Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 61
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life Ministries
International
Littleton, Colorado
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 (5th printing,
March 1998)
excerpt
from pages 181-182 of SIW (14th 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
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