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I want to talk about something most churches will not want to talk
about. Part of the problem is we are more comfortable with church
than talking and thinking about the kingdom of heaven. The
question of recognizing religious spirit in our and other lives is
critical if God is going to use us. This question is so vital when
consider good passionate Jew of Jesus day resisted God for a past
revelation of God and a self-righteousness that cannot save
anyone. As part of the mark as they the Jews of Jesus day were,
people of today in church can be bound by false religious spirits
that bind us and take our passion and power of the gospel, these
religious spirits can take form is one person, a clique, church,
even a whole denomination.
Mathew strategically wrote in his gospel account to show how the
Jewish leaders rejected Jesus as their Messiah. Their debates with
Jesus increased until it reached a climax in the 12 th chapter. That
was a turning point in the first eleven chapters Jesus spoke openly
about the kingdom of God being offered to the Jews. After chapter
12 however, He only spoke in parables. Explaining himself to his
disciples, He quoted the prophecy of Isaiah 6:9-10, . When a
person reaches a point of hard heartedness it is hard for them to
humble themselves, repent and be forgiven, this sin is unconfused
and people at this point have decided in their hearts they do not
need to repent because in their eyes they have no sin. They keep
all the rules; its all those other guys who need to be forgiven.
Look at Luke 18:9-14
9
10
11
12
13
14
publicano;
ayuno dos veces a la semana, doy diezmos de todo lo que
gano.
Mas el publicano, estando lejos, no quera ni aun alzar los
ojos al cielo, sino que se golpeaba el pecho, diciendo: Dios,
s propicio a m, pecador.
Os digo que ste descendi a su casa justificado antes que
el otro; porque cualquiera que se enaltece, ser humillado;
y
el
que
se
humilla
ser
enaltecido.
Consider the woman caught in adultery that was brought to
Jesus and the good moral men who wanted to stone her
wanted Christs condemnation. We find in John 8:3-11.
Christ reply stopped them in their tracks when he asked
the one without sin to cast the first stone. Jesus got right to
heart of the issue of self-righteousness, as the older men
walked away first as Christ wrote their sins in the sand as
well.
In the recognition of religious spirits and dealing with them
in our lives we need as mature Christians to not allow the
sin of rebellion to come in our lives. Most people that are
set free from a religious spirit, or religious ways, are not
actually walking free like Jesus. Instead they switch from
religious spirit. One heart begins to be rebellion toward
religious people and religious churches rather than the
religious spirit. The religious spirit always tries to get
people to camp in one place. It will hold on to that which is
familiar and comfortable rather than moving on glory to
glory. Remember Peter, under the inspiration of Satan, tried
to rebuke Jesus because he was going to the cross to suffer
and pay for the sin of mankind. But Jesus turned and
rebuked Satan in Peter because it was actually Peter
operating with a religious spirit. I believe we can walk in
freedom in any place that we are in. Jesus was in the same
places that the Pharisees and Sadducees were. He was
able to go into their church and be around the people,
without himself becoming a religious spirit. I have listed 10
indicators or having a religious spirit. But I want to say that