A “Home Invasion”

Through former CIA spy Edward Snowden’s revelations last year, U.S. citizens found out their government is secretly watching them more than they knew. Every internet search, view, and purchase (even though in the privacy of our homes), along with every phone conversation, is not only observed but is apparently being stored in cyberspace. Some might say this is a violation that is nothing short of a “home invasion.”

But if this “home invasion” makes you feel vulnerable, think about the Spirit’s “holy invasion” [see yesterday’s post] of your heart. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable” (Heb. 4:13). How would it change us, I wonder, if we had a greater revelation of the Holy Spirit’s ownership and occupation of our body and spirit which are His dwelling place: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples [homes] of the Holy Spirit who is in you… and that you are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19), a “home invasion” that began the instant you gave Jesus the key.

Your Own Jihad: a Holy Invasion

Most everyone knows that the Arabic word “jihad” means a holy war against the enemies of Islam. But you probably did not know the Koran also gives it a broader application: it also means an internal spiritual struggle—probably not unlike our biblical term “spiritual warfare.” And like “jihad,” our “spiritual warfare” denotes both an inner and outer battle: the latter, our battle with the “god of this world” and demons in the heavenly realm (2 Cor. 4:4, Eph. 6:12); the former, the warring of the Spirit against our unruly flesh (Gal. 5:17, Ro. 7:23) in order to bring it into subjection.

Significantly, one of the primary strategies of “Jihadists” is to secretly invade the place they plan to attack. Similarly, the Holy Spirit employs an aggressive invasion strategy—a ‘search and destroy’ mission in our hearts, to root out everything that is un-holy in us. Unlike jihad, though, it is truly a Holy Invasion, and He is a welcomed invader. “Search me, O God, and know my heart” (Ps. 139:23).

Millennial Transparency

A recurring theme on this blog has been my concern for the next generation of Christians. But here's a hopeful bit of information. Millennials are being called the “Social Justice Generation” because of their concern for the poor and oppressed. But, as it turns out, not at the expense of spiritual needs. According to Barna research, evangelism by Millennials is on the rise. Faith-sharing of those under 30 increased in 2013, with 2/3's reporting they shared their faith with a non-believer within the past year (national average 50%). Why the difference?

Having grown up in the age of free-flowing information and sharing, Millennials value authenticity and transparency. Consequently, he or she will be more compelled to share his or her personal faith than the more private generations before them—Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers. If the Millennials keep this up, perhaps Jesus will find faith on the earth when He returns (Luke 18:8)!

Hearing Loss is on the Rise

I recently read an article about how to avoid hearing loss, and thought immediately of Jesus' words: “Those who have ears to hear, let them hear” (Matt. 11:15). He was not speaking to an audience of ‘earless’ people, nor who had suffered severe hearing losses. Jesus meant that their ears needed to be attuned to spiritual ‘sounds.’

In this world where we encounter a continuous cacophony of noise so loud “you can't hear yourself think,” our ears can suffer damage (hearing losses are on the rise especially among teens). Significantly, the article on avoiding hearing loss suggested “turning down the volume.” So it is in the spiritual realm: many believers are suffering hearing loss because they do not have a quiet time. If you daily give the ears of your spirit quiet and rest, they are more likely to hear what the Spirit says” (Rev. 3:22).

“Enter into your secret chamber and shut out the tumults of the world. In silence and in stillness a devout soul profits and learns the hidden things of the Scriptures.” Thomas a Kempis, 1450

Secret Sins of the Secret Service

Are you getting tired of the daily news coverage of the Secret Service sex scandal? One editorial read, “The word “secret” in ‘Secret Service’ will never be the same!” Their secret sin made me think of Paul's words, “For it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret” (Eph 5:12).

But there is another meaning to the phrase secret sins, one more relevant to us. David says “who will acquit me of my secret sins [or hidden faults]” (Ps. 19:12). The common interpretation of “secret faults” is those that are hidden from the one who committed them, unconscious sins, sins of ignorance.

Augustine said: “Secret sins, sins which my conscience has been unable to detect, are like private conspirators. They must be hunted out or they may do deadly mischief; it is well to be much in prayer concerning them.” His words reveal the heart of a man who wants nothing to separate him from God. Likewise, David prayed “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me” (Ps 139:23-24). It takes faith to pray that way. And that’s no secret.

Have You Ever Tried Nailing Jello to the Wall?

Last week Zac Poonen posted a teaching called “God Wants us to Recognize Our Nothingness,” which prompted me to expand on his idea in today’s post: God wants us to recognize our nothingness so that He can fill us with His abundance and so that Satan cannot touch us.

Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth” (1 Cor. 3:7-8). In other words, the one who does evangelism is nothing and the one who does Bible teaching is also nothing. God alone is everything and without Him is nothing. The secret to Paul’s success—he embraced his nothingness and reveled in God’s abundance.

Even more, when you have been reduced to nothing (of your ‘self’), you are really free. No more defensiveness—because you have nothing to defend. No longer critical—because nothing bothers you. Offensive and irritating people will still try to evoke some negative reaction from you. Satan’s minions will harass you. But if you have embraced your nothingness, even the demons will find no place to engage. Jesus said “the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in me” (Jn. 14:30). Wouldn’t that be great if Satan couldn’t get a hold on you? His attempts to pin you down would be like trying to nail jello to the wall.