One of my favorite scenes from Little House on the Prairie is captured below. In this episode, bullies come to town and begin to accost the townspeople while playing on "Christian" sympathies such as turn the other cheek, forgive others, and love your enemy. While those principles are good and true, there also comes a time when you have got to treat the devil like the devil that he is.
In pictures, sermons, and song, Jesus is often portrayed as a long-haired, hippie-looking wisp of a man who would barely raise His voice or hurt a fly. Yet the Jesus I serve - while being a magnate of love & hope to repentant sinners - was also one who didn't kowtow to the devil. He went through the temple with a whip, turning over the tables of moneychangers in His fury. He often suffered not demons to even speak, but cast them out in power. He turned religious hypocrites on their heads by shooting down deceitful questions with the straightforward truths of God. He addressed Satan directly when needed, taking authority over him and commanding him to get behind Him.
What if the Body of Christ would take such a stand against Satan and his demonic hordes? Instead of complaining about what "da devil" is doing in our lives, what if we determined not to take it a day longer but to exercise the spiritual authority God has given us? What if we didn't try to define Christianity by worldly standards of tolerance & love so that we can be accepted by the masses, but truly sought to be led by the Spirit? If we really follow Christ then some folks are not going to like us and we are going to have to deal with some devils...just like Jesus.
God desires a people who reflect His character and the nature of His Son; who seeks to do what the Father commands as faithful soldiers. Are we really eaten up with the zeal of God's house, of His righteousness, and of the glory of His name? Jesus was.
"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." I John 3:8
Amen. I have never seen this movie but this is spot on. There are people clearly full of demons or under severe demonic influence and instead of calling it out for what it is, we are taught in most churches to just "love" them to Christ. Sometimes you have to call things as they are. Jesus did it, and so should we. He did not tolerate Satan and his minions. Good post~
ReplyDeleteAmen. that is so true that in certain movies Jesus is always played as a sissy.
ReplyDeletePeople are so mislead, He was a carpenter lol,strong and not a cowered!I look at Satan as that cowerd.We have to have that strive in us that we hate the devil with a passion.I know I sure do!
Amen sister - i am surprised such a message got through on the one eyed monster.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this LDM, what a great and timely message; how about that, standing boldly in the face of the devil and taking a stand for Christ and His holiness!
ReplyDeleteLet me share an experience (quite similar) that happened last night. My eldest brother called me, and we haven't spoken in a long while (years) until he got sick last month; while talking he spoke about how he is a leader in his church (Pentecostal) and how the pastor and his wife trust him with certain aspects of the ministry. Amidst his listing of accomplishments he said to me, "that's why when I go to have a beer I make sure I go far from home"! *screech* Back that up...
I unequivocally called him out about it. I asked him, "I thought that you were a new creature" and "why would you put old beer in a new bottle", but he staunchly defended his stance, asking ME why it was wrong for HIM to have a beer. Oh I quoted the appropriate scriptures, but I knew that his mind was made up. I ended by stating that he was deceiving himself but not God, and that I was just going to add him to my daily prayers because none of us are righteous. This is definitely a battle, and I knew that satan wanted me to back down and not tell him the truth, but I stand for Christ and His righteousness, and whether my brother talks to me again or not - at the end of the day I know that I did (and said) what God required of me. Thank you again for sharing this video and message! God bless you Sis.
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You're absolutely right! We as Christians should have the same zeal Christ had. Let's get into the war & slam into the devil with everything we have. Keep charging forward!
ReplyDeleteDear LDM,
ReplyDeleteI have a serious question to ask. Do people who commit suicide go to heaven or hell. I know this might be off topic but it's a question I always wanted answers to. I ask my former pastor and he said it depended on the situation like if someone was dying of cancer or like in the case of Samson. I'm not going to lie, I thought about suicide before and I've seen on news about gay teens committing suicide and more recently Soul Train founder Don Cornelius who just committed suicide. I'm not a gay teen nor am I terminally ill, but is suicide of kind acceptable like physician assistant suicide according to Bible?
Hi IAmPastorsWife,
ReplyDeleteThere are many admonitions against drunkenness in Scripture. And while there is no prohibition on general alcohol consumption, I do know of those who've had problems with alcohol in their past and God has told them not to ever touch another drop.
But the most interesting part is how we can be more worried about the opinion of man than the judgments of God. While we can hide our activities from others, God is everywhere. Boy, if we could see God as He is - omnipresent - I bet that would cut down on a lot of sin! LOL
What you have said is all that we can do, "Do and say what God commands." As long as we are obedient to Him, we are walking in His will...including as we stand against the devil.
Many blessings to you Sis!
Hi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI too considered suicide and attempted it when I was a teen, succeeding only in making myself very sick and having to go to the hospital (I did not yet know the Lord).
However, would you not agree that even the inclination of suicide springs from a place of heaviness & despair, not hope? And we know that our lives are not our own since we have been bought with a price, so we have no right to take what does not belong to us.
I do not believe that suicide is an acceptable practice from God's perspective. The Scriptures do not say whether such persons go to Heaven or Hell.
My only advise would be to live each day as God leads, knowing that our lives are in His hand and that He promises not to give us more than we can bear. In our deepest, darkest moments, He is there.
If you know someone who is struggling with this issue, you should pray against a spirit of death operating in that person's life. We know that Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. What is he attacking? Our very lives in this world. Our defense against Satan is found in us being in Christ.
God Bless
http://media.sermonindex.net/3/SID3645.mp3
ReplyDeleteYour friends matter to God - Wilkerson.
Anonymous - the word of God is surely absolute on this matter note Saul - please search yourself regarding the motives for asking your question.
I really liked this little clip of Little House. What impressed me the most was that the MEN stood up and took control of the situation. Now if only the christian men would do the same things in our homes, churches, and communities. What a radical change we would behold.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI agree! In the current chruchworld though, you would likely have many who contest the scripting of that scene, calling for the women to rise up and jack the bullies up against the wall before storming them out of the town while the men stay behind and sing. LOL How utterly foolish!
Some things are just common sense. No matter how much some don't like to hear it, the women are the "weaker vessels" for a reason. There is a job God has designed women to perform and a job God has designed men to perform. Unless the Holy Spirit abides in a vessel, you will always see a spirit of homosexuality trying to pervert those roles.
There are really quite a few simple truths in that one little scene which our contemporary church would be largely blind to today.
Oh, one more thing. Yes, I do believe that the men need to stand and take their rightful place as leaders in the home and church. However, how many women have been prepared to support them?
ReplyDeleteMany women who talk about waiting on men to take the lead really don't desire to get in their own place and have not been prepared by God inwardly to do so. Why? Because they are still in rebellion inwardly against the Lord and are merely using the abdication of men as an excuse to justify it.
If a woman is truly looking for a restoration of Godly order in the home, church, community, then they will fervently intercede for the men, praying for them to be given strength and wisdom to do so (rather than just complaining about it or trying to usurp authority).
I know when I used to pray for my husband's salvation, God would counter asking me if I was ready to support Him should God save Him. Of course I said, "Yes", but I was mostly lying to myself. I still had much to learn about being a submitted wife...not being a doormat, but at the same time not using witchcraft and manipulation as a means to get him to do what I wanted.
Anyway, I digress. Thanks again for the comments!
Mia, you are surely speaking God's Word!! His has told us to be submissive to our husbands and because God appointed men as head!!
ReplyDeleteI am on FB from time to time and whenever I make a post about "us" coming into submission to our husbands there is a HORRIBLE outcry of injustice from African American women. Now a lot of my Caucasian counterparts confer with the bible and understand the order God has established, I wonder why it seems there is much rebellion with my colored girls? LOL! It seems as if all of them want to lead, want to pastor, want to just take over cause their men folk ain't doing it. But I tell them that when we get in our place and submit to our own husbands then I believe that the men will fall into their role. I believe so many men are out of place because we are out of place! It's hard to get this across to a lot of us yet we think we are so "spiritual" and "holy" But if we are not submissive to our own husbands then we are not in communion with Jesus, POINT BLANK PERIOD!! That's what many don't seem to understand!! I don't care how much you church or sing praises, etc... If you are out of order in your home then you are out of fellowship with Christ!!
Happy Friday!! :)
Good morning TLD,
ReplyDeleteYou are right in stating that a lot of women are not ready to support their husbands who are out of position; the roots of feminism have dug their ungodly ways deep down into the soils of their hearts. But I praise God who is mighty to pull down any stronghold! He pulled down mine in this area and is yet pulling down more! Praise God, Praise God!
Hi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteThat is sure enough what God told me this morning!!! LOL He said maybe there is death in the church because women (life) are out of order. That doesn't mean women are to blame, but it means we must stop using excuses to rebel against God. If we get get where God wants us to be (spiritually) then His life will pour through us and bless His church. So, I thank God for confirmation because what you have stated surely matches what He was telling me today.
It is time to stop pretending that we are serving the Lord and really seek Him with sincere hearts; to be cleansed of all that defiles so that His life may be seen. Amen & Happy Friday to you too! :-)
Hi Anonymous,
ReplyDelete"But I praise God who is mighty to pull down any stronghold! He pulled down mine in this area and is yet pulling down more! Praise God, Praise God!"
You have said it all!! Thank you Jesus for your deliverance in this area and I pray that you continue to pull down everything which stands in your way in our lives.
Anonymous' Response: "I ask my former pastor and he said it depended on the situation like if someone was dying of cancer or like in the case of Samson."
ReplyDeleteOf all sins, suicide, from the human perspective, is perhaps the saddest. When a person reaches a point of contemplating taking his own life - one has truly reached perhaps the lowest level of hopelessness.
You may never read this anonymous, but I am here to tell you that suicide is never an acceptable alternative to God. We are to LIVE by faith (2 Cor. 5:7).
There is such a gray area in many "churches" regarding this issue. I have truly sought the Lord on this issue. Suicide, as sad as a person may feel, is a sin. If a believer is contemplating suicide, the Lord will offer a way of escape for the believer - as HE offers a way of escape for every temptation.
Suicide (self-inflicted killing for the sole purpose of ending one's life) is of Satan. You nor I can defeat Satan ALONE, but -and I speak from personal experience here - a believer can overcome the LIES of Satan by leaning on Jesus.
Also, the Lord showed me about a year ago that there are so many who completely distort Samson's death as a suicide. He specifically in only a way that HE could showed me Flight 93 (9-11). Did those American men who charged the cock pit when their plane had been hijacked by Muslim terrorists commit suicide by taking action that would kill those anti-christ terrorists? -Absolutely not-
The Lord showed me how Samson's story was so very very similar to the events of Flight 93. Samson died for the greater good. He understood that destroying the Philistines would result in his death, but make no mistake, Samson's incentive was NOT driven by thoughts of suicide --
The good news is this -- JESUS is our rock, and no matter how difficult the battle, we are to ENDURE through FAITH and RELIANCE in HIM. Suicide is just the opposite - where is faith and reliance when one has made that decision...