CHURCH FOLK
And He asked him, "What is thy name?" And he answered saying, "My name is Legion: for we are many." Mark 5:9
This is an excerpt from the story in the bible about a man who was possessed with an evil spirit and dwelled in the tombs [caves]. His hands and feet had often been bound in chains, but no one could bind him anymore for he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. There was no one strong enough to subdue him. Night and day he would cry out among the caves and he would cut himself with stones.
When Jesus entered into the region in which this man dwelled He commanded that the spirit come out of the man. The man fell at the Lord's feet and the evil spirit begged the Lord not torture him. So the Lord asked what the spirit's name was and the spirit replied, "My name is Legion, for we are many".
This story is fascinating to me for three reasons:
1) Because for those who relinquish so much power to satan and feel defeated when he attacks, this story brings hope. For even the demons had to fall at The Lord's feet and beg not to be tortured by HIM. Even the evil spirits had to flee from this man's body when Jesus commanded!
2) It shows how merciful the Lord is. For when the Lord commanded the evil spirit out of the man's body and they begged that He send them into a herd of pigs, the Lord granted their request.
3) It is a sin and a shame that a LEGION of demons can dwell in ONE man's body without discord or confusion, yet a group of church folks can barely get along as members in the ONE body of Christ!
It is reason number 3 that fascinates me most.
A LEGION of men, women, or in this matter, evil spirits, can be translated into an army of about 6,000. So when this spirit refers to itself as Legion and says, "for we are many", this suggests that there were literally 1000s of demons in this man's body at one time. THOUSANDS!
How is it possible that 6,000 or so demons can dwell in one man's body without any conflict whatsoever, but put 60 folks in membership at any one church and all hell breaks loose?!!!!
Why is it that saved, sanctified and Holy Ghost filled Christians stir up so much dissension in the church?!!! Church Folk are some of the most divided group of people I've ever seen.
We first divide ourselves with Denominations. The very term itself means that several religious organizations unite themselves into single legal and administrative bodies of local congregations.
But as Christians, we are ALL members of ONE body (The Body of Christ), so why are we designating ourselves into different categories, cliques and individual organizations? When it's all said and done, we all fall under ONE GOD with ONE eternal goal -- to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And as far as I know, there will not be a specific heaven for each denomination of believers! We'll all reside there TOGETHER.
It is amazing to me, that demons, who are considered evil and un peaceful beings, can dwell amongst each other by the thousands and never be in conflict. They are all on one accord, with the same purpose and goal -- to steal, kill and destroy. There is no argument about which demon is assigned a higher position than another, or which demon gets to torment a more popular soul than another demon, or which demon is more favored, etc... They don't have those kinds of issues and yet they are evil.
Christians are holy, loving, joyous, peaceful people yet we will covet one another's possessions, pray hindrance prayers on one another, gossip about each other, form cliques within the church, fight and bicker over "positions" in the church, and the list goes on and on!
And then we wonder why people are not turning away from their lives of sin and "evil" to join our churches and serve the Lord! We must begin to think about the examples we are setting for the people we are trying to reach and I don't think we view ourselves as the role models we become whe we choose to serve the Most High God.
People are watching us and looking for the DIFFERENCES between themselves and us. If we can't show them more than just a ritual of attending church every Sunday morning and bible study every Wednesday night, falling out in the church aisles and speaking in tongues then we've got to take some time to examine ourselves and our spiritual walk with God.
Even demons know how to shout and speak in tongues. It's going to take more than that to draw men and women to Christ. It's going to be the God shining from within us that draws them.
So I have to ask, is God shining when I allow myself to get mad because someone else was chosen to be the head of the usher board over me?
Is God shining when I get jealous that my sister or brother got a new house this year and I didn't?
Is God shining when I am gossiping about my sister or brother behind their back?
Is God shining when I'm LISTENING to the gossip without convicting the gossiper?
What ever happened to UNITY in the body of Christ? Ephesians 4:2-6 (NIV) "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the UNITY of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is ONE body, and ONE Spirit -- just as you were called to ONE hope when you were called -- ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism; ONE God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and IN ALL!"
In these scriptures Paul impresses upon "Church Folk" that God made provision for ALL of us to live and work together in UNITY and grow together into spiritual maturity and oneness.
There is no UNITY in denominations ...
No UNITY in segregation ...
No UNITY in separatism ...
And no UNITY in conflict yet we, as Christians, engage in these practices ALL THE TIME!
"If a Kingdom is divided against itself, that Kingdom can not stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house can not stand! And if satan opposes himself and is divided, he can not stand; his end has come." Mark 3:24-26
Satan is more dedicated to our destruction than we are to our own salvation? To our own deliverance? To eternal life? To our Savior and His will for our lives?
I shudder at the thought, but it seems that even the devil realizes that he must keep his demons united, because the moment they divide against themselves, his end has come.
We are all ONE fold of sheep under ONE shepherd. I pray that we can come into ONENESS with each other under God, INDIVISIBLE, for without complete and total UNITY would it not follow that our end will come?
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in UNITY!" Psalms 133:1
Let us pray:
O' God, we pray for a renewing of our minds and a revival of our spirits that we may rebuke the spirit of division and separation. Breed in us a desire for unity amongst ALL Christians without regard for race, denomination, power or position so that you may return to a church of ONENESS.
May we flock together raising our hands, hearts and spirits to glorify YOU, our Great and Holy Shepherd, in peace, love and harmony...
Amen.
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Michele Royster is the author and publisher for the
Christian Women's Network Ministries newsletter.
To read more articles and publications by Mrs. Royster
visit the Christian Women's Network:
http://www.chrisitanwomensnetwork.org
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