Get Back to God

One thing I have noticed lately is a common influx of "believers" claiming to be witnesses of the Gospel and spreading the good news of Jesus. It sounds great, right? I thought so too. That is, until I started noticing that we as a nation appear to be going in the wrong direction of focus. 

We live in a time where information is at the tip of our fingers. If we want to know something, all we have to do is pick up our phone, or ipad, or tablet, or laptop, or remote and BOOM! Whatever we want to know is readily available, at our disposal. This has come to be a gift and a distraction. Is it even true that God wants us to "know" everything. I would offer the truth that it is not in fact true at all.

Let's take a look back in the beginning of creation and God's words and see what He has to say about this. Genesis chapters 1 and 2 recollect the creative powers of God. The repetitive phrase is stated multiple times throughout these chapters..."and He saw that is was good." God goes on to create man and we finally see the first sign of God's displeasure. He looks upon Adam and says "Of every tree  of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. And the Lord said, 'it is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." Genesis 2:16-18.

Here we begin to see a shift every thing is created by God and it is good. Everything He created up to this point is pure and available to man. Not only is it available, God has given man power and authority over it. There is one thing He asks man to not partake in is the tree of the knowledge of "good and evil". 

God never intended for man to have the knowledge of "good and evil". Man was only created to know Him-- God. When man took their eyes off of the creator and that which He tasked them to do (subdue the Earth, take dominion, be fruitful and multiply), that is when separation began. Man lost their way of holiness therefore being ashamed, and separated from the one who is Holy-- God.

Genesis goes on to describe how "cunning" the serpent was (the devil) and how he convinced Eve to disobey God. Now, we know that based on the text, all of the trees were a pleasure to look at and bore fruit to eat. This means, the tree of knowledge of good and evil was no different in the way it looked and the fact it bore fruit. The main difference was, the commandment not to eat of it. We see no mention of Adam and Eve being curious of it or even questioning it's existence until the serpent brings it to Eve's attention. The fall followed the shift of focus.

No longer was man focused on God or the commands God had given them. No longer was man subduing the Earth and all  there was in it (rebuking the serpent, tilling the Garden, enjoying each other) at this moment, the serpent (evil) had their attention. They ate of the fruit and became aware of their vulnerability, they hid from God (or tried to) and they now knew the knowledge of good AND evil.

It is a sad occasion that history is repeating itself. People, sinners, have always turned to evil (the Devil) to rule and influence their lives. But when did God tell believers to focus more on Evil than they do God?

It is true, we must be aware of the Devil. But we already are. Jesus told us who he was and defeated him for us. We know how he operates, scripture tells us he came to "kill, still, and destroy" (John 10:10). We know that he is the father of lies. We know that he was ejected from heaven for trying to replicate and overpower God. We know that he is spirit and in him we have no benefit.  Why are we putting the focus of our message to "believers" on him?? If we are believers like we say we are, we know the word of God. We know these things about Satan already. 

God takes no pleasure in us sharing more about who Satan is than we share about who God is. When Jesus came, he came to declare the word of God. He did not spend a vast majority of his ministry talking about who Satan is and what he is doing in the Earth. What he did do was love people, he healed the sick, he spoke against unholy behavior and gave instruction for repentance. He warred against the devil with the truth, the word of God. He rebuked demons and led people and their focus to God.

The ways of the devil are not new. Witchcraft is not new, idolatry is not new, sexual sin is not new, "new age beliefs" are not new. So why are believers hyper-focused on these teachings as if these things are new? It is a distraction. We think "Satan isn't hiding anymore." He never was. We think "Satan is influencing people now more than ever." He has been influencing people. What we should be more focused and centered on is God.

People need to know more about who God is. People need to see more of the power of God through the lives of His righteous followers. People need to be more fluent in miracles, signs, and wonders. People need the transformative encounter of the Holy Spirit. People need the GOSPEL. 

When we are admonishing the people of God to turn from their wicked ways and follow God, lets focus less on pinpointing certain sins and highlighting specific occult practices and less focus on the gospel of Jesus Christ. We cannot win souls by way of manipulation, mean-heartedness, or even scare tactics. We can introduce the most Holy and powerful God through love, power, and truth. As we sow the seed, the Spirit of God will water it, and the power of God will save.

It's about God, not Satan. Let's focus on that!