I had considered setting up a group on this, or perhaps it would make a good forum category (LT?). ;-)
So I'll start with last night. Service was on the fruits of the Spirit, focusing on the love, joy and peace portions first, with the others being covered in the next two sermons. And the altar call was for those who want those fruits to show forth and are dealing with things stealing the love, joy and peace from their lives. Well of course, I went up cause these are things I've prayed and prayed for in the face of all the stress and troubles I've been hit so hard with for so long now. And the elder Pastor's wife prayed with me. I cried and cried and told her I'm just so exhausted, I need some relief. Her response.....don't say that and let satan hear you. Hmmmmmmmmm
This is a prevalent belief in my church. It is why they believe in smile even when you're hurting, put on airs, a face, show yourself joyful even if not so you don't bring others down, and God forbid you let satan hear you feel you're defeated or he'll use it against you.
Now I understand spiritual warfare, and I know there's the mind battle and all that. But what I get from this is, if David hadn't cried out to God repeatedly, WHEN will you save me Lord? WHY are You so far away? Have you forgotten me?, etc. etc......we wouldn't have the Psalms. So was David's crying to God to save him and how persecuted and tired and weeping night and day he was going straight to the ears of satan to use against him?
I'm feeling this is a religious attitude. Nowhere in scripture do I find anything that says not to speak our frustrations and fears aloud for fear satan will hear and use it against us. If I'm wrong, can someone point out scripture to this effect?
At any rate, this is just ONE of many of the fact or fiction items in the churches today, or at least in mine. And I was thinking this would be a great topic to debate the various beliefs on church practices and beliefs vs. what the Bible truly says, or misinterpretations, etc....religious attitudes that simply have no place in our lives.
Would like opinions on this one particular topic of does satan use our words spoken against us when we're crying to God for relief (is that scriptural?), or are we to follow in the footsteps of the one who was a man after God's own heart and cry out to Him as David did without fearing retribution from satan? And would like any other religious "myths" we could discuss here.
Tags:
I don't know if in such a case as that that it is fear because of sanctification or because of wrong teachings. Growing up around the COG, that used to be the teaching solely....fire and brimstone, hell. They instilled fear to push salvation. And once you have that instilled in you, it's hard to break. But I didn't want to be pushed to believe what wasn't lining up for me in the Word.
She doesn't act like she's afraid of satan, but there's that taught mindset of not speaking out loud anything negative or satan will get a foothold. They're more and more teaching Christ's love as a reason for repentance instead of the old fear messages, but the older ones that grew up with it are still stuck in that mindset a lot of the times.
Hi Seek, good subject matter.
Amanda, I liked your piece on sanctification.
O.K., Seek (aka - Char), You're on the right track about what's going on in the churches of our Lord.
Let's look at Acts 20:29-30, Paul, talking to the elders at the Ephesian church, "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock,
(30) and from among your own selves, men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them." (N.A.S.B.).
And - II Corinthians 11:13-15, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising
themselves as apostles of Christ. (14) And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (15) Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds." (N.A.S.B.).
During recent times, "an abomination of God" has come into contemporary focus among mainline denominations.......
homosexuality and same sex marriage.
Seek, not saying any of the above remarks pertain to your church.........but there are real concerns in this world.... as there have been for 2000 years.
As Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21).
Grace and Peace.
Oh that's one thing. My church is very biblical on abortion, homosexuality, fornication, adultery, all of it. They won't even allow you to be a pastor if you've been divorced. YIKES! But they have this old fire and brimstone mentality teaching that has instilled so much ingrained fear in the older generation of be careful what you say little mouths, be careful what you hear little ears, cause the Father up above...and this is where they sorta change the lyrics in their mind to something along the lines of "has let satan run amock." You get the picture. LOL
Welcome to
All About GOD
© 2024 Created by AllAboutGOD.com. Powered by