How we are to Live

There are spirits of apathy and lack of personal responsibility that permeate the country today. You only have to look at the amount of lawsuits being filed in our court system today to see how this problem has gotten totally out of control. Remember the woman who purchased a cup of coffee at a McDonald’s drive thru several years ago? She put the cup between her thighs and pulled the lid off so she could add cream and sugar to her drink. She spilled the entire cup of scalding hot coffee on her thighs and pelvic area, suffering third degree burns. She sued McDonalds and was awarded $2.7 million in punitive damages. McDonalds was found to be 80% to blame while the woman was found to be only 20% at fault. Go figure?

People blame McDonalds, Wendy’s and Burger King for being obese even though the fast food industry is not responsible for persons’ diets. Nobody is forcing folks to “super size” their meals.

Murderers blame their childhood for the reason they killed their victims even though these individuals made a choice to murder.

And “little Johnny’s parents” blame the baseball coach, believing he has a personal vendetta against their son because Johnny does not get to play on the team and not because Johnny lacks the skill to play baseball. And the list goes on.

People believe they are victims of circumstances and take no personal responsibility for either their actions or non-actions. As a consequence, this “victim mentality” invites the spirits of apathy and lack of responsibility into their being where they take up residence and build a stronghold. “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” (Matthew 12: 43-45)

So strongholds are erected within our holy temples – our bodies. But how many folks know that Satan has no real power? The only power that Satan can wield is the power and authority that we give to him. We have to “invite” Satan and the damnable spirits into our being. Our “invitations” are that we accept and take ownership of a negative thought, feeling, or sickness and claim it as our own. A headache becomes “my” headache. I am feeling bad because “my” lower back pain is worse today. I “feel” (you fill in the blank with your favorite disease or aliment) today.

Victim mentality is a powerful and extremely negative thought process that saps folks of their strength, vitality, and will to live. In many cases, it causes depression and also manifests itself in various physical aliments like lack of appetite and other sickness.

Let’s bring this closer to home and see how these spirits of apathy and lack of personal responsibility operate within the religious system of man. One of the greatest fallacies and falsehoods that are preached from many pulpits is the idea that we are powerless, weak, and unable to better ourselves. But, if we can just hang in there and patiently wait for Jesus to return from beyond the blue, everything will be set right, and we will overcome. But what has that message done to the people of God? How has it negatively impacted many lives? What damage and destruction have been set in motion by folks becoming passive or indifferent following their salvation and deliverance? This brings me to the title of my sermon today – “How are we to live?”

First, we, as Sons of God, must reject and tear down the strongholds of apathy and lack of personal responsibility. Much of this negativity is enabled and empowered from the pulpits of many churches. Frankly, it is criminal how much of religion holds the people in bondage. So, let’s put that negativity aside and understand what God’s Word tells us about how we need to live our lives. Here comes the good stuff!

God gives us clear and concise instructions in His Word on how we are to live our lives.

God commands us to love one another. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

We must care for the poor and needy. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27)

We must not fall into sinful behaviors like those who do not know God. “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-8)

Jesus summoned up a life lived for God when addressing a teacher of the law. “Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other greater commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

Now, it’s time to tear down another stronghold! As I mentioned earlier, one of the greatest fallacies and falsehoods that are preached from many pulpits is the idea that we are powerless, weak, and unable to better ourselves. But that’s not what the Bible teaches us! God equips us, here on earth, to serve and go to battle for Him.

We know, from our spiritual warfare series, that it is God who equips us to go to battle against the devil, and it is God who gives the victory. His sword will deliver us. And God’s sword is His word. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

And we know that it is not a “physical” sword we yield; “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

But, let me be clear here. Once this message of empowerment of the Christian believer is preached to others, three very important things take place and there is no reversal or going back once these words reach a believer’s ears.

1. The yoke of “victim mentality,” apathy, and powerlessness is cast off the believer. Why? It is because there is recognition that God’s power resides within the believer and that God equips you and me to not only wage battle against the devil, but the victory has already been decided and proclaimed by God! Praise God! You are already a winner and will triumph over anything the devil can throw against you!

2. The spirits of apathy and lack of responsibility have no place to reside or live within a believer. Earlier I quoted Matthew 12:44-45. Once we receive this message of empowerment, the difference in the believer is that the dwelling of God (our bodies that are holy temples for God) has been swept clean and is NO LONGER EMPTY but is filled with the holy words and scripture of God! Once we are filled with the Holy Words of God, there is no room for unclean and foul spirits! Therefore, those evil spirits are forced to find other houses (people) that are empty and void of the Word of God.

3. Believers have no more “excuses” for their circumstances and must take personal responsibility for either their actions or non-actions. It’s not McDonalds, Wendy’s or Burger King’s fault that you are obese – but yours. Society did not cause you to murder your victim – it was your choice. And “little Johnny” did not make the baseball team because he did not have the right skill set.
You also have knowledge and are armed with the Truth and a strong trust in God to reject those negative messages that are preached from many pulpits. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalm 46: 1-2).
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

So, we as believers have to be constantly aware that we are going to battle every day against Satan and his damnable spirits. Frankly, in many churches today, Satan is sitting back and laughing at the “pew warming” of many church folk who are sitting there! Why? It is because these folks are no threat to him. They don’t know either God or His Word. They have judgmental spirits. They invite the spirits of apathy and lack of personal responsibly into their beings where strongholds are erected. They believe the idea preached from many pulpits that we are powerless, weak, and unable to better ourselves. They recite prayers of confession and repentance from sin each week. They have already defeated themselves even before Satan has gotten to work on them!

But to the believer who knows God, the Truth, and the whole Gospel, we reject this way of thinking and behaving. God has laid out his blueprint on how we are to live and the “plan” is found within the Bible. “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16)

So, it’s time to hang out the “no vacancy” sign to those spirits of apathy and lack of personal responsibility that are so prevalent in today’s society and in the church! And instead, it’s time to start living as God intends us to live! With purpose and love!

Amen and amen!

~ Mike West