Modern apostate Christianity is the outcome of “ministries” that result from professional career choices; God leads no man into denominational service. The way to “success” in religious careerism today is to take hold of the latest religious fashion and keep the adherents interested and entertained. It is easier to “serve God” without a vision, easier to “work for God” without a true call, because then you are not bothered by what God might require; after all, it’s your business, not His! What this amounts to is attempting to do the will of God in the ways of man! The “Work of the Lord” becomes more important than the “Lord of the Work”.
Common sense coupled with sound business practices and veneered over with Christian sentiment is the recipe for religious success in these dark days.
Contrarily, one whose message is from God experiences something like a volcanic eruption of internal pressure building up to find release; it is irresistible, but the drive for release from the pressure is generated by the Holy Spirit acting on the prophetic scriptures of God; when you have that, you have the gospel that is the “power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16) and that power will be seen and felt; it is the gospel of which Paul said; “For our gospel was not become into you in word only, but in power also………” (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
The outcome of religious careerism is a “different gospel” (2 Corinthians 11:4 and Galatians 1:6) and its fruit is nominal Christianity; that is, Christianity in name only, which is Biblical “unbelief”. It produces Christians who are discouraged and defeated, who are unable to live the victorious life by going ever onward into greater intimacy with God, hearing the voice of Christ in His rhema and being taught by the Holy Spirit.
Christians suffering from chronic discouragement are those who have been sick for so long they no longer believe they can get well; indeed, they often don’t even know that they are sick. They accept their condition as normal because as they look about them, everyone else seems to be in the same place; they look to their earthly leaders for inspiration and come away empty handed; as Milton put it, “the hungry sheep look up and are not fed”. This is inevitable, because it is Jesus Himself to Whom we must look; and He is still saying to everyone who will listen; “Do you wish to become whole?” (John 5:6).
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