That’s Not What The Preacher Told You, Is It?

"Why did you accept Christ? He is your Savior, but of what? Your financial mess or your soul? Is Christ in your life to save the day, or eternity? Christ has chosen you, but have you chosen Him? Or have you chosen what He can do for you?"

Jesus Christ and the word of God will, not might, but will, change your life forever. But this change does not necessarily mean you’ll be “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound”.  That only applies to the man in tights with the big “S” embroidered on his chest.

The change in your life might not be in an instant either. There may not be a blinding flash of light, no great revelation, the singing angels nor instant insights to the mysteries of the universe.

Yeah, I know. That’s not what the preacher told you, is it? A lot of preachers preach instant prosperity and gain as the benefit of Christ. Prosperity preachers don’t just preach financial and material gain, often it is power, supernatural power that is advocated. They preach that with this supernatural power you will be able to solve all of your worldly woes and overcome every adversity in life. Kneel, pray and be instantly empowered! “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13) is a favorite verse they like to quote.

And don’t you just feel terrible when after you’ve committed your life to Christ and have prayed a thousand prayers, that there was no blinding flash of light, no surge of energy or great power? When it’s all said and done, all there is, is just you. There was no miraculous change. Even after baptism, the only thing you experienced was wet. Being all wet feeling is how you’re starting to feel about religion too!

You feel let down. Maybe question this whole Christian thing? Maybe felt like the reason why nothing happened is because you weren’t good enough or possibly have done something wrong. After all, you’re a miserable sinner, right?

Here’s the reality of the situation. The promise from God isn’t that you will overcome all the problems in your life. The promise is that you will overcome the problem that IS this life. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Stop looking at the gold at the end of the 100 meter dash. Start looking at the rest and living waters at the end of the cross country marathon.

And that line prosperity preachers like to say about God will never give you anything you can’t handle is pure bunk. If that were the case then there would be no need for God because, well, you could handle everything on your own.

Christ isn’t interested in your strength and certainly doesn’t want to make your strength stronger. Why? Because our strength is actually our weakness. Jesus is interested in you understanding that. He is also interested in you turning to Him for strength.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

It’s about the power of Christ, not the power of you.

We face problems in life. These problems are the “fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). But our struggle isn’t with the darts, it’s with the devil. Focusing on the darts (the problems) is a big mistake. The devil wants us distracted by the darts. He wants you to go to God and ask for earthly solutions to solve these worldly problems. This takes your eyes off the prize of pressing, “toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

The devil diverts our attention away from God with his fiery darts. We foolishly ask God for earthly solutions to these devilish dilemmas. The darts (problems) are the effect of the cause. The cause is the devil. If you don’t do something about the devil in your life then you will never be able to do anything about the darts in your life. The devil wants you down in the trenches in the thick of the battle. Jesus wants you to rise above it all and come to Him.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (James 4:7-8A).

The prosperity preachers are offering Jesus as the quick solution to the devil’s fiery darts and not as the permanent solution of escaping the fires of Hell through Jesus Christ as our Savior. Don’t focus on the darts or even the devil. Stay locked in on Christ.

Jesus did not say He came to solve our earthly problems. Jesus Christ did say, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Jesus promised three things.

1. Peace. He didn’t necessarily promise problem resolution. You can be knee deep in trouble and turmoil and still have peace. Jesus made it very clear. It’s all about peace.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

2. Tribulation. Jesus said that in this world you WILL have tribulation. He didn’t say might, maybe or could possibly. He said you will. But what exactly is Jesus talking about? That answer lays in the spiritual, not the present day natural world. Tribulation means pressure and is a reference to spiritual pressure and turmoil, not financial, societal or any earthly ordeal. Tribulation is manifested in the likes of oppression, affliction, and distress on your soul, not your wallet. Think about it. You can have peace under financial difficulties. But if all is not well with your soul, then there will be no peace, nowhere at anytime.

3. Overcome. Jesus says be of good cheer, (be happy), for He has overcome the world. Again, this is a spiritual reference, not necessarily a statement of earthly affairs.

Overcoming, as far as you and I are concerned involves those who hold, “fast their faith (In Christ) even unto death against the power of their foes, and temptations and persecutions” (Strong’s).

Overcoming doesn’t necessarily involve material, earthly matters. Overcoming is a spiritual matter.

The primary message of the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation is dedicated to, “Him that overcometh” and the benefit that Jesus will give to those who do. It’s all about spiritually overcoming this life, not divine intervention of an earthly problem.

Knowing this the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).

The armor of God is not some divinely ordained armament to wear or wield. To put on the armor of God means to get in to Christ. You in Him, He in you. Christ is your covering, your armor.

God does not want us to get caught up and entangled with this world. And that is exactly what we are doing if we treat Christ as some type of spiritual “fixer”. God wants us to let go of this earthly turmoil and have faith in Him for now and the world to come.

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:31-33).

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin… But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself.” Read Matthew 6:25-34 and Luke 12:22-32.

The Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy explains it best.

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. (2 Timothy 2:3-5).

This life is a war, a spiritual war and we are the Christ-like soldiers battling it.

Paul is telling us to endure the fight as a “good soldier” of Christ. Paul makes it crystal clear that no man that “warreth” or participates in this holy battle, will engage and participate with the affairs of this life. In other words, don’t get caught up in fighting the earthly battles, the fiery darts. This is exactly what the devil wants you to do. The devil wants you to put your nose to the grindstone to make more money, so you can buy more stuff and get further in debt. The devil wants you to seek comfort in alcohol, drugs and illicit affairs. He wants you to take short cuts to money and success. The devil wants to convince you that happiness is in a selfie posted on Facebook, bragging about all the places you’ve been and things that you have done. The new car, the new house, the new relationship………..No! Do not engage in the earthly battle. Fight the good fight of faith! Grab ahold of and fight for the holy life eternal!

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6: 10-12).

Think about what these prosperity preachers are offering. Their claim and allure is that Jesus Christ will solve your earthly problems. Jesus didn’t promise that. He did promise us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

We are travelers and sojourners here on earth. This earth is the residence of the devil, where we once, “walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2)

Do not misinterpret what is being said. Has God performed earthly miracles? Yes? Does God still perform miracles in people’s lives? Most certainly! But this isn’t about miracles. This is about purpose and intent. Why did you accept Christ? He is your Savior, but of what? Your financial mess or your soul? Is Christ in your life to save the day, or eternity? Christ has chosen you, but have you chosen Him? Or have you chosen what He can do for you?

FAITH

It’s all about faith. It is not faith if all you are doing is pledging allegiance and expressing gratitude to the one who gives you (Or hopefully, wishfully might give you) stuff and that solves your earthly problems. If goodies and problem resolution are what you are after, then you don’t need Christ. There are plenty of politicians and governments to worship and follow that will happily supply you with these things in abundance.

So what do we “get” by accepting Jesus Christ as our savior?

“The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him” (Lamentations 3:24)

“The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot” (Psalm 16:5).

We get God, not goodies. We get an eternity with the Father, creator of all things. He is truth and perfection.

Bill Hitchcock