Mary Lindow
Senior Member
Joined: 01/12/2005
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 762
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Posted: 10/08/2008 at 2:35am
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THE CURRENT LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY -
IT'S ALL ABOUT CHARACTER
by Mary Lindow
WHERE HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE OF INTEGRITY GONE?
You can hear folks saying this everywhere as the financial markets are gasping in shock! "Who would ever believe that we could be "duped" by a few high rollers?
How does this happen and - why didn't anybody warn us or...
...do something?!!!"
AND!
Just listen to the lips of current politicians flapping in the breeze and you will hear more deceit and bloated empty promises spewing out like rapid machine gun fire!
Absolutely nauseating!
THE REALIZATION OF A MASSIVE TRUTH -
IT CAN ALSO HAPPEN TO YOU!
In Galatians 5:19-21 Paul lists the works of the 'flesh' (“sinful nature”).
In the middle he mentions “idolatry, sorcery” (NKJV) or “idolatry and witchcraft” (NIV).
THE CONTROL CONNECTION
Our fallen, rebellious, sinful nature, if not brutally dealt with - this insidious root can deceive even the Christian believer if he of she is not transparent before God and is in humble, healthy and mature relational accountability to other members in the Body of Christ! (Not easy to do…but healthy!)
HUMILITY HAS NO PROBLEM EXPOSING ITSELF.
It is a natural outpouring of what is in the heart of a true follower
when put under the pressure of the test of exposure.
NOTICE THAT SOME BELIEVERS OPENLY CONFESSED
THEIR SINS TO ONE ANOTHER!
Acts 19:18
Many of those who believed
now came and openly confessed their evil deeds.
AND AGAIN IN THE BOOK OF JAMES ALL BELIEVERS ARE URGED
TO CONFESS THEIR SINS HUMBLY TO ONE ANOTHER, AND
ALLOW THEM TO BE PRAYED FOR AND HEALED OF HIDDEN INIQUITIES!
Therefore confess your sins to each other ,
and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
James 5:16
DEFINITION:
Accountability - noun
EX: "There must be accountability for the expenditure of every public cent responsibility." liability
answerability
Accountable- adjective
( of a person, organization, or institution) required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible
THIS NATURE OF THE FLESH OFTEN MANIFESTS ITSELF,
EVEN IN INFANCY,
IN EFFORTS TO CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE.
We feel secure if we can control others.
Then they do not threaten us; they do what we want!
GOD, ON THE OTHER HAND, NEVER SEEKS TO CONTROL US.
He respects the free will He has given each of us, although He does hold us responsible for how we use that freedom.
THERE ARE THREE WAYS THE DESIRE TO CONTROL OTHERS
EXPRESSES ITSELF:
MANIPULATION
INTIMIDATION
DOMINATION
THE GOAL IS DOMINATION.
People who recognize that they are weaker than those they seek to control tend to manipulate; those who feel stronger tend to intimidate. But the end purpose is the same: to dominate - that is, to control others and get them to do what we want.
MANY FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS PORTRAY THIS.
Husbands intimidate their wives by fits of rage or actual violence. Wives manipulate their husbands by tears and hurt feelings, and often making them feel guilty for their shortcomings. Parents frequently intimidate or manipulate their children.
But, alternatively, children can become extremely adept at manipulating their parents.
ONE MAIN TOOL OF MANIPULATION IS GUILT.
Once we learn to recognize the desire to control others as an evil, manipulative force,
we will see it at work in many different areas.
ONCE WE RECOGNIZE THESE DEVICES AS DISGUISES OF WITCHCRAFT,
WE REALIZE THAT IN OUR CONTEMPORARY AND POST MODERN CULTURE WE ARE BEING EXPOSED CONTINUALLY TO ITS PRESSURE!
This gives new meaning to Paul's statement in II Corinthians 4:4 that
“the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers” (NIV).
People who habitually use manipulation or intimidation to control others will be taken over by a demonic and deceitful spirit masquerading itself in many cloaked forms, often shifting it's present demeanor in order to influence others to their way of thinking, but still is a form of witchcraft. After that they will be unable to relate to anyone apart from these tactics.
NOW IT WILL NO LONGER BE JUST THE FLESH AT WORK, BUT A NEW, SUPERNATURAL POWER THAT CAN BRING THE PERSON(S) THEY CONTROL INTO A CONDITION OF SPIRITUAL SLAVERY.
WHENEVER THIS KIND OF CONTROLLING RELATIONSHIP
EXISTS BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE,
the person being controlled almost invariably needs deliverance from witchcraft.
Likewise, the person exercising control needs deliverance.
“He who conceals his sins does not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
Proverbs 28:13
“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "-
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Selah
Psalm 32:5
BUT EACH PERSON MUST MEET THE CONDITIONS
FOR BEING DELIVERED.
I confess my iniquity;
I am troubled by my sin.
Psalm 38:18
ON ONE SIDE,
THE PERSON EXERCISING CONTROL MUST REPENT
AND RENOUNCE HIS OR HER DESIRE TO CONTROL.
ON THE OTHER SIDE,
THE PERSON BEING CONTROLLED MUST REPENT
OF SUBMITTING TO SUCH CONTROL AND MUST SEVER THE BINDING RELATIONSHIP.
(This does not mean necessarily a separation from the relationship, unless, of course it pertains to Satanic Ritual Abuse type dynamics… but a healthy detaching from 'being controlled' as the relationship function.
Fear is at work underneath this structure… fear of man…etc.)
FEAR OF MAN
It is obvious that we must fear God rather than man. If we fear man more than God,
we will displease God most of the time, because man's ways are usually opposite of God's.
THE WORD "FEAR" MEANS TO "TREMBLE".
The fear of man may be evidenced by fashion-consciousness, by being easily embarrassed (even when doing right), by a quickness to defend ourselves (with lies, if need be), by constant lies and deceptions to gain honor from others, by pretending to understand when we don't, by giving compliments which we don't mean, by pretending to agree when we should disagree, by avoiding giving criticisms and warnings even when necessary, etc.
OBVIOUSLY, A MAN-FEARER WILL NOT ONLY DISPLEASE GOD,
BUT WILL ALSO ULTIMATELY BE CONSIDERED TOTALLY UNSTABLE
AND UNTRUSTWORTHY BY OTHERS - BECAUSE HE WILL CHANGE HIS MIND AS SOON AS HE FACES SOMEONE ELSE.
In other words, the "honor" that he receives is only a momentary acknowledgement for "convenience" provided by his man-pleasing deed. Man-fearers are "used" and then despised. Nobody names his or her sons Herod (who killed one who he believed was "risen from the dead", MAT 14) or Pilate (who killed one who was "a just person", MAT 27-1)
WHO KNOWS WHEN A "MAN-FEARER" MAY TURN AGAINST YOU,
AND "SLAY" YOU, SO AS TO OBTAIN HONOUR FROM MEN?
Furthermore, even if a man-fearer was loved by another, he himself is not loved but rather his pretended-self is the "one" that is loved.
FEAR OF GOD
"The fear of the LORD
is the beginning of wisdom"
PROVERBS 9: 10
The word 'fear" means to "reverence".
One who fears God is more concerned about what God thinks than what men think (ACTS 4:19) The result of such fear is a single-minded obedience to God's Word, and a single-minded aim to glorify God.
A GOD-FEARER IS WILLING TO SUFFER SHAME
AND PAIN RATHER THAN TO DISOBEY GOD
(like Daniel and his friends, DAN 3).
THE FEAR OF GOD IS THE RESULT OF LOVING HIM
BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US, fearing Him because He is constantly watching us, and expecting from Him all our present and eternal rewards. Since man's ways are usually opposite to God's, there will be a continuous struggle in us whether to honor God or man.
The fear of God is evidenced by a godly carefulness regarding being "In fashion",
a slowness to be embarrassed before men, a speech that will not only compliment but also warn (in a gracious and loving manner, ROM 10:18), a quickness to defend God's honor and a quickness to admit one's mistakes, a caution to accept lavish compliments and a quickness to give the glory to God.
ONE WHO FEARS GOD IS STABLE, PREDICTABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY -
He or she will simply obey God's Word and will not change his mind because of man's faces or “undertones of condescension.”
CONCLUSION :
WE MUST STOP JUST "ACTING" SPIRITUAL - WE MUST "BE" SPIRITUAL,
We must stop concentrating on the outside and start concentrating on the inside.
Management gurus say that there is no formula for success but God says:
"Keep therefore the words of this covenant,
and do them,
so that you may flourish in all that you do"
(DEU 29:9).
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Duplication and re-transmission of this writing is welcomed provided that complete source and website information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You
Copyright © 2008" THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
__________________
The International Prophetic Mentoring Council
“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser, Mentor a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.” Proverbs 9:9
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Topic: THE CURRENT LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY - IT’S ALL ABOUT CHARACTER
