Text: Genesis 3:1-4

1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.   And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.   4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:     

Sunday, 24^th November 2024

GIFT OF DISCERNMENT NOT MANIPULATION 

Text: Genesis 3:1-4

Memory verse: Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Manipulation is a powerful force that can reshape our choices and control our actions without us even realizing it. Whether it's through subtle persuasion or outright coercion, manipulation can be a potent tool in the hands of those who seek to influence others for their own gain. To manipulate is to negotiate, control, or influence for one’s own advantage. Spiritual manipulation is a technique used by some abusive churches and cults to control individuals and acquire gain, while giving the impression that their teachings are based on the Bible. Some individuals manipulate the Scripture for their own personal benefit. An authoritarian husband might demand that his wife submit to him as the head of the house and quote Ephesians 5:22 “Wives, submit to your husbands”. But that same man might purposefully overlook verse 26, which says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Instead of taking the bits of the Scripture he approves of and using them to lord it over his family, he would do well to read 1 Corinthians 13 and practice the type of love that is patient, kind, protects, trusts, perseveres, etc.

During a conversation between Christians, someone might say, "The Lord has told me that . . . ." This statement essentially shuts down the conversation because it implies that, since God has spoken a word, there can’t be any further discussion. don’t be fooled by this trick; it is a form of spiritual manipulation. Or a preacher says, "Sow into my ministry, and God will repay you. Sow, and you will reap! God is no man’s debtor." Could such preaching simply be an exploitive appeal for money? Is the preacher trying to influence people for his own financial advantage? If so, it is spiritual manipulation.

Another form of spiritual manipulation is when abusive churches and cults twist the Scripture to give more authority to the leadership and keep the members under their control. One example is the use of Hebrews 13:17 as a basis for demanding unquestioning loyalty and obedience to the leaders. Some religious group’s view of questioning the leaders as equivalent to questioning God. Some leaders claim to have divine authority and approval; thus, to disobey them is to disobey God. This is perhaps the most pernicious form of spiritual manipulation, and it has no place in a true church. Victims of spiritual manipulation seldom realize what’s happening to them.   

CGDS HYMN 28: SS&S 190: 

COME, HOLY SPIRIT, COME

1. Come, Holy Spirit, come;

Let Thy bright beams arise,

Dispel the darkness from our minds,

And open all our eyes.

2. Revive our drooping faith,

Our doubts and fears remove,

And kindle in our breasts the flame

Of never-dying love.

3. Convince us of our sin,

Then lead to Jesus' blood,

And to our wondering view reveal

The secret love of God.

4. ‘Tis Thine to cleanse the heart,

To sanctify the soul,

To pour fresh life in every part,

And new-create the whole.

5. Dwell therefore in our hearts,

Our minds from bondage free ;

Then we shall know, and praise, and love

The Father, Son, and Thee !  

  Prayers 

1.  Lord Jesus, deliver me from being manipulated.

2.  LORD God Almighty, empower me to discern manipulative agendas in Jesus’ name. Amen.    

3.  Pray for others in this regard.