IT’S NOT MY FAULT -- __________ MADE ME DO IT
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Below is response to my post on Facebook about excuses people use to not accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and/or not letting others’ (or the church’s) failures determine your spiritual health:
“People need to understand, though, that when the church abuses people it has a real effect on them spiritually and otherwise. The church represents God on earth and we can’t think we don’t have a real effect on people by the way we treat them in His name and that we aren’t responsible for that. The way some people are affected by it is not a choice. From what you’re describing you have not experienced the kind of spiritual abuse I’m talking about. There are people who have literally been so spiritually damaged by spiritual abuse they literally cannot even read scripture correctly or perceived God in any sensible fashion. This may not be as uncommon as you think.”
Scripture:
John 16:13, 1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Isaiah 6:10; 1 John 2:9-10; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 6:6; Ephesians 6:12
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First, never presume or assume you know what someone else has been through. Never presume/assume to know the “ins and outs” of ANY situation unless you really do know ALL about it. Solution = ASK. (Rocket science?)
This response mentioned that people who have been so badly damaged could not even read scripture correctly or perceive God in any sensible way. Warriors, if someone is unable to properly understand God’s Word there are 1 of 3 reasons why:
1) they are not saved (1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:4);
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2) they lack the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit leads us into ALL TRUTH (John 16:13); or
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3) they are under heavy demonic oppression and through willful, repeated sin, have been blinded from
the truth (Isaiah 6:10; 1 John 2:9-10)
Our Enemy’s attacks are common and often. Spiritual attacks and oppression run rampant especially IN THE CHURCH. It is imperative Christians learn these truths and how to respond to attacks which lead to victory. Decisions must be made SPIRITUALLY not in the “natural.”
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Whenever there is “spiritual damage,” the damage is a direct result of the Enemy’s attacks. (Oh, how I want to type “duh” here.) Have I not posted over and over and over: “We are in a Spiritual Battle 24/7 . . . and the Battle is REAL!”
Every word you speak, everything you eat, everywhere you go, and everything you do is determined by a choice you make. Nobody makes you do anything or forces to react a certain way short of at gun point. That is truth. Ultimately, YOU are responsible for your actions or inactions. You cannot blame anyone else for your choices; not even Satan. Why? When we are saved, we are NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN (Romans 6:6)—Christ redeemed us from servitude to Satan, so that we now belong to Christ, and NOW it is possible to CHOOSE to obey God instead of sin.
When situations happen that offend you or hurt you, you will either choose to obey or disobey God. There is no middle ground. It’s not rocket science Warriors! Satan wants us to believe we can blame others for our sin. That is a LIE (as Satan is the Father of LIES). Satan comes ONLY to steal, kill and destroy -- no other reason. God judges you based upon what YOU have done or not done. There are times we ALLOW others to affect us in negative ways—which are the result of Enemy attacks. When we are wounded, we are not wounded by God. Instead, we have been in BATTLE with the Enemy and were wounded by him or one of his emissaries. Whoever inflicted pain upon you, it is they, first of all, who bought into the Enemy’s lies and were thereby enlisted by him to wound or hurt us. Ultimately, the purpose of such an attack was to cause you to sin. That’s also why I say, “Love the person -- fight the battle, not the other way around.” Our Battle is not with people/flesh and blood (although we "feel" it is). It is with the Enemy. See Ephesians 6:12.
Warriors, the “church didn’t make you do it” . . . “Little Sally or Little Johnny didn’t make you do it” . . . “Mother didn’t make you do it” and neither did your best friend. So, choose to obey God and follow His commands and in so doing you will come out VICTORIOUS over the Enemy’s attacks. AMEN!
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Obeying Our Captain's Commands,
Delann Conrad
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