The powers of darkness have much more power and authority over our thinking than most people are willing to admit. I have been writing sermons to preach, blog articles, news briefs, and books for many years now as I am led by the Holy Spirit, but one thing I have noticed is that some things have a much greater appeal than others. I wonder if it’s just how the wind is blowing or if there is a much greater force at work leading people to either accept or reject what is being said. I have noticed also that the world can lose interest in a topic or story very quickly even if it’s of great importance. They say that humanity’s retention span is about two weeks. The news outlets and social media platforms are keen on that idea and are quick to develop new interests to pull humanity along giving them new things to pique their interest, giving them new thoughts to control them, to consume their time. As a pastor for many years, I have discovered that many who claim to know and follow the Lord are not much different than the world by always wanting something new to pique their interest. Moreover, I have found that they are always desiring new undiscovered truth instead of understanding the depth of God’s plan for humanity.

This kind of thinking has led to cults, new denominations, or religions, and even a trackback to atheism. The powers of darkness are wielding such great power upon the minds of humanity that many in our day are losing complete interest in the simple truth of Christ’s glorious Gospel. Well, I hate to disappoint you, but the simple gospel has not changed in over two thousand years. It is the same. Unfortunately, most have either forgotten it all together or they have really never known it. What they have done is added so much to the simple gospel that it’s no longer the same, and it has lost all its original power. It has simply become religious dogma or the latest doctrine to enter the church. The real untampered gospel is so powerful that it could turn the entire world upside down as it did in the first century. It is so powerful it can truly change people into something quite foreign to the modern world. It’s so powerful that the modern world would see it as an anomaly. It would truly change everything causing the powers of darkness to enact the old persecutions to stop it.

We have ventured so far away from the simple gospel that we are no longer a threat to the powers of darkness. We are no longer a threat to Satan’s reign. Like sheep, most will follow the world into an alternate reality consuming their time and telling them exactly what they should be thinking about every moment of every day. They don’t want you to be free to think for yourselves. They don’t want you to be free to do anything constructive for the Lord. They don’t want you to be free to experience the new life in Christ by being transformed from one degree of glory to another. They don’t want you to be free to hear the still small voice of God. They don’t want you to be free long enough to learn the depth and power of this simple gospel. The powers of darkness want all your time on social media believing that you are making a difference but in fact you are only doing mundane things that are not making a real difference in your life or the life of others. Eventually, they want you in the Metaverse as I explained in my new book, “God’s Loving Pursuit” where you will be led into a new alternate reality and further away from your Creator. The powers of darkness want all your time chasing the latest news articles, the latest courtroom scenes, or the next political race that promises to change everything.

Jesus Christ who originally shared the gospel first to His disciples, then to the crowds that followed Him, now continues to share it today through His faithful remnant. So, how powerful is the Gospel? It is more powerful than a double-edged sword, which means it can cut two ways, first to expose all the evil in the old sin nature and then the other way by bringing forth great conviction and deep sorrow. The Word of God in its purity with no mixture of error can prepare the soul to receive their new resident, the Holy Spirit of God. The Bible says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). When this happens, it will bring forth true repentance, then the Holy Spirit will begin immediately the process of transformation in Christ. It will bring forth an immediate joy beyond comprehension as the new disciple believes in the death and resurrection of Christ with all its promises of a new life in Christ. Unfortunately, many take this first step of faith, which opens the door, and that’s as far as they get because they start chasing one perverted doctrine after another. They never go on to experience the new life in Christ.

If we really want to experience the new life in Christ, then we must press on staying focused only on those things that will help us to put off the old life from being led around by the nose by the powers of darkness. This is a big step that many never take; what they do in the place of it is learn how to play church. You will quickly learn that putting off the old life will drive you further and further away from the fallen world, (and even alienating you from many of your fellow church members). It will cause you to loathe the sin exposed in your life moving you to stop the trespass immediately. You will soon discover that with every evil put out of our life there is a corresponding good to be put in the place of it. This corresponding good comes from the Holy Spirit most often through the reading of the Bible, which was written under the inspiration of the Spirit. Putting the good in the place of the bad will gloriously fill your time causing you to grow up in Christ, to become all that He wants you to be. In time those things in the world that keep fallen humanity busy are no longer appealing.

Being satisfied with the simple Gospel and putting off the old life and putting on the new life in Christ will have a profound effect upon you. It will drive you to face-to-face relationships with people who are doing the same. These new relationships will discover new ways to teach their children privately. They will discover new ways to occupy their time in worship and praise. They will discover how to use their Spiritual gifts to build others up in Christ, which will take more time than they think. They will discover how to truly come out from among those in the fallen world. They will continually look to Jesus Christ alone to direct their path every moment of every day. In these new relationships, you will soon discover that this is God’s plan for humanity, a magnificent plan of allowing God’s love to flow through you to others. Stop for a moment and try to imagine a world like this, a world built on godly love for one another. When this begins to happen, believe me, the world will take notice. They will do everything in their power to stop what Christ is doing in your midst. However, God’s chosen children will continue to spread the gospel among the heathen trusting in Christ to bring the victory (see Revelation 19:11-21). It was possible in the first century for just a brief moment in time after the resurrection of Christ and it can be possible again through faith. Lord, raise up your faithful remnant like the army from heaven to bring forth your Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven (see Matthew 6:10)