When we say we aren't as sharp as we used to be… what exactly is meant? Our mental acuity has diminished, isn't that what we are saying? We don't remember things quite like we used to. We aren't as quick with a witty comeback as we might have been before. It takes a little bit longer for us to catch on to various concepts. We can mean all of those things when we say we aren't as sharp as we used to be. In fact we can even say our senses have dulled somewhat. Maybe we aren't smelling things as acutely, or hearing things as clearly, or seeing things without a little bit of help from reading glasses. Even our sense of touch could be a bit changed. And yes, taste can alter as well and that anticipated treat might lack the oomph it once packed when we bite into it.
A lack of sharpness to us is mostly associated with age and to be expected. There is another way we can lack sharpness and it can happen at any age after the individual's age of accountability. Spiritual sharpness.
We can be actually blind, and deaf spiritually and never see or hear as we should spiritually. And this blindness and deafness is of our own choosing urged on and encouraged by Satan himself. God allows us to choose our spiritual inclination, never forcing us to seek Him and spiritual senses. Satan on the other hand will do everything in his power to keep our spiritual senses dull.
Satan will withhold God's word, and Satan will distribute God's word widely depending upon his target audience. Satan will preach from the largest pulpit evil words so heavily sprinkled with God's words that only those who truly seek truth from God will be given the ability to discern the deception. All the others listening to the proclaimed spiritual orator will be caught up in a lie and their spiritual senses will be destroyed- all by choice.
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
They want to be deceived, God will allow them to be deceived and they will be strongly deceived by their choice to be so. When we don't love the truth but want our own form of truth one that fits our lifestyle a bit better, then we open ourselves to great deception.
Many start out on their spiritual awakening with eager anticipation, only for it to diminish as time goes on.
Heb 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
When we are supposed to be spiritually maturing, we are spiritually backsliding. When we are supposed to be delving into the strong meat of the word of God, our senses exercised and we are able to discern good and evil, we often find ourselves caught up in the milk of our spiritual infancy. We need to be skillful in the word of righteousness, but are we? Can we discern good and evil or are we caught up in a web of lies so thick and so sticky we can never extract ourselves all because we refused to grow spiritually. The ability to discern good and evil goes far beyond the simple idea of it. You say you can easily comprehend what is good and what is evil? Praise God, because so many can't.
Isa_5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Many are caught up in the inability NOT to be able to discern between good and evil, because they have allowed themselves to be deceived and are now perfectly convinced in the very heart of their beings that evil is really good, and good is really evil.
More on this tomorrow, by the grace and will of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Help us, Lord, we would be Spirit led, spiritually grown, not spiritual stunted in a perpetual spiritual infancy. Help us to know and desire Your truth, Your righteousness, always!
All in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord, now and forever!
Amen.
A lack of sharpness to us is mostly associated with age and to be expected. There is another way we can lack sharpness and it can happen at any age after the individual's age of accountability. Spiritual sharpness.
We can be actually blind, and deaf spiritually and never see or hear as we should spiritually. And this blindness and deafness is of our own choosing urged on and encouraged by Satan himself. God allows us to choose our spiritual inclination, never forcing us to seek Him and spiritual senses. Satan on the other hand will do everything in his power to keep our spiritual senses dull.
Satan will withhold God's word, and Satan will distribute God's word widely depending upon his target audience. Satan will preach from the largest pulpit evil words so heavily sprinkled with God's words that only those who truly seek truth from God will be given the ability to discern the deception. All the others listening to the proclaimed spiritual orator will be caught up in a lie and their spiritual senses will be destroyed- all by choice.
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
They want to be deceived, God will allow them to be deceived and they will be strongly deceived by their choice to be so. When we don't love the truth but want our own form of truth one that fits our lifestyle a bit better, then we open ourselves to great deception.
Many start out on their spiritual awakening with eager anticipation, only for it to diminish as time goes on.
Heb 5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
When we are supposed to be spiritually maturing, we are spiritually backsliding. When we are supposed to be delving into the strong meat of the word of God, our senses exercised and we are able to discern good and evil, we often find ourselves caught up in the milk of our spiritual infancy. We need to be skillful in the word of righteousness, but are we? Can we discern good and evil or are we caught up in a web of lies so thick and so sticky we can never extract ourselves all because we refused to grow spiritually. The ability to discern good and evil goes far beyond the simple idea of it. You say you can easily comprehend what is good and what is evil? Praise God, because so many can't.
Isa_5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Many are caught up in the inability NOT to be able to discern between good and evil, because they have allowed themselves to be deceived and are now perfectly convinced in the very heart of their beings that evil is really good, and good is really evil.
More on this tomorrow, by the grace and will of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Help us, Lord, we would be Spirit led, spiritually grown, not spiritual stunted in a perpetual spiritual infancy. Help us to know and desire Your truth, Your righteousness, always!
All in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord, now and forever!
Amen.