In a previous post, Repentance Brings an Atmosphere Shift, I described at the end of the post how our mental state can influence the spiritual atmosphere around us. Those things that please God, whether repentance, or humility, or whatever else, allow God to work for us and shift our spiritual atmosphere into a good place. This place is the Kingdom of Heaven, and if are doing His, then the atmosphere of the Kingdom will surround us wherever we go.
So, "good" mindsets bring in the "good and perfect" things from Heaven. The reverse is also true--"bad" mindsets bring in darkness and lies from the enemy. These bad mindsets can be brought about by our physical circumstances, our spiritual circumstances, or both. When we encounter bad circumstances and lose faith, we risk entering into a vicious cycle where our foundation in God falls away.
I've found that the main reason we fall out of the Kingdom, out of that atmosphere where everything points to Jesus, is because of our own sin. Unrepentant sin blocks out our living in God's presence. One of the things that most quickly shifts our spiritual atmosphere downwards is the sin of FEAR.
"For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." Romans 14:23
Fear is definitely not of faith. Fear represents a lack of trust in God. Fear cannot receive the perfect Love of God (1 John 4:18). Fear is sin, and left unchecked it will very quickly draw us out of His rest into a place where we are an easy target for Satan.
In a previous posts I've mentioned that the enemy can give messages in a similar way that God can. He too has a voice, an agenda, and a message to spread. When we fall into fear, we fall into his territory. And we may become convinced of his lies.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." John 10:10
This is satan's agenda. He is also a liar and the father of lies. He is deceitful and never gives the truth, and when we become fearful it is so easy for us him to plant seeds of doubt and unbelief into our minds. When you fall deeply into fear, the promises that God's given you can become quickly forgotten. Worse yet, they can become transformed into a web of lies where every confirmation God has shown becomes a sign of condemnation from the enemy. The Truth is that God has turned our darkness into light (Psalms 18:28)...but the enemy can get take you to a mentality where you fear God's Light is actually a place of evil and darkness. Satan is the first one to call evil good, and to call good evil (Isaiah 5:20)!
This may be hard to imagine without a practical example. A few days ago, I began hearing about the Freemason society. For the purposes of this blog, let's just say they are not of the Light. Since then I've been seeing the word "mason" more frequently. I've been hearing things in the news about satanic cults. I've even been getting mason's jars as gifts!
In addition, I see the number 33 all the time, especially on digital clocks. This number is something that God uses to remind me of good things (Jeremiah 33, for example), but that same number is very important to free masons. Oh no! It seems like the enemy would have me believe I'm destined to work for forces of darkness in the future. That shouldn't be a surprise; all satan does is pervert the truth. And as ridiculous as that lie may seem to me right now, if I happen to fall into fear I will very quickly become enslaved to it. I may even begin to forget God's promises and actually wonder if I'm supposed to be a freemason.
And that is exactly what the enemy wants. The more fearful we are, the more the true things of God become shrouded in the appearance of darkness by satan. And the true things of evil begin to masquerade as if they were from the Light (2 Corinthians 11:4). Not only does satan want us to think that God's Truth is in fact a lie, he wants us to accept lies as the truth. Lies that may seem ridiculous now can become paralyzingly real if we stay in fear for long.
Things get worse if we acknowledge these false realities as if they were true. Just as faith can allow God and His army to move, I believe fear and unbelief allow satan and his darkness to activate in our lives. Slowly but surely, living life in a fearful state can gradually bring us into a dark version of our previous reality, where there is no Love from God nor any hope. It is in this state that satan can actually actively influence us. This is when we may be tempted to lose hope, or to betray our faith in God for good.
Look at how often Jesus talked about fear. Both He and the many angels who appeared in the OT always warned the people not to be afraid. Why? Perhaps the presence of fear could actually manifest an increase in the powers of darkness. I believe that fear shifts the atmosphere into a place where we fall out of God's army and satan gains the upper hand. Fear can even hinder God's will from playing out as soon as it otherwise would. So let's counteract this by hanging on to the promises of God. Let's be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9). And let's not be afraid, or dismayed (Deuteronomy 31:8). Take heart because Jesus is still on the throne. He is still in control, and He is for us.
But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Matthew 14:27
So, "good" mindsets bring in the "good and perfect" things from Heaven. The reverse is also true--"bad" mindsets bring in darkness and lies from the enemy. These bad mindsets can be brought about by our physical circumstances, our spiritual circumstances, or both. When we encounter bad circumstances and lose faith, we risk entering into a vicious cycle where our foundation in God falls away.
I've found that the main reason we fall out of the Kingdom, out of that atmosphere where everything points to Jesus, is because of our own sin. Unrepentant sin blocks out our living in God's presence. One of the things that most quickly shifts our spiritual atmosphere downwards is the sin of FEAR.
"For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." Romans 14:23
Fear is definitely not of faith. Fear represents a lack of trust in God. Fear cannot receive the perfect Love of God (1 John 4:18). Fear is sin, and left unchecked it will very quickly draw us out of His rest into a place where we are an easy target for Satan.
In a previous posts I've mentioned that the enemy can give messages in a similar way that God can. He too has a voice, an agenda, and a message to spread. When we fall into fear, we fall into his territory. And we may become convinced of his lies.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." John 10:10
This is satan's agenda. He is also a liar and the father of lies. He is deceitful and never gives the truth, and when we become fearful it is so easy for us him to plant seeds of doubt and unbelief into our minds. When you fall deeply into fear, the promises that God's given you can become quickly forgotten. Worse yet, they can become transformed into a web of lies where every confirmation God has shown becomes a sign of condemnation from the enemy. The Truth is that God has turned our darkness into light (Psalms 18:28)...but the enemy can get take you to a mentality where you fear God's Light is actually a place of evil and darkness. Satan is the first one to call evil good, and to call good evil (Isaiah 5:20)!
This may be hard to imagine without a practical example. A few days ago, I began hearing about the Freemason society. For the purposes of this blog, let's just say they are not of the Light. Since then I've been seeing the word "mason" more frequently. I've been hearing things in the news about satanic cults. I've even been getting mason's jars as gifts!
In addition, I see the number 33 all the time, especially on digital clocks. This number is something that God uses to remind me of good things (Jeremiah 33, for example), but that same number is very important to free masons. Oh no! It seems like the enemy would have me believe I'm destined to work for forces of darkness in the future. That shouldn't be a surprise; all satan does is pervert the truth. And as ridiculous as that lie may seem to me right now, if I happen to fall into fear I will very quickly become enslaved to it. I may even begin to forget God's promises and actually wonder if I'm supposed to be a freemason.
And that is exactly what the enemy wants. The more fearful we are, the more the true things of God become shrouded in the appearance of darkness by satan. And the true things of evil begin to masquerade as if they were from the Light (2 Corinthians 11:4). Not only does satan want us to think that God's Truth is in fact a lie, he wants us to accept lies as the truth. Lies that may seem ridiculous now can become paralyzingly real if we stay in fear for long.
Things get worse if we acknowledge these false realities as if they were true. Just as faith can allow God and His army to move, I believe fear and unbelief allow satan and his darkness to activate in our lives. Slowly but surely, living life in a fearful state can gradually bring us into a dark version of our previous reality, where there is no Love from God nor any hope. It is in this state that satan can actually actively influence us. This is when we may be tempted to lose hope, or to betray our faith in God for good.
Look at how often Jesus talked about fear. Both He and the many angels who appeared in the OT always warned the people not to be afraid. Why? Perhaps the presence of fear could actually manifest an increase in the powers of darkness. I believe that fear shifts the atmosphere into a place where we fall out of God's army and satan gains the upper hand. Fear can even hinder God's will from playing out as soon as it otherwise would. So let's counteract this by hanging on to the promises of God. Let's be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9). And let's not be afraid, or dismayed (Deuteronomy 31:8). Take heart because Jesus is still on the throne. He is still in control, and He is for us.
But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Matthew 14:27
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