"THAT Will Keep You From All That God Wants You To Be"

This is what Steve Furtick an Arminian pastor spoke about on TBN a "Christian" television station preached. We are told the same thing by Joyce Meyer a woman preacher and TV personality. We are not attacking any of them personally or questioning their salvation. We have no right to judge this.

The idea presented by all these preachers is that we can certain things in our lives as Christians the prevents or frustrates God from achieving ALL that he has planned for us. Does this sou like the God of the Bible? Not to us!

Where in Scripture do we see these messages? We suppose that the off-quoted passage where Paul advises believers to "quench not the Spirit" would be brought forth. Is this a proper application of this passage in I Thessalonians 5.19? The Greek word translated "quench" (shenumai) means precisely that; "stifle, suppress". This is simply saying stay faithful; do not apostatize. This is an equivalent warning as is found in Hebrews 3.12, " Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God". Notice they are called brethren. They are brethren until they apostatize. The Greek word translated "departing" is apostasia which means literally to turn away. This is the same Greek word found in the Septuagint which is used for the Hebrew word meshuba meaning to turn away or apostatize in the Hebrew bible.

A continued "quenching of the Holy Spirit" is a mark of unbelief, not the mark of what some Arminians call a "backslidden" Christian. In fact, there is no such thing as a continually "backslidden" Christian. All the passages where the term "backsliding" occurs, are in Jeremiah and Hosea. In all these passages it means apostasy. It has no reference to the faithful. Yes it is true that we have passages like these in Jeremiah and Hosea, "Turn, O backsliding children says the Lord; for I am married to you; and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, a I will bring you to Zion" (Jer. 3.14), or "Return, you backsliding children and I will heal your backsliding. Behold we come to you; for you are the Lord our God" (Jer. 3.22). At times Israel did return to God. But how did Stephen at a later time summarize the history of Israel? "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit; as did your fathers did so do you. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom you have now the betrayers and murderers" (Acts 7.51-52).

Good is not surprised by any event or feelings that come into a believer's life. He will not permit any temptation to enter a Christian's life that will cause his apostasy. For a time they may fall into certain temptations, even succumb to them, but He is using these events to produce a stronger Christian; a TESTED Christian! At this moment, God is working ALL THINGS for the good of a believer. For his elect there is only victory, even in a defeat,. Otherwise why these words from Paul:

"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are persecuted, but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed; a always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh" (II Cor. 4.8-11).

Before Paul said any of these thrilling words he based them on an equally inspiring statement, "God has commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (II Cor. 4.6). This the command of God for every believer, it cannot be countermanded, affected, reduced or eliminated by ANY man or FEELING or ACTION! The almighty God who commanded this light will bring us out of any misery insecurity or misgivings we may have. Are have victory not as something we will have only, but as something we already have, "Theretofore my beloved brethren, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (I Cor. 15.58).

All these tons do not negate the possibility at li!e the prodigal son, believed may wander FOR A TIME until God brings them home. But he WILL bring them home because all their wanderings THEY WERE STILL CHILDREN. And because they had the right to sonship, God their father brought em home.

Some will object that this kind of theology will produce Christians who will live as they please. Let the slander weigh their limited-human-logic against the clear teachings of scripture. These words of scripture are a rock of comfort and assurance for those who love Jesus but are still in this sinful flesh. God is with us!