SPIRITUAL
INTOXICATION
©
Morris Ruddick
The
term “man or woman of God” is normally reserved for one who walks
in God's presence and is advancing His Kingdom. Yet, amid those
who normally carry this label is a dynamic that shouldn't be so.
It is a form of spiritual intoxication; a perversion that mistakes
and can displace the work of the Spirit with the results of human
effort. It is the consequence of a subtle mix of seduction and
idolatry.
The
wrong response to the accomplishments or successes of those “doing
a work for the Lord” can result in spiritual intoxication. Confusing
the work of the Spirit with well-intentioned, but distinctly human
effort bears the mark of spiritual intoxication. It releases a
contagion and spiritual short-sidedness that can cloud spiritual
realities tied to strategic junctures and fresh directions ordained
by the Spirit.
Jesus
spent a considerable portion of His earthly ministry outlining
the principles for those who would serve as facilitators to release
“the Kingdom of God.” These principles are both the pathway and
standard for maintaining the flow of the power of God. They are
the fundamental principles of biblical dominion, of ruling over
the work of God's hands; and are essential for the shift into
the next move of God, with its unique focus and priorities.
Beyond
Human Effort: the Kingdom Distinction
Kingdom
principles in many instances are paradoxes to the way the world
around us, or for that matter far too many Christian organizations
seem to operate. The bottom line is that while we must give God
our best; the results that will make a difference will come from
that sphere that is beyond our human efforts. It is the reason
that again and again, we see incredible things happen through
people who don't fit the mold; those we far too frequently judge
to be God's most unlikely candidates.
The
gift of God operating within us is just that: it is a gift. The
scripture tells us: first the natural, then the spiritual. So
it is with that unique gift that God has granted to each of those
who are known by His Name. It is when we combine that natural
gifting with the spiritual gifting, that the anointing truly begins
to flow. And when the combined natural and spiritual gifting begin
operating under the anointing; it is the basis for the call of
God, or what some refer to as our destiny, to begin unfolding.
This
is the matrix that operated for Joseph the Patriarch at each step
in his tenure in Egypt: in Potiphar's house; in prison; and as
second in charge of all of Egypt. It was the foundation for the
multiplied impact by which God, through Joseph: simultaneously
set in motion an initiative that offset the destruction that was
coming upon the earth in that time; brought about His redemptive
purposes for His people; and became a blessing to the people of
Egypt.
The
Shift
So,
before us is a similar juncture. The shift we have been discerning
is to offset destruction; accomplish God's redemptive purposes;
and unveil the Lord through His people to those of the world living
under oppression, affliction and sorrow.
As
we enter into the shift, the key issue is this: operating beyond
our human effort. The Church is crying out for God's power. Yet,
it will never see any more than the periphery of His power until
it is delivered from its dependence and captivation with the sensory
level. When the trappings of success have seduced and thrilled
the followers of a church of 14,000 so that everyone is shocked
when the foundations are laid bare, it is time for serious reevaluation.
It is indeed a crossroad from which we must reevaluate our model
and standard of success.
Spiritual
Seduction and Idolatry
So,
as I was praying about this dynamic---that overshadows and undermines
the power of God and clouds the genuine work of the Spirit; I
found myself being drawn afresh to the Word given to the Church
at Thyatira:
“To
the church in Thyatira. I know all the things you do—your love,
your faith, your service, and your endurance. I can see your constant
improvement in all these things. But
I have this against you. You are permitting that Jezebel who calls
herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She is encouraging
them in idolatry and seduction. I
gave her time to repent, but she would not turn away from her
depravity. So, she will suffer
greatly with all those seduced by her, unless they turn away from
their spiritual decadence. I will
strike her children dead. All the churches will know that I am
the one who searches the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Each will be given whatever they deserve. I
also have a message for the rest of you who have not been seduced
into this pathway. Hold tightly to what you have until I come.
To all who are victorious, who obey me to the end, I will give
authority over the nations. They
will rule the nations with an iron rod and have the same authority
I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning
star! Listen to the Spirit and
understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” Rev
2:18-29
Understanding
the profile of a Jezebel begins with the story of the Israelite
King Ahab and his trophy-wife, Jezebel. Modern-day Jezebels can
be male or female, so the problematic personalities are not gender-specific.
Simultaneously, the other side of the story was Ahab: the one
that Jezebel controlled and “control” is a key word to unmasking
them. Ahab, bequeathed the mantle and power he had as King, to
Jezebel. The issue with the original Jezebel, as with the Jezebel
referred to in Revelation is the same: power. Jezebels undermine
and usurp the power of God. The process reflected by their magnetism,
seduction and the consequential idolatry is the same. It results
in driving the focus away from God and through spiritual guile,
into the realm of human effort and displaced worship. In short,
the Jezebels divert and dilute the purposes of God.
The
cunning dimension to the operation of the Jezebels is the people-following
they create by their enticing, persuasive charms. The even more
devilish dimension is the witchcraft that is created by the appeal
to the “deeper soulish- and spiritual-levels;” with results from
human efforts being embraced, as from God. The Jezebels are the
ones in ministry circles who bring spiritual distraction and decadence
that diverts people from genuine moves of God.
Discerning
Those Operating Outside Their Spheres
The
Jezebel spirit brings tragic results as reflected when it emerged
directly following the success brought by the prophet sent to
the reprobate King Jeroboam in I Kings 13:
“
The man of God said to the king, the Lord commanded me not
eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way. So
he left by another route from the way he came to Bethel. On the
way, an old prophet came to him and said, ‘Come home with me and
eat bread, for I too am a prophet and an angel spoke to me to
bring you back to my house, that you may eat bread and drink water.'
Then, as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the
old prophet and he cried out,
saying, ‘Thus says the Lord : Because you have disobeyed the word
of the Lord , ate bread, and drank water, your corpse shall not
come to the tomb of your fathers.'” 1 Kings 13:4-22
For
those called to the forefront of God's initiatives, especially
those that involve Israel and the extension of God's authority
into the marketplace, there is a balance that cannot be overlooked.
Leadership and direction must come from those anointed and called
into these specific spheres; which requires discerning those with
the specific anointing and authority for these spheres. Discerning
the anointing, that bears the authority for the calling, will
be evidenced by its fruit.
Maintaining
Spiritual Sobriety and Focus
To
maintain spiritual sobriety and focus, we need to grasp the subtleties
of spiritual intoxication. To intoxicate is to stupefy or excite
to where reality loses its focus. Spiritual intoxication is the
state in which we become blinded to the spiritual realities happening
around us. Spiritual intoxication results in distortions that
cause us to miss that ever-narrowing pathway the Lord Jesus told
us we must follow. It is the condition that results from the seed
being sown in shallow soil or in the thorns, as outlined in the
parable of the sower.
The
real targets of spiritual intoxication are not the immature or
those young in their faith. Those the enemy would like to ensnare
with this tactic are the seasoned warriors who have been paving
new ground and making a difference. They are those who have realized
that the shift is drawing neigh and that there will be change
in the order of the battles and focus before us. As such, it is
an admonition to avoid the tragic end experienced by the 1 Kings
13 prophet who failed to heed the word God gave him and never
entered the fullness he was destined for … because of being sidetracked
and failing to double-check things with the Lord when the unexpected
fell upon him.
Unto
him that much is given, much is required. This message is an admonishment
that we can't afford to start coasting or lose our perspective
on priorities by letting the cart get before the horse. Otherwise,
we'll find ourselves stupefied and befuddled; and even worse,
off-course. It is a word to alert us to the intoxication that
can result from success. Success is illusive and not an end in
itself or an indication to take our hand from the plow. Elijah
was sent to challenge and bring down the power of Ahab and Jezebel;
but more importantly, to sober up the spiritually intoxicated.
The
Model and Standard for Success
The
goal is not our activities, nor is it our “successes.” From the
beginning, God made man to rule over the work of His hands in
a cooperative, interactive process --- together with Him. The
standard is a God-centered, entrepreneurial one. It is one that
brings life, not only in its result, but within the process. It
is one that multiplies, not because of our technique, but because
we operate as givers of Life.
Jesus
was entrepreneurial in His approach. He challenged the status
quo and He took risks. Faith and risk, when based on time with
the Lord, go hand in hand. The growth of the early Church was
entrepreneurial until it became institutionalized and stagnated.
Revival is always entrepreneurial, with the Holy Spirit driving
it. Despite their reputation and outward appearance, the Church
at Sardis was rebuked because they had inwardly become dead. So
it is when we use the wrong models, individually or organizationally,
as our standard for success.
Our
activities and accomplishments must be an outgrowth of that time
with Him. The issue demands the level of devotion that comes from
being a God-pleaser rather than a man-pleaser. Hearing the voice
of the Lord cannot be based on hearsay, gossip or the latest Internet
posting. It begins and ends with us individually in that time
aside, spent in His presence.
Spiritual
intoxication from being a man-pleaser was at the crux of King
Saul's demise. King David also stumbled hard, but not as a man-pleaser.
The first words to David from Nathan the prophet dealt with the
central issue: “ Why did you despise Me?” David understood
immediately. The core to his problem was the relational breach
with the Lord.
David,
as a shepherd boy, genuinely embraced the heart of God. His calling
and many years of spiritual travail and birthing was a consequence
of his early days spent in God's presence. Then when the success
came, he became intoxicated with what had come to pass from the
Hand of the Lord; and began riding the wave and ignoring the Lord.
His sin with Bathseba was the result. So it is for us that such
things should not be so. We are at a juncture and cannot afford
to become intoxicated with the blessings and successes the Lord
brings our way as stepping-stones into higher-levels of His purposes.
Avoiding
Spiritual Intoxication
Part
of the seduction and intoxication is because of the limited prism
from which we view what the Spirit is doing. The “successes” within
the Western world need to be put in the context of what is happening
in the two-thirds of the world where there is little or no middle
class; that part of the world the Psalmist described as experiencing
oppression, affliction and sorrow. When that occurs, it will reorient
our concept of success and unveil a better grasp of our role,
responsibility and connection to those segments of the Body being
persecuted and oppressed for their faith.
In
avoiding the seduction and intoxication, we likewise need to guard
against those we see operating with high levels of manipulation
and control; as this modus operandi uncovers the clues to those
who undermine the power of God by attempting to do something for
God by the limited means of human efforts. The power of God will
flow not from human effort, but from spending time in His presence,
hearing His voice and becoming dispensers of the anointing that
results.
“
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,' shall enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father. Many
will say to Me, ‘Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast
out demons and done many wonders in Your name?' And
I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you
who practice lawlessness!” Matthew 7:21, 22
Finally,
as we double-check our standards of success and priorities, we
need to cast down our crowns and present ourselves as living sacrifices.
The shift is upon us and the Lord is removing dead wood from our
ranks. He is reviving us and giving us a new heart to embrace
the change that will unfold in the days before us.
“To
Shebna, I will throw you away violently and there you will die.
‘Then it shall be in that day, that I will call My servant Eliakim.
I will clothe him with your robe and strengthen him with your
belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall
be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of
Judah. The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder;
so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and
no one shall open. I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place,
and he will become a glorious throne to his father's house. ‘They
will hang on him all the glory of his father's house.'”
Is 22:15-23
_________________________________________
Morris
Ruddick is the author of “The Joseph-Daniel Calling” and “God's
Economy, Israel and the Nations,” each of which address God's
mobilization of the economic and community dimensions of His Word.
They are available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and other
popular outlets.
2006
Copyright Morris Ruddick — info@strategic-initiatives.org
Reproduction
is prohibited unless permission is given by a SIGN advisor. Since
1996, the Strategic Intercession Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized
prophetic intercessors committed to targeting strategic-level
issues impacting the Body on a global basis. For more information
on SIGN, check: www.strategicintercession.org
