. "But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity" (Acts 8:23).
6. PAUL. "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (1 Cor 3:3).
7. STEPHEN. "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it" (Acts 7:53).
In each of these cases, the people being addressed claimed identity with God through the covenant that was operative. From Moses through Jesus, they were professing Jews who maintained a religious appearance. After Jesus they were professing Christians. None of these people had openly denied God, or advocated a society without religion. Yet they had characteristics that contradicted how the people of God were to appear. Therefore they were not addressed as though they were sincere, devoted, or holy.
Spiritual Babylon has taught men to be tolerant, forbearing, and even charitable, toward religious "flesh." Within the framework of organized religion, people are even expected to submit to the lifeless leaders of impotent religious institutions. Babylon has so structured its organization as to give the ascendency to "the flesh" and "the natural man."
However, holy men will not submit to religious flesh. They will be gentle and forbearing where there are genuine evidences of spiritual life, for they know the purpose of God is to awaken that life, fanning it into prominence. However, where the only comely trait of people is that they do not aggressively fight against the man of God, yet have no genuine spiritual qualities, willingly entertaining erroneous views, and making no advancement in the faith, a quite difference response is in order. Paul will confirm this by the words that follow.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, deliver Your church from those who would encourage it to adopt the ways of the world.