The Dilemma of a Half-Hearted Commitment

Nursing has allowed me the excellent opportunity of meeting numerous individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Yes, I have been exposed to many concepts and embraced the ones that have improved the quality of my life [living as “We” as opposed to the limited perspective of “Me, Myself, and I”]. Yes, I am my brother and sister’s keeper. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

But there is a danger in being exposed to the various world views, the secular and the worldly pleasures. When our curiosity is piqued, we lose control over our five senses. We are then lured and drawn into the mysterious, the glamorous, and the covert darkness in our world. We become confused as we continue to engage in sinful activities. Eventually, we are desensitized to the consequences of our rebellion against God.

Why are Satan’s plans so effective? He is a fallen angel and has had over 6,000 years to deceive humanity. Only the Trinity–God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are Omniscient–all-knowing. The Creator’s creation would be doomed if Satan could read our minds. Thank you, God. But Satan and his angels easily observe our behaviors. Yes, Satan deceived Eve, but she desired to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. 

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5 NKJV. Although Adam and Eve had not witnessed death, God would have given them the essential meaning that death meant the end of life. Whatever Eve’s behaviors were, maybe staring at the beautiful fruit or slowly walking by the tree, Satan saw his opportunity to fulfill her desire to eat from the tree. But most importantly this was his way of retaliating against God for expelling him from heaven. Remember he easily confused the angels that participated in the insurrection against God.

“and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Realistically, who desires to know evil? Let’s consider this scenario: If someone told me, “I know that you are a Christian but if you do this one thing, you will gain the power to see not only your future but the future of others.” This is the got you moment: I am already aware of God’s command on divination, but I am mesmerized by the presenting lie. Why? I desire to gain the ability to see into the future, which results in letting my guard down to the point that I continue to engage in this conversation. I should have responded, “Get behind me Satan” and simply walked away from the temptation. But I listened, thinking that I possessed the power to dance with the devil and come out the winner. The basic childlike concept is that Eve saw the forbidden tree every day and desired to eat the beautiful fruit. She was easily enticed to act on the opportunity to disobey God’s command. 

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what sinful nature desires. These two forces constantly fight each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Galatians 5:17 NLT

The reality is that we cannot live in a bubble or be isolated from the spiritual wickedness of this world. We face a daily spiritual battle with the forces of evil. Did God leave us alone to fight Satan? No! But there are two innate weaknesses that we must accept:

1. The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? Jeremiah 17:9
2. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. Romans 7:15

God calls out the half-hearted individuals who want to live the hypocritical  blended life of having secret desires and sins, yet attend church or watch virtual sermons, give tithe and offerings, help those in need, etc.

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.'” Revelation 3:15-17 NKJV

We must make a decision: “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

Did we forget? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:5

Being a once-a-week Christian is a deceptive trick of our enemy-Satan. Our thoughts and desires are revealed in the music we listen to, the words we speak, and the activities we engage in every day. Please know that God does not have a gray area. Either we love, honor, and glorify God, or we fulfill our carnal desires. We often possess a mind troubled with confusion and frustration because we stay in the valley of indecision.

Biblical prophecies are being fulfilled. We are living in the last days. God sounds the alarm by letting us know that we must live a faith-based life with complete trust and obedience to Him. His Son, Jesus Christ is coming soon!

Human Effort: God requires a full-time commitment to seek after righteousness and to live holy. 

Divine Intervention: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:12-13.

Prayer: God, we confess that we are serving you half-heartedly, and for this grievous sin, we ask forgiveness. We desire to recommit our hearts, souls, and minds to serve you as the One and Only El-Shaddai. Please impart your strength to us to live as overcomers. We thank you for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ Worthy Name. Amen. © 2021 Sonya Johnson