Following Jesus demands that we embrace change.
Some change and cleansing requires we need to detox from old thinking, old processes and maybe some old habits.
We all come to faith through the radical change of repentance, and as the Churches in Revelation show is, we need to continually repent from all kinds of sin that emerges our life.
NON STOP CHALLENGE AND CHANGE
This continual change and repentance process is called “Sanctification”.
Jesus says of his followers, John 17:17 KJV SANCTIFY them through your truth: your word is truth.
Paul writes Ephesians 5:26 KJV That he (Jesus) might SANCTIFY and cleanse it (us, the people of his Church) with the washing of water by the word.
This sanctifying process of change and development means we grow up from being a spiritual baby, to a spiritual child to a “reproductive” adult.
Our spiritual diet changes from spiritual milk to meat to strong meat.
Our focus and priorities change from selfishness, to self-awareness, to self-repair then to focusing on the welfare of others instead of ourselves.
This journey of change with Jesus never really ends.
We mature in the way we relate to God, the way we relate to ourselves and the way we relate to others.
In maturing we also walk in a deeper understanding of spiritual matters, how to edify and share with each other, how to carry and partner with the Holy Spirit and walk in the clear patterns that the Apostles and Prophets have signalled as the way forward.
With these things in mind, we also mature in the way we gather and worship and get equipped for the work of the ministry.
THE FALSE DOCTRINE DILEMMA
Then we all eventually reach a point where we face false doctrine.
What do we do ? How do we respond ?
The old pagan pattern of gathering looks like a theatre, an audience entertainment, and performance by elite super class professionals for fee. This entire structure bears no resemblance to the New Testament. These non-biblical practices destroy the “Priesthood of Every Believer”, grieve the Holy Spirit and stop believers from functioning in meetings as they should, which results in the perversion of releasing all believers into all forms ministry. This pagan system cannot produce disciple-makers. It is barren. But I need to be fruitful, right ? Is the system the problem ? or am I the problem ? We reflect.
When faced with this challenge we begin a new line of self-questioning: At what point do I tolerate pagan practices every Sunday that I don’t line up with scripture ? Selective scriptures is being plucked out and declared each week. Why are some scriptures skipped, obfuscated or not taught ? Why the hypocrisy ? Why the selective use of scripture ? Who is authorising these extra-biblical, pagan and occult ideas and practices ? Where do they actually come from ? Can I challenge, debate, argue or protest that they cease ?
THE CROSSROAD
When we press deeper into God, we press into the Holy Spirit and press into the Word and want to obey the Word more enthusiastically. This puts us all on a collision course, or a crossroad with Fake Believers, Corrupt and Unrepentant Leaders. In Revelation Jesus takes leaders to task on these issues to repent, or threatens that he will remove their lampstand, and attack them. Wow Jesus attacking leaders, really ? Well it’s written in the NT.
The problem with many Churches in this situation is that the Holy Spirit is long gone, and nobody notices except a precious few. Again if leaders don’t repent nothing will change. You can argue but you are arguing with mental strongholds, vested interests, a financial machine, delusions and demons.
This is unfruitful.
DETOXING AND HEALING
Detoxing from pagan and occult practices in Churches may mean leaving all together. But that’s just the beginning as there is the ointment of truth to apply to your wounds and in the words of Stephen the Martyr in Acts we need to forgive them to seal those wounds… “Father forgive them” Acts 7:60.
To keep walking in strong faith can require the tearing down of the old. Like Gideon we chop down the pagan idols and set them on fire, putting it into the past, but we need to also refocus on our present healing and the future building process.
Jesus is building his Church and he has asked us, his followers, to partner with him by us doing the discipling and teaching and training.
SUPERNATURAL REFRESHING
This training and learning process is supernatural.
It cannot be done in Bible Colleges or Seminaries. This is folly. There is logic, wisdom and reason as to why the training process for disciples is not outsourced in the New Testament. Training occurs in spirit-filled gatherings using peculiar patterns that Paul documents.
It is powered by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit teaches each follower, and Paul instructs each follower to bring those freshly inspired teachings to share and discuss at a NT gathering. This trusted collaboration, interaction, enquiry and discussion cannot happen if you are looking at the back of someone’s head ! The gathering must be lead, facilitated and structured to facilitate this dynamic Holy Spirit inspired group discussion, and deep relationship development.
Groups cannot get too big as to be too unwieldy, where some people are excluded or cannot participate. That defeats the purpose of NT gatherings because we all participate.
Your journey of detoxing may including exiting an old Church and an old process you have outgrown, but the pages of the NT clearly articulate something unusual and special for you to experience and embrace to continue deeper into your Jesus journey.
Its in these Holy Spirit gatherings that you learn to teach, to share, to prophesy, to pray and to move in harmony with the Holy Spirit. Its in these precious trusted gatherings that we confess our faults one to another so that we are all healed (James 5:16).
These gatherings prepare us to go into the marketplace to win the lost, heal the sick, cast out demons and make more disciples. These signs follow those who believe – Mark 16:17-18.
In conclusion our detoxing process might include burning down some religious idolatry just like Gideon, but it also includes renewing our mind daily in the faith building process in the Holy Spirit, and the healing process that James speaks of.
That’s a good Detox.
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