The Spirit of Religion

Do you know what the spirit of religion is? First read James 1:26-27.
So religion, pure religion rather, is visiting the orphans and widows in their affliction and keeping yourself free from worldly influences. The Bible also has numerous examples of those who were seduced or affected by the evil spirit of religion. Acts 4:15-18, Mark 3:1-6, Matthew 15:2 just to name a few.
A demonic religious spirit tries to influence individuals and church congregations. This cunning spirit attacks from the top down. Any sin in the leaders of a church will be in the body but not all leaders have to be affected to see evidence of this sin in the church.
Religious people will have an arrogance of self righteousness to them always ready for righteous judgment to fall upon their enemies. God’s people must desire justice and mercy. How have some of us forgotten how vile we were before accepting Jesus Christ? Oh yeah, a perverted religious spirit got to us. A believer who isn’t fully given over to the Holy Spirit prays for God’s enemies to be confused and scatter and never for that enemy’s salvation. I was an enemy of Christ until I was saved at 18. Then later during a backslide, falling from grace, I’m surprised I’m alive today. He certainly loves me extravagantly, as He does you.
Let me ask you, how is your Sunday church experience? Are you bored? Tired of the same old broken attitudes? Is the worship service a spectator sport and not interactive?
1. Prayer request
2. Songs only of waiting for the trumpet
3. Sermon
4. Empty Alter Call
5. The Sizzler
Are you louder at home or at a sporting event than church?
Religious spirits hold onto traditions.
LORD HELP ME WITH HOW I FEEL ABOUT CHURCH MAN MADE TRADITION.
If the Lord’s mercies are new everyday then why are our services the same every Sunday??? Why is America in a battle for Christian rights?

THE SPIRIT OF RELIGION TAKES NO RESPONSIBILTY FOR THE STATE OF CURRENT AFFAIRS.

I’m not getting into politics and America yet, but yes the church is to blame. We have dishonored our Savior, hurt the brethren, condemned others, lost and limited our strength. Most in the “rural” church are stuck in tradition and waiting on the trumpet to sound.
Remember the questions I asked? Well see I asked because I was bored in church on Sunday. My spirit filled worship was stripped away from me. Granted I was also to blame. So many times I could have broken protocol and danced for Jesus like I did at home before service, I could have spoken up and said COME ON PASTOR when many were silent, but being a woman can have religious limitations in some denominations. I wanted to go to the alter many times but when I rededicated my life I will never forget hearing someone say that she had never been to the alter because she had never been bad…and the church laughed.
In my previous career we moved around all over the state of Alabama. Naturally, we visited, had a membership or regularly attended numerous churches, 14 to be exact. The body of Christ has so many good hearted people. Unfortunately, for numerous rural churches, most have no clue their trapped in religion, full of sleeping saints, and some I can say will never desire growth because that means traditions may change.
WHY ARE GOD’S PEOPLE SETTLING FOR LESS?
I could feel the Holy Spirit AND discern the spirit of religion limiting breakthroughs in numerous congregations. My heart hurts today because no one is intentionally allowing this evil spirit to affect them, well maybe a few are welcoming it.
I prayed and stayed at one church , because God wanted me to.
As you can imagine it became easier not to desire dancing for the Lord, and going to the alter to praise Him when attending a church that’s not on fire. Then an attack from the enemy hit me hard. One attack was at work and the other at church. I started watching more and more online sermons and reading more of my Bible. Many mornings I locked myself in the bathroom cried and prayed. At work I was being lied on, at church God given opportunities to help others were being rejected. Every praise I provided Jesus blessed it. Even on the hard days where complaining filled my spirit, He remembered me. See, the devil knew God was going to use me.. so he waged war. Another battle lost by the devil and I gained strength in my Lord. However I didn’t release one thing, bitterness. The rejections, sleeping saints and passivity of the rural churches had finally gotten to me. Don’t get me wrong, no church is perfect but I was sick over it. Sick at them but I was sick inside too.
Suddenly covid-19 hit.
At first I was refreshed by Sunday online worship. I loved dancing in my living room praising my Lord. It was nice to leave a service feeling better than when I arrived. That lasted 3 Sundays before my soul longed to be with the brethren.
One day while driving the Holy Spirit spoke to me the word TENACITY. My first thought was YES LORD I want to be more and more tenacious for you! Then nothing. Not a word, no goose bumps, or anything from the Holy Spirit for 60 days. Obviously I was foolish and boasting to the Lord that oh yeah I’m tenacious. He was really telling me how I needed to be tenacious for Him in the coming days. Those 60 days molded me. Spiritual attacks came from every side. I cried to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit begging just one of them to speak to me. I was on my knees more than ever, reading His word and doing my best to listen…crickets. I had done all I thought I could do to “earn” His presence. Not that we all don’t need to be on our knees praying and reading our Bible more, but I would remind the Lord of all I was doing, and how miserable it was without His presence. Then one day feeling exhausted I began praising God in my living room, I told Satan even if my savior never speaks another word to me I will tenaciously seek His face for He is my Hightower and strength! I will have victory but you are condemned to die and never sit on my God’s throne! To my knees I fell and begged the Lord for correction. I prayed that the Lord would correct me of any offense because I would rather have His correction than silence for I know He corrects those He loves. Immediately He spoke to my spirit Micah 4:13. I seriously can’t describe the way it felt to read my Father calling me a Daughter of Zion. I whaled and rejoiced! That verse began a journey into praying about “Arise and Thresh” as it pertained to my walk. Soon after the Holy Spirit showed me how I had allowed the spirit of religion to affect me as it was the church.

(See how God works, I cried out for correction but He showed me mercy and love first! Take a praise break if you know what I’m typing about)

I asked for forgiveness and repented. How could I have been so blind with scripture I already knew? Paul clearly wrote in Ephesians 6:12 that we’re not in a fight against flesh and blood… yet I too failed. However failure led to victory ONLY by GRACE. Now I can say my current assignment is clear. Partner with God & other believers to bring down the spirit of religion. I’ve had visions and dreams that Jesus desires His sheep and the lost to know of. First however I need you the reader to evaluate your relationship with Christ. Is it a Holy Spirit filled relationship your walking in, just an acquaintance, are you too dignified lose yourself in public for someone who died for you?

Seek HIM like never before, lose the pride. We must get back to knowing HIM FIRST.

Then we have to take action. I will have future blogs on so many EXCITING THINGS that the enemy is scared of. However, the Lord will direct me when to reveal it. Please email me if you need prayer. Pray for me as I start to have loving yet hard conversations with fellow saints. I can’t just write about something without action. God is calling all of us to a higher standard! Much is at stake!
Father use me as your instrument to bring down strongholds in heavenly places. Help me to never be bitter at your people again but to have your heart, a heart of compassion and jealously for them. Father be with the readers of this first post. Help them to examine themselves and draw closer to you than ever before. I know you can be trusted to hear them and be a present help. Let us ARISE AND THRESH FOR YOU EL SHADDAI IN THE NAME OF JESUS AMEN!

By the grace and blood of Jesus nail scarred hands,
Jennifer