Saturday July 22nd, 2023
« Jesus answered, “Anyone who starts plowing and keeps looking back isn’t worth a thing to God’s kingdom!” »
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But that man said, “Sir, first let me go back and bury my father.”
60 Jesus answered, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”
61 Someone else said, “I will follow you, sir; but first let me go and say good-bye to my family.”
62 Jesus said to him, “Anyone who starts to plow and then keeps looking back is of no use for the Kingdom of God.”
Understand:
Backsliding is horrible.
In 2 Peter 2:20-22, the Bible says it is better not to have tasted salvation than to have been saved once and then backslide.
Hebrews 6:4-6 GNT says:
4 For how can those who abandon their faith be brought back to repent again? They were once in God’s light; they tasted heaven’s gift and received their share of the Holy Spirit;
5 they knew from experience that God’s word is good, and they had felt the powers of the coming age.
6 And then they abandoned their faith! It is impossible to bring them back to repent again, because they are again crucifying the Son of God and exposing him to public shame.
This passage describes backsliding as though the backslider were actually crucifying Jesus Christ again.
In Acts 1:15-20, the Bible tells us of the sorrows and torment of Judas Iscariot.
Luke 15:11-17 tells us of the depression of the prodigal son.
In Psalms 51:1-19, after David had lost the joy of his salvation, he cried to God for it to be restored to him.
The devil knows what it is to be close to the Almighty God and then to be far from Him.
He is aware of the sorrows of backsliding and losing contact with God; that is why his greatest desire is to lure you back to sin, but you will overcome him in the mighty name of Jesus.
1 Peter 5:8 NHEB says:
« Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. »
Just as God is looking for people to set aflame for His kingdom, Satan is looking for people to devour (John 10:10).
The fact that he is seeking, however shows that he cannot devour everybody.
He shows you all the glitters of the world and uses them as bait.
Don’t ever let these things entice you.
The moment you get to the stage where the pleasures of this world do not matter to you anymore, he knows he has lost you.
I pray for you just as Jesus prayed for Peter: the devil will not get you in the mighty name of Jesus.
Key point: Backsliding is like crucifying Jesus afresh and putting Him to open shame. Don’t do it.
Author: Bishop Enoch. A. Adeboye.
Edited by Naomie
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