“Do not be conformed into the image of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” “The Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth.” “God’s Word is Truth.” “The Holy Spirit will take what is mine (Jesus) and declare it to you.” “I desire obedience and not sacrifice.”
The reason apostasy is so rampant and is increasing among churches, among Christians, is that so many of us have neglected the Word of God in its entirety. We know the Gospel as it pertains to us individually, but we neglect Genesis through Revelation as the whole counsel of God, not searching out God’s plan of redemption, not searching out and understanding our own weakness and God’s provision for it, not searching out and understanding the strategy and tactics of our spiritual enemy, nor the tools of our warfare and how to use them effectively. “My people are destroyed (perish) for lack of knowledge.”
We are being told by the world and the spirit of Antichrist at work in the world what we should believe, and how the world defines Christianity and God’s love. The world DOES NOT know AGAPE, and it cannot know AGAPE (Greek for God’s sacrificial perfect love) because the world is not of God and is under the influence of the evil one. It only knows EROS (Greek for LUST). “The natural man cannot please God… and the natural man cannot accept the things of God’s Spirit but considers them foolishness, and the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit, because those things are only discerned by the Holy Spirit.”
Receiving Agape, requires repentance based on conviction by the Holy Spirit according to personal revelation of God’s Word. Without God’ Word and faith in it, there is no repentance. Without repentance, there is no transformation.
Repentance means we change our minds and direction about what the world says and what our feelings say, and INSTEAD line our will up with what God’s Word says is right, in opposition to what our feelings (EROS) and the world are telling us.
LORD God, Almighty, forgive us! We are so easily distracted, and to our own destruction! We have neglected your Word, and have failed to obey your ways O God! Have mercy on us, and help us turn from our wicked ways. Grant us discernment O Lord! Strengthen our weak wills by your Holy Spirit, and help us to recognize our deep need for the pure milk of your Word and to partake of it NOW, while it is freely available. We are perishing for lack of knowledge! You O God are not willing that any of us should perish, but that we all would turn to repentance. O LORD, raise up men and women who know you and know your Word, and grant them boldness to proclaim truth and to preach your Word, and teach the whole counsel of God, empowered by your Holy Spirit, that many would hear and believe and repent and be saved in these perilous times. O God hear!, O God forgive!, O God have mercy!, O God act!