Recently, I wrote a very liberating (yet easily misunderstood) article about prayer. Of all the things that I have written recently, I believe that article to be one of the most important to grasp. If you have not yet read it, you can read it by clicking here.
In the same way, I believe this article could also be equally as liberating. As I mentioned in the previous article on prayer, the ‘root’, or source of prayer is quite important. True New Testament prayer is rooted in the rest of the Spirit, as opposed to religious prayer that is rooted in the works of the flesh. A major characteristic of fleshly prayer is fear. Unfortunately, for most of my Christian life, fear was the motivator of much of my prayers. For example:
If I don’t pray for my marriage more, my family will fall apart.
If I don’t pray for my country & church more, we’ll never experience ‘revival’.
If I don’t pray for my kids more, they will get sucked into worldly living and will ‘go to hell’.
These kind of prayers are rooted in an Old Testament mindset that is blind to the reality of the New Covenant. I talk more about this in the previously mentioned article about praying in the Spirit. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against praying for marriages, countries, kids, or the church, but I am against those prayers being rooted in fear. After all, we are ‘in Christ’ who is the personification of love. We also know that there is no fear in love, and perfect love chases away all forms of fear (1 John 4:18).
As with most religious works, enough is never enough. There is no peace and no rest when fear is the motivation of our religious works & prayers. When fear disappears from our motivation, all we are left with is that which is rooted in love. That which is rooted in love looks vastly different from that which is rooted in fear. I could go on and on about this, but that is another article for another day. I say all of that to say this:
We NEVER have to be afraid of Satan’s plans for our loved ones!
Here is where I may lose many of you. There are times that Satan’s plans for our loved ones is exactly what is needed. Too many times, rooted in our own fear and need to control, we try to step in the way of Satan’s plans for our loved ones. Not only is this frustrating, it can be ineffective if that is not what the Lord is doing. All that we need to know is what the Lord is doing. Many times, the Lord is actually allowing Satan to have his way with our loved ones for an appointed season. Let me tell you a story that beautifully communicates this:
There was a wealthy father who had two sons. One of those sons had an ‘itch’, so to speak, that really needed to be scratched. He wanted to experience all that the world had to offer. As a result, he actually had the audacity to ask his father for something that was customarily given once the parent died. This son was so self-centered and consumed with his own fleshly desires that he asked for his inheritance early.
Astoundingly, the father obliged and gave his son his early inheritance. This father didn’t force him to stay home, nor did this father become angry that his son basically wished that he was dead so he could have his inheritance. This father gave him his inheritance and simply let him leave knowing that his son had to find out for himself what the world had to offer. It would only be through the bankruptcy of the world that the son would realize where he was loved, and where he truly had a home. Eventually, after the son had his share of wild living, he hit rock bottom and had no where else to turn. This wayward son eventually came back home and was embraced by the love and acceptance of the father found in that home.
If this story sounds familiar to you, it should. It is the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15) that Jesus used to illustrate the character and nature of His Father, and how He relates to us. The case can be made that Satan lured this ‘prodigal’ son out of his father’s care and into the arms of the world’s fallen system. Amazingly, this father let it happen because it needed to happen in order for his child to truly discover the love of his father, and the beauty of his father’s house. The story of the prodigal son is also the story of humanity. The Father is the author of the story, and as a result, He is not afraid. Heartbroken, yes…afraid…no. He knows how the story ends. He is in complete control.
Another example of this story can be seen among the church at Corinth. There was a person in this church community that was engaging in behavior that was contrary to the life of Christ. This person claimed to belong to Christ, yet continued openly engaging in deviant sexual behavior (incest) that was destructive to himself and the church community that he was in community with. The rest of the church community had become so accustomed to living by the flesh, that they failed to address it at all. I’m sure some had become indifferent, while still others may not have wanted to lose the relationship they had with this person. Had they truly loved this person, they would have sought to see him restored. Because this individual in the Corinthian church was so bent on living to gratify the desires of the flesh, however, the best course of action was for this person to be ‘turned over to Satan’ for the destruction of his flesh. Consider Paul’s instructions to the church at Corinth about this situation:
It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (1Cor. 5:1-5, NASB)
Can you believe it? Paul actually said that turning this person over to Satan would actually serve for the purpose of the destruction of his flesh! This is key in the process of their restoration and salvation! Paul went on to tell the church community to expel that person from their community so he can engage in this kind of living among the world. Like the prodigal son, this was essential for him to discover the love of Christ, and the beauty of the house of God (church). Sometimes it takes the loss of something to show us the beauty of what we truly long for.
While this is an extreme example, I hope the point I am attempting to make is clear. There are times, when a person is so committed to serving their own flesh, that they need to be allowed to pursue their own flesh. Just like the story of the prodigal son, their flesh needs to be used up and destroyed so they can eventually see the bankruptcy of fleshly living and look elsewhere for life and satisfaction.
Amazingly, Satan unintentionally serves this purpose. Although Satan desires to destroy, the Lord uses his schemes to bring us to the end of our flesh. It is only when we come to the end of ourselves that we are awakened to the true life of Christ (Spirit).
For me personally this is not just theoretical, it is very practical. As I write this, there are many ‘loved ones’ in my life, at multiple levels, whose flesh is being exploited and destroyed by Satan. Like the prodigal son, some of these loved ones are engaging in ‘wild living’ that is more easily recognized as being ‘worldly’ or ‘fleshly’. There are many others whom I love, however, that have run into the arms of the world’s religious system. This kind of fleshly living is usually much harder to recognize, yet equally as destructive as it all comes from the same source.
While many of these loved ones of mine intellectually know the bankruptcy of the world’s systems (including the religious system), they still seem to have an ‘itch’ for something in that system. For many of them, Satan uses the religious ‘itch’ that there is something they can ‘do’ for the Lord as bait into that system.
In the past, I tried my best to keep these loved ones with an ‘itch’ for the world from running headlong into the world’s system. I have since realized that much of my efforts were rooted in fear of Satan’s plan for them, and my own fleshly need to control people. What I was not aware of, however, was the fact that the Lord was actually allowing Satan to bait them with an ‘itch’ of the flesh.
I could tell you numerous stories (mine included) of people who had a religious ‘itch’, so to speak, who were lured away to ‘scratch’ that itch. All the systems of the world (including the religious system) do the same thing. They appeal to the flesh, exploit the flesh, and use up the flesh until there is absolutely nothing left. Like the prodigal son, it is only when a person is ‘used’ up and burned out that they begin to look for the rest of home. Coming to this conclusion takes longer for some to come to than for others. No matter how long it takes, and no matter where the journey may lead, the ‘destruction’ of our fleshly ‘itches’ is actually a great thing.
My time in the evangelical system has shown me that the majority of the Christians in that system have a common denominator. That common denominator is fear. This fear is usually rooted in the error of ascribing to fallen mankind, or Satan, the power to usurp the plans and purposes of God. Let me give you some great news…
The power to usurp the plans and purposes of God simply does not exist!
You can completely trust your loved ones to Him. His plans and purposes will prevail because mankind and Satan simply do not have the power to trump God’s purposes. If that belief interferes with your preconceived theological systems of thought, that is a great thing! If you have loved ones who are being delivered over to Satan right now, I have some advice for you.
Rest & rejoice!
Know that Satan’s exploitation of their fleshly desires and religious ambitions are being used by the Lord to destroy their flesh in preparation for their spirit to be awakened. After all, resting & rejoicing is a great posture for prayer. Fear is not.
May the substance of Jesus Christ (perfect love) chase away all your fears,
Jamal Jivanjee
Jamal, I’m sorry, but fear is a wonderful posture for prayer. You’ll find examples throughout Scripture.
But aren’t those glorifying examples rooted in having a fear of the Lord? Not a fear of Satan? Having a fear of Satan does not bring glory to God, but rather distracts us from the majesty of beholding more of Christ?
And does Christ himself not state
Matthew 8:26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Mrk 4:40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
luke 12:4-5″I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
Tim, generalized blanket statement is general.
Faith is not of ourselves, it is a “byproduct” of the indwelling life of Christ. His perfect love transforms our hearts, and allows us to see that we have nothing to fear, and this is regardless of what we see, or experience. “all things work together for good”. Romans 8 is a promise.
Brianna, you help to make my point. I do fear Him who has the authority to cast my soul into hell, as well as those of my family and friends. That’s why I fearfully pray for them, as an act, not in a passive “well, God’s in charge so there’s nothing I can do” attitude. It is my duty as father and head of my family to “stand in the gap” and pray in humility and fear for my wife and children. As they age, they may find temptation too great for them. That then should call out a more fervent attitude of prayer in me, as an act of humility. This would look something like me on my knees with my face on the ground, not lying in bed sleeping, just letting everything happen. Yes, God is in charge, and no, neither man nor Satan will trump God’s plans. However, just as Abraham prayed, as an act, face to face with the Lord regarding Lot and his family and the city of Sodom, we should be doing the same for those around us. Remember that God changed His mind based on those prayers!
If I have to turn one of my children over to Satan in order to destroy their flesh, believe me that I will be in humble prayer for them the entire time.
Tim,
Thanks for reading and offering your comments here. I’m curious, however, why do you think I am advocating a “passive, lying in bed sleeping” disposition? I find your intrepretation of this article fascinating.
I’m curious, did you read the previous article about prayer that I linked to in this article? Is your concept of praying in the Spirit ‘passive and lazy’? What, in your understanding, is the difference between praying in the flesh and praying in the Spirit?
Jamal, you even said in the previous article that Jesus prayed in His sleep. The article sounded like you were advocating a very hands-off approach to prayer, rejecting the act of the discipline of being physically in prayer. In your attempts to throw off the religiosity or “churchianity” as I like to call it, you have gone way the other direction. I and others mentioned as much to you in the comments, one person even cautioning you that it sounded like “mysticism”. If that was not your intention, I apologize.
As far as praying in the Spirit vs the flesh, there are two answers. Praying in the flesh can occur just as preaching in the flesh. There may be good things being said, but not directed by His Spirit. The other way is by praying in verbal words vs groanings and utterings that we don’t understand in our flesh. Sometimes a prayer in the Spirit may not have a sound at all, but an inner “push” for lack of a better word.
Please understand, I am not commenting here to make trouble. I have come out of a lifelong religious background, but have only been in abandonment to His will for a few years. I am very cautious about teachings, and I want to have true fellowship with true believers in total abandonment to His will. You and I are in agreement with institutional vs organic fellowship. Presently my family and a few friends are the ones with whom I fellowship. I take my responsibility to my family very seriously, knowing I will answer for what I teach them and how I lead them.
Tim,
Thanks for reading the previous article as well. While some may describe what I am communicating as a ‘hands off’ approach to prayer, I would characterize it as a “flesh off, Spirit on” approach to prayer. The essence of prayer is simply communication with God. Jesus was in constant communication with His Father all the time. This was true if He was praying in more formal ways, or as He was going about His daily life.
On the previous blog, Trevor Honeycutt posted a comment that I think beautifully summarizes prayer in the Spirit. The kind of prayer that I am describing here is not ‘passive’ or ‘lazy’, nor is it a ‘wait and see’ approach. I think Trevor’s summary of my last article will be helpful for you in regards to praying in the Spirit. Here is what he said:
“Good stuff Jamal. What I’m hearing you say [and plz correct me if I'm wrong], is that effectual prayer will flow from the inside-out; and not be an outside-in thing.
Meaning that our “efforts” are to learn to abide in the Vine, and as we do, then from out of our mouths will flow dynamic, kingdom-building words of life.” -Trevor Honeycutt-
In regards ot this article, not only will prayer in the Spirit flow from the inside out (as opposed to the outside in), prayer in the Spirit will NOT be rooted in fear.
I hope that helps.
Thank you for your responses. I’ve sent you a private message via email, as well.
then what is the contention with the article? the point is to rest in Christ and pray in the spirit rather than out of fear of satan’s work…in flesh.
Amen!
Tim, there is a VAST difference between the type of fear that is a response to evil and the fear that is borne of reverence towards God.
Don’t disagree with you, Gabriel.
In the last year when I have been tempted to worry or fearfully pray for my dear ones the Lord has had me give them back over to Him. I cannot control the circumstances and it would not be good if I did. He has given me complete peace as they are handed over to Satan. I can even see Christ being formed in through this living in the religious system or “world.”
I wish my religious friends would read this article. To see that they do not have to be afraid, nor see it as a doomed sentence that someone else has gone into the world, but can rather put their eyes on Christ, step beyond it, and continue on in Christ.
Amen Kaley!
Jamal,
Thank you so much for sharing this. You have put into words what the Lord has been working in me. To trust Him. To rest in Him. In the past 6 months alone, this has been the case with my marriage and in circumstances surrounding my children. Thank you for being willing to share.
My pleasure Brenda, thanks for reading:)
I just wanted to say thanks for this and all your other blog posts. I am very new to community life and what I am learning comes mainly from various web sites, and blog posts. It seems every time that I have read one it was what I needed to hear. SO Thank You! Blessings
Eleanor,
It’s my pleasure sister. Thanks for letting me know these posts have been an encouragement to you:)
Edgy, revolutionary stuff, Jamal. This is certainly not “status quo”, you are getting to the heart of a matter. Please keep it coming!
Good one Jamal. Fear is the energy of satan’s kingdom, while faith is the energy of our Lord’s. The more deeply that we’re rooted in His love, the bolder the faith, and deeper the trust in Jesus, the less fear we have in our lives.
Through fear and ignorance, satan has used much superstition to manipulate and control people through the ages.
And regarding this topic of fear for our loved-ones fate: For me, it’s also been very helpful to understand that Jesus isn’t going to burn anyone in hell forever. And so people who never receive grace to repent in this life, will “bow the knee” in a future age (Phil 2:9-11). (see http://www.hopebeyondhell.net for a good primer towards renewing the mind and overturning the pagan and superstitious false doctrine of never ending fiery torment)
Great post! As you referred to above from scripture, “perfect love cast out fear”. Reading through the comments brought this quote to mind –
“If the believer does not discern his own spirit he invariably is ignorant of how to commune with God in the spirit. He easily substitutes the thoughts or emotions of the soul for the works of the spirit. Thus he confines himself to the outer realm, unable to ever reach the spiritual realm.” – Watchman Nee
I have found that fear originates in the “outer realm” – that is the flesh. This gives me more insight on the scripture that says to “walk by faith and not by sight”.
Thanks again for posting this!
Ron,
Great comment brother. Thanks for sharing. Great insight from Nee as well:)
Thanks for the article, Jamal. Perhaps, a better word to use is anxiety, that way it would not be confused with the “fear of the Lord”. There is so much to be anxious about and Satan and our flesh make us so very anxious. Although, sufferings are ordained by God, anxiety is not. We must learn to cast our anxiety on Christ. Although, it is easier said than done
Fear is actually our way of not letting go of our own flesh. Fear always comes down to one thing: pride. That’s right, the fear you speak of is rooted in pride, because it is all about our own control. Wanting to control when or who Father brings into His Son is a flesh issue of pride, we must control the situation. Fear is a control issue.
Thanks Jamal for writing another great blog post! In all His dealings with us the Lord has one thing in which He is interested, to secure a heart relationship with us. And being the only wise God that He is, and the most loving Father, He is willing to take pain to bring us to that place.
At the end of the story of the prodigal son, we are introduced to the older brother that never left home, but from His own words we understand that he was as much lost as the prodigal son, as far as heart communion with the father. His deepest desire was not the joy of being with his father and in the father’s house, but “that he may make merry with his friends “not in the things of the father, but outside of the father. The older brother was not experiencing much joy and satisfaction, more like a miserable existence.
In the same way we can be as “lost” worrying about our loved ones and trying to pray in our flesh, as our loved ones we are praying for, having moved from the place of rest and trust in the Lord, into ourselves.
Oh, that we will trust the Lord both for ourselves and our loved ones. He is the author and the finisher of our faith.
Marsela,
Wow, great insight! Right on the money. The ‘prodigals’ aren’t who we have been told they are:)
Jamal,
Great article! I enjoyed it very much. I particularly liked the part about living in the “religious flesh.” This is an often ignored facet of this issue.
One clarification question. When you say at the close of your article:
“Know that Satan’s exploitation of their fleshly desires and religious ambitions are being used by the Lord to destroy their flesh in preparation for their spirit to be awakened.”
Is your view that ALL will be awakened spiritually, or that it does no good to be fearful about it because ultimately God’s purposes will prevail?
Appreciate you,
Mark
Mark,
Thanks for your comment, and for your question. Jesus Himself said that not all who say “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. I think that is pretty clear.
Also, regarding not being fearful about God’s purposes, I am not advocating a fatalistic approach that throws our hands up in the air because God will do what He wants. I am talking about something quite different. Let me give you an example:
I have a person who is quite dear to me who is trapped in bondage. I desperately want this person to have the peace and security of Jesus Christ in His life. Currently, Satan has a tight grip on him, and he experiences very little peace. There are two ways that I have been tempted to approach this person. One way is by taking a ‘hands off’ approach using the reasoning that God will do what He wants in his life. Either the Lord will give him peace, or He won’t. The other way that I have been tempted to respond is by trying to ‘do’ something to make him understand Christ’s peace. The more that I try to externally ‘do’ (in the flesh), the more frustrated I get.
I am understanding, more and more, that both approaches are rooted in the flesh. Recently, as I was realizing this, I sensed the Spirit showing me a better way. I sensed the Spirit saying something like this to me:
“Stop trying to ‘make’ something happen. Stop trying to convince (your loved one) to have peace. Instead, rest in the peace of Christ that you already have. As a ‘priest’, do it on their behalf.”
I had never considered this before! Resting & rejoicing in my own peace in Christ became the root of my focus for them, not fear. As this began to happen, I started to notice my loved one being affected by my peace! They also began to experience peace in ways that I never thought possible. I hope that makes sense.
Thanks for the clarification, Jamal.
I see what you are saying.
Grace and Peace, Bro
I’ll assume this blog has NOTHING to do with me going to camp and say I love you, Jamal
Ha ha, you’re crazy;)
A very beneficial brother in Christ from Georgia calmed my fears and unrest by teaching me that I am NOT the Head of my family! Neither am I the Provider for my family. These roles belong to Christ. Whatever my role, responsibilities, and gifts as a husband, I am not in control of what happens. Therefore, I can truly rest and continuously give over the concern that I cannot bear and have not been required to bear. I can pray in freedom now.
Jamal, thanks for continuously seeking to lift the burden of religion in light of the One!
Michael,
A lot of good brothers in Christ could really be set free from needless guilt and burden if they could grasp what you just said! Thank you:)
Jamal,
Thank you so much for this. It’s so what I need to hear. Yes, I do KNOW Father will take care of my loved ones, that He loves them more than me and that He wants to redeem them — and nothing He decides to do can be denied to Him. What a comfort, and very comforting to hear you say it too. But oh, it hurts so much in the meantime, even though I know He knows what He’s doing. At least I don’t have to be afraid that He will somehow fail in His purposes in them.
Cindy,
Thanks for reading and commenting. I am encouraged to know this article brought encouragment to your heart. When we know that the Lord’s good purposes will eventually prevail, we can live and rest in that confidence in the present.
Blessings to all the saints there in South Dakota!
This was a very interesting blog Jamal; it definitely gets you thinking about the spiritual aspects of our daily struggle known as life rather than the physical aspects of it. I will say this though, because it does tend to be misunderstood – the Lord does not put us through trials and pain and suffering, the enemy does that, as described as early as the garden of Eden. However, the Lord gives us the “strength” to overcome those trials and whatever evil darkness conjures against us. As for prayer, I will say this: many have already come home and fallen at the Father’s feet and say “I am not worthy, please allow me to be a servant,” even after the Father has clothed us, and put rings on our fingers and shoes on our feet, and made us His child again; many need to know we are heirs to the Kingdom and need to begin to live as such. If we commit an offense against God, it’s only natural and just to repent and ask for the strength to overcome it, but any other time the Lord wants us to just me intimate with Him – love, trust, and walk and talk with Him about our own life and what He wants us to do with it. And also just to love Him through prayer and rest in His arms. And finally, to intercede for the world around us: prayer saves people and calls for the Lord’s mercy and aid to those who do not know Him, there are countless examples of this. If your church is dying, pray for it night and day and call down revival, and it will come. If your child is lost in the world, be on your knees night and day praying that he or she finds her way back to the Lord and receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit, because that is what they search for. We must pray for others with as much strength as we can muster within ourselves, and Christ proved that to be the ultimate truth in the garden and on the cross.
Hello my brother, I need this exortation ! when we like someone it’s hard to let im in the arms of another one. and if we try to resist to the temptation it’s impossible. the only way it’s to fix the eyes on Christ. genesis 4v 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.