I'm reading two autobiographies right now.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon's, and John Newton's---"Out of the Depths."
You know I love biographies. They reveal so much about the spirit of individuals and we can learn so much from their experiences!
Spurgeon's autobiography is really a collection of things he wrote, not intending exactly an autobiography. There are letters/perspectives from others in the book too. He certainly was colorful, and probably suffered from bi-polar disorder. That becomes evident on reading. The possibilities of amazing things done by someone suffering with this disorder is really evident. Comforting. Brilliant minds have unique and sometimes dark experiences.
It's John Newton's story that is getting to my heart, though.
I see his mother, a homeschooling, God-fearing woman, teaching John to read at an early age. I see his astute memorization of Scripture and prayers. He had such a fantastic start in life with everything we homeschooling moms would have desired in our own home grown scholars.
He learned Latin, Greek, Aramaic. He practically memorized all six books of Euclid. He thought deeply about philosophy, reading the thinkers of his day (not that that helped him, but he certainly was a deep thinker!}
This young man from England had so much going for him, but he was swept into sin and desired the temporary pleasure of sinful association over the things of the True Spirit.
His mother tried.
Then came the interesting part---all of the miraculous rescues, the torments, the evil doings and mischiefs. Some of these events in John's life resulted in a change of heart, a desire to please God, to re-find his spiritual roots.
But alas, it never held.
John suffered from a "religious spirit."
I wonder if we actually understand what that is. Let me try to define it simply, and see if you recognize its temptations and torments in yourself.
The religious spirit says "I can do it. I can make myself better for God."
It says that I'm worth nothing aside from my spiritual actions.
It says "I know the Word of God. I know more than others."
It says, "I am better."
It has little repentance, little heartache for the lost. It cares only superficially for those that are stuck in the maelstrom of sin.
It appears proud often, if not all the time.
It's sinful.
It doesn't love, and the classic fruits of the Spirit are little in evidence.
It doesn't strive for holiness, but "goodness."
There's more, but this is a start. This spirit loves to indwell us. What a crafty, sly, Sneak it is! It really fools just about everyone.
But it doesn't fool God.
John Newton did become a Spirit-filled believer in time, but it was a long struggle with the religious spirit that he got as a child.
I think most children run the risk of getting it, perhaps especially home-schooled children.
They really are smart, knowledgeable, and incredibly talented for the most part. They parrot their parents' faith. They've been given a safe environment to experience the world, with loving attention and direction. They've been given time to find their true strengths and weaknesses and home in on careers that fit them well. They have time to hone their talents.
What a wonderful start to life!
But when they are afflicted by a religious spirit, like John Newton was, they are complete fakes spiritually. There is no true relationship with the Holy Spirit. There is not true understanding or sorrow at the state of mankind. There is a tendency to fall back, be carnal, choose badly because the Holy Spirit is stifled by the religious spirit.
The secret desires are not of Christ, but of the "flesh," or of one's own heart.
Psalm 37:4; Delight yourself in the LORD and HE will give you the desires of your heart.
These are HIS desires having become yours. It's not the BMW, or the mansion down here, the perfect body or the travels to exotics. His desires are your delight, His desires are your mainstay. You see His desires as your own.
This is true spirituality.
How do I get rid of that religious spirit, you ask?
First of all repent. Ask forgiveness. Go to God on your knees and pray for deliverance by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Secondly cry out for the filling of the Holy Spirit. Believe that God saved you through His death on the cross in 32 AD. It was HIS sacrifice, not anything you can do religiously, that saved your soul from hell.
Stop sinning. Right now, this moment. And stop sinning moment by moment. Don't pick up that glass of alcohol. Don't pick up that sensual book. Don't click on that pornographic image. It's a moment by moment thing, friend.
Maybe you struggle with an intellectual superiority issue. You like to read all sorts of "literature." (I can hear that word with a haughty British accent.) You know way more than most people, don't you?
Repent of that prideful heart. I think the religious spirit is mostly characterized by Pride. I'm good enough already, right? WRONG!
Sensuality is a gift from God. It's intended for pleasure. It's intended to be enjoyed within God's guidelines. It's mentioned even in the ten commandments: (written in stone in our nation's capitol) DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.
That means sensual thoughts and acts outside of a heterosexual marriage. That's adultery.
Oh, yeah, there are lots of names for different kinds of sensuality or sexual fantasy. It's all adultery outside of marriage.
That is why the Bible is so good about warning us to NOT awaken these desires before their time.
Fat chance in this era, right?
It takes a moment by moment commitment to Christ. Do you want to grieve your Savior? Do you want to experience His love and comfort?
Conquering sin is a life-long activity. We're sinners. We need help here!
Being filled with the Holy Spirit is the ONLY way to conquer sin, truly. Anything else is simply the fruit of a religious spirit.
And a religious spirit dwells in people of all persuasions, be they Hindu, Buddhist, New Age, Wicca, Muslim, whatever. Even atheists can display a religious spirit.
Beware the religious spirit. It probably is lurking at your shoulder right now.
Tell it to GET OUT.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon's, and John Newton's---"Out of the Depths."
You know I love biographies. They reveal so much about the spirit of individuals and we can learn so much from their experiences!
Spurgeon's autobiography is really a collection of things he wrote, not intending exactly an autobiography. There are letters/perspectives from others in the book too. He certainly was colorful, and probably suffered from bi-polar disorder. That becomes evident on reading. The possibilities of amazing things done by someone suffering with this disorder is really evident. Comforting. Brilliant minds have unique and sometimes dark experiences.
It's John Newton's story that is getting to my heart, though.
I see his mother, a homeschooling, God-fearing woman, teaching John to read at an early age. I see his astute memorization of Scripture and prayers. He had such a fantastic start in life with everything we homeschooling moms would have desired in our own home grown scholars.
He learned Latin, Greek, Aramaic. He practically memorized all six books of Euclid. He thought deeply about philosophy, reading the thinkers of his day (not that that helped him, but he certainly was a deep thinker!}
This young man from England had so much going for him, but he was swept into sin and desired the temporary pleasure of sinful association over the things of the True Spirit.
His mother tried.
Then came the interesting part---all of the miraculous rescues, the torments, the evil doings and mischiefs. Some of these events in John's life resulted in a change of heart, a desire to please God, to re-find his spiritual roots.
But alas, it never held.
John suffered from a "religious spirit."
I wonder if we actually understand what that is. Let me try to define it simply, and see if you recognize its temptations and torments in yourself.
The religious spirit says "I can do it. I can make myself better for God."
It says that I'm worth nothing aside from my spiritual actions.
It says "I know the Word of God. I know more than others."
It says, "I am better."
It has little repentance, little heartache for the lost. It cares only superficially for those that are stuck in the maelstrom of sin.
It appears proud often, if not all the time.
It's sinful.
It doesn't love, and the classic fruits of the Spirit are little in evidence.
It doesn't strive for holiness, but "goodness."
There's more, but this is a start. This spirit loves to indwell us. What a crafty, sly, Sneak it is! It really fools just about everyone.
But it doesn't fool God.
John Newton did become a Spirit-filled believer in time, but it was a long struggle with the religious spirit that he got as a child.
I think most children run the risk of getting it, perhaps especially home-schooled children.
They really are smart, knowledgeable, and incredibly talented for the most part. They parrot their parents' faith. They've been given a safe environment to experience the world, with loving attention and direction. They've been given time to find their true strengths and weaknesses and home in on careers that fit them well. They have time to hone their talents.
What a wonderful start to life!
But when they are afflicted by a religious spirit, like John Newton was, they are complete fakes spiritually. There is no true relationship with the Holy Spirit. There is not true understanding or sorrow at the state of mankind. There is a tendency to fall back, be carnal, choose badly because the Holy Spirit is stifled by the religious spirit.
The secret desires are not of Christ, but of the "flesh," or of one's own heart.
Psalm 37:4; Delight yourself in the LORD and HE will give you the desires of your heart.
These are HIS desires having become yours. It's not the BMW, or the mansion down here, the perfect body or the travels to exotics. His desires are your delight, His desires are your mainstay. You see His desires as your own.
This is true spirituality.
How do I get rid of that religious spirit, you ask?
First of all repent. Ask forgiveness. Go to God on your knees and pray for deliverance by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Secondly cry out for the filling of the Holy Spirit. Believe that God saved you through His death on the cross in 32 AD. It was HIS sacrifice, not anything you can do religiously, that saved your soul from hell.
Stop sinning. Right now, this moment. And stop sinning moment by moment. Don't pick up that glass of alcohol. Don't pick up that sensual book. Don't click on that pornographic image. It's a moment by moment thing, friend.
Maybe you struggle with an intellectual superiority issue. You like to read all sorts of "literature." (I can hear that word with a haughty British accent.) You know way more than most people, don't you?
Repent of that prideful heart. I think the religious spirit is mostly characterized by Pride. I'm good enough already, right? WRONG!
Sensuality is a gift from God. It's intended for pleasure. It's intended to be enjoyed within God's guidelines. It's mentioned even in the ten commandments: (written in stone in our nation's capitol) DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.
That means sensual thoughts and acts outside of a heterosexual marriage. That's adultery.
Oh, yeah, there are lots of names for different kinds of sensuality or sexual fantasy. It's all adultery outside of marriage.
That is why the Bible is so good about warning us to NOT awaken these desires before their time.
Fat chance in this era, right?
It takes a moment by moment commitment to Christ. Do you want to grieve your Savior? Do you want to experience His love and comfort?
Conquering sin is a life-long activity. We're sinners. We need help here!
Being filled with the Holy Spirit is the ONLY way to conquer sin, truly. Anything else is simply the fruit of a religious spirit.
And a religious spirit dwells in people of all persuasions, be they Hindu, Buddhist, New Age, Wicca, Muslim, whatever. Even atheists can display a religious spirit.
Beware the religious spirit. It probably is lurking at your shoulder right now.
Tell it to GET OUT.
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