"Success" (one worldly perspective)
Sleeping With the Enemy
"I have against you that you permit your woman Jezebel, she who calls herself a prophetess, to be teaching and seducing My servants to indulge sexual immorality and eat food of idols ... Look! I am casting her into a sickbed, and the ones committing adultery with her into great affliction, unless they repent of her works..."
~ Revelation 2:20,22 (author)
Last Friday's "Question of the Week" addressed the critical distinction between being in the world and of the world. God's declaration that this world is His enemy says that to compromise with the world is to commit spiritual adultery (James 4:4)—to be sleeping with the enemy.
Does any offense inflame a husband's wrath like adultery? We are surrounded with evidence that the seductive world lies in a sickbed. Jesus warns His bride that compromise with the world and its immorality results in great affliction for us as well.
"... all the churches shall know that I am He who searches minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works... And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations ..."
~ Revelation 2:23,26 (EMTV)
Jesus taught that those who prove faithful to Him during the world's era—who rise above the systems, standards and society of His enemy—shall rule over the world's cities during His reign (Luke 19:17). To the servant sleeping with the enemy, such authority would not be fitting.
Lord Jesus, the battle against compromise is difficult to fight while living in enemy territory. We desperately need Your perspective to see the world for the enemy it is. We need You Who searches minds and hearts to show us our compromise. Please purify us for Yourself.
I appreciate hearing from you. Questions are welcome. Reply to BuildingHisBody.com comments or e-mail me—my address is
buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com.
Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Wood sculpture "Success" from the Arnold Mikelson Mind and Matter Gallery, mindandmatterart.com
after reading this, i realize that i'm in desperate need of the Refiner's fire. pretty sure there's some compromise in my life as well.
ReplyDeleteBud ~
ReplyDeleteRemember that the Lord asks nothing from us that He does not give us something far, far better.
He is GOOD!
ALL the time!
Purify me Father for you.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Son of Man comes, will he find faith among His people?
ReplyDeleteI pray I fall more and more in love with Him.
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
I think we've all tasted rejection. I can only imagine the scale the Lord receives it on. It's staggering and heartbreaking. I hope my love soothes Him.
ReplyDeleteDenise ~
ReplyDelete"Purifying" is the work of our trials.
Natasa ~
ReplyDelete"And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"
(Luke 18:7-8 NKJV)
Yes. Among His elect, He shall find faith. It is He who preserves us, purifies us, prepares us for His coming. May the amount of faith He finds in us testify that He is worthy of it.
Wendy ~
ReplyDeleteYou have spoken well. John Piper said, "Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God." The more we love Him, the less we'll ever think to seek anything not Him.
T ~
ReplyDeleteI'm touched by your words. We are so self-centered. We see God from our perspective. My heart is moved when I see God's perspective and feel His grief.
It comforts me to know that when I feel the sting of rejection, I am sharing God's grief. He is allowing me inside Him, even while He is inside me.
I have always been afraid that I would be found 'sleeping,' like the disciples in the Garden. But I've never given thought that I would be sleeping with the enemy on top of my slumber. but it's true. By not being 'engaged' I actually give power to the enemy.
ReplyDeleteDavid ~
ReplyDeleteThough I often capitalize Enemy when I refer to the person of the devil, the world and the flesh are also counted enemies of the church, Word and Spirit. We need all three of the latter allies to fight effectively against the former three enemies.
You bring up a good point with the word "engaged." By being engaged with our allies, we are stronger against our enemies.
Whatever the cost of time to blog and read other blogs, I feel it often helps keep me engaged with my allies—including you. : )