Volume 17 Issue 8
In reality David had no choice but to face Goliath. He could not refuse the job. His convictions framed his destiny. Consequently in one moment he moved a whole nation into a new era of faith.
How little we understand the power and depth of meaning in David’s battle cry: I come to thee in the name of the Lord. (I Sam. 17:45) The Philistines thought it was absurd; and Saul’s army had already acknowledged their own faithlessness by tolerating forty days of the big man’s insults. Worse yet, in a foolish moment Saul’s army had decided to array themselves against the Philistines, army against army (I Sam. 17:21). What were they thinking?
David brought a different paradigm to the table. He proposed to go with the anointing. To go with God. To believe that all things are possible. To trust God, obey God, and leave the battle in the hands of God.
So here we are in the 21st century. The taunting spirits of evil, humanism, globalism, political control, homosexuality, greed, corruption, and the ever-present doctrines of devils (I Tim. 4:1) are in our face, taunting, challenging, cursing, insulting. What shall we say? I come to you in the Name of the Lord? I come to the battle with faith in His Word? Yes. That is exactly what we should say.
Allow me to speak as a pastor. I am just one man. I make no claim to any special anointing. But I believe that we are confronting a 21st century Goliath. It is a spirit that could be described as a religion of self-justification, self-validation, Idolatry. It is by modus operandi a seducing spirit. It is home church with a homemade god. The Word is rejected, doctrine is denied, Godliness is considered old school, and so-called progress is whatever someone says it is. This godless philosophy may be reaching a state of mass consciousness. Education will not defeat this spirit. Political connections, false faith, compromised doctrine will not defeat it. Neither will theatrically programmed church services or mindless forms of emotionalism defeat it. Even money will not defeat it.
I mention mass consciousness knowing that this space does not permit proper discussion. But it is my view that while many sleep, the devil indoctrinates. Powerful systems of education, purposeful manipulation, propaganda, training, indoctrination and wicked entertainment are seducing many, deceiving many, especially our youth.
In recent decades, the world’s pedagogues have been fascinated with the concepts of indoctrination that were used by the Nazis and the communists in reforming the belief systems of entire societies. Today the same techniques of indoctrination are being used to destroy traditional values, especially as they relate to western civilization, sex education, and religious belief. These evil pedagogues have as their agenda the purpose of creating a new world. They hope to bring about a mass consciousness that is opposed to God and to moral authority. They envision a world in which all elements of society; including birth control, education, and health care are in the hands of societal architects and socialists.
Islamic terrorists have created, through acts of horror, a worldwide mass consciousness that will define the political agenda for years to come. The world cannot avoid this confrontation. Liberal churches, both main line and Pentecostal, are redefining the church world by imposing radical doctrines and wresting the true meaning of God’s Word out of the minds our youth. (II Pet.3: 16) The true church cannot avoid facing this Goliath.
We may, in fact, be reaching the tipping point (Gladden) that is leading to a mass consciousness of idolatry within the church. I say this because I confront in my preaching and my pastoral work a shocking number of people who clearly have bought into the idea of the supremacy of human rationality and New Age theology, which is a form of idolatry.
This new world view is emerging as another spirit, another Jesus, another gospel. (II Cor. 11:4) It manifests itself as a church that boasts of great power and revelation, seeing itself as clever, modern, relevant, with fresh anointing; yet it delivers only a canned performance that is trendy and trite and that does little to lead men to the truth. It taunts and belittles the old paths, while promising freedom from ministerial authority and release from spiritual disciplines. It struts in contempt of modesty and leads converts into the world instead of calling them out of the world. Like the Goliath of old it paces in the valley begging for a fight.
True believers must not draw back, but rather must be bold enough to press forward with the only undefeatable weapons: the Holy Spirit and the Name of the Lord.
I Tim. 4:1 – Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; I Sam. 17:45 – Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.