Family roots of religion
I come from a background of circuit riding preachers, and pastors. My dad was an elder, then a pastor, my mom was a Sunday School superintendent and then pastor's wife. I gave my heart to Jesus when I was 3, and also when I was 5 or 6 when my sister who was 4 years older started preaching to me about hell. I was baptized as soon as I could be at about 7. Growing up our family struggled to find the right church with the right worship, the right doctrine, and the right people teaching…. So we were church hoppers. I remember a long line of broken relationships, because there were many who they couldn’t reconcile with. I don’t remember seeing any kind of a reconciliation model. Values and beliefs took precedence over relationships.We had rules on our rules. We were the typical church family and then some. Most of this upbringing was amazing and I love my godly heritage, but some of it had a religious mindset woven subtly in for generations.
We had lots of unspoken religious rules in our house, don’t play cards, wear a skirt on Sunday (or everyday), go to church every Sunday. No woman preachers. Women should have long hair and stay at home as "keepers at home", no tattoos, no sports ( lest they fall on Sunday) fold your hands and close your eyes when you pray, ...no dancing when certain other religious family members are around, etc. etc. etc.......
My idea of a heavenly Father was high expectations, low pleasure, angry, hard to please, always having something to correct you for. I didn’t understand the concept of righteousness by faith until I hit Bible school and had an amazing mentor. Up until then it was the "fear of God" and the feeling of a disproving Father, I always had to measure up to, that dominated my understanding of salvation… and of righteousness..
With the name Crystal meaning pure I always was striving to be accepted, approved by doing devotions, memorizing scripture, fasting, and generally avoiding doing all the “corrupt “ things my peers were doing. I was a recluse. I didn’t look at their books, all rock music was a sin, etc etc add nausea……… Some of this was an amazing blessing because it did protect me from the typical pitfalls of rebellion immorality and witchcraft, and taught me to learn to love God but some of it was demonically empowered to keep me from being a light. I chose rules stricter than my parents set out for me…. I always wore skirts, wouldn’t date, ( courting was acceptable) memorized at least 3 books of the Bible, and in my spare time spent hours studying the word…… many times avoiding people in the youth group, thinking it equated to keeping clean because bad company corrupts good manners…. How wrong I was. I didn't know the least thing about true love or the example of Jesus. Yes I had a true hunger, but it was clouded by fear not love.
So as I speak on the concept of moving past religious mindsets and becoming free from religious spirits, I ask for a huge amount of grace from you. God is taking me on a roller coaster ride lately of seeing what I could not previously see.
We had lots of unspoken religious rules in our house, don’t play cards, wear a skirt on Sunday (or everyday), go to church every Sunday. No woman preachers. Women should have long hair and stay at home as "keepers at home", no tattoos, no sports ( lest they fall on Sunday) fold your hands and close your eyes when you pray, ...no dancing when certain other religious family members are around, etc. etc. etc.......
My idea of a heavenly Father was high expectations, low pleasure, angry, hard to please, always having something to correct you for. I didn’t understand the concept of righteousness by faith until I hit Bible school and had an amazing mentor. Up until then it was the "fear of God" and the feeling of a disproving Father, I always had to measure up to, that dominated my understanding of salvation… and of righteousness..
With the name Crystal meaning pure I always was striving to be accepted, approved by doing devotions, memorizing scripture, fasting, and generally avoiding doing all the “corrupt “ things my peers were doing. I was a recluse. I didn’t look at their books, all rock music was a sin, etc etc add nausea……… Some of this was an amazing blessing because it did protect me from the typical pitfalls of rebellion immorality and witchcraft, and taught me to learn to love God but some of it was demonically empowered to keep me from being a light. I chose rules stricter than my parents set out for me…. I always wore skirts, wouldn’t date, ( courting was acceptable) memorized at least 3 books of the Bible, and in my spare time spent hours studying the word…… many times avoiding people in the youth group, thinking it equated to keeping clean because bad company corrupts good manners…. How wrong I was. I didn't know the least thing about true love or the example of Jesus. Yes I had a true hunger, but it was clouded by fear not love.
So as I speak on the concept of moving past religious mindsets and becoming free from religious spirits, I ask for a huge amount of grace from you. God is taking me on a roller coaster ride lately of seeing what I could not previously see.
Feel Free to Pray with Me "Open our eyes, remove the scales from our eyes today, bring us into alignment with your heart, Your truth, Your ways of loving, reaching and extending grace….. More Grace More Love. Help us to dismantle the layers of pride that have acted as scales to keep us from seeing and perceiving, and bring us into a fun, creative revelatory freedom to embrace all You want us to walk into and the people you want us to embrace. Help us to clean up what you show us in ourselves and to not accuse others with what we learn. Romans 14:4 "Who do you think you are to sit in judgement of Someone else's household servant? His own master is the one to evaluate whether he succeeds or fails. And God's servants will succeed, for God's power supports them and makes them able to stand." TPT
Romans 10:1-6 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Faith-Righteousness
My beloved brothers and sisters, the passionate desire of my heart and constant prayer to God is for my fellow Israelites to experience salvation. For I know that although they are deeply devoted to God, they are unenlightened. And since they’ve ignored the righteousness God gives, wanting instead to be acceptable to God because of their own works, they’ve refused to submit to God’s faith-righteousness. For the Christ is the end of the law. And because of him, God has transferred his perfect righteousness to all who believe.
Moses wrote long ago about the need to obey every part of the law in order to be declared right with God:
“The one who obeys these things must always live by them.”[b]
But we receive the faith-righteousness that speaks an entirely different message.
Gal 2:19,20 I met with them privately and confidentially because false “brothers” had been secretly smuggled into the church meetings. They were sent to spy on the wonderful liberty and freedom that we have in Jesus the Anointed One. Their agenda was to bring us back into the legalistic bondage of religion. But you must know that we did not submit to their religious shackles not even for a moment, so that we might keep the gospel of grace unadulterated for you.- Here you see formalities, fear of man,( verse 12) hypocrisy,(13) and pressure to conform in order to impress religious friends.
The reality is that in the spirit realm there are real shackles being put onto believers when they succumb to the beliefs or rather unbelief of religious spirits.
Romans 10:1-6 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Faith-Righteousness
My beloved brothers and sisters, the passionate desire of my heart and constant prayer to God is for my fellow Israelites to experience salvation. For I know that although they are deeply devoted to God, they are unenlightened. And since they’ve ignored the righteousness God gives, wanting instead to be acceptable to God because of their own works, they’ve refused to submit to God’s faith-righteousness. For the Christ is the end of the law. And because of him, God has transferred his perfect righteousness to all who believe.
Moses wrote long ago about the need to obey every part of the law in order to be declared right with God:
“The one who obeys these things must always live by them.”[b]
But we receive the faith-righteousness that speaks an entirely different message.
Gal 2:19,20 I met with them privately and confidentially because false “brothers” had been secretly smuggled into the church meetings. They were sent to spy on the wonderful liberty and freedom that we have in Jesus the Anointed One. Their agenda was to bring us back into the legalistic bondage of religion. But you must know that we did not submit to their religious shackles not even for a moment, so that we might keep the gospel of grace unadulterated for you.- Here you see formalities, fear of man,( verse 12) hypocrisy,(13) and pressure to conform in order to impress religious friends.
The reality is that in the spirit realm there are real shackles being put onto believers when they succumb to the beliefs or rather unbelief of religious spirits.
Gal 2:16 "for we know full well that we don’t receive God’s perfect righteousness as a reward for keeping the law but by the faith of Jesus the messiah. His faithfulness, not ours has saved us, and we have received God’s perfect righteousness. Now we know that God accepts no- one by the keeping of the religious laws but by the gift of Grace”
I believe that legalistic bondage and a religious spirit actually create shackles in the Spirit realm. It is actually a form of spiritual adultery/idolatry ( making our own works the means of our salvation; false savior) which may be why a Religious spirit is so closely tied to a Jezebel spirit.
I remember well the first time I became aware of the demonic influence of religion I was under. I had been invited by a friend to a woman's retreat with a number of very free women from Hearts on Fire Fellowship. I was currently attending an average conservative denomination. The retreat had a growing sense of unease for me. I came across some new theology, dancing in worship but most upsetting at the time was a growing sense of the demonic. At the time I thought this group of women must be in the wrong in some area because I knew I was picking up on something... little did I know I was growing more aware of the demonic influence in my own life. It came to a head as I lay awake in bed that night. Without realizing it I fell asleep. In my dream I was still awake. I felt a tight rope around my waist. The atmosphere was fearful and then I felt what I knew to be a demonic pulling as if to slowly pull me down off the bed . In fear I cried out to Jesus and immediately awoke. I got out of bed early to study the Bible and came across two transformational verses.
1Tim 2:8 stated clearly to pray without wrath and doubting, and 1 Thes. 5:8 put on the breastplate of faith and love. I had been wrestling so much doubt and unbelief about all this freedom. I made a choice, in my spirit to take off wrath and doubt and to put on faith and love. Immediately I was delivered.....Freedom and joy settled on me... so much so that a few ladies commented at breakfast about the physical change of my countenance ( not realizing what had occurred).
I believe that legalistic bondage and a religious spirit actually create shackles in the Spirit realm. It is actually a form of spiritual adultery/idolatry ( making our own works the means of our salvation; false savior) which may be why a Religious spirit is so closely tied to a Jezebel spirit.
I remember well the first time I became aware of the demonic influence of religion I was under. I had been invited by a friend to a woman's retreat with a number of very free women from Hearts on Fire Fellowship. I was currently attending an average conservative denomination. The retreat had a growing sense of unease for me. I came across some new theology, dancing in worship but most upsetting at the time was a growing sense of the demonic. At the time I thought this group of women must be in the wrong in some area because I knew I was picking up on something... little did I know I was growing more aware of the demonic influence in my own life. It came to a head as I lay awake in bed that night. Without realizing it I fell asleep. In my dream I was still awake. I felt a tight rope around my waist. The atmosphere was fearful and then I felt what I knew to be a demonic pulling as if to slowly pull me down off the bed . In fear I cried out to Jesus and immediately awoke. I got out of bed early to study the Bible and came across two transformational verses.
1Tim 2:8 stated clearly to pray without wrath and doubting, and 1 Thes. 5:8 put on the breastplate of faith and love. I had been wrestling so much doubt and unbelief about all this freedom. I made a choice, in my spirit to take off wrath and doubt and to put on faith and love. Immediately I was delivered.....Freedom and joy settled on me... so much so that a few ladies commented at breakfast about the physical change of my countenance ( not realizing what had occurred).
Holy Spirit , wild and free, blow and breathe, deliver me,
free from shame ,
Humility come and rule and reign in me,
Christ alone My righteousness,
Free to rule and reign with Him.
As My Father looks at me, it’s HIS perfect righteousness He sees.
For I am His and He in me, I’m free to abide and free to be me.
I’m free to love, I’m unafraid,
to try, to fly, to spread my wings.
My wings aren’t clipped by pride, or fear, no competition now is near.
For I am truly Loved by God and I’m in love with Him.
I serve because I love like mad, I trust obey and dive in courageously into the exquisite masterpiece that He’s creating Me to be.
Although I cannot see the full formation of it yet, it’s gonna be wild and free and full of FUN, because God is the author of Joy. His holiness and the fear of God is not without pleasure or delight. His fiery presence creates a passionate hunger to be a burning one. All that is burned by His presence… is that which hinders our passionate love… desire and the fear of God pushes us, draws us like a magnet, with divine hunger, and a Godly thirst, undoing us, pushing past our formalities into a desperate love, intricately woven with a consuming pleasure of His presence, devouring sin, selfishness and pride. Oh how I hunger, blissful delight for the fullness of the measure of God. He is Here, He is NOW, He is filling every part of you, as you receive, as you pursue His majesty in expectancy. Hunger and peace both prevail in the expectation of His Goodness prevailing.
Come and rest, come and abide in Me
PAPA GOD: There is no fear. Here there is ecstacy. Drive me into your heart like a throbbing love song. Pain and pleasure mix as we dance this pathway to freedom, releasing all that hinders love and flinging yourself to MY grace. Relentless trust is all you need and I will set you free. Free to be in ME. Abiding, and hiding yourself beneath My precious blood. No hiding from Me. Oh please come and see no fault can withstand My redemption. Please be fully free. Expose yourself to Me, and let Me love you deeply where you are, in your flaws. Here I come to right every wrong and be your redemption. I’ve made you to be a delight and a song so please stop with the striving and fear. Come and draw near. Come and draw near. Please come and draw near.
Lay aside the formulas, the rules and expectations. Let me love you into life and all those broken pieces that you clung to you will leave in your radical freedom to Me.
free from shame ,
Humility come and rule and reign in me,
Christ alone My righteousness,
Free to rule and reign with Him.
As My Father looks at me, it’s HIS perfect righteousness He sees.
For I am His and He in me, I’m free to abide and free to be me.
I’m free to love, I’m unafraid,
to try, to fly, to spread my wings.
My wings aren’t clipped by pride, or fear, no competition now is near.
For I am truly Loved by God and I’m in love with Him.
I serve because I love like mad, I trust obey and dive in courageously into the exquisite masterpiece that He’s creating Me to be.
Although I cannot see the full formation of it yet, it’s gonna be wild and free and full of FUN, because God is the author of Joy. His holiness and the fear of God is not without pleasure or delight. His fiery presence creates a passionate hunger to be a burning one. All that is burned by His presence… is that which hinders our passionate love… desire and the fear of God pushes us, draws us like a magnet, with divine hunger, and a Godly thirst, undoing us, pushing past our formalities into a desperate love, intricately woven with a consuming pleasure of His presence, devouring sin, selfishness and pride. Oh how I hunger, blissful delight for the fullness of the measure of God. He is Here, He is NOW, He is filling every part of you, as you receive, as you pursue His majesty in expectancy. Hunger and peace both prevail in the expectation of His Goodness prevailing.
Come and rest, come and abide in Me
PAPA GOD: There is no fear. Here there is ecstacy. Drive me into your heart like a throbbing love song. Pain and pleasure mix as we dance this pathway to freedom, releasing all that hinders love and flinging yourself to MY grace. Relentless trust is all you need and I will set you free. Free to be in ME. Abiding, and hiding yourself beneath My precious blood. No hiding from Me. Oh please come and see no fault can withstand My redemption. Please be fully free. Expose yourself to Me, and let Me love you deeply where you are, in your flaws. Here I come to right every wrong and be your redemption. I’ve made you to be a delight and a song so please stop with the striving and fear. Come and draw near. Come and draw near. Please come and draw near.
Lay aside the formulas, the rules and expectations. Let me love you into life and all those broken pieces that you clung to you will leave in your radical freedom to Me.
The fear of God is blissful not hideous or odious. The fear of God creates a place of safety to walk in God’s presence in awe and wondrous delight, without compromise. It is Presence-minded. It is blissful because it positions us to walk in freedom from sin, without being dominated by rules. It is the measure of love that ties us closely to His heart and grieves us when we part into our flesh.
In the book of Luke (19), Jesus tells the story of the stewards. The servant who saw the master and king as being selfish and hard to please was unable to gain from HIS incredible generosity. He was unable to steward His Kingdom promotion. How important it is that we know the character of our King so we can take the risks of faith necessary to be positioned as leaders in the Kingdom of God. Lack of knowing the goodness of God will manifest in our lives as a religious mindset or a victim mentality.
In the story of Mary and Martha ( Luke 10 38-42) Martha was so concerned about striving and doing. She was a people pleaser and probably received her value and identity from what she did. This made her worried and upset and is really is at the heart of a religious mindset. Mary though, valued intimacy above works, even at the cost of displeasing those around her who misunderstood her motives. She desired to truly know the Saviour, to live in His presence, to experience Him, not merely to serve... Jesus said she chose the better part. Experiencing God Has been made out by some to be New Age or emotional at best, but this is not the picture that scripture gives us. The word of God is full of people encountering God through visions, angelic messengers, dreams and visitations. God is the same today!
We see a religious spirit evidenced most likely in Saul's life, before he became the apostle Paul. The scales of deception on His eyes, put there by pride were deadly to the true believers. It took an encounter with the resurrected ascended Christ,miraculous words of knowledge and a very courageous obedient Ananias to free him from his spiritual blindness. In this case you can see that religious fervency and passion is not the same as Presence. In the end he considered all his religious works to be of no more worth than a manure pile.
But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage ( dung), so that I may gain Christ, Phil 3:8 Amp.
In the book of Luke (19), Jesus tells the story of the stewards. The servant who saw the master and king as being selfish and hard to please was unable to gain from HIS incredible generosity. He was unable to steward His Kingdom promotion. How important it is that we know the character of our King so we can take the risks of faith necessary to be positioned as leaders in the Kingdom of God. Lack of knowing the goodness of God will manifest in our lives as a religious mindset or a victim mentality.
In the story of Mary and Martha ( Luke 10 38-42) Martha was so concerned about striving and doing. She was a people pleaser and probably received her value and identity from what she did. This made her worried and upset and is really is at the heart of a religious mindset. Mary though, valued intimacy above works, even at the cost of displeasing those around her who misunderstood her motives. She desired to truly know the Saviour, to live in His presence, to experience Him, not merely to serve... Jesus said she chose the better part. Experiencing God Has been made out by some to be New Age or emotional at best, but this is not the picture that scripture gives us. The word of God is full of people encountering God through visions, angelic messengers, dreams and visitations. God is the same today!
We see a religious spirit evidenced most likely in Saul's life, before he became the apostle Paul. The scales of deception on His eyes, put there by pride were deadly to the true believers. It took an encounter with the resurrected ascended Christ,miraculous words of knowledge and a very courageous obedient Ananias to free him from his spiritual blindness. In this case you can see that religious fervency and passion is not the same as Presence. In the end he considered all his religious works to be of no more worth than a manure pile.
But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage ( dung), so that I may gain Christ, Phil 3:8 Amp.
Religious spirit can look right brained or left brained
On one hand it can operate like this:
Religion likes boxes, the ability to have a measured desired outcome, formulas and predictability.
People that have a very logical mind also like these things but a spirit of religion goes a step further keeping people reliant and in bondage to them rather than being flexible, equipped and empowered by them. When the system, box or rule becomes a glass ceiling… limiting your potential, it is most likely a spirit of religion or other stronghold creating it.
On the other hand it can look like this; ( more intuitive right brained).
For example:"I feel like this is not the right thing to do", ( but it’s fear based or just demonic intimidation) ( retreat example)
It can look like this :" Holy Spirit is saying this to me........ (and I’m absolutely right………… )" It comes across as discouraging, limiting and hindering, inflexible and unwilling to discern the prophetic. This is of course not a true Holy Spirit but a false impression of one. Religious spirits when they manifest will often quote scriptures and I've heard them quote hymns as well.
On one hand it can operate like this:
Religion likes boxes, the ability to have a measured desired outcome, formulas and predictability.
People that have a very logical mind also like these things but a spirit of religion goes a step further keeping people reliant and in bondage to them rather than being flexible, equipped and empowered by them. When the system, box or rule becomes a glass ceiling… limiting your potential, it is most likely a spirit of religion or other stronghold creating it.
On the other hand it can look like this; ( more intuitive right brained).
For example:"I feel like this is not the right thing to do", ( but it’s fear based or just demonic intimidation) ( retreat example)
It can look like this :" Holy Spirit is saying this to me........ (and I’m absolutely right………… )" It comes across as discouraging, limiting and hindering, inflexible and unwilling to discern the prophetic. This is of course not a true Holy Spirit but a false impression of one. Religious spirits when they manifest will often quote scriptures and I've heard them quote hymns as well.
- In this case it would manifest as visions or dreams that are not from God, often accusing, condemning of others, and very limiting from the freedom of God. They often emphasize works and God's disapproval/wrath. Occasionally they will spout truth to be confusing and it is best to simply bind them from speaking as Jesus did in many cases. Luke 4:35,41
Religion loves to masquerade as wisdom but is empowered by fear and results in control. Religion encourages us to wear a mask with God or others, lest we be seen as failures. In contrast an administrative or ruler gifting (See Arthur Burk redemptive gifts from Saphire leadership group Inc.) will create systems empowering individuals to operate in their gifting with freedom.
Religion though, fears change and tries to limit the prophetic to scolding or controlling others (often about rules.) Contrast this to Godly boundaries which protect.True prophetic liberates others into new realms of forerunning.
Religion hates the forerunners, because they are unpredictable and unstable. It squelches new ideas. Especially those that bring freedom. ( see Galatians) A spirit of religion loves rules, and creates practices which have an appearance of Godliness without power( 2 Tim 3:5-7). It appears in all denominations, just in different forms. In some churches it creates lists of what you must do to be accepted by God. In some churches it creates difficult or impossible lists of what you must do to be free or have breakthrough.
In all cases it relies on our works rather than the finished work of Christ (See http://podcast.weltonacademyonline.com/podcast/understanding-covenants/)
Religion says Christ is not enough and you can never DO enough. It creates striving, unrest, perfectionism, mental breakdowns and people pleasing. It partners often with rejection, and is murderous at its root ( Pharisees).
Religion leads us away from intimacy, where God speaks over us, you are in Christ, perfectly accepted in the beloved. Yes our loving Father will correct us, but always to draw us near. Religion points out our distance to the Father and creates an impossible set of standards for getting closer.
Religion though, fears change and tries to limit the prophetic to scolding or controlling others (often about rules.) Contrast this to Godly boundaries which protect.True prophetic liberates others into new realms of forerunning.
Religion hates the forerunners, because they are unpredictable and unstable. It squelches new ideas. Especially those that bring freedom. ( see Galatians) A spirit of religion loves rules, and creates practices which have an appearance of Godliness without power( 2 Tim 3:5-7). It appears in all denominations, just in different forms. In some churches it creates lists of what you must do to be accepted by God. In some churches it creates difficult or impossible lists of what you must do to be free or have breakthrough.
In all cases it relies on our works rather than the finished work of Christ (See http://podcast.weltonacademyonline.com/podcast/understanding-covenants/)
Religion says Christ is not enough and you can never DO enough. It creates striving, unrest, perfectionism, mental breakdowns and people pleasing. It partners often with rejection, and is murderous at its root ( Pharisees).
Religion leads us away from intimacy, where God speaks over us, you are in Christ, perfectly accepted in the beloved. Yes our loving Father will correct us, but always to draw us near. Religion points out our distance to the Father and creates an impossible set of standards for getting closer.
It despises true rest, and creates rules even for Sabbath. Religion hates freedom and hates the Spirit of God all while pretending to be Godly. It loves casting stones, comparison and is deeply rooted and intertwined with pride.
Religion loves complicated processes/procedures for deliverance, or baptism or church membership, or prayer, or throne room intercession…………. The more complicated the better, because then it can keep you from your end goal ........ hearing from the Spirit of Truth and breaking free.
Holy Spirit loves teaching us to listen to His voice, waiting on His instruction, which is often out of the box and unpredictable. HE also loves logic. Christ is the Logos, the word became flesh ( John 1:14).
God is a God of order. God’s order is radically creative, rarely boring, ever changing and freely flexible.( days of creation) It can operate in structure, but is never diminished by it.
Holy Spirt manifests His presence in a room and changes the atmosphere, brings joy, light, design and color. He infuses playfulness and childlikeness, honor and possibilities. He uses many tools and strategies... some which the enemy even mimics in other beliefs and religious circles. The enemy is a copycat.
Religion loves diminishing possibilities and is anti-faith.
Holy Spirit keeps us dependant on Him in relationship with Him and others. He is intimate wild and free.
Religion is predictable to a flaw. Keeps us bound in tradition, and stuck. If you are feeling stuck, unable to move into your dreams, there may be some religious rules that Holy Spirit wants to expose.
Holy Spirit loves the word of God, and gives Godly boundaries in scripture. They protect us from sin and the impurities of the flesh. Religion though will mislabel actions….. creating new rules… like the Pharisees distancing everyone from God instead of exposing pathways to Him. Religion calls for judgement from people, instead of pointing them to the mercy and right standing in Christ.
It is repulsive to non believers and keeps us from true harvest. It makes us afraid to get our hands “dirty”… but Christ…. was unafraid to get his hands dirty to be with people who were not religious… He wrote in the dirt while the Pharisees were getting ready to cast stones at the prostitute. He went to Zacchaeus ‘s house, He let a prostitute wash his feet with her hair. He wasn’t afraid to appear dirty,,, as long as He obeyed the Father and did what He did… He was pure…….
God I pray you continue to open our eyes to each and every way we have aligned ourselves with a spirit or mindset of religion. We repent for limiting you Holy Spirit to our preconceived ideas or what is familiar to us. Help us to trust you to lead us into truth as we take time to listen and grow to know Your voice through the written word and though listening to your voice daily and in godly prophetic revelation. Help us not to be so concerned with being right that we can't admit when we aren't walking in Truth. Thankyou for the forgiveness you provide through the sacrifice of Jesus, the new covenant, to make us fully accepted and able to approach your presence. Heb 4:16
Religion loves complicated processes/procedures for deliverance, or baptism or church membership, or prayer, or throne room intercession…………. The more complicated the better, because then it can keep you from your end goal ........ hearing from the Spirit of Truth and breaking free.
Holy Spirit loves teaching us to listen to His voice, waiting on His instruction, which is often out of the box and unpredictable. HE also loves logic. Christ is the Logos, the word became flesh ( John 1:14).
God is a God of order. God’s order is radically creative, rarely boring, ever changing and freely flexible.( days of creation) It can operate in structure, but is never diminished by it.
Holy Spirt manifests His presence in a room and changes the atmosphere, brings joy, light, design and color. He infuses playfulness and childlikeness, honor and possibilities. He uses many tools and strategies... some which the enemy even mimics in other beliefs and religious circles. The enemy is a copycat.
Religion loves diminishing possibilities and is anti-faith.
Holy Spirit keeps us dependant on Him in relationship with Him and others. He is intimate wild and free.
Religion is predictable to a flaw. Keeps us bound in tradition, and stuck. If you are feeling stuck, unable to move into your dreams, there may be some religious rules that Holy Spirit wants to expose.
Holy Spirit loves the word of God, and gives Godly boundaries in scripture. They protect us from sin and the impurities of the flesh. Religion though will mislabel actions….. creating new rules… like the Pharisees distancing everyone from God instead of exposing pathways to Him. Religion calls for judgement from people, instead of pointing them to the mercy and right standing in Christ.
It is repulsive to non believers and keeps us from true harvest. It makes us afraid to get our hands “dirty”… but Christ…. was unafraid to get his hands dirty to be with people who were not religious… He wrote in the dirt while the Pharisees were getting ready to cast stones at the prostitute. He went to Zacchaeus ‘s house, He let a prostitute wash his feet with her hair. He wasn’t afraid to appear dirty,,, as long as He obeyed the Father and did what He did… He was pure…….
God I pray you continue to open our eyes to each and every way we have aligned ourselves with a spirit or mindset of religion. We repent for limiting you Holy Spirit to our preconceived ideas or what is familiar to us. Help us to trust you to lead us into truth as we take time to listen and grow to know Your voice through the written word and though listening to your voice daily and in godly prophetic revelation. Help us not to be so concerned with being right that we can't admit when we aren't walking in Truth. Thankyou for the forgiveness you provide through the sacrifice of Jesus, the new covenant, to make us fully accepted and able to approach your presence. Heb 4:16
