It is almost impossible to perform the tasks that the Lord has appointed us to do sometimes, it is not because of the lack of power of the Holy Spirit working within us, nor is there any additional knowledge or wisdom on our part needed, it is because of the recipient of the information we are to impart His desires to. “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts.” (Isaiah 65:2)
These are not just the times that we attempt to proclaim Christ to a lost person, one who is still living in unrepented of sin, but also, and truth be told, most of the time that we try to speak to those who call themselves our brothers and sisters in Christ. The subject matter is always Spiritual, must always be based in the Scriptures, and must always be approached with much prayer and wisdom, with love being the reason for the words in the first part. (1 Cor. 16:14) Yet the majority of the time the reason that we are speaking to them will not be viewed as intended, for they will not hear what is being spoken, but only what they want to hear, and you will be seen as contentious in their eyes.
What we intend for good, they will see as evil.
Many people tend to get stuck in what can best be described as a “religious rut,” a prescribed and well-worn path of how they believe they are to live their lives in accordance to what they consider the will of God, but is instead no more than their idea of Spirituality, and is in no way in accordance to the will of God. It is the tendency of most people to follow, not to do the research themselves, but to simply believe what they have been told, any religious cult on the planet will attest to this truth. Counting beads, performing ritualistic and repetitive acts, believing the well thought out prescribed ordinances and traditions are easier than sitting down with the Word of God and then questioning those in authority over them.
One can easily look at these cults, and sadly many so-called Evangelical churches these days and compare them to factory workers, as long as they show up and perform the well-worn routine once-a-week, they will be paid in content and happy feelings, with very little effort on their part, save to be there. They believe without question what they have been told, they listen to the one behind the podium expecting him to have all the answers, and they do not go home and search the Scriptures to verify for themselves that the truth, according to the Word of God, has been spoken to them. “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:22)
And so, when you attempt to help them to see the errors of their ways, they will not only see you as disrespecting them, but the one who they have come to trust in.
It is called in the secular world de-programing, and if the Lord has led you to such an individual there are two main things that you must understand, it will require much patience and perseverance, and, at least initially, you will be hated by that person. You may have been blessed with the truth, but only the Holy Spirit of God can make the realization of that truth known to that person.
Prepare yourself for much failure in this task, for they are not only deceived, but being deceived, (2 Tim. 3:13) and they are just as sure of the lies they believe as you are of the truth that you are attempting to reveal to them. Our responsibility is to assist them in seeing the truth, how they accept it is their responsibility, and you must know when it is time to shake the dust from your feet and move on.
