Internal Corruption (3)
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Turn to and read 1 Timothy 4:1-2. Pray.
This morning, we want to consider “the how.”
When you hear of a marriage falling apart have you ever asked yourself, “What happened?”
When you hear of a young person who has destroyed their life through drugs or alcohol have you ever asked yourself, “What happened?”
When you learn of a Christian leader who has “suddenly” turned their back on God and His Word and asked yourself, “What happened?”
This morning we want to consider the “What happened?” How does Satan corrupt an individual’s heart? Each step of the process that we will look at this morning takes and individual’s heart further from God and ensnares it in sin and corruption.
Attraction
Attraction
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
In other words, it was attractive.
Have you ever wondered why beer commercials are some of the funniest commercials? Have you ever wandered why the individuals portrayed in beer commercial are always beautiful and good-looking?
The enemy always wants to enter our spiritual heart under the cover of something attractive.
The enemy always wants to enter our spiritual heart under the cover of something attractive.
It would be impossible to fully describe every kind of bait in the world today, but remember, bait always appears fun, enjoyable, entertaining, funny. It appears harmless. It is attractive, cool, awesome, and exciting.
The first glance usually catches us off guard, and draws us in for a closer look!
Turn to and read Proverbs 9:13-17.
The attraction is always a combination of appearance and desires.
The attraction is always a combination of appearance and desires.
Notice the testimony of Achan, when he had taken of the accursed things after the battle of Jericho.
And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Again, we must be reminded of our sin nature.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Our sin nature desires and Satan is only too willing to oblige by dangling some attractive bait in front of us. Those two forces - working in tandem - pull us in for an all too often deadly second look. The hook as been set. Now on to step #2...
Adaptation
Adaptation
Especially to the Christian, this adaptation process is critical. You see, at first exposure, this corruption goes against the spiritual heart of the Christian. At first “listen,” your spiritual heart will cry against it in shocked outrage, much like the lungs of a twelve-year-old would reject the first puffs of smoke from a cigarette. It is almost as if your spiritual body cries out, “Get this out of me! I’m not made for this kind of pollution!”
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
The Holy Spirit is our early warning system.
The Holy Spirit is our early warning system.
The Holy Spirit rejects, resists, and warns you about the corruption entering your heart.
Remember last week, 1 John 4:6...
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
But, be warned...
This “early warning system” can be disabled.
This “early warning system” can be disabled.
It happened on the 35th anniversary of South Charlotte Baptist Church...
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Quench not the Spirit.
When the Holy Spirit’s warnings are quenched, you become more comfortable with this invasion of your spiritual heart.
When your heart has adapted to the influence of Satan, the process is complete.
When your heart has adapted to the influence of Satan, the process is complete.
The Bible refers to this process in 1 Timothy 4:1-2.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
“…having their conscience seared with a hot iron.”
You see, these spirits seduce and sear the conscience. The searing process can be uncomfortable at first, but eventually the conscience stops feeling what it should.
And that leads us to step #3...
Addiction
Addiction
Turn to and read Proverbs 23:29-35.
Step #1 is attraction. That first enticing look. Step #2 is Adaptation. The Holy Spirit cries, “NO,” but we push that warning aside and become comfortable with the infection. Once you adapt to the new influence, you soon find yourself needing more and more. As they say, “You’re hooked!” But...
Do not interpret addiction as enjoyment.
Do not interpret addiction as enjoyment.
It’s not addiction, you tell yourself, it’s enjoyment. “Every one else has a problem. I’m OK.” That’s exactly what Satan wants you to think as they lodge themselves like hooks into the flesh of your spiritual heart. Until finally...
The addiction will literally control your life.
The addiction will literally control your life.
Unknowingly, quite subtly, you find yourself increasingly needing, wanting, and depending on more of this influence.
Every chance you get, you run to these influences and drink of their spiritual fluids.
Lest we think that we are only talking about addictions to alcohol or tobacco or illegal drugs, etc. allow me to ask, “Are you addicted to your smartphone?”
I recently read a book entitled, “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World.” (The author is not a Christian but I find his title interesting considering what 1 John 4:6 says about the spirit of truth and the spirit of error and the fact that we must be cautious what “voices” we listen too.) The book begins...
In September 2016, the influential blogger and commentator Andrew Sullivan wrote an essay for New York Magazine titled, “I Used to Be a Human Being.” Its subtitle was alarming: “An endless bombardment of news and gossip and images has rendered us manic information addicts. It broke me. It might break you, too.”
Two pages later you read...
Few want to spend so much time online, but these tools have a way of cultivating behavioral addictions. The urge to check Twitter or refresh Reddit becomes a nervous twitch that shatters uninterrupted time into shards too small to support the presence necessary for an intentional life.
Amazingly, in our world, it has become increasingly more convenient to take these influences - addictions - everywhere we go and to have them in a moment’s notice. In the 1950’s men would keep a pack of cigarettes rolled up in their shirt sleeve. In 2019, individuals carry their “addiction” in their back pocket, in their purse, or simply carry it in their hand everywhere they go!
As humorous as that sounds, ladies and gentlemen, we need to realize that...
This addiction is not physical, but a spiritual addiction of the heart.
This addiction is not physical, but a spiritual addiction of the heart.
Alteration
Alteration
While God wants to transform our lives and renew our minds to conform us to the image of His Son...
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Satan’s desire is to alter us to the image of this world.
Satan’s desire is to alter us to the image of this world.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The heart is reprogrammed without our even realizing it.
The heart is reprogrammed without our even realizing it.
The spiritual condition changes and the heart is altered. Where there should love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance there is now bitterness, anger, immorality, and the seed of every evil work.
Joy gives way to anger. Love gives way to unfounded resentment and hatred. Peace gives way to trouble and frustration. Purity gives way to defilement and baseness. And, when you looking for some physical reason, some apparent explanation for the change, you won’t find one!
Eventually, this alteration will find its way to the surface and almost always shows up first in the countenance.
A changed countenance is a warning sign of this alteration.
A changed countenance is a warning sign of this alteration.
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
Don’t believe me? Ask Nehemiah....
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
The influences of your heart produce a countenance that communicates your spiritual direction, and nothing you can do - short of yielding to God to transform your heart - will change the countenance.
A healthy countenance is the direct product of a healthy relationship with God! Here’s how the Bible says it...
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Not only does the countenance service as a warning sign but...
Spiritual confusion is a warning sign of this confusion.
Spiritual confusion is a warning sign of this confusion.
And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
For King Saul, the spiritual alteration which began in 1 Samuel 15, is clearly seen in his confusion. He didn’t know what to do. He was confused. So much so that, instead of turning back to God, he instead turned to the witch in Endor.
Remember...
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: Let me never be put to confusion.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on thee: Because he trusteth in thee.
Are you confused? Perhaps you are listening to wrong voices? Voices that are not of God but are of this world?
Attraction. Adaptation. Addiction. Alteration. And then the last step...
Annihilation
Annihilation
This final step is ultimate destruction.
We see this final step played out in the life of King Saul.
Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
While this passage records for us the physical destruction of King Saul, we must understand that Satan isn’t necessarily looking for our physical destruction; he’s looking for our spiritual destruction.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
3 quick points to think on...
Annihilation is the total destruction of any spiritual purpose and significance you should have in life.
Annihilation is the total destruction of any spiritual purpose and significance you should have in life.
“Satan doesn’t care what you do, he just doesn’t want you to be a preacher.”
Teenagers, God has a purpose for each one of you. Satan does not care what you do, he just wants to keep you from God’s purpose for your life.
Adults, God has a purpose for each of you. Satan does not care what else you do, he just wants to keep you from God’s purpose for your life.
Annihilation happens in the heart at a spiritual level.
Annihilation happens in the heart at a spiritual level.
Culture has become so accustomed to heart corruption that most people consider it “normal.”
Culture has become so accustomed to heart corruption that most people consider it “normal.”
Turn to and read Genesis 6:5-8.
The world in Noah’s day had become so accustomed to wickedness that it was normal. In their eyes Noah was the “odd” one.
Unfortunately we have reached the same condition in our world.
According to a recent ruling by an employment tribunal in Britain, Christians must submit to LGBTQ requests or risk forfeiting their livelihood.
After a Christian doctor was forced out of his job in the United Kingdom for declining to use transgender pronouns, the Employment Tribunal issued this ruling:
Belief in Genesis 1:27 – lack of belief in transgenderism and conscientious objection to transgenderism – in our judgment are incompatible with human dignity and conflict with the fundamental rights of others, specifically here, transgender individuals.
In other words, heart corruption has become “normal” in our world. Christians are now the ones who are increasingly seen as “abnormal.”
Attraction. Adaptation. Addiction. Alteration. Annihilation. Now that we know the steps that Satan uses in his process of corruption let’s heed the words of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians...
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.