Lesson 22

Be ZEALOUS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS - Part F

Righteousness in our Personal Life - 3

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KEY SCRIPTURES:

Do not love the world or anything in the world.
The world and its desire pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
(1 John 2:15, 17)

A. Righteousness in our personal life (Lesson 20)

1. By faith, we have been made righteous in Christ

2. As righteous sons of God, we are commanded by God to walk in righteousness

B. Area of personal righteousness (Lesson 20)

1. Dying to self and following after Jesus (Lesson 20)

(a) We belong to God

(b) We are therefore honor God with our body

(c) In other words, we are to die to self and live only for God

(d) We must always be sensitive to the specific leading of the Holy Spirit in order to die to self and follow Christ.

2. Loving God will all our being (Lesson 20)

(a) Put God above all relationship

(b) Put God above all comfort and luxuries

(c) Put God first above all traditions (Lesson 21)

(d) Put God above all the cares and pleasure of this world

In this world, we work to earn a living, and provide for others.
However, the affairs of our business should never keep us from putting God first.
In this world, we can enjoy God's blessings in our relationship, food, houses, cars and other conveniences of life.
Nevertheless, none of these should control us and keep us from putting God first in our life.

We are in the world, but we are not of the world (John 17:11, 15-16).
We are not to love the world or anything in the world (1 John 2:15, 17).

In His prayer to the Father, our Lord Jesus prayed for His disciples as follows:

I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world.
I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one.
(John 17:11, 14-15)

John the Apostle likewise declared:

Do not love the world or anything in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
The world and its desire pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
(1 John 2:15, 17)

The things of this world, its fame, its grandeur, it is glory, its wealth, its luxuries, its pleasures, are all temporary.
All these things will perish with this world at the end of this age.
We are not to love all these temporary things.
Only the kingdom of God will last forever; so let us give our life for God's services.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
(2 Corinthians 4:18)

Food for the stomach and the stomach for food - but God will destroy them both.
(1 Corinthians 6:13)

We are not to let the things of this world dominate our lives.
If we allow the things of this world to dominate and control us, we can never serve God will all our being.
If we put these things above God in our lives, we will never bear fruit for God's kingdom.
We are therefore not to let money, land, property, or the pleasures of life take us away from service to God (Matthew 15:3-9).

No one can serve two masters.
Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and Money.
(Matthew 6:24)

We can lose the salvation of God if we persistently reject the business of God and put the things of the world first in our life.
In the Parable of the Great Banquet, Jesus declared that all who were busily caught up in the things of this world, and had no time for God would not get to taste God's Banquet at the end of the age (Luke 14:15-24).

At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, "Come, for everything is now ready."
But they all alike began to make excuses.
The first said, "I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me."
Another said, "I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me."
Still another said, "I just got married, so I can't come."

The servant came back and reported this to his master.
Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, "Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame."

"Sir," the servant said, "what you have ordered has been done, but there is still room."
Then the master told his servant, "Go out to the roads, and the country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet."
(Luke 14:17-24)

God's salvation is only for those who believe in him and walk in obedience to His word.
From the above parable, we see that God will bring into His kingdom the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame, rather than those who are busy with the things of the world.

It is not busy landowner, businessman, banker or the mighty in the land who will inherit God's kingdom.
Only those who seek God and put God first will be filled (Matthew 5:6).

We are not be like the seed that fell among the thorns in the Parable of the Sower.
Such seed represents believers who are choked by the things of this world and never bear fruit of God (Luke 8:14).

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear (the word of God), but as they go their way they are choked by life's WORRIES, RICHES AND PLEASURES, and they do not mature.
(Luke 8:14)

It is not wrong to enjoy God's blessings on this earth.
However, it is wrong to pursue the wealth and pleasure of this world at the expense of a life of service and obedience to God.
Money, games and technological inventions can be very good servants for man.
However, when we allow them to master us, we will be destroyed.

3. Turning from all forms of idolatry and witchcraft

Idolatry is the worship of any gods other than the God revealed through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Witchcraft is any activity or practice that seeks to use spiritual power other than the power of the Holy Spirit.

(a) All forms of idolatry and witchcraft is forbidden by God

God is His word forbids all forms of idolatry and witchcraft.
Our worship belongs only to the one true God who made heaven the earth.
We are His creation and only He deserves our worship (Revelation 4:11).

"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
     to receive glory and honor and power,
for You created all things,
     and by Your will they were created
     and have their being.
(Revelation 4:11)

The worship of any other gods is therefore wrong.
These so-called gods are not really true gods but are demons (fallen angels) who deceive man into worshipping them (1 Corinthians 10:14-21).

Behind all such idolatry is the devil or Satan (a fallen archangel), who is a liar, and the father of lies.
These is no truth in him.
He was a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44).
He is the enemy of God and also of all men, who are made in God's image.
His aim is to ultimately kill, steal and destroy all that man has (John 10:10).

Thus God warned His people through His word to turn away from all form of idolatry and witchcraft (Exodus 20:3-6; Deuteronomy 18:9-14).

You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and forth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to thousands who love me and keep my commandments.
(Exodus 20:3-6)

When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abomination of those nations.
These shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerers, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.
You shall be blameless before the LORD your God.
(Deuteronomy 18:9-13)

(b) Idolatry and witchcraft brings a curse of death to those involved

When we are involved in idolatry and witchcraft, God says that we are hating Him.
We have sided with God's enemy (the devil) against God Himself.
We will therefore arouse God's jealousy (Exodus 20:5; 1 Corinthians 10:22).

We will come under His judgment - a judgment of death.
We come under a curse of death (Deuteronomy 27:15).
We will be doomed for destruction, just like the idols themselves.

Because of the curse of destruction, we have now opened a door to the devil to destroy us and our children.
He now has a legal right to enter into our life to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).
No amount of prayer will remove the curse and destruction - until we repent and turn from all idolatry and witchcraft.

You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the LORD your God.
Nor shall you bring an abomination into your home, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing.
(Deuteronomy 7:25-26 NKJ)

Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol - a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of a craftsman's hand - and set it up in secret.
(Deuteronomy 27:15)

(c) Idolatry and witchcraft brings a generational curse on our descendents.

When we practice idolatry and witchcraft, we so arouse God's jealousy and fury that His judgment of death not only affects us, but also our descendents to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 20:5).

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and forth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to thousands who love me and keep my commandments.
(Exodus 20:5)

Those whose ancestors are idol-worshippers must therefore renounce the practices of their ancestors, and break the generational curses that has come down to them and their children.
Jesus Christ became a curse for us on the cross, redeeming us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13-14).
We can therefore set ourselves free from all curses, through exercising our ruling authority in Christ (Matthew 16:19; 18:18).
[Please refer to Prayer #12: Deliverance Prayers, in The Prayer Handbook for example of the prayers that can be used].

(d) Forms of idolatry and witchcraft

Many Christians do not understand God's hatred for all forms of idolatry and witchcraft.
Most do not bother to seek God's word concerning these abominations.
Most have also not been properly taught.
As a result, many Christians are involved in idolatry and witchcraft out of ignorance.

Whether willful or unwillful on our part, the practice of witchcraft opens a door for the enemy of our souls, the devil, to bring destruction to our lives.
Instead of divine protection under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1-16), many believers meet with accidents, diseases, oppression, failures, poverty, and untimely death, as a result of idolatry (Deuteronomy 28:16-68).

The curse of God concerning idolatry is legal and unrelenting.
And the devil, a lawyer smarter than most Christians because he knows his legal rights from God's word, is merciless in his deception and destruction.
Therefore, avoid all hints of idolatry and witchcraft at any and all costs.
Taking God's word lightly in this area will bring a harvest of regrets and untold sorrow and misery, for you and your children.

However, many Christians are not ready or willing to repent when they are confronted with their practices of idolatry and witchcraft.
Many laugh it away as superstition on the part of the servant of God who warns them.

"What harm is there in keeping a few figurines of dragons and death-masks in the house? Don't be superstitious."

"These are all for decorative purposes anyway; we are not worshipping these objects. Don't be a fanatic."

"We have kept this holy water from the native shrine for past 20 years and nothing has happened to us. Don't be an extremist."

However, it is no laughing matter when a person is suddenly oppressed and demonized because of the entry of demon's into his life due to idolatry and witchcraft.
It is no laughing matter when a child has recurring nightmares because the parents have brought home photographs of temples and idols from their last trip abroad.
It is no laughing matter to meet with unexplained sicknesses, repeated business failures, and constant accidents in the family.

When confronted with these tragedies, many "smart" believers will solemnly and piously declare:
"It is God's will for me to have a deformed child.
It is God's will for me to meet with that accident.
He wants to teach me humility and perseverance."
All such thinking and declarations are just more lies of the devil.

God indeed wants to teach us - He wants to teach us repentance.
He wants us to repent from all our idolatrous practices.
Such practices are no laughing matter to God.
On the other hand, the evil would like you to continue to treat this area as a modern Christian is supposed to.
The devil would like you to take a "liberated view" about all this Old Testament stuff and not take them seriously, must less be bound by superstitions from "demon-chasers."
But they are as deadly to your soul, nevertheless.
Keep yourself and your children away from them at all costs.

Form of idolatry and witchcraft that will destroy you:

worship of all gods, saints superheroes, animals or plants, heavenly beings other than the God of the Bible.

the bringing of any images of these objects of worship into the house,
even if you do not worship them,
or even if you are using these objects for decorative purposes only.

horoscope-reading, palm-reading, card-reading,

spirit of the coin, consulting mediums,

fire-walking, other temple ceremonies & demonic festivals,

drinking "charmed-water" from temples and shrines,

drinking water with burnt charms,

keeping amulets, charms and pendant in the house, in the office, in the car, on your body, on you clothing.

using divination books, talking with or praying to the spirit of the dead,

going to graveyards, mediums and shrines for divination,

using chants and spells and black magic.

yoga, transcendental meditation,

feng-shui, tai-chi, chi-gong, etc.

dedicating yourself or your children to demonic spirits,

having your marriage conducted before demonic spirit for their blessing,

watching operas, concerts, TV programs, videos, books & magazines involving the occult/black magic/witchcraft.

playing video games and role playing games and toys involving the occult/black magic/witchcraft,

collecting toys, stamps, photographs, antiques, furniture, crockery, jewelry, bedding and clothing with idolatrous & occult images,
with images of temples and religious festivals,

collecting posters of occult images and of artists who play demonic music,

practicing martial arts, including karate, tae-kwan-do, kung-fu, etc.

reading books and literature from the New Age cults, metaphysical societies, etc,

practicing telekinesis, telepathy, out-of-body travels, channeling, etc,

chanting New Age mantras, listening to New Age music, etc.

Your thought

Do you hate idolatry as mush as God hates it?
Do you know that if you are involved in idolatry, God says that He hates you?
If you desire to turn from all forms of idolatry and witchcraft, turn to God and repent of all acts of idolatry and witchcraft in your life. Break every curse that has come into your life because of your own idolatry as well as that of your ancestors.
Use Prayer #12: Deliverance Prayers in The Prayer Handbook to help you in your repentance and deliverance.

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