Hello there beautiful people! I hope you’re all having a lovely morning and enjoying the month of March. And before I forget, I would like to wish all women a happy women’s day even though I am two days late.

Also, before we dive into today’s post, I would like to suggest to my reader to begin by reading my previous post because this will be more of an extension to that one. Thanks!

2 Corinthians 11

2 For I am zealous for you with a godly eagerness and a divine jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one Husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But [now] I am fearful, lest that even as the serpent beguiled (duped/deceived) Eve by his cunningness, so your minds may be corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

This verse, this verse, this verse three – is why we are here today my friends.

I was discussing my previous blog post with one of my dear friends. And as the conversation went on about the folly of emotions in spiritual matters, we got to a place where I can boldly submit to you that the Holy Spirit revealed a bombshell truth to us while still in conversation. Maybe to some of you it may not seem like such a big deal, but boy! For me it was such an eye opener, I even have to blog about it.

Remember how in my previous blog post I stated that I had been getting anxious-frustration on many occasions while reading the Bible or even saying my prayers? And attributed the whole disconcertment to the way I was trying to attain obedience to God through these things that stem from self-induced routine/religious piety and not PRIMARILY by being led the Holy Spirit – which was subsequently getting me frustrated?

Well… Now I see something that I hadn’t seen before. But before I bring it to light, I would like to go through that whole cycle – I learnt from God’s Holy Spirit – once more for absolute and maximum clarity.

Frustration is the inevitable result to any Christian experience outside the Holy Spirit. Because Jesus wasn’t trifling with words when He said: “without Me you can do nothing,” He was dead serious. (And trust me, I know that now too well.)

Meaning, all of life, including Christian life outside the Holy Spirit of God is a false front, a sham and mostly, a pharisaical show especially for the Christian. And God never accepts that kind of a life or even worship.

Now, as we discussed these matters with my friend, the Holy Spirit revealed to us that this is precisely where the devil gains a foothold on many of us Christians.

And this is exactly where he had gained a foothold in my life so much so that I almost gave up praying anymore.

This arena of mixing emotions with spiritual matters – it turns out – is extremely dangerous especially if we do not allow God’s Holy Spirit to show us when and how to apply our emotions.

When we allow ourselves to rely on our emotions whenever we relate with God, we enter into the devil’s turf; a place where he can beat us and even wipe us out completely. Because without the Holy Spirit, we are standing in his territory, and worse, as lone rangers – and he is well aware of our position in such a state. Thus, emotions whenever they are not under the hold of the Holy Spirit, they become a weapon for the devil.

And the devil is wise my friends, he is not a fool! And best believe that he knows God’s word and uses our ignorance and even neglect of it many times to his advantage.

The Holy Spirit revelead to us (my friend and I) how he twists our emotions to his benefit.

✓ When we are in low moods, he lies to us by convincing us that God is also low and possibly even angry and irritated with us at that moment. And what is the result of that lie? What is his end goal? It introduces a barrier between us and God. In that, we are unable to approach Him freely, and even as friends because we perceive he is uninterested in what we have to say to him and is even likely not to answer us anyway.

Yet remember, God’s word says that He changes not. He loves us – perfectly – even when we are in low moods, His love is unchanging.

✓ And when we are in high and jolly moods, he deceives us into thinking God loves us more than He did the previous day, which is a lie.

Do you see how sneaky and cunning that is?

Actually, for those who love sauti sol’s kuliko jana… God doesn’t love us more by the day. There are several attributes of God in the lyrics of that song that are fundamentally true, but the underlying message is untrue.

“Si kama binadamu habadiliki, Ananipenda leo kuliko jana” (He is not like a human being that He can change. He loves me more today than he did yesterday.) – This statement denotes change.

However, the Bible says, He changes not… He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Moreover, God demonstrated His love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, He sent His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins on the cross. And would you like to know what the scriptures have to say – further – regarding this perplexing advent?

That Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world. Rev 13:8

Meaning, even before God laid the foundations of the earth, the death of Christ was certain. Because God in His foreknowledge, already knew that Adam would sin. He had already foreseen this whole humanity mess and in His grace, love, and mercy, provided a solution for it through Jesus Christ our precious redeemer and saviour!

God has always loved us perfectly from the beginning and will love us perfectly – still – till the end. He does not love us more when we perform good deeds or hate our behaviours more or less when we sin. God is perfect; His love and His wrath stem from perfect love. He does not change.

And that is such a blessing to humanity: that He is constant and dependable.

Anyway, back to this amazing discovery… in this bubble of ‘God loving us more when we are in high moods,’ the devil deceives us firstly, by planting those false notions and ideas about God in our minds (which is idolatry), and which means we are already in sin to begin with.

Secondly, by using pride; that is, seeing ourselves to have an ‘okay’ relationship with God, which in turn leads us to think highly of ourselves (self-righteousness) – another sin and counting.

And in this state where we perceive we are eazzzeey with God, lo! And behold! Is when we are in the most repugnante state in His eyes.

Ironically, this is the time when we should be on our knees seeking His forgiveness and cleansing, but instead, we take our ease in Babylon.

And what a subtle deception of the devil.

The more I pondered about this deception, the more clearly I could see how crafty and cunning the devil works in both situations. By using emotions, he is able to deceive and beguile us on both ends.

On one hand, by hammering a wedge between us and God; while all the while there could be nothing really ailing the relationship. And on the other hand, deceiving us into thinking we have it all made with God; yet alas! We are in a mire of sin deeper than we could even imagine!

Truly, the Bible speaks rightly about the devil when it obliquely implies that he is not a fool; but states rather openly that he is indeed: wise… Ezekiel 28:12

Notice the words Paul used as he admonished the Corinthian Christians: “even as the serpent beguiled (duped/deceived) Eve by his cunningness, so your minds may be corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

⭑Firsty, he calls the devil the serpent,
⭑Then, he uses the word: ‘deceived.’
⭑And how did he deceive? through cunningness/cleverness.
⭑Then he says, “so your minds may be (will be) corrupted and seduced.”
⭑And lastly, what is the end result? To be removed from a whole-hearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Similar to the words I used in the previous post regarding my worship experience: full body, heart, mind and soul presence, passion, adoration, heart, spirit, desire and soulfulness – kind of worship.

Here, Paul uses: whole-hearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Now, the question becomes, who among men can stand against such an adversary? Unless the Lord help us…surely it is impossible!

Prayer

Loving Jesus, once again, I thank You for the constant love You have for Your children. Furthermore, for this wonderful revelation regarding the devil’s schemes that You revealed to my friend and I.

I pray for Your wisdom to see the enemy in his tracks and to recognize his deceptive ways at all times.

May Your Holy Spirit lead us into all truth – every single day – about who You truly are. And may He too, reveal to me – as an individual – the wiles of the devil so that I may stand against him at all times and especially in the time of temptation. Forgive my unbelief and folly which has been my lot as a result of pegging my spiritual walk on fluctuating emotional experience.

Lord, I have been proud and wise in my own eyes, and I know that I have as well accused You of deserting me all the while You were right there beside me. Thank You Lord Jesus truly, for revealing to me this deception of the enemy. Deliver me from all his future attacks and keep me from falling into any of his other lies.

Jesus, on the reading and writing front, I pray for the patience to wait on You and to listen to – and OBEY – the Holy Spirit’s voice. Help met too, to slow down and to breathe.

And just as importantly, help O God, that this message as well, will find somebody who desperately needs to understand why they have been in a limbo of unbelief, yet they are well acquainted with Your word. In Jesus Name!

Amen.

♣

Okay… Let’s just be honest, whenever most people hear anything about religion, their first reaction and instinct is probably to cringe or brush off the whole matter entirely.

Why? Most likely because it is a subject that is associated with extreme cases of fanaticism, it brings about a lot of conflicts and controversies, and even offends easily.

Religion is famously known for: manipulation, stagnation, repression, ignorance, bigotry and is too often a threat to liberty. And rightly so. I do agree. With that said, I recommend you to read two of my posts as well as encourage you to do a personal, extensive, and honest research on your own regarding this matter. Why?

As intellectuals (critical thinkers), I believe we owe it to ourselves to interrogate, examine, and ask hard questions regarding matters touching on faith rather than choosing to ignore them or even worse— follow blind faith. Click here for the first post.

Who speaks the truth with regards to a genuine, sincere and true relationship with God? Is it Buddha? Muhammad? Jesus? Zoroaster? Confucius? Joseph Smith? Guru Nanak? Krishna? Among others? Find out on this second post:

My heart overflows with a goodly matter; I speak the things which I have made touching the king: My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Psalms 45:1

Thank you for reading this blog. Feel free to share it with others whenever and wherever.🙂

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