DON’T BE IGNORANT OF THE DEVIL’S DEVICES
Sunday, December 10, 2006
And I wrote the same to you so that when I came, I might not be myself
pained by those who are the [very] ones who ought to make me glad, for
I trusted in you all and felt confident that my joy would be shared by
all of you. 4 For I wrote you out of great sorrow and deep distress
[with mental torture and anxiety] of heart, [yes, and] with many tears,
not to cause you pain but in order to make you realize the overflowing
love that I continue increasingly to have for you. 5 But if someone
[the one among you who committed incest] has caused [all this] grief
and pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure, not to put
it too severely, [he has distressed] all of you. 6 For such a one this
censure by the majority [which he has received is] sufficient
[punishment]. 7 So [instead of further rebuke, now] you should rather
turn and [graciously] forgive and comfort and encourage [him], to keep
him from being overwhelmed by excessive sorrow and despair. 8 I
therefore beg you to reinstate him in your affections and assure you,
to test your attitude and see if you would stand the test, whether you
are obedient and altogether agreeable [to following my orders] in
everything. 10 If you forgive anyone anything, I too forgive that one;
and what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for
your sakes in the presence [and with the approval] of Christ (the
Messiah), 11 To keep Satan from getting the advantage over us; for we
are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions. 2 Corinthians 2:3-11 AMP
When we started The River at Tampa Bay, we asked the Lord how we should
handle situations where people had sinned and needed discipline and
correction. He told us this, "If I have forgiven them – you forgive
them." So that is what we do. We bring the word to them in a
non-judgmental way. If they are repentant and ask God to forgive them,
then forgive them as well and work with them on restoration. If they
will not repent, we work with them and speak the truth in love to them
until they do. After all that, if they will still not repent, we
recommend they find another church to attend, since they do not respect
the authority in this house. It is very important that we do not
continue to have fellowship with those who are stubbornly rebellious
against God's word and who sow strife amongst the brethren, because it
has a corrupting influence on the Body of Christ.
On the
other hand, we do have a problem in the Body of Christ when someone has
repented and yet they find no grace or forgiveness from their brethren.
This ought not to be so. We must do two things for each other – speak
the truth in love and, at the same time, show mercy and grace toward
each other. In this way we will all grow up spiritually. We should not
expect perfection from ourselves and others, but we should expect
righteousness! Paul tells us that we must forgive so that we keep Satan
from getting the advantage over us. We must not be ignorant of his
wiles and intentions. The devil uses strife to divide us and destroy us
– individually and as a body.
Brethren, if any person is
overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who
are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right
and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and
with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you
should be tempted also. Galatians 6:1 AMP
It is very
important not to judge someone else, because if you do, you give the
devil place in your life and you open yourself up to be tempted with
the same sin. Do not judge them in your heart, even if it doesn't come
out of your mouth. Discipline in the Church – the Body of Christ -
should come from those who are spiritual. Sadly, there are not enough
spiritual people in the Church who are qualified to deal with these
kinds of situations. A spiritual person is one who is submitted to the
word of God in all things. They walk in love toward others; they
correct them, but they do not judge them. An immature Christian is one
who is judgmental toward others and who is envious of others. They are
happy when someone else messes up – it gives them an opportunity to
feel superior – but they are playing into the devil's hands. We are all
on the same team – let's act like it!
Rejoice not when your
enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles or is
overthrown, 18 Lest the Lord see it and it be evil in His eyes and
displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him [to expend it upon
you, the worse offender]. Proverbs 24:17-18 AMP
If we
shouldn't be happy when our enemy falls, how much more should we
definitely not be glad when our fellow Christian falls? We should weep
for them, pray for them and help them back to their feet. God needs
every one of us that He can get! He does not need anyone of us to fall
and fail and if we are all going to make it and stand strong then we
are going to need each other. We are a Body! What happens to the
individual, affects the whole Body. Let us not be ignorant; let us not
be used by the devil to work his purposes, but let us be submitted to
God in this and let us be used by Him to bring peace, restoration and
harmony wherever WE go!
Recent:
Righteous Now
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
“Therefore if any man be in Christ…” What does it mean to be “in Christ”? Galatians 3:27 says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” You are baptized into Christ when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” And Romans 10:13 says, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The moment
Defeating Strife
These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19 AMP
Faith Facts
Faith is persistent
Luke 11:9-10 AMP
So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.
John 16:24 AMP
Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.
Faith is single-minded
James 1:5-8 AMP
If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the