The Devil doesn't want converts to believe they are chosen and appointed

Gottservant

God loves your words, may men love them also
Supporter
Aug 3, 2006
11,380
704
45
✟276,687.00
Faith
Messianic
Hi there,

So I have been a believer for many years now, and I have frequently struggled, with what my faith means. I said the line "Jesus, I make you my Lord and Saviour" in direct contradiction to the verse "you did not choose me" John 15:16-17. The systemic problem then, went back to what Jesus said when He said "my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, do I give unto you" John 14:27. The world says "if you receive my prayer, then you will be forced to give me my Christianity" - but that is not faith.

The whole point, is that this is supposed to be for life: we are supposed to be chosen out of the world and "appointed" to something, which no one else is appointed to. It is a calling of love and is secured, in love, not lukewarm fealty to an idea or concept, that may have no truth to it. The Church has really been letting converts down, in this regard, because we are supposed to be coming alongside new converts and sharing their yoke ("my yoke is easy and my burden light" Matthew 11:30) - not just for a moment or an hour, but for life.

I personally have discovered, that it is really important, to pray for the Church in which you first grew faith: I'm not saying it is a one way street, by any stretch of the imagination, I'm saying it is a two-way street, for life. If we can grasp this, the Church will truly grow: the Holy Spirit will be able to breath into us and breath life into the Church both for us and with (us). This is the desire of the Spirit for the Church. Every Church has an angel, guarding it, nourishing it, but it is we who must take up the banner of faith and wage spiritual for it (with the whole of the Church).

It may seem impossible, at first; I am not saying that we must pray "everything" at "every time". I am saying "partially right, most of the time" will be morally enough, in the specific area of defining who we are chosen as and what we are appointed to, including those who have newly come to the faith (whether through the Holy Spirit in us or someone else in our Church). We really have to grasp this, because without the promise of being chosen and appointed we will never be given an ear, unto which we may preach the gospel as we have been taught. We have the gospel, I'm not saying that's the problem - indeed it is better that we pray something, than that we pray nothing at all - I'm saying the gospel specifically has "potential", which we must be diligent to make clear, to those who attend Church with us, but whose heart to the Holy Spirit has fundamentally not changed.

I hope you see the power of this: praying diligently, both for those coming in to the Church as are chosen, and for ourselves and those in the Holy Spirit second, as are appointed to maintaining that Church. If we have screwed up, we can repent - but I want you to be aware of what is happening to others in the Church, that you find zeal and in righteous anger defend the Church (as a whole) from the Devil's advance. When the Devil sees that you love each other, according to scripture (not merely to custom), he has no power over you and your Church, but is driven out.

Again, I just hope you see the power of this.