Difficulties among Christians

Comment by Frank on April 9, 2012 at 9:46am

Peter, how rightly you observe.

The word "Pastor" is not a title, nor should anyone use it as such. To attach the word "Pastor" to your name, is in my view just self glorification. The same would be true to adding the titles, "Elder", "Prophet" "Deacon" etc. 

Despite saying that, I have pastored and taught amongst the saints for decades, but have never been appointed to a church, or appointed by a church. (In fact I have been thrown out of several).

Pastoring and teaching is just something I do because that is my calling from above. I am not even particularly conscious of it as it is ingrained in my spiritual nature. I have never gone around telling anyone that my calling is pastoral, as that is merely an attempt to get followers, and to gain admiration. If my thoughts and encouragement is effective, then I have brought Jesus to bear in their lives.  They are free to enjoy or ignore whatever I may have.

To be pastoral I do not need a crowd of people sat at my feet! Much of the time my activity is just one to one, at other times it is small groups. Sometimes it is simply a group conversation I instigate at my workplace. I desire no following nor to lead anyone. If they see something about my life that inspires, then I have been successful. I hate showing myself off, as if on display at church on sunday, which is how I see church leadership. I just want to walk a Jesus walk for my own sake, everyday living by the spirit.

I do not say all this to boast. My wife and I have been out of the IC for several years now. We both realised that we could not possibly grow in any of them because they were not institutions that God had inspired. We both realised that we are far more effective if we continue our journey outside the system. It is far more important for us to pursue our own spiritual destination than worry that others are going the wrong way. 

Comment by Frank on April 16, 2012 at 2:23am

Shawnice, at some short time in the future, you will laugh at how awkward you previously felt being outside of the "safety" of the church system. My wife and I revel in our freedom. I am not joking, there are times when we dance around the room laughing at ALL the wonderful spiritual life that we have received from God since we left the prison camp.

Free, free as a bird, just as God meant us to be.

Satan with all the help he gets from the IC doctrines, places a big burden of guilt on the shoulders of the believers if they are not constantly bowing down before the hierarchy who "look after" the poor little sheep.

Comment by Frank on April 16, 2012 at 2:39am

Shawnice, do you understand spiritual warfare. Have you ever done deliverance from demons, especially upon yourself?

I ask this because the IC system is a demonic construct from Satan which is designed to control the saints and prevent them from functioning. Don't forget what Jesus said to the church leaders of the day.-

"Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. YOU SHUT UP THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN to men. You neither enter in yourselves and you prevent those who are trying from entering."

Jesus said "the Kingdom of heaven is nigh unto you", but the church has shut that kingdom by replacing it with a pretend system of fake spiritual life, ie. church activity. The Greek word "hypocrite" means "play actor". ie. its all a pretense.

If we entered a temple of some other religion, we would rightly expect to get demonised. If we bow down to a Baal based system such as the IC, then we will also be demonised, and we will not only need to repent of making men into Lords and Masters over our spiritual life, but we will need to throw out those demonic powers which make us feel condemned and guilt ridden when we escape.

Each denomination has various ruling spirits over them. Ask God for discernment.

I speak from experience. I delivered myself from many Christian religion based demons going back decades after we left the system. It was wonderfully liberating. It enabled us to think and see far more clearly.

Comment by Jim London on April 16, 2012 at 7:23am

Frank, would you be willing to point to a pattern in the NT of believers in Christ being counselled to deliver themselves from demons related to their past religious settings, whether that past was legalistic Judaism or pagan idolatry? As I mentally review the turnings to Christ in the narratives and the content of the epistles, I cannot think of any. I can, of course, think of "turning from ... to serving God" or "putting off ...and putting on" or "not being conformed ... but be transformed", etc, etc but I'm at a loss for casting of demons out of self. Thanks.

Comment by Frank on April 16, 2012 at 9:19am

Jim,

Before I answer in detail, do you not believe that a Christian can have a demon?

Comment by Frank on April 16, 2012 at 9:23am

Jim, do you mind telling me, have you been involved in deliverance from demonic powers, and have you ever cast a demon out of anyone.

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