2 Peter2:20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through [the full, personal] knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again become entangled in them and are overcome, their last condition is worse [for them] than the first. AMPC
God spoke this phrase to me this morning —entangled in sin. I had been concerned about someone in my life because I have been feeling rejected by that person. As I write I will refer to this person as Zoe.
God was showing me that when things get tough many turn away from Him —the very One they need. He said their condition after knowing Him and then turning from Him would be worse than their former state. The reason is that when we know what, Who we had — and then turn away from Him, we are fully aware of what we are doing. Actually the very words I heard from Zoe. Zoe knew, but Zoe had an opinion which Zoe exalted above God.
Someone like Zoe in the last moments before we stand before Jesus will hear the Words, you disregarded My commands, away from Me I never knew you (Matthew 7:21).
How does this dangerous place happen? God showed me that it happens, starts out when we entertain doubt. We are called to resist doubt but, if we entertain it instead we are resisting Jesus.
How does a simply doubtful thought get so dangerous? Doubt may seem as if it is a simply thought and one we look at as harmless, but, that doubt is just as much as a sin as when a man looks at women with lust (Matthew 5:28). Why? Because thoughts manifest into actions and actions then turn into sin.
Sin is opposed to the will of God and being opposed to the will of God is a result of blatantly rejecting God. What does that look like even is we call ourselves Christians? It looks like us blending in with the world, acting as though we haven’t been saved from our sins. It looks like saying one thing and doing another.
We can say we are Christians but if we don’t oblige God, really we’re not, we’re just liars.
Looking like the world and living in ignorance to God is opposed to looking like God. As His, if we are His we will look like Him—not the world. We will look different and even peculiar as we take on His will that transforms us.
In asking God about Zoe, I also had a dream and in the dream I was talking with a lady in my garage that sparkled. Her eyes glistened as she said —I think I know you from somewhere, is it church? I was in awe of her eyes and how they sparkled and it drew me to speechlessness because she illuminated Jesus. Why the garage and why was she in my garage? Even though my garage walls are white, to me a garage is usually a dark yucky place and the lady was visiting me in that place I was in, a dark yucky place in my life.
God was showing me through this dream that when we doubt and stay there we forget who we were in Him. I knew I was Zoe in this dream and I forgot what God looked like —and I was as well —forgotten. God was showing me through Zoe’s eyes where Zoe was at.
Jesus said that would happen in mark 4. He said if we don’t pay attention to the Word, even what we had is going to be taken from us. He said when we reject hearing we will forget what we knew was right. When we forget righteousness, and don’t pay attention to the Word, we invite sin. Getting entangled in sin — left unchecked will cause us to forget our salvation.
Entangled means twist, jumble, knot, snarl, or scramble. When we‘re entangled with sin, we don‘t know right from wrong anymore. That unclear state of mind, ones thinking without God has no surety or peace in it. Everything becomes messed up first in our thinking, then in our life.
When we’re entangled in sin, and as we doubt we won’t be recognized anymore as God‘s own. When we doubt we display confusion and act out confusion as we can’t sort right from wrong anymore.
After that God showed me the other side to the dream. Now in the dream He switched roles. Now I was the lady illuminating Jesus, I was who I am in real life to Zoe. God was showing me how Zoe sees me and how I am illuminating Jesus to Zoe.
When I was Zoe I was convicted by the lady and now I can see both sides. The conviction is meant to bring change and to draw God’s own to Him, but the choice it up to the person whether they come or not.
In the case of Zoe God showed me the enemy took that conviction and converted it to condemnation, then into offence, and then of course into sin.
Obviously sin is the result because we try to cover our pain, our self-condemnation with something, with a thing rather than go to God. Sin is a lot of things, but summed up sin is unbelief and unbelief is separation from God which ultimately causes us to run from God - and to sin instead.
The answer? If we are faithful to put Jesus first and have a close relationship with Him, then we will prosper in every area of our lives.
Nothing can overtake us when we allow Him in us. When we choose Jesus, He will empower us to be whole.
3 John 2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers. AMPC
The answer then -avoid entanglement with sin, resist doubt and submit to be committed to Jesus -stay with Him, prosper by giving Him your attention. Let Him do in you what is too hard for you to do without Him. It’s that simple, you can’t without Him. You can’t do anything without Him (John 15:1-11).
Jesus is He is looking for those who will commit to Him, those who won’t turn on Him. Jesus is looking for someone who won’t doubt someone who won’t allow doubt to separate them from Him.
In this last day as we are divided, know that the division is doubt, or belief! Which line will you be in?