Chuck Bridges Blog

A while back I talked about the Bible’s instructions for us to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1ff) because there are many deceiving spirits gone out into the world. The only way I know of to “test the spirits” is by the result their influence brings. One of the most obvious ways to distinguish which Spirit (or spirits) may be leading in our churches is by the constant results we achieve.

Jesus died for us so that we might become ONE– TOGETHER IN HIM! (cf. John 17:11) He stated in this “Intercessory Prayer” that we (i.e. Believers) would be ONE as Jesus and His Father are ONE. That’s pretty incredible! There is no way to over emphasize the UNITY of Jesus with His Heavenly Father. Jesus never did anything without gaining the approval of His Father. He never moved in any direction or spoke any Words without complete Unity between He and His Father.

This is the kind of “TOGETHERNESS” that God requires of His Chosen People — i.e. The Church of Jesus Christ! The fact that we are not operating in this realm of UNITY casts serious doubt over any position that claims we are being LED by the Spirit of Christ! Our disunity and discord — NO MATTER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES STIMULATE THESE BEHAVIORS — are not the work of God, the HOLY SPIIRT!!!!

One of the clearest “TESTS” to help us evaluate who is leading our churches is in the area of “Growth” verses “Decline.” Every MainLine Denomination is experiencing major decline. It is hard to focus on reaching the unreached for Jesus Christ when we can’t even retain those who have by testimony stated their desire to Follow Christ and Partner with a local church. Our inability to resolve many of our differences is clear proof that Christ’s Spirit is not LEADING in most New Testament Churches. So, the only conclusion we can reach is that the “spirit of Anti-Christ” as defined in 1 John 4 is having a great time disrupting the life of many good churches.

Our answer for this dilemma is found in God’s Word. This same 4th chapter of 1st John has one of the most encouraging messages for those who truly want God to gain control of His church once again: “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world!” (1 John 4:4) It is a day for God’s People to FAST and PRAY so that the deep seated control of our enemy on established churches can be broken. Our weapons for this “Spiritual Warfare” are mighty: Prayer, Praise, and Proclamation of the Word of God! We STAND committed to the Ministry of these WEAPONS whereby we can experience the VICTORY that is already ours IN JESUS CHRIST!

In the words of a great old Hymn: “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the Cross!” I don’t have many clear answers to our present dilemmas but I can say one thing without apology and with conviction: ‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand!!’ Because He stood up for me at Calvary, I can do NO LESS FOR HIM in these “LAST DAYS.”