There is a kid’s song called “My God is so Big” and the refrain says, “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do.” Matthew 18:2 “He (Jesus) called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Child-like faith is believing what you are told. Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” Child-like faith can also be problematic depending on what the child is being told. Many in the church still retain the beliefs they developed as a child in Sunday School at the church they were raised in; Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, Reformed etc.. The spiritual mind, all religions, begin to form in the minds of children taught by adults to believe as they believe. Proverbs 22:6 “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 6:20 “My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. 21 Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. 22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. 23 For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.” Unless those parents are not following Jesus, the only way, truth and life. There are millions of children being led astray by false religions and even in the church where other gospels are taught and a different Jesus followed.
One of the devious deceptions of satan was to downplay the demonic. I was thinking today about television shows I used to watch in my younger years like Bewitched, I Dream of Jeanie, Fantasy Island to name a few. You also had Disney who really introduced the demonic to children. As one person wrote, “they are obsessed with witchcraft and wizardry.” There is no such thing as a good witch. A good witch and an evil witch are both demonic. If you are a Star Wars fan, both forces are evil. These give the impression that the fight is good verses evil but it is evil against evil. The cartoons give you the impression that these are just imaginary and not real, but sorcery and witchcraft are very real. Over the years children and adults have been greatly desensitized to the demonic. Many treat the demonic as if it were a cartoon and not real. Even though the spiritual battle with satan is very real and deadly, the church set aside its armor because it has been deceived into thinking that the battle is against flesh and blood and not Ephesians 6:12 “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” They think that a well-planned service and lots of programs will ward off the evil one, but in most cases the evil one is standing behind the pulpit. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” Some even think the battle is over with satan when Jesus rose from the dead. Yes, the church was given power and authority to continue destroying the work of satan (1 John 3:8), but we are still at war. Many don’t even think about casting out demons because they don’t think there are any. Now add to the desensitizing of satan’s power, the church downplaying satan’s power. They have even removed the supernatural. Meanwhile satan is not a cartoon character, is very real, very powerful and has decimated the church. We were warned that Revelation 12:9 “satan leads the whole world astray. 12 woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” He wants to take as many people as possible with him to the place already prepared by God for him. Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
If you have adults training children that the church is just a gathering of people praising a powerless God for an hour on Sunday, they will grow up believing the same. As we have seen they will modify the service to try and make it more entertaining. Of course, they don’t actually say that is what they are doing, but by their actions they proclaim they believe a powerless God. Titus 1:16 “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.” 2 Timothy 3:5 “having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” They will be satisfied with what they presently see, thinking the powerless church is how it is supposed to be and if what they see doesn’t satisfy them or they find it boring or the programs do not meet their needs they move somewhere that will satisfy their needs, but it is not power they are looking for. As Paul said Galatians 3:3 “Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?” The church was foolish and continues to try to finish in the flesh, all the while battling flesh and blood but losing the spiritual war against the dark forces. Without power the church cannot defeat satan. Power only returns when the church returns to God’s word. Zechariah 1:3 “Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
Each group that calls themselves the church has a different God. Their God is described by their traditions, their experiences and their reasoning. They all have differing doctrines and theology to describe their beliefs about God, but the common denominator is powerlessness. Though every group is different from one another, they are unified by a lack of power. The church has failed to adhere to the description of God as already declared by His word. 2 Chronicles 20:6 “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.” The power of their God is described by their theology and doctrines and it is not even close with what scripture states. If the church had not followed after other gospels and followed a different Jesus, the church would be doing just as Jesus had done and just as the very early church had done. The powerless church happened very quickly. Even in Paul’s time he said, Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” The power of God would be the same as the power that created the universe, the power that destroyed the Egyptian army, the power that parted the Red Sea and stood up the Jordon in a heap, the power that defeated vast armies and caused walls to crumble. The power of the church would be the same power that raised the dead, healed the sick, and cast out demons. The power available to all who believe would be the same as the power that raised Jesus from the dead. Ephesians 1:17 “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”
Instead, the church rebelled against God’s word and God turned His face from the church leaving the church powerless against her enemies. The children sing “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there's nothing my God cannot do,” but the adults say this is what we believe about God. Those are just stories, or they say God does not do that anymore. Jesus said, Matthew 18:6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!” It is not just children who are being led astray. 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 17 These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”
The only place in the bible where we see God’s power stop is when God’s people rebel against Him. Nowhere in the bible does it say the power of God stopped because it was no longer necessary. The church received power and authority at Pentecost, and the church was to go to the ends of the earth in that power and then the end would come. Instead of repenting, doctrines and theology are formulated to explain the lack of power and try to make powerlessness acceptable, as if it is God’s plan for the church. That is satan’s deception and delusion brought on by God. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” The bible is read as just a story, even a myth that took place long ago. They talk about what Jesus did, not what He is doing. Many have accepted the powerlessness church but when you look around so many need to be healed or have demons cast out of them. The church should spend less time trying to disprove the word of God and spend more time believing the word of God. Many think the bible doesn’t relate to the culture today, but the bible is the living word of God who king Nebuchadnezzar came to understand. The church must do the same. Daniel 4:3 “How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.” King Darius said after God saved Daniel from the lion’s den, Daniel 6:26 “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. 27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth.” These two kings were not even the kings of Israel or Judah. We must seek God and pray that His power returns to the church.
The God of today’s church is small and powerless. Sure, the church may put on a good show on a Sunday morning and have exhilarating music and entertaining preaching, even powerful preaching, yet there is no power. The church has adapted to the lack of power and calls it normal Christianity. Churches that are completely powerless but from a worldly perspective are powerful and following as if they have been sent by God, but it is not God they are following. The God of scripture is not the powerless God the church worships. The Babylonians were a powerful and fierce nation, but they were no match for God. Here we see the power and sovereignty of God. As Babylon was attacking Judah, King Zedekiah had Jeremiah imprisoned for speaking the word of the Lord. Jeremiah 32:3 “Now Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him there, saying, “Why do you prophesy as you do? You say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 4 Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape the Babylonians but will certainly be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him with his own eyes. 5 He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will remain until I deal with him, declares the Lord. If you fight against the Babylonians, you will not succeed.’” He did not listen and Jerusalem was destroyed.
While this was happening, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. He was told to buy a field. That is like buying a house in the path of a tornado. Jeremiah obeyed and bought the field. Jeremiah 32:13 “In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: 14 ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. 15 For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’” Jeremiah had already prophesied they would be in captivity seventy years. Jeremiah 25:8 “Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, 9 I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin. 10 I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.”
Not only did God say they would be freed in seventy years, fields and vineyards would be bought again. After the documents were sealed, Jeremiah prayed to God and said, Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. 18 You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, 19 great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. 20 You performed signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours. 21 You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror. 22 You gave them this land you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law; they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster on them.” Jeremiah acknowledged the power of God but had a question. 24 “See how the siege ramps are built up to take the city. Because of the sword, famine and plague, the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians who are attacking it. What you said has happened, as you now see. 25 And though the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians, you, Sovereign Lord, say to me, ‘Buy the field with silver and have the transaction witnessed.’” You want me to buy land when everything is about to be destroyed?
God then gives this answer. This answer is not like the God the church has bowed to. Jeremiah 32:26 “Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” The God who just said this created the universe just by speaking. Joshua 4:23 “For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” Before they crossed the Jordon, Joshua sent spies to look over the land. Rahab who had hidden the spies, said to them “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.” The people of the land feared God, but God’s own people did not. The first time the spies were sent out, they came back with a bad report and then Numbers 14:1 “That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
God’s own people would not acknowledge the power of their own God, just as the church today does not acknowledge the power of God. Both have paid a severe price. It is time to return God’s word and gain understanding of who our powerful and sovereign God is. Psalm 22:27 “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 28 for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.” 2 Chronicles 30:8 “Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you.” 1 Chronicles 29:10 “David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. 11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 12 Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. 13 Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.”
