Three critical times of the believer’s life.
1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
#1. Matthew 2:13-15 - Your most vulnerable moment is when you are young in Christ.
Christ is our example in each incident. Herod (enemy) tried to destroy Christ when He was young and seemingly vulnerable. Christ had parents who watched over His Life. Every believer needs spiritual parents/leaders. These principles are the same today. As a young believer, it is imperative that you stay as close to the altar and to your leader as possible. Be consistent in church attendance. Be filled with the Holy Ghost, spend time in prayer and spend time in the Bible like it is the last words you will ever hear. If you will stay saved, you must avoid ungodly influences (1 Corinthians 15:33). You must separate yourself from those who refuse to walk with God (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). After you have grown in Christ, you will have plenty of chances to witness to old friends and relatives.
As a young believer the enemy will seek to overwhelm you with pride or pity or the ways of the old life. I say young believers, but there are those who have been saved 10 or 15 years, but are still immature in the things of God. Before Christ came into your life, you were independent, selfish, rebellious, stubborn and opinionated. These kinds of attitudes will try to linger after your salvation experience. They will seek to hinder your walk with the Lord. As a believer, you must be humble, submitted, loving and kind. A word in season: Stay connected to your leaders!
#2. Luke 4:1-13 - Your greatest temptation could be directly after Holy Spirit baptism.
Christ is the example in this incident. When you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost you will have power! Holy Spirit baptism does not mean that you have finally arrived. It means that you are just getting started! You will have gifts that you have no clue how to use. You must be humble and learn about the Holy Spirit within you. You must spend time with the Holy Spirit and learn His way, His wisdom, His direction and His administrations. This level of the Spirit realm attracts an attack from the enemy. Be aware of sensual and fleshy desires that seem to be from God, but are not.
Be aware of subtle manipulations of evil spirits to keep you from the presence of God or to get you to over spiritualize everything or to get you to use the gifts before you understand their administration. You must avoid pride and arrogance. Pride comes before the fall. Stay open to teaching/training from your spiritual parents/leaders. Receive correction as perfection, not rejection.
#3. John 6:14-17 - your greatest deception may be when God really begin to use you.
Christ is the example in this incident. Your greatest ministry is not preaching, singing, casting out devils or healing the sick. Your greatest ministry is ministering to the Lord and being an example and person of integrity; Job 2:7-10.
It is possible that a spirit of deception will try to force you to take on a role/identity that has not been assigned to you and to believe that you are someone that you are not. You are somebody! Just be confident in the “you” that God has created! The enemy will try to give you a false identity. Know who you are in Christ. Know your calling and gifting. Keep your calling and gifting submitted to your spiritual parents/leaders in the local church.
There were people who saw the miracles of Jesus and wanted to force an earthly position on Him. The position the people wanted to force on Jesus was less than the one He already possessed! Jesus knew that His kingdom was not of this realm. When He perceived that men would come and force Him to be a natural King, He changed His location and got alone with the Father. If people try to fill your head with great words of who you are and what you can do and where you can go, beware! It may be God, or it may not be Him. Check out prophetic words and motives with your spiritual parents/leaders. Learn to be confident in who you are and stay where the Lord has assigned you. The place of your assignment and leadership will provide love, nurture, guidance, protection, counsel and Holy Ghost Life!
If your being used causes you to become unstable, disrupting your marriage, family, finances and leaving the covering you have been assigned to, you are being used (but not of God)! Never conjure up the belief or be deceived into believing that “your” ministry is more important than your marriage or your family. If this happens, it is time to get alone with God, talk with your spiritual parents/leaders and take some time off for reflections and corrections. It may be time to put aside all of your aspirations, take a look at your life and see who is Lord. God’s anointing will only sit on the identity He has established, in the place He has assigned you to. Fear not, there will be plenty of needs to be met after a period time off.
The devil’s finest moment is when he can deceive you into acting out someone you are not because it looks glamorous. If you are a teacher, be articulate, but a humble teacher. If God uses you in the healing gifts, get as many people healed as possible and give Him the glory. If you are used in the prophetic gifts, do so and keep your feet on the ground and your head out of the clouds! God did not give us gifts that we would be attracted to the gifts. He gave us gifts to attract our attention and that of others that He could win us to Himself!
Our finest moment is when God has used us, yet we remain humble in our gifting, abilities and identity giving Him the glory!
