Who’s your influencer?
For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. Revelation 17:17
People are fickle. In today’s culture, most people are interested in only one thing, “me”. We live in a day when the first question people ask is “What’s in it for me?” or “How does what is going on affect my life?” Hopefully, as believers, we recognize this mind set as ungodly and are intentional about not falling into it. Still, it can be very easy to choose the “me” mentality. Very few people are loyal to anyone or submitted to any authority other than #1.
As I read through today’s passage, I noticed that the demonic spirits seem to have the same mentality. There is no loyalty among them. I have to admit that I have always envisioned Satan and his forces all in agreement and that gave them strength to deceive and seduce people away from God. These verses in Revelation talk about the people turning their allegiance over to the beast and away from the great harlot that had just been a dominant spirit in the world. That is when that spirit was made desolate and laid to waste as the kings of the world turn their power over to the beast. This world system that was powered by an evil spirit of wealth and pleasures has grown to such a degree that the whole world is under its influence. Then all at once, everyone shifts to the leadership of one world ruler, the beast. AKA Satan in a human body.
We know that this is all part of the plan and are assured that it is true by the key verse today. God put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose. Satan will rise up and think that he has finally achieved the body and leadership that he has been seeking since his creation, but it is just another part of God’s plan to put him away forever.
What I take away from this passage is that demonic forces are not joining up to overpower me but rather they are in direct competition with each other to destroy my soul. When I give into the temptations around me, their grip on my life tightens, but again I have the ability to resist one but at the same time can yield to another. Each time I give in, that spirit’s grip on my life becomes greater and I am empowering it to direct and influence my daily attitude and activities. It doesn’t even have to be things that we feel are totally evil like killing, lusting or coveting. It can be something as simple as complacency or giving into the spirit of “I don’t feel like doing that right now.”
It is the same way with the Holy Spirit of God. When we yield our lives to that spirit and begin to step into every opportunity that He puts in front of us, we are giving Him the power and influence over our lives that will strengthen our relationship with our Father in heaven and in return, we will be empowered to complete down to the last detail every assignment that He has designed up to fulfill.
God does not possess people, but He does put things in our heart so that He can get His plan accomplished in this world. His plan is good, and His plan is for our benefit because He loves us. He will direct our path and lead us, but we must decide that we are going to follow so we do not give the enemy an open door to get into our lives to take us out.
Today I want to encourage you to examine your life and identify any strongholds that the enemy may have you in. He takes hold of us through addictive habits that are not building us up in our faith. These habits may not even be evil things, they are simply something that dominates your life and takes your focus away from your calling. As you admit these vices, surrender them to the Holy Spirit. He will give you the discernment and show you if they are out of your control and if you need to purge it from your activities. Don’t assume you already know. It’s often the practices that we think we have a handle on that are really leading us down a path of complacency and distraction. Turn every area of your life over to your heavenly Father today and begin to resists those demonic forces that are stunting your work for the kingdom of heaven. Only then will you accomplish every good work that He has designed you to achieve.
Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 17:15-18
15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.
16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
The Daily Dose 