In the Old Testament, God warned His people to avoid idolatry and not worship the gods of pagans. That instruction remained unchanged in the New Testament. Jesus warned believers not to pray like pagans in Matthew 6:7 and implied they were to be avoided in Matthew 18:17. Apostle Paul regularly referred to new believers as those who'd turned away from their pagan practices (1 Corinthians 12:2). He told them not to return to those old ways but to commit to Jesus and God the Father.
So why are so many Christians living like pagans today? Unsure what I mean? Let me use an example from my 'Before Christ' life. Years ago, I carried a silver cross and a mini Bible in my bag at all times. I also kept a Bible under my pillow. Somehow, I was convinced that these things would protect me from wicked people and bad things.
These objects offered me no help. This might sound shocking, but please permit me to explain. I was anxious and struggled with certain things despite these objects. The cross was in my bag because I'd watched too many vampire movies and had a misplaced idea that it carried power. The Bible in my bag and the one under my pillow also did nothing because I hardly opened them to study at the time. If I were truly living as a believer, things might have been different.
Yes, I had always been a Christian. However, I believed these 'symbols' of my religion were trinkets with power. That's exactly what pagans do. They have amulets, charms, and other inanimate objects they deem powerful and thus fetishize. Now that I am in my 'After Christ' era, I have learned that the protection I desired didn't reside in things, but in God, His Son, and His Spirit. And now that I am more intentional in spending time with God's word daily, I realize that His word is enough. Combining that with the name 'Jesus' in faith has proven to be powerful. A cheap silver cross and unread Bibles can never compare.
Back then, I knew that I could call on my mother or grandmother to pray, and I'd see results. I thank God that He did indeed answer their petitions on my behalf. Arguably, He still is. However, God does not encourage believers to rely on prayer contractors, which is what I was doing. It was wrong to think others should do the bulk of the praying and fasting for me. That was my responsibility. Yes, intercession is important, and it works. Plus, we don't war alone. Still, I've learned that people who prefer intercessors to do the spiritual 'heavy lifting' for them will be severely limited in what they achieve.
As a believer in Jesus and His Father, believers have direct access to God and can express every concern and hope without needing a person to act as an intermediary. Every believer can approach God's throne of grace boldly to receive the help and grace they need. They don't need to rely on any man or woman to access Him. Jesus Christ died so people could enter God's presence, and He stands as our High Priest, advocating on our behalf. Jesus, not a prayer contractor. Doing otherwise is a rejection of the very one we claim as our Savior.
How many of us Christians are replicating pagan attitudes and practices? Could that be why our prayers have not been as effective as we hoped? Are our wrong attitudes stifling our spiritual progress? Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He spilled His blood and died to create the pathway for us to access God and have an intimate relationship with Him. Shouldn't we take the time to learn what He taught so we live like those who truly believe in Him instead of allowing paganism into our lives?
Are you a Christian looking to horoscopes, New Age practices, unscriptural 'ancestral' traditions, and other pagan approaches to help you? even unknowingly? These things hamper your walk with God. Such 'mixture' tells the Lord you don't trust Him enough to let Him be all you need to succeed. Have you forgotten the Jericho Walls He brought down in your life? What about that small but urgent prayer He answered on behalf of a loved one? Turn back to God and do so fully.
Open your Bible and let God reveal the unsearchable things to you. Through His word, you'll discover that certain common things are disobedient and display disbelief. Leave the yoga behind - it stems from a religion that does not believe in Jesus. Leave the cinnamon baths behind - the 'positive' results you see are false because satan never reveals the true terms of engagement. They are always unfair, and the consequences are never nice. Let God Almighty be God alone in your life and fully turn away from your paganism. God bless you.
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Today's message makes it clear that we need to spend more time with God and His word if we want to avoid pagan behavior. To achieve this, we're going to need His Son, Jesus Christ and He's the only way to truly access God Almighty.
To do this, we have to take an intentional step of giving our lives to Jesus. When we do this, we receive the Holy Spirit and gain direct access to the Lord.
If none of this makes much sense, and even if it does, please watch the short video below for more. It is under 8 minutes, and I truly believe it will help.
If you watched the video to the end and said the prayer at the end, then welcome to being a child of God! I pray you receive the Holy Spirit and are led in the ways of the Lord. Send me a message letting me know you said the prayer. I'll send you more materials so you can grow as a new creature (but only if you like)!
Regardless, please make prayer a regular part of your life. It is simply you talking to the Lord. Also, please start reading the Bible and ask God to make it come alive for you. It holds all the answers you need. You can start by reading the Epistle of John, the Book of Acts, and the Book of Romans. Get water baptized as quickly as you can and ask God to lead you to a church of His choosing.
Congrats and God bless you!