Lie # 6 - We Have Spiritually Arrived

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 63

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Notice:  this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the Wilderness.  Why a blog?  So that many can receive the weekly thoughts I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.

Lie #6 is not only appealing to one’s flesh, but it does more devastation than we can begin to realize apart from what Michael shares in this section of SIW.  Read the pieces I have shared here very carefully and prayerfully…his writing can be very helpful.  Of course…it is best if you have one of these books and read it over and over!

Lie #6 – WE HAVE SPIRITUALLY ARRIVED

excerpt from pages 183-185 of SIW (5^th printing, March 1998)

excerpt from pages 185-187 of SIW (14^th printing, March 2012)

                   (used with permission from ALMI):

As I have emphasized over and over, we are to live our lives moment by moment.  Therefore, spirituality is something that is possessed only in the present moment of abiding.  The subtle deception of the enemy is that he uses a new truth, freeing though it may be, to make us think that we have at long last arrived at the culmination of Christian maturity.  The danger in such thinking is that as we abide we continue to expand, while such a deception does not allow for expansion, but will subtly cause us to become dormant.  Teachers who take one truth and camp there for very long will, with the passing of time, find themselves living a carnal existence.  The explanation for this happening is really quite simple: Our experiences of the past begin to suffice for life today…

There is another difficulty with the enemy’s persuading us that we have arrived.  As soon as we come to the point where we believe we have THE teaching, often we are no longer open to any further teachings or the manifestations of Christ-given gifts in others.  An unteachable man is a carnal one.

…As I have mentioned previously, those who enter into true faith no longer find a compelling need to systematize God…

…I do not want to go through all the gymnastics and gyrations that theologians do to change the meaning of a Scripture verse so it will fit into their systems of belief.  Nor do I want to attempt to be clever; I am only stating that I do not know all, I do not know the mind of God, and I am not the teacher.  Christ alone is the Teacher, and whatever He says I believe, whether I can systematize it or not.

The enemy has persuaded many…to choose one…(causing divisions), and in so doing, they suffer, for they stagnate.  We want to be of those who moment by moment look to the Holy Spirit to reveal what we need for life right then, not what we think we need for our minds.  We want life, not knowledge.  When this is our attitude, God will reveal what we need to know when we need to know it, and with the knowledge will come life and power.

Every Christian wants to be recognized as being “spiritual.”  After all, in the minds of the church what is the opposite?  That’s something none want to be (or, at least be recognized as)!  So, to “arrive” is the goal of today’s church discipleship.  Imagine that…the church is aiding the enemy!

Michael gives us a couple of things to be very aware of:

1. the deception of “arriving” does not allow for expansion and will subtly cause us to become dormant.

2. teachers (and it seems students as well) camping at one truth very long will find themselves living a carnal existence.

3. an unteachable man is a carnal one.

And experience has shown us that possessing true faith moves us away from having to systematize God.  That’s a huge blessing, isn’t it!

So, a big question for every believer is this: Are we going to believe the lie of the enemy, or trust Christ our Teacher?  And ditch all the gymnastics and gyrations…and unbelief?

Note: if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books, please contact ALMI (www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Getting Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com  

NOTICE:  another blog…on Michael Wells’ book, My Weakness For His Strength, called Living Life With a Capital “C”.  You can access by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

twitter: @bleemc67    email: leemccm@gmail.com

1737 CR 2051    Nacogdoches, Tx 75965                                    936-559-5696

Lie # 5 - Total Surrender Will Bring Pain and Loss

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 62

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Notice:  this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the Wilderness.  Why a blog?  So that many can receive the weekly thoughts I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.

Just the word “surrender” seems to mean “losing” to many…but there are different uses of that word, and Michael shows us the “best” meaning of “surrender” in this unmasking of another of the devil’s lies.  Get the victory with surrendering self as Michael points out!

Lie #5 – TOTAL SURRENDER WILL BRING PAIN AND LOSS

excerpt from pages 180-183 of SIW (5^th printing, March 1998)

excerpt from pages 182-185 of SIW (14^th printing, March 2012)

                   (used with permission from ALMI):

Will total surrender bring pain and loss? Actually, the opposite is true: The lack of total surrender will bring pain and loss!  The enemy invests great energy in this lie.  It is whispered continually to the growing believer who has given up all but one thing to serve the Lord, that one thing which is coveted, which has brought pleasure, which allows independence, and that allows the enemy to maintain a foothold in the believer’s life.  What is this one thing?  It differs among Christians but will generally have to do with some right which we believe we should have: a right to be in control, not to forgive, to keep that one idol, or to have some kind of worldly possession or pleasure.

…So it is with this one small thing; it never quite allows us to enjoy all that God has given because of its nagging presence…

…When it comes to taking up the cross and denying self-life residue, the lies will take this form: “You must wait for others to die to self-life and abide before you do.”  “If you deny yourself you will not be happy.”…Since you have heard the message of abiding, you are to be the first to deny self and, therefore, the first to experience the blessing.

…The kind of forgiveness, love, submission, and respect toward others which the Lord requires of us will never come if based on their actions.  The Lord makes such demands on the basis of how He has treated us, not how others have acted.  We are commanded to love because of the intensity with which He has loved us…Giving up all brought Him great joy…

As we give up all, we, too, will find great joy, not pain and loss.  Do not allow the enemy to have this foothold; right now with your mouth give up that one thing which is allowing him to steal joy that is rightfully yours…

Isn’t it just like the devil to take and twist a meaning of a word to make it a negative instead of a positive!  And of course he uses words like “rights” to further confuse and confound life.  All the while to keep us from participating in and being free in Christ.

When will we Christians learn to believe and trust Scripture?!?  It is God’s words to our pathway to the abundant life of Christ.

And must we be reminded that the Lord’s way is 99 times out of 100 the complete opposite of the world’s way…let us not be led by the world’s thoughts and ways.

Just the word “loss” brings shivers to too many…we could lose everything except Christ (and we can never lose Him once we are one of God’s kids!) and still be the Victor!

Note: if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books, please contact ALMI (www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Getting Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com  

NOTICE:  another blog…on Michael Wells’ book, My Weakness For His Strength, called Living Life With a Capital “C”.  You can access by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(twitter) @bleemc67    (email) leemccm@gmail.com

1737 CR 2051    Nacogdoches, Tx 75965                                      936-559-5696

Lie # 4 - The Confusion Over Where The True Battle Is

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 61

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Notice:  this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the Wilderness.  Why a blog?  So that many can receive the weekly thoughts I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.

The devil’s deceit takes on many faces.  Some are so subtle that apart from Holy Spirit’s leadership, including His giving us counsel from those who have been on the battlefield for years (like Michael Wells was), we would never see where the true battle is.  “Lie #4” is one of those subtleties that escapes us more than it is recognized.

As a pastoral thought, I was taught years ago: there is usually someone “behind the one doing the speaking and writing” that is the instigator in church battles.  Many battles won by knowing who the “real enemy” was!

Lie #4 - THE CONFUSION OVER WHERE THE TRUE BATTLE IS

excerpt from pages 179-180 of SIW (5^th printing, March 1998)

excerpt from pages 181-182 of SIW (14^th printing, March 2012)

                   (used with permission from ALMI):

The enemy would never have us fighting the battle where the front lines actually exist; he will always bring something to our attention that has nothing to do with the real issue…in so doing, the believer will more often than not be fighting a person rather than the enemy who inspires the false thoughts that are emanating from the person.

…In the midst of spiritual battle, take time with God; allow the realization of your being “seated with Him in the heavenlies”; let Him show you where the proper battle lines are, so that knowing the position of the enemy you will no longer be wasting your energies.

There is another problem with not fighting the battle on the proper line: We can unknowingly aid the enemy in his work to destroy other believers.  When someone is acting in a way that is unpleasing to the Lord, and we continue to bring it to his attention, what are we doing?  We intensify the problem by helping the enemy place the person’s eyes on something other than the solution…The only hope that we have is to place their eyes on the Savior who can deliver them from vexing behavior.  None will find deliverance anywhere else save in Christ.

As we choose to fight the battle on the proper battle line, we recognize that the problems we see around us are manifestations of life void (at least in the present moment) of abiding.  We will then join the struggle to see those around us abide, and in this way the problems will disappear.

Do we see ourselves giving “intensity to the problem” instead of “placing someone’s eyes on the solution”?  Wow!  What a beautiful perspective that Michael has given to all of us Christians who want to help someone dealing with an issue.  And which of us have had someone who has come asking for help to whom we have given them more of the problem to think about instead of focusing on the solution?

I love Michael’s statement: “the problems we see around us are manifestations of life void (at least in the present moment) of abiding.”  I immediately thought of Michael standing there showing me his 2 hands!  “On my left hand is my problem.  On my right hand is Jesus.  If I place my left hand in front of my right hand…all I can see is my problem.  If I place my right hand in front of my left hand…all I can see is Jesus!  What’s my problem?  Which hand I am looking at!”  Well, amen.

Boy, howdy, do we ever need to get a grip on which hand to always look to first!!!

Note: if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books, please contact ALMI (www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Getting Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com  

NOTICE:  another blog…on Michael Wells’ book, My Weakness For His Strength, called Living Life With a Capital “C”.  You can access by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(twitter) @bleemc67    (email) leemccm@gmail.com

1737 CR 2051    Nacogdoches, Tx 75965                                          936-559-5696

Lie # 3 - To Possess I Must Experience

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 60

         

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

Notice:  this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the Wilderness.  Why a blog?  So that many can receive the weekly thoughts I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.

Michael gives us great counsel against this subtle lie of the devil.  Every Born Again Believer must POSSESS based on what God has told us, not by the enemy’s definitions, our emotions, any experiences, or any other qualifiers.

Lie #3 - TO POSSESS I MUST EXPERIENCE

excerpt from pages 177-179 of SIW (5^th printing, March 1998)

excerpt from pages 179-181 of SIW (14^th printing, March 2012)

                   (used with permission from ALMI):

Many are working to have oneness or one in their marriages, when in fact oneness is something that is given, not worked for.  Experience must come out of faith, which is the “conviction of things not yet seen.”  Because we have not experienced all does not mean that we do not possess all.  If the experience never comes, still we believe what He has spoken.  The other side of this problem is that the enemy would like to define for us what the experience should be and have us believe that until we have those feelings he specifies, we do not possess what God has given us.

Take, for example, the whole issue of knowing whether a person is going to heaven.  Many have allowed the enemy to define for them what this assurance will feel like, such as a great emotional release, visions, appointments, the list being as varied as are the believers.  We must remember that our assurance is based on what God tells us, not anything else…

There are those who are so governed by emotion that the worst thing the Lord could do for them upon first accepting Him would be to give them an emotional experience, for in so doing, God would be encouraging them to continue to be led by emotion.  For this type of person it would be important t have no emotional experience and to learn to walk by faith without feeling.  The experience that God gives each individual will always be just the one needed.

We must also be careful to allow all experiences to transpire without trying to force them, because the enemy (sometimes by way of other believers) may have defined a particular experience as our assurance.  Know this, that one sure sign of assurance is questioning the fact of being born again.

We must be careful to allow only God to define what is ours in Christ, and not allow the enemy to add qualifiers.  We also must not allow the enemy to define what a successful believer is, because it will so often have to do with accomplishing something great for the Lord; his logic is characteristically, “If I can do something great for the Lord, then He will be pleased, and I will gain His favor and acceptance.”  Such a thought has its roots in hell, for it denies the Christian’s standing before the Father by faith in Christ’s work, not his own.  Nowhere are we commended for doing the great thing; rather, the emphasis is on faithfulness in the smallest of things: for the child, in such as obedience; for the wife, simple respect for her husband; and for the husband, loving his wife.  Successful Christianity involves forgiving, loving the unlovable, giving instead of storing up treasures on earth, and abiding in Him.  We must always allow God to specify what Christianity is, and we will find that it is rarely what we think it is.

Isn’t it beautiful what all God has done for every believer, what all God has given every believer…all simply because of who we are in Christ.  Well, amen!

Michael clearly gives us two great truths to live by:

1. We believe what GOD has spoken, therefore possessing because HE has said so.  It is only sad if we don’t experience what we possess, but never an indication we don’t possess.

2. We live based on GOD’s definition of what an experience should be.  Again, it is only sad if we don’t experience an experience exactly as God has prescribed, but we cannot let the enemy re-define or add qualifiers to change God’s definition.

I so appreciate Michael telling us what “successful Christianity involves," and also his telling us to “always allow God to specify what Christianity IS.”  We must not let “what we think it is” rule our living as a Christian.

Thank You, Lord, that You have given us Yourself to live in us, so that living life as a Christian is merely living the life that is Christ.  Hallelujah!

Note: if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books, please contact ALMI (www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Getting Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com  

NOTICE:  another blog…on Michael Wells’ book, My Weakness For His Strength, called Living Life With a Capital “C”.  You can access by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

leemccm@gmail.com

1737 CR 2051    Nacogdoches, Tx 75965                                         936-559-5696