TOPIC: The Dangers of Evil Compromise (Mountain Of Fire and Miracle Ministries, MFM Daily Devotional 4 February 2019)
Bible In One Year: Exodus 34-35; Matthew 22:23-46
FIRE SCRIPTURE: Revelation 2:14-17
MEMORY VERSE: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” – 2 Corinthians 6:17
The MESSAGE:
The church is part of the society and may be negatively influenced by the society. We are surrounded by evil altars, false religions and cults to the extent that these cults have infiltrated the church and are steering the ship of the church satanically. This was the situation of the church in Pergamos described by the Lord as operating within satan’s seat (Revelation 2:13). The believers in Pergamos had suffered persecution which resulted in the death of one of their men. In spite of intense suffering, this church had remained true to God. The Lord commended them because they refused to blend with the society and follow the way of Satan.
Despite their courageous stand against persecution, the believers in Pergamos were not faultless before the Lord. The devil had not been able to destroy them by coming as the roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), but he was making inroads as the deceiving serpent. A group of compromising people had infiltrated the church fellowship, and Jesus Christ hated their doctrines which led believers astray, in the same manner Balaam advised Balak to make friends with the Israelites and drag them into the snare of engaging in idolatry. Twenty-four thousand Jews died because of this disobedient act of compromise (Numbers 25:1-9).
Why did this bit of ancient history apply to the believers at Pergamos? Because a group in that church said, “There is nothing wrong with being friendly to Rome. What harm is there in putting a pinch of incense on the altar and affirming your loyalty to Caesar?” Antipas refused to compromise and was martyred, but others took the “easy way” and cooperated with Rome. The Lord accused the Christians in Pergamos of committing “Spiritual fornication” by saying, “Caesar is Lord”. Of course, this compromise made them welcome in the Roman guilds and protected them from Roman persecution, but it cost them their testimony and their crown. What a pity!
Believers today also face the temptation to achieve personal advancement by ungodly compromise. The congregation or the individual Christian that compromises with the world just to avoid suffering or achieve success is committing “Spiritual adultery” and is unfaithful to the Lord. Anytime you shift your Christian grounds in order to advance your personal interest, you become a spiritual fornicator, eating simultaneously from the table of the Lord and that of the devil. Such a believer stands to face the judgement of the Lord if he does not quickly turn away from such evil ways. The judgement is both in this world and in eternity. This portends a great danger to the unrepentant soul. Why would you gain the whole world and end up in eternal damnation? Think about this.
There is a clarion call for self-examination. Are you still a pure bride of Christ or have you joined yourself to idols carelessly or greedily? Put your conduct under the searchlight of the Holy Spirit and the Lord will help you out. The Lord does not want the sinner to die in his sins but is always ready to make a way of escape from eternal damnation. He therefore closes with an appeal to the individual. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The decision is personal and it is up to you to separate yourself from the pollutions within and outside the church. Do not touch the unclean thing and the Lord shall surely supply all your needs (not wants) according to His riches in glory. May His grace increase upon you, in Jesus’ name.
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:
BEING A FRIEND TO THE WORLD IS TO BECOME AN ENEMY OF GOD.
PROPHETIC WORD:
May you not wage war against your maker.
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
- O Lord, increase Your grace upon my life, in the name of Jesus.
- Pollutions in my environment, hear the word of the Lord, you will not capture me, in the name of Jesus.
- You snare of the love of the world, lose your hold upon my life, in the name of Jesus.
EVENING - Sanctuary defiling powers and personalities, the Lord rebuke you, fall down and die, in the name of Jesus.
- Holy Spirit, be my guide in all my dealings, in the name of Jesus.
- Thou voice of compromise, be silenced by the blood of Jesus, in the name of Jesus.
- Fire of God, flush out satanic agents from the church of God, in the name of Jesus.
