Friday, September 14, 2012

Focus on the Master


One of the main challenges we face as Christians is that of misplaced focus. While we have a real adversary whose interests are contrary to ours, we should bear in mind that he is a defeated foe and that victory has been given to us to enforce.  Enforcing that victory is done by using the name of our Lord, Jesus. The Bible declares that, “There is one name given in heaven and on earth, that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow…” We therefore do not put our trust in the anointing of our leaders but in the authority of Jesus.

Christ consciousness is the central part of the Christian walk. We study the word of God and imbibe of it. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. As we have fellowship with that word, it becomes a part of us. We put on the mind of Christ because as we focus on him and fix our eyes on him, we become like him whom we behold. We are transfigured into the same image. What you focus on grows. He (Christ) is magnified in our lives as we focus on him.

The Bible deliberately gives very little information on the anatomy and physiology of the devil’s camp. Jesus spoke more about the Kingdom of God than he did about demons and fallen angels. The apostle Paul preached the good news of the completed work of Jesus Christ. His prayer was that we may grow in our wisdom, knowledge and revelation of Jesus, not the devil. Yet many of us today have stopped talking about Jesus but are preoccupied with what the devil is doing in the world.

As we focus on Jesus, we are filled with his goodness. It is his goodness that leads to repentance, not several deliverance sessions. It is his goodness that leads to a victorious life, not deliverance sessions. It is his goodness that leads to the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit, not deliverance sessions. When we see demons in every corner and stoop to their level, we operate far below where we have been placed – at the right hand of the power in Christ. The name of Jesus is far superior to anything that the enemy can ever do. In that light, we treat him as we do the darkness – we switch on the light and darkness vacates. We don’t intensify our prayers because there are demons present. We intensify our prayers because of our love of Christ. The former is based on fear; the latter is based on love. That which is not of faith is sin. That which is not of love is sin.  

Instead of being sin conscious, darkness conscious and demon conscious let us aim to be grace conscious, light conscious and Christ conscious. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time for deliverance and rebuking of the enemy. There is a time for healing people from the works of the enemy. However, what sustains deliverance and healing is faith. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Focusing on the nature of God, his love and desire for us to prosper and be in good health. How that every good and perfect gift comes from him and there is no variableness in him.

Choose today to look in the right direction. Focus on Jesus and his goodness. Meditate on the Kingdom of God. Think of grace, truth, light, and the virtues of the Holy Spirit. Let your prayers be the positive declarations of who God is and what He can do in this world. Ghost busting prayers just keep you demon conscious. Hey, what happened to all the angels and the Holy Spirit? Don’t major on the minor. Major on what can create.

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