When KNOWING GOD is NOT Good Enough

1 Corinthians 10:12 says, "Let anyone who thinks that he stands, take heed lest he fall." Most of us are shocked whenever we hear of well-known spiritual leaders falling. Some people quickly take a prosecutor's seat and indite the defendants mercilessly. I remember a call with someone when I struggled briefly after my divorce. I repeatedly failed to secure deals in my business, and my emotional stress level peaked beyond my tolerance level. The person on the other side concluded without any consideration, "you are having a hard time because you divorced your husband." I paused and thanked him for his phone call. That statement did not hurt me because I realized I would have thought the same way. I was no novice in judging others up to that point. However, I also have learned that there is nobody strong enough or brilliant enough to outsmart the devils ever-so-subtle tricks unless one stays alert at all times through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. By God's grace, we don't stay down when we do fall, but we can get back up, repent and move forward.

Remember Adam and Eve's fall: they lived in His abundance and had an intimate relationship with Him. The serpent came along and planted a seed of doubt in Eve's mind that ultimately led her to make a wrong choice and disobey God's one command. 1 Kings 13:11-25 tells a story of a young prophet who heard God's voice to go and pronounce His judgment to a king, and he even risked his life to obey God's voice. However, after all that, he ran into an old prophet who told him a lie contradictory to God's command; he caved in. It cost his life. The famous King David, known for his bravery and love for God, fell when he became complacent. Solomon, known for his wisdom, fell and started worshiping other gods with his many foreign wives when he took his eyes off God's instructions. Peter, known for his confession, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God," lied about his association with Jesus. They all knew God in a way that many could not even imagine. And yet, that did not immune them to spiritual failures. I had a personal conversion experience when I moved from my atheist background to becoming a Christ follower. I experienced God intimately, and I could never deny His existence. Yet, I became incredibly proud and arrogant when God blessed me greatly after returning from a mission field. I gradually stepped out and into the wrong side of the line.

There is an invisible battle we fight to stay the course spiritually. There is never a peace treaty between God's people and the powers of darkness. The devil remains active, looking for prey, and not just low-hanging fruits. Some people may be satisfied with their success and settle instead of marching forward. Some people may be exhausted from constant struggles. Whatever ammunition the devil uses, his purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) so we fail to fulfill God's purpose. If we do not stay alert and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, we will eventually subject ourselves to failure in one way or another. Our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12) Not by might, nor by power, but His Holy Spirit. (Zechariah 4:6) The Holy Spirit is our helper whom God sent to us to teach us all things, remind us of God's Word (John 14:26), and empower us. (Acts 1:8) Let no one consider himself too strong to fall or too smart to be tricked by the schemes of the devil without the help of The Holy Spirit.