The scriptures once said about Jesus, while observing the fig tree which He later cursed that:
“The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.”
Mark 11:12-13 NIV
This fig tree had so much leaves on it. And Jesus knew by observing it, that it had the potential to bear fruit. But on getting closer to it, He was disappointed because there was no fruit on it.
This depiction of what Jesus saw on the fig tree is similar to what, you probably have noticed before in the spiritual lives of certain Christians. They are very good people. Everything about them shows that, they do have the potential to bear good fruit. But on getting to know them better, you’d discovered that they actually have nothing to show in their lives for Christ Jesus. There is a type of this fig tree in the lives of certain Christians around the world today.
John (the Baptist) declared:
“The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Matthew 3:10 NIV
And Jesus affirmed John’s words when He said:
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
Matthew 7:15-20 NIV
The world today is full of different kinds of Christians, who are loved by their Father in Heaven. But it’s very important for us to open our spiritual eyes, in identifying those who are truly following Christ. This is because there are wolves who do go about wearing sheep’s clothing. They are Christians only by name. Unfortunately in reality there is no spiritual fruit in their lives to show, that they really are God’s children. And as Jesus said in the above scripture text – “by their fruit you will know them”.
That’s why you need to be very careful not to be following this crowd, as you are following Jesus. You’ve got to know Christ personally in your heart as Lord. It will help you in not making the mistake, that the crowd often makes as they are following Him.
Popularism has encroached into the doctrine of a lot of Church goers, who do love the world more than they actually do love Jesus. They are the ones who will often identify with the world about many social issues, without any consideration about their personal religious beliefs.
And because they are being double minded before the Lord, there is no spiritual fruit to show for their faith in God (James 1:5-8). They are the ones that the world loves to identify with mostly as Christians. And that’s why John (the Baptist) and Jesus said in the above scripture texts, that they will be finally cut off from the fellowship of believers.
John (the younger brother of Jesus Christ) says also of them:
“They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.”
1 John 4:5 NIV
The world listens to them because their viewpoints on many things aligns with theirs. The doctrines of Christ are not of paramount importance to them, in comparison to their relationship with the world. They value a good relationship with the world, more than they do treasure the teachings of Christ.
Jesus said:
“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.”
John 8:31b NIV
Most of them do not even know what it really means to follow Jesus. They don’t know what the doctrines of Christ are all about; because they don’t really care to get to know them. They are the ones who do see your commitment to Christ as a form extremism, because you do not love the world as they do. Their compassion for the world often overrides their commitment to Christ.
Watch your foundation
To them the committed lifestyle that Christianity teaches is too rigid to live. They can’t live that way. So their lifestyle often contradicts the teachings of Christ. They are trying to live the life of Christ, while at the same time talking and living like the world. Their lack of principled living has denied them access into the presence of God.
There is no solid foundation for their faith in God. David once declared:
“When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
Psalm 11:3 NIV
The foundation of any building holds the structures of that building together on it. And no one can ever construct a good strong building without a solid and firm foundation.
In the same manner the foundational teachings of any Church or Ministry holds it together in glorifying God. Everything that we do as the people of God, depends on the type of foundational teachings that we do have in place over our lives. If our Christian foundational teachings are solid; the Body (the Church or Ministry) that is being built on it will be solid also. Christ is the Rock of all ages. He is the very foundation upon which anything within His Body is being built upon.
There are Churches and Christian organizations that are being built, on the foundational system of this world and not on Christ. As an example no one can build anything for God’s glory, on just the basis of the need for the finances to first build it. God never told you to have the money before doing what He called you to do. It is often the fear of failure and the lack of faith in God, that’s pushing many to go after money more than any other things, in doing what God called them to do.
What Jesus really said is this:
“For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].”
Mark 11:24 AMPC
And again He said:
“.. This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger].”
John 6:29 AMPC
Jesus told you to believe, cleave to, rely on and trust in His hand to provide everyone of your needs for you. He never told you to be looking for money in meeting those needs, but to believe in Him for it, as you release your faith to do what He told you to do.
So where is your faith working to do what He told you to do? He also promised to protect you (John 17:12). But He never told you to believe in the foundational system of this world for anything at all.
Many have destroyed themselves and the foundational teachings of Christ in their lives, by relying on the system of this world, which has nothing to do with Christ. You don’t need to be buying into the lies and deceptions of this world in order to obey God.
Remember that whatever the world gives to you, they will always use in controlling your life and your calling; so that you may use it for their own glory instead of giving God the glory for it. And that’s exactly what the enemy wants. He does not want God to take the glory for anything in your life.
But whatever God gives to you is yours to keep forever. So get back to God. He is your source. He is the only solid foundation in your life that will last forever.
The world is evil and wicked
John said in his second letter that:
“Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.”
2 John 1:9-11 NIV
We need to be careful as Christians, not to be sharing in the wickedness of the world. The world is increasingly being corrupted and polluted by the enemy. Satan plans to destroy everything that you are building for the Lord, through the systems which he has set up and controls here on the earth.
Don’t let him destroy what the Lord is building through you. The enemy wants you to buy into his fake ideas and lies. And they are sometimes attractive and may look great. But watch out! He plans to use what he is offering you to destroy everything in your life.
So what can the righteous do when the foundational teachings of Christ, are being abused by a wicked and evil world? Of course God can and will surely fight for Himself. But He is also patient and long suffering in getting angry. He will never get angry with us for no reason. But He will always give us warning signs, before reacting in judgment towards any disobedient heart.
He will raise up others wherever you had failed Him before. He has a perfect work to complete on earth. So there is no time for playing games with Him (2 Timothy 2:3-7). He will raise up an army of faithful servants, who are ready to obey Him, the moment you quit following Him. God’s army will build upon His solid and strong foundation – which is Jesus Christ. Where you had failed Him before, because of your disobedience others will surely succeed.
That’s why you need to be careful, not to take God’s patience and slowness to anger for weakness. He is loving, merciful and full of compassion. But in His rebuke of the wicked, He can be heavily handed too. Don’t ever make the mistake of taking His patience and slowness to anger for weakness. Be smart and wise in returning back to Him in true repentance (Hosea 14:2).
A smart and wise heart will take this warning from Him very seriously. But a fool will turn away from it in the foolishness of his own heart (Proverbs 17:10 and 10:23).
Your regular Church attendance can’t be equated with a heart of commitment in following Christ. A lot of people in the world today will often do that, but they are not really committed to following Him. And most of them are not even born again. Some others are born again but they have no fruit to show for it, because of their close association with the sins of this world.
Self righteousness can’t save you
Don’t let it even cross your mind to think that, because you do not smoke, you don’t do drugs or that you don’t drink alcohol or fornicate; then automatically you are a Christian? It is great not to do these things, but they are not what makes you a Christian. You must be born again (John 3:3)!
Violence and wickedness against God is more than all of these. All of these are just acts of self righteousness, that people often say they don’t do, so as to justify themselves before God and the world (Luke 18:9-14). These acts of self righteousness has nothing to do with your faith in Christ Jesus.
Abstention from them is not enough for having a living relationship with God. They won’t get you further than where you are right now with God. But when you are using your faith by daily trusting and obeying His word; then your faith will give you access into His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
That’s when the Spirit of God will start revealing to you what’s right and wrong in your life. Then you will be able to take the necessary actions to change your life. Without God’s help you can’t stop doing those things.
Do you know that these self righteous acts actually stinks before God? They are like filthy rags before Him (see Isaiah 64:6). Violence and wickedness before God includes any action by anyone, who calls himself a Christian to compromise His word, by making it to fit into the fleshy desires of this world (Hebrews 10:38-39).
Live to please God and not the world
You were called to serve God, as His masterpiece or workmanship to the unsaved world. You ought to be bearing spiritual fruit at this stage of your walk with Him. But if you don’t have any spiritual fruit to show for your faith in God, then there is a problem. Everything that you do as a Christian ought to be pleasing God, and not the world. And your lifestyle of faith is all that you need in pleasing Him (see Hebrews 11:6).
Each time you use your faith to seek God’s face concerning anything, it not only pleases God. He is in fact thrilled and excited about you. Your ability to seek God diligently comes with a blessing into your life (Matthew 5:6). Every time you use your faith to publicly declare His promises, rather than using it to declare the popular viewpoints of the world, then you are pleasing God.
The world often shows its faith in the things that they are confessing all the time. When they are talking about their fears all the time, they are confessing what they really do believe. Fear is an inverted and perverted form of faith.
Fear is the foundation that the world around you lives by. They feed on the Devil’s fear at all times. But you need to be feeding on the promises of God, so as to have faith in Him. God’s word is the source of your faith. Faith does not come to you from the perspective of the world to you about it. It comes directly into your heart from the word of God.
The enemy will make sure that people are reaping whatever they are sowing with the their mouth. That’s why we (as Christians) have no business in joining their band wagon, to say what they are saying.
Just because the whole world is saying something, doesn’t means that you should be saying the same thing also. You are the salt of the earth. Without your daily confessions of the gospel, and the goodness that comes with it; the world around you will perish (Matthew 5:13-16).
You need to understand that you can never rise up to live above your daily confessions. It may be good or evil. But whatsoever you are confessing, is what you are going to have in life. If you are able to identify any promise of God in His word. You can start confessing it now.
But if all that you are saying through your mouth, are the fear dominated words of the world from your heart; then it means that is what you have been meditating on most of the times. Those words will definitely continue to come out of your mouth, and they will ruin everything in your life. But you can change your destiny by changing what you are saying. And if there is nothing good for you to say, just keep quiet instead of speaking like the world.
The scriptures says:
“A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Proverbs 18:20-21 NKJV
These scripture texts never says that it is the Devil’s stomach or tongue, that has the power of life and death. The enemy is not responsible for what comes out of your mouth. You are! Life and death comes from your mouth, and it’s in your heart.
Your spirit man is always pregnant with words. And whenever the world is putting pressure on you, whatever comes out of your mouth under those pressures, will come from the deposit of your heart (Luke 6:45). That’s why you don’t need to be taking the pressures from the world.
This is how your faith works in manifesting what you are saying. When you mean what you are saying, and says what you mean; then whatsoever you are believing God for in your faith confession will come to pass (Mark 11:24).
That’s why you can always predict what happens, when you are saying certain things with your mouth. You need to be careful about everything that you are tolerating from the world around you. The enemy will use what you’re constantly hearing from them, to hinder your faith from producing any fruit.
Apostle Peter warned us about the worldly believers when he wrote:
“But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness… These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”
2 Peter 2:12-15, 17-21 NIV
And Paul commanded us concerning them:
“Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.””
2 Corinthians 6:17 NIV
You can’t come out from them and be separated to the Lord, until you make a quality decision to be consecrated to the Lord. Consecration is a decision of the heart. It will separate your ways of thinking and your life, from the evil thoughts and evil words of the world around you.
Get back to the solid foundation – Jesus
As an example the scriptures tells us about the return of Israel from captivity (Ezra 1-10). It is important to note that, before the return of God’s people back into the promised land, the very first group of returnees were the Priests and the Levites. They first had to return back to their senses, before God used Emperor Cyrus to issue them a command in returning back to Judea, so as to rebuild all that had been destroyed in the land during the Babylonian occupation.
And when they returned; they returned with total and complete consecration of their hearts to the Lord. They first made a quality and unconditional decision of the heart, never to live like their neighbors anymore. They then became devoted to serving the Lord alone.
You can’t come back to the Lord with a devoted heart, while you are at the same time still longing for the fleshy desires of the world. That’s being double minded.
The pathway to the consecration of the Israelites did not emerge overnight. It took them decades to come back to their senses. Note that Psalm 137 was written in those moments of the history of the nation of Israel, in returning back to her senses during the Babylonian captivity.
Are you a Preacher of righteousness, or a Preacher of all things that appeases the world? Think about your heart devotion to the Lord today. Can you say that you are truly consecrated to Him alone? Or is your ministry appeasing just to your congregation and the leadership of your Church?
The Lord is calling you today, just as He called the Priests and the Levites from exile in Babylon. Are you going to heed His call today? Or will you just continue to dance to the tune of the world around you? If you are truly returning back to God, know fully well that He is demanding the use of everything in your life for His glory.
Remember also that spiritual maturity has nothing to do with what you are doing right now, or that you will ever accomplish for the Lord. It has everything to do with letting God, your Heavenly Father put His hands all around you.
The believer’s maturity is not a destination to be reached. We all continue daily to grow in the Lord, until we all will see Him face to face. It is a process to continue in as you allow, the Father to wrap His hands around you.
Your spiritual maturity will cause you to start eavesdropping, on the heavenly clues that are meant just for you alone. That’s how you will begin to learn what to do in every situation that confronts you right now.
Welcome back home to the Father’s House.
