How Does Satan Get Christians To Act More Like Sinners Than Saints?
75The Oxymoron Of Christianity
How does the DEVIL get Christians to keep living like sinners? Our life moves in the direction of our most dominant thought. This is why I believe there is way too much focus by Christians on their old sinful nature after salvation.
If the devil can get Christians to focus on the sins we've committed and the sins of others (which of course leads to condemnation of self and/or others) and if we don't focus on God's grace (which applies to all who receive it), by virtue of 'as a man thinketh in his heart so is he' we will perpetuate a cycle of even more sins and failures. Here's how that works:
The Condemnation Cycle
Christians who are sin-conscious are still in pride, stuck in a cycle of condemnation the same way we were before we got saved; still going to heaven but don't have the right mind here on earth to receive God's goodness because deep down on the inside some don't feel they deserve to be blessed: i.e. fear of success, addictions, victims of abuse who focus on the sin that happened to them and the sin of the one who did it: totally sin-conscious.
Such ones run from golden opportunities, turn down simple remedies for their illnesses, scoff at wisdom, and engage in self-destructive behavior just like the unsaved. The Devil has been having a field day getting Christians to over emphasize personal sins and failures and especially those in others. This is the state of sin-consciousness which starts a perpetual cycle of self-condemnation and a defeated life.
THEN, When believers can't live the glorious abundant life Jesus promised, when we go to evangelize unbelievers, they see us and say 'you're no different than us, what good is your God?' and the devil laughs!
TURN THE BEAT AROUND!!!
No question the sinful nature exists and must be dealt with, but not quite the way many think. Some bible teachers/preachers over emphasize the sin-problem without a clue as to the importance of ministering grace. I was one such preacher until the epiphany: Christians who are grace-conscious have a Godly perspective which allows true freedom.
When a Christian sins, proper and responsible acknowledgment, confession and repentance from sin are always necessary steps to move on, but the focus must also be on God's grace and His everlasting unconditional love for us with the understanding 'He paid for that sin too - WOW, He loves me so much!'
We feel the sting of sin because we are speaking spirits in bodies of flesh in this human time line. What we have to realize is Jesus paid for every sin we would ever commit (past, present & future) already 2,000 years ago (Blood Is Eternal) and there is no sin that threatens our salvation, ever. (What's not to love about God? RIGHT?)
The Love-Obedience Cycle
No matter what mess we made, in order to not get on that condemnation-cycle (legalism under the law) we must still come to the point where we focus on the fact we are STILL in right standing with God by His Grace because of the sinless blood of Jesus that was shed for us 2000 years ago - He knew what I was going to do before I was ever born, yet He still chose to die for me? WOW!
Our obedience to God is in direct proportion to our love for Him:
"If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15"
Our love for God grows according to the increase of focus on His love for us.
The more we obey Him, the more He rewards us, and we love Him even more, and seek to obey Him even more, and so on...
WHATEVER we focus on, that's what we'll create more of; might as well focus on God's love and grace no matter what, because that's what we all want more of.
Scared To Preach Grace?
PREACHERS must never be afraid to preach grace for fear people will run buck wild if they knew God forgives EVERY sin (except the sin of rejecting His forgiveness). If someone takes on that attitude, it can't be God's grace enabling them to commit more sin - that's their own selfish desire to do so because that's what they want to do anyway!
God's grace does not apply to those who want to sin anyway. The notion that Christians will sin more if they knew Jesus’ Blood paid for each sin is carnal and faulty thinking that is totally counterproductive to God's plan of restoration. God's grace supplies blessings and power to fulfill God's Will, and there's no way God's grace would ever be provided by God for a sinner to be cursed further.
God DOES supply His grace to those who want to quit sinning but have difficulty. Focusing on the cross, God's grace and everlasting unconditional love for us can only create more of the same: "we love Him because He first loved us." Stay there! Keep focusing on God's love for you, your right standing to still be blessed by God because He promised it is so --and the Law of Attraction demands you'll receive more of the same.
Imagine standing under a gentle cleansing and refreshing waterfall. That's how God's grace flows! You don't have room enough to receive it all, so just enjoy the overflow! Stay there - the Devil can't mess with you there! ☺♥
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Amen, And with our own thoughts, feelings and words too! I like the way this guy put it: "Your Ignorance Is The Most Effective Weapon Satan Possesses." --From Dr. Mike Murdock's book: "365 Wisdom Keys"
I think this is a great hub, brother. I thought for a moment you were saying that we don't have to confess and forsake things we are convicted of after salvation because it is under the blood. You weren't saying that. You are saying that people get so enmeshed and afraid because of their imperfections they do not rejoice in the grace God has provided and thank God in all things. I agree with that 100%. The main reason I want to go home, other than not burning of course, I is that I will never sin again. I won't have to be convicted that I flubbed up yet again. I won't have things that may so easily beset me I'll be home. It is so wonderful that I stand clean even in this body of death. I do feel like Paul though the things I want to do I do not do and the things I don't want to do that I do. But in the end of that statement Paul says the same as you, to rejoice in the grace of the Lord. I find that if I keep my sin list short. In other words I am told by the Spirit that what just happened was wrong. I agree with Him and tell Him that I will work harder on it. Thank you for already forgiving me. And then I move on but I don't let that thing go without agreeing right away and being done with it. Don't want to quench the Spirit. Great hub. Bob.
I love you Bob, always been a great encourager and an open-minded friend to me. Because of what the scripture says (we love Him because He first loved us) I am hoping that Believers focus more on His undying unconditional love for us because by doing so, our love for Him grows automatically.
And as our love for Him grows, our desire to please Him also grows: we'll obey Him naturally because we want to rather than feeling forced to.
Technically, because of the fact we are saved and Jesus has paid for every sin we would ever commit past, present or future --> our recognition of these truths releases us from all self-condemnation.
Condemnation and the source of condemnation (Satan) are the true enemies because if we suffer from guilt, shame and condemnation - just like Adam & Eve we will run from God: the only source of life, love, provision, etc. Even though we recognize a need to receive God's goodness, the strong-hold of self-condemnation drives us to self-punishment and we end up sinning more.
This is why the proper understanding of God's grace is so important. His grace releases us from self condemnation. God's grace is not a license to sin, it is a license to sin less! Blessings To You & Yours, David
tlpoague Level 7 Commenter 16 months ago
Great hub! I think sometimes it is easy for Christians to get into a rut and not realize Satan is drawing them away from God.