Image from thePreachersWord.com Satan is the master of deception. The best deceptions contain lots of truth and enough of a lie to cause you to miss the mark. Our adversary has done that with the concept of hate over the last decade with cliches or favorite mantras such as "don't hate, don't hate educate, don't hate radiate, don't hate create, don't hate what you don't understand..."
It's like it makes "hate" the sin. They subtly refocus the hate from an act or idea and transfer it to a person or to a people group. This violates two Biblical principles that most miss.
First, only God can judge an individual. See Hebrews 9:27, Matthew 25:31-35 and Revelation 20:11-12. Second, God's people are called to judge words and actions by comparing those words and actions to God's word. See Matthew 7:15-20 and 1 Corinthians 6:1-6.
The Culture War
In America the Left has demonized the word "hate" in such a way as to make "hate" evil or sin (In truth, they don't practice what they preach at all but are the worst practitioners. Hypocrites!). Therefore many Christian's are tricked into a false sense of complacency which is one of the reasons why the Church is so ineffective in the culture war. Most Christians are ignorant of God's word and think the love of God is best displayed by avoiding any sort of conflict and hating nothing for fear they'd be accused of judging people.
Do you know what hate means biblically?
It's like it makes "hate" the sin. They subtly refocus the hate from an act or idea and transfer it to a person or to a people group. This violates two Biblical principles that most miss.
First, only God can judge an individual. See Hebrews 9:27, Matthew 25:31-35 and Revelation 20:11-12. Second, God's people are called to judge words and actions by comparing those words and actions to God's word. See Matthew 7:15-20 and 1 Corinthians 6:1-6.
The Culture War
In America the Left has demonized the word "hate" in such a way as to make "hate" evil or sin (In truth, they don't practice what they preach at all but are the worst practitioners. Hypocrites!). Therefore many Christian's are tricked into a false sense of complacency which is one of the reasons why the Church is so ineffective in the culture war. Most Christians are ignorant of God's word and think the love of God is best displayed by avoiding any sort of conflict and hating nothing for fear they'd be accused of judging people.
Do you know what hate means biblically?
The Bible says Psalms 97:10, "You who love the Lord, hate evil!..." The Hebrew word translated hate is also translated "enemies." In other words, if you love the Lord then you become an enemy of evil. Do you know what the Devil's response is to that? Why he and his minions become an enemy of righteousness.
The Spiritual War in the Political Realm
Acts 13:8-12 provides a perfect illustration of Satan's strategy in politics today. Here the devil has sent a sorcerer to influence the proconsul (Rome's representative to that province) to stop the spread of the truth. Acts 13:8 says, "But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith."
Then Paul, under the inspiration of Holy Spirit says in Acts 13:9-10, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
You see, Satan and his minions hate the truth. That is why they resist it and become enemies of righteousness.
1 John 3:8 reveals that Jesus was manifested to "destroy the works of the evil one." The Church needs to go and confront the evil (anything the Bible defines as lies, sins, wickedness, abominations, iniquities...) where ever it exists. If the enemy goes to the king, governor, senator, representative, mayor, police chief, judge, etc.. then messengers of the Lord must go.
Paul demonstrates speaking the truth and then engaging in the spiritual war that surrounded the demonic's attempt to stop the spread of the truth. Paul responded calling the messenger of Satan exactly what he was, you son of the devil (John 8:44). Inspired and anointed by Holy Spirit He issued heaven's decree and blindness fell upon the practitioner of witchcraft: the manipulator of lies and enemy of truth!
Oh that the Church of today would mature to a place such a place that we could be entrusted to rightly handle Heaven's decisions and proclaim His word, on earth as it is in heaven to modern kings, rulers and authorities today as Jesus, the apostles and the prophets did in both the Old and New Testaments. Oh that we loved God with all of our heart and hated evil. Oh that the Church longed for the culture of the kingdom to triumph over our adversary in this culture war. I pray that God's word would transform our minds to position us for victory in this culture war.
Psalms 45:7
You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
Amos 5:15
Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Psalms 119:113
I hate the double-minded, But I love Your law.
Psalms 119:163
I hate and abhor lying, But I love Your law.
Ecclesiastes 3:8
A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.
Isaiah 61:8
“For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant.
These scriptures are only a few of the ones dealing with love, hate and truth. This is the truth. It's not the lie the Left uses.
What can we learn from Paul's approach? We need to:
The Spiritual War in the Political Realm
Acts 13:8-12 provides a perfect illustration of Satan's strategy in politics today. Here the devil has sent a sorcerer to influence the proconsul (Rome's representative to that province) to stop the spread of the truth. Acts 13:8 says, "But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith."
Then Paul, under the inspiration of Holy Spirit says in Acts 13:9-10, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
You see, Satan and his minions hate the truth. That is why they resist it and become enemies of righteousness.
1 John 3:8 reveals that Jesus was manifested to "destroy the works of the evil one." The Church needs to go and confront the evil (anything the Bible defines as lies, sins, wickedness, abominations, iniquities...) where ever it exists. If the enemy goes to the king, governor, senator, representative, mayor, police chief, judge, etc.. then messengers of the Lord must go.
Paul demonstrates speaking the truth and then engaging in the spiritual war that surrounded the demonic's attempt to stop the spread of the truth. Paul responded calling the messenger of Satan exactly what he was, you son of the devil (John 8:44). Inspired and anointed by Holy Spirit He issued heaven's decree and blindness fell upon the practitioner of witchcraft: the manipulator of lies and enemy of truth!
Oh that the Church of today would mature to a place such a place that we could be entrusted to rightly handle Heaven's decisions and proclaim His word, on earth as it is in heaven to modern kings, rulers and authorities today as Jesus, the apostles and the prophets did in both the Old and New Testaments. Oh that we loved God with all of our heart and hated evil. Oh that the Church longed for the culture of the kingdom to triumph over our adversary in this culture war. I pray that God's word would transform our minds to position us for victory in this culture war.
Psalms 45:7
You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
Amos 5:15
Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Psalms 119:113
I hate the double-minded, But I love Your law.
Psalms 119:163
I hate and abhor lying, But I love Your law.
Ecclesiastes 3:8
A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.
Isaiah 61:8
“For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant.
These scriptures are only a few of the ones dealing with love, hate and truth. This is the truth. It's not the lie the Left uses.
What can we learn from Paul's approach? We need to:
- Have our minds renewed by the truth of God's word.
- Not be deceived into quietness nor complacency.
- Understand that Satan sends his messengers to government officials who understand how to use spiritual weapons such as sorcery and witchcraft to influence them.
- Recognize that the Church must engage in this spiritual war and not retreat but rather advance forcefully for the sake of love and the truth.
- Go to speak to the people who hold governmental office.
- Speak the truth and resist evil or to say it another way:
- Hear and proclaim heaven's decision and destroy the works of the devil where ever they are found.
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