From as long as I can remember I grew up in a church, a Pentecostal Malayalee church to be specific. Even though we saw the enemy try to creep in from time to time, it was a blessed church that enriched us spiritually.
The Lord gave my young ministry further exposure when I got to travel at the age of 11 to preach the Word of God. In that light, I also saw how the enemy had his finger in many of those churches I travelled.
Here are few of the areas where the enemy tries to place his finger on and 10 things he would love to see in your church:
1. A Divided Church With Internal Politics
There is nothing worse than a church that has a kingdom of its own within the Kingdom. What frightens me the most is the carelessness and casualness with which people fight within the church.
Let us not forget that it was in the New Testament itself that Ananias and Sapphira was struck dead for lying against the Holy Spirit. It’s good to remember that the church is not our playground, it’s a holy body where God meets, speaks and ministers to His children.
Don’t become the distracted bride of Christ!
2. A Sleeping Church Who Has No Time to Pray But Play:
It bothers me that a church gets a full attendance for a picnic but not even a 1/3rd attendance for a prayer meeting.
The devil is not afraid of such a lukewarm church because only a praying church is a fire breathing church. (Click to tweet this)
3. A Church That is More Busy Planning Than Praising
This is exactly what the devil wants. He wants you to be more worried about stopping in time than praising into your destiny. A church that does not allow for the liberty of the Spirit is quenching the Spirit.
4. A Church That Teaches Love and Practises Hate
Sigh! How often we find churches that teach love and practise hate even as they leave the premises of the church. Which part of the verse don’t we get when Jesus said, love your enemies!
( Don’t tell anyone I told you – Enemies include those who don’t agree with you, those who don’t like you because you don’t dress like them, those that hate you because you don’t clap like them, those that slander you because you don’t do what they want and the list goes on and on.)
5. A Stingy Church
Science will tell us that if you only eat and not release it from your body, you begin to stink. True. A giving church teaches their believers to give. Giving is one of the powerful ways a church can grow because giving moves the heart of the greatest giver. God gave His only begotten son for us!
6. A Church That Does Not Serve
A church does not exist to simply receive offerings. We are called to serve too. Serve the widows, orphans, the needy and the sick. Ask the Lord for what your mission is in your community.
7. A Church That Only Reads But Does Not Obey The Bible
Ah, what a delight for the devil! The devil is not afraid of the book – the Bible, he is afraid of the Holiness in it. And that holiness is only manifested when a person loves and obey the Word of God. They that honour God’s word honour the Holy Spirit, the missions, evangelism, teaching, the prophetic and all the other gifts in the Bible too.
8. A Church That Controls Their Leadership As a Puppet
It’s a dangerous ground when your leader has no honour. No I’m not talking about idol worship or spoiling your leader. I’m talking about basic honour. Saddens me to see believers talking, laughing, belittling their pastor behind his back. That is surely not honouring God who placed him over your life.
Devil being the rebel, will keep trying to sow the spirit of rebellion in your heart against everything godly.
Maybe you were born in the pews of the church or you have control because of the money in your pocket but don’t forget that God is God and if God places someone over you as a leader, don’t forget to honour God by respecting that man and his family irrespective of his capacity.
9. A Church Where Holiness is Only a Word At The Lord’s Table
Have you felt that fearful moment just before partaking in the Lord’s table hoping that you are not struck dead eating the bread and wine? And after that it’s over. It’s back to backbiting, slander, gossip, and every other thing you can imagine.
This place is nothing but the breeding ground of sin. Here the devil sits in the centre of the pews on a kingsize bed as his sofa.
10. A Church That Are People Pleasers Than God Pleasers
When you decide to please people then you forget to fear and honour God over people. Those that fear God are fearless over facing the world.(Click to tweet this) They do what God wants. No man or women can manipulate them from the truth that has set them free! They want one thing – but to see the Kingdom of God come.
Please discuss: What more can you add? What are other seating places that we have given satan in our churches? How should we kick them out?