The Greenville Pioneer 2022, July 1
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Being prepared when it’s time to stand
By Dr. Billy Holland
For Capital Region Independent Media
In our modern world, we can agree there is no shortage of information. We are constantly surrounded by voices wanting to help us understand every subject under the sun.
However, in our quest for gathering accurate information, we also realize that most of what we listen to, especially political news, is sprinkled with half-truths, speculations and biased observations.
The bottom line is that we actually know very little about facts and depend heavily on outside sources to relay to us what they have heard.
Imagine what we would know if there were no television, radio, newspaper, telephone, internet, or any type of media communication. Knowing about state, national or world events would be comparable to those who lived 200 years ago.
Yes, we have certain convictions about social and spiritual issues, but for the most part, our views are shaped not by what we positively know to be a fact, but rather by trusting what someone has told us.
When it comes to our spiritual perspectives, Christians have God’s Word and His Spirit that speaks directly to us, along with pastors and teachers who give us their interpretations, but again we must be discerning with the knowledge we gather.
I have a friend who is in his 80s and is known for saying that he listens to everything, but when it comes to politics and religion, he keeps his opinions to himself. He believes that political and spiritual views are deeply personal and a sure way to cause arguments, divisions, and make enemies. This is true, but I also believe especially from an evangelical perspective we should not be intimidated when God provides an opportunity to share our faith.
When it comes to divine appointments, we are reminded of St. Francis who said that we should “preach everywhere and only use words if necessary,” which emphasizes the need to demonstrate Christ instead of just talking about Him.
Christians are not secret agents, but are called to be ready and equipped to explain what we believe and why, even when it’s not popular.
We are emotional beings but we cannot afford to be controlled by our emotions, and one of the most difficult challenges is to develop our spiritual discernment to the point where we know the difference between God’s voice and everyone else’s, including our own.
Have you noticed when you sense the Holy Spirit beckoning for you to say or do something, immediately there are resisting persuasions trying to talk you out of it?
No doubt, there are powerful forces at work attacking our thoughts and trying to distort and control our attitudes, emotions, and especially our obedience to Christ. Fear wants to manipulate, but we have the choice to allow it to dominate us or we can resist it.
Our trust in Jesus as our Lord includes inviting Him to rule and reign within our mind and conscience. He wants to literally possess us, but without surrendering our will to Him, we are not able to walk in covenant with Him. This is why we study God’s Word every day and are constantly asking the Lord for wisdom and determination to execute self-discipline. Our spiritual destiny can be accomplished, but He is not going to do it for us.
I sense we are moving into a time where the Christian can no longer use immaturity as an excuse to live in sin. I’m not just talking about blatant wickedness, but rather the subtle apathy of neglecting to walk with God. The sins of omission are refusing to do what God is saying and there are many who are hiding in the shadows as they refuse to learn and ask God for the courage to represent His truth.
How can anyone say they love Him if they do not invest their time into knowing Him? How can we live in the light of His love if we are choosing to serve the darkness? We cannot dwell in the life of His truth if we are absorbing sin, which are the wages of death.
Our flesh will argue we are too busy to concentrate on our relationship with the Lord, but we always make time for what we love. For those who are satisfied with living in lukewarmness, they will suffer great loss, but for the ones who are dedicated to abiding in the secret place of the most high, they will stand when it comes time to stand.
Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.
Living on Purpose: Will we follow God or the world?
By Dr. William Holland
For Capital Region Independent Media
Christians are accountable to love and pray for their family and friends, and against evil everywhere, but unfortunately, many have lost the enthusiasm and the burden to ask God to set them on fire for His glory. If Christian leadership is afraid to declare war against Satan and evil strongholds and principalities, how can they be inspired or have the faith to become a living sacrifice for God?
When there is no difference between a spiritually blind world and those who claim to be God’s front-line warriors, society falls deeper into spiritual darkness.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is what God uses to prick the conscience of those who are spiritually lost, and His disciples are accountable to pray for the sensitivity to know when a divine appointment is being arranged.
When Christians become distracted with their plans and pleasures, prayer is neglected, and we know when conviction and the reverential fear of God are ignored, sin increases and becomes bolder. This is exactly why Satan and his demons spend every moment trying to prevent Christians from seeking God’s instructions and accomplishing His will.
Mankind has always been under attack from the kingdom of darkness and many different evil spirits are working overtime trying to weaken and distort the strength, honor and faith of godly men and women who are called by God to stand and engage in spiritual warfare for divine truth. Look around and notice that most men are spiritually anemic and filled with fear and carnality, which is a disgrace to God’s plan for them to be strong leaders for His glory.
This deception is intended to hinder those who are called by the Lord to be the head of the family and role models for their children. The church laughed at people like Milton Berle and Flip Wilson, but it’s not funny now, as it was all a plan to plant a seed of accepting perversion.
For those who are commanded to take up their cross and follow Jesus, we must be careful with what we accept as normal. The dark side is very subtle and uses a progressive repetition to slowly convince the masses that good is evil and evil is good. The idea is to program the human conscience to embrace the tsunami of lies and propaganda that is intentionally attempting to remove God from our culture.
The vision of the world continues to advance toward global control and we know it will be very difficult for many to resist the temptation to follow this system. I ask that we consider examining and preparing our souls today for serious choices we may face tomorrow. The lines are drawn and each person will decide which kingdom they are going to stand with.
Matthew 6:24 states there are only two. Those who love the world will side against God and hate Him, and those who love God and embrace His truth will be hated by the masses. Jesus said in John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
Who do we love? “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” I John 2:15.
My family has told stories about how my great-grandfather would walk down the hill behind the house in the evenings and they could hear him weeping and travailing in the spirit to God. He and his wife were God-fearing people who raised 14 children on a small farm and depended on God for everything. How many people do you know who spend time on their knees desiring above all things to have a broken and contrite heart?
The Bible says in James 5:16: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much.” Fervent means intense and this desperate determination to know God is the only way anyone will be able to endure to the end.
William F. Holland Jr. is a minister, chaplain, psalmist and author. As a freelance faith writer, his books and newspaper and magazine articles are enjoyed around the world. Dr. Holland’s weekly column, “Living On Purpose,” is focused on bringing spiritual hope and encouragement through God’s Word. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.