DANGER: Spiritual Alzheimers ...

"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death."  Rev. 12:11

Recently, I prepared to speak for the local Christian Women's Club where I was asked to share my story of rescue out of darkness into light.  As I worked for weeks on "tweaking" and paring down and revisiting my b.c. and early days of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ, I was literally brought to tears time and time again.  Why?  Because the freshness of where I was before Jesus came into my life and my horrific desperate state appeared even darker to me against the glorious light of Jesus and the position I now (right now this very moment) enjoy in Jesus Christ at the right hand of God the Father!

"And raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."  Ephesians 2:6

The Danger ... Jesus and I have been walking together now for over 35 years.  Time is racing.  I forget.  I have recently learned this mental lapse can occur too easily within me, thus my blog entry, DANGER:  Spiritual Altzheimers.  Why is this malady so deadly?  The word of our testimony for a believer is the very word which helps to give us victory over the enemy of our soul.  Should we neglect to remember or have it as some surreal memory from the past, we enter into a real danger of being overcome in areas of our lives by the very enemy of our soul.  Barnhouse in his book, "The Invisible War" speaks of the delusion many have of Satan's attempt to "win" the soul of the unbeliever.  Barnhouse contends that Satan already has control over the unbeliever's life.  His desire and subsequent focus in battle is to influence believers in their walk to yield to his influence and dishonor their Lord.  What greater way of dishonoring our Lord than by forgetting the initial, pivotal, life saving rescue!  How easy to fall asleep in our faith when Christ becomes some benevolent distant uncle leaving a miniscule amount of money in his will for our use. 

The Antidote ...   If there is no story for you personally to "revisit" ... there is found eternal life and victory over the enemy of your soul only through the blood of the Lamb of God. Believe in what Jesus did for you by His dying on the cross for your sins and receive Him into your life as your Savior and friend by accepting this free gift.  This is where the loving, for keeps, relationship starts. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."  John 3:16 

And, if you have a story to "revisit", please consider writing out your story as if you were going to speak before thousands.  Pour over it day after day.  I can guarantee, you will be amazed at how your own heart will be strengthened in the battle of life and how magnificent the Lord appears before you!  And, just maybe you will find yourself weeping like myself with each revisit and even acting like the crazy lovesick fool you once were when Jesus first swept you off your feet, how ever many years ago.  Don't be a casualty of warfare and suffer with Spiritual Altzheimers a moment longer!

"Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first." Rev. 2:5

Man of Sorrows by Philip Bliss
1 Man of sorrows what a name
for the Son of God, who came
ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
2 Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
in my place condemned he stood,
sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
3 Guilty, helpless, lost were we;
blameless Lamb of God was he,
sacrificed to set us free:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
4 He was lifted up to die;
"It is finished" was his cry;
now in heaven exalted high:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
5 When he comes, our glorious King,
all his ransomed home to bring,
then anew this song we'll sing:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!