Text: Matthew 11:28-29

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.   29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;  for I am meek and lowly in heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your souls.    

Monday, 25^th November 2024

GIFT OF DISCERNMENT NOT MANIPULATION 2

Text: Matthew 11:28-29

Memory verse: Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Abusive churches train members to block out any information that is critical of the group. With enough thought and information control, the leaders can get those under their control to defend their new identity against their former identity. The first line of defence is denial. “What you say is not happening at all.” Next comes rationalization. “This is happening for a good reason.” After that, justification. “This is happening because it ought to.” Finally, wishful thinking. “I had like it to be true, so maybe it really is.” One of the characteristics of spiritually abusive systems is that, a misplaced sense of loyalty fostered and even demanded. This is not about loyalty to Christ, but about loyalty to an organization, church or leader. Because authority is assumed or legislated, following that authority must also be legislated. This is accomplished by setting up a system where disloyalty or disagreement with the leadership is construed as disobeying God. Questioning leaders is not allowed. After all, the leader is the authority, and authority is always right. Such spiritual manipulation denies the truth of Ephesians 1:22, which says that Christ is the Head of the church. Our loyalty is due Him.

We all need to be at alert to spiritual manipulation and follow this example from Acts 17:11: “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Did the Apostle Paul take offense when the Bereans researched to ensure that his preaching was based on the Scripture? Of course not, because Apostle Paul knew his preaching would go through exhaustive scrutiny. With all teaching and preaching, we must hold it up to the light of God’s Word before we accept it. Any religious group that prevents its members from doing independent research, or from challenging what the leadership says, must have something to fear.

Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 10:16 that they would be like sheep among wolves and instructed them to be as “shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves”. The Master’s yoke is easy, and His burden is light. He gives us rest and is gentle and humble in heart. That is the Christlike example all who shepherd Jesus’ flock must exemplify. The consequences of falling victim to manipulation can be far-reaching and detrimental to our well-being. It can erode our self-esteem, damage our relationships, and lead us down the paths that are not in our best interest. By examining the potential consequences, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the importance of recognizing and resisting manipulation.

When faced with manipulation, we often have several options on how to respond. We can confront the manipulator head-on, assert our boundaries, and refuse to be swayed. Alternatively, we can choose to remove ourselves from the situation entirely, distancing ourselves from the manipulative influence. Each option has its own merits and drawbacks, and the best course of action will depend on the specific circumstances.

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.