A Lamp Unto My Feet

I was told once by a student that my preaching was Spirit-filled, but I had never been filled with the Spirit because I did not, as his tradition stated, speak in tongues ever in my life. When I pointed out that Scripture calls tongues a “gift of the Spirit,” he argued with me, and when I pointed him to the Scriptures, he said I did not use the King James, so my argument was invalid, and when I showed him in the King James, he stopped talking to me, but would harass my students, and even my wife when she substituted at the local high school. Sadly, last I checked, he was no longer connected to the Church at all, and, in fact, hated it. I’m not saying that the correlation is that if he would read his Bible and interpret it correctly according to my standards that he would still be in Church, but what I am saying is that he refused to listen to Scripture in favor of his tradition, and that is a dangerous prospect!

The more I read Scripture, the more I am convinced that many people who claim Christ do not, and if they do, they interpret the Scriptures, not as they are, but as their brand of doctrine would interpret it. There are so many beliefs permeating the Church that are in direct contradiction to what the Scriptures say, and yet, because it’s what we’re used to, or it’s what we like, or it tugs at our emotional heartstrings, we continue to do it. We would rather believe what we want, rather than go to what the Word says and stick to it closely.

Why do I always push the Scriptures so heavily? 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 says For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

Likewise, Romans 12:1-2 says I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect

How do we arm ourselves for battle, taking every thought captive, while being a living sacrifice who is constantly renewing our minds? Loved ones, Psalm 119:105 says “your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my way.” God’s word is the light by which we walk! We test everything by His word, and if what we believe does not measure up, we throw that belief out and align ourselves with God’s word. And, what is more, we keep ourselves in a constant state of alignment. We go back to the word, again and again, testing our thoughts and actions, and by the Holy Spirit through that word, align our will with God’s. It’s a war for our minds, and the battle is constant. And so, we fight the Spiritual forces of this age, not with fists, but with the word of God, desiring not to stray from it to the left or right. Stand firm, stand fast, stand in God’s word.

2 Timothy 3

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.