Let me share with you where many of God's people get hoodwinked by Satan. It is by getting out of balance on some issue or some doctrine.
Frankly, I've seen some godly women get way out of balance on women's issues, and I've seen it in both directions. Some are so focused on freedom for women and women's rights that they put that cause above everything else, lose the real focus of what the Christian life is all about, and start their campaign for equality. It usually ends in disaster for themselves and everyone around them.
Others are so legalistic about women's roles and judgmental of women who don't follow traditional paths that they get way out of balance on the other end. There is room in the body of Christ for differences of opinion on this issue, but there is no room in the body of Christ for crusaders who have lost the central focus of staying in first love with Jesus and dying to self. The history of the church is replete with people and groups who went off the deep end on one crusade or another, believing with all their hearts that they were right, and willing to fight for their point of view, but falling head first into Satan's traps.
We should be willing to stand against any onslaught of our Christian faith and values, and we should be willing to die for Jesus. But when we get focused on single issues to the imbalance of the full truth of scripture, we are opening the door for Satan to move in and cause major havoc in our lives and in the body of Christ.
I speak this to myself, because I am the type of person who believes strongly and is ready to fight for what I believe. That's fine, but I want to be sure I'm fighting for what Jesus would fight for. And I want to stay totally focused on Jesus, constantly asking myself, "Would Jesus be on this crusade?" I desperately want to stay in balance with the Word of God.
And friends, that's our touchstone. What does God's Word say? I have seen so many Christians rationalize their unbiblical behavior once they get out of balance on an issue, and totally ignore what the Bible says. They think they've gotten some special revelation, but God will never lead us in any path that goes against scripture. One of Satan's most effective tools is to deceive us into thinking that our issue is so right and we are so right, we can ignore the counsel of scripture and of godly people who tell us otherwise.
Remember that Satan is a master deceiver. He can make you think you are fighting God's fight, when actually you're fighting on Satan's team. I urge you to ask God for discernment so that your life is not out of balance in any area or on any issue. It is an open invitation for Satan to move in.
The best way to stay in balance is to stay in first love with Jesus, always thinking about Him and trying to please Him. Is He the focus of your life, or has some issue become more important to you than Jesus?
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