Compromise for Material Gain
Many pastors, their members who once stood with God are compromising. Some have compromised in moral standard to get material prosperity and solve immediate pressing needs. Others because of the problems and enemies before them and their determination to win at all cost has compromised. They backslide, won their competitors and died without repentance. Others want to draw cloud, get more members, helpers, to attain certain achievements.
They compromised, went into the battlefield and died without God. Others because of tender appeal, made to their needs and because they must meet those needs, they compromised. You remember Solomon, the chosen king, the wisest king and a true worshipper of God. Latter in his life, because he did not take God’s warning and command serious, he compromised. He listened to outlandish women and they caused him to compromise and backslide. In many churches today, some pastors are surrounded by influential women they cannot say no to. They bow to women’s requests for ceremonies and ungodly request that demanded for the heads of God’s ministers. They wrongly transfer ministers, kill their anointing and destroy God’s call because of the requests from outlandish women
‘But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods’ (1Kings 11:1-8).
‘Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin’ (Nehemiah 13:26).
Unholy Associations and Doctrinal Drift
Others compromised in unhealthy friendships and unscriptural co-operation with ministers who are in cults. They begin to invite backsliding ministers, enemies of God who prophesy to make money from the members. They preferred ministers with big names and in covenant with demons. They chose to associate, invite and organize programs with people of different conviction; lower moral standard and people begin to doubt their call. Because of money or ignorance, many have compromised by relating with ministers with unsteady principles, unstable doctrines to defile their pulpits.
Others compromised in modification of their original doctrinal stand on marriage, modesty and things that does not conform to the word. Today in many churches, people because of the fear of leadership, persecution and what people will say, have compromised.
In Sardis church, many backslide and compromised because they want to belong. They prefer to ordain men of wealth than to ordain confirmed God’s ministers. Others because they want to make it quick, get large congregation, pastor the biggest church in the city has compromised and joined cults. They want power to perform miracles, heal the sick but do not have the fruit of the spirit to wait for true anointing.
They rushed out, went into the dark and were empowered by evil spirits. They want quick success and achievement and they compromised. Today, they have achieved what they call success, reached man made goal but they are demonized by destructive demons inside them, they try to deliver others even with demons inside them. They are deceived and are being used to deceive others. The warning and command from Christ to you is watch and remember.
Remember that many are already in bondage because of entering cult, idolatry, evil influence, compromise on moral standard. Remember that they are in troubles today because they compromised on moral standard to gain material things, win over a competitor, reach goals for achievement and become great in life. Remember that keeping evil wealthy relationship has caused many to compromise.
Remember that pride, the inability for some great ministers to accept their faults, apologize and restitute has killed them and took them to hell fire. Christ gave us this letter to deliver us from being afraid of the persecution we must go through, suffering we must go through and trials we must go through. This warning and commands is coming to us as a letter of deliverance.
We must not do anything, permit anyone to deliver us from what we must pass through to get the right blessings, right anointing, and direct empowerment from above. This letter of deliverance is coming to you now to warn you not to lose your original true perspective, which is to please God alone, serve Him alone and live for His glory alone. This command is coming to us at this time to help us to prefer godly men to ungodly men or people of wealth without character. We must remember to live right in the midst of multiple evil influences, pressure groups in the church, place of work, school and in the market places.
We must learn how to say no to opposite sex brought into our lives by the devil to overthrow our faith in Christ. We must be warned and take this letter very serious to overcome the pressure groups under the influence of the devil. Pressure groups, energized by the devil and self, who judge things carnally by outward appearance. This is what killed the church in Sardis and God is warning us to desist from it.
You must watch, stand fast in the faith, quit like men and be strong. The time we are in is not the time to pity our body or satisfy the demand within us at all cost. It is a time to say no and refuse to crave for position at all cost, popularity and praise of men. It is a time to say no to any demand in us to abandon the praise of God to men. It is a time to say no to any contract, wealth and achievement without God’s approval.
A Call to Stand Firm
It is a time to watch every offer, stand fast in faith, quit like men and be strong for God and not in wrong things. This is time to move forward and worship only God without any condition. It is a time to take stand for God and make our paths straight. It is a time to humble ourselves, make peace with all men, including our worse enemies. It is a time to live holy, imitate Christ and pray for victory over every trouble.
It is a time to rise, say no to fornication, ungodly lifestyles, and stand for God everywhere. It is a time to control our appetite, live a sacrificial life and self-denial. It is also a time to be watchful, strengthen the weak, the fainting members and encourage sinners to repent. It is a time to remember how we started this journey, how we received Christ and held fast our faith. This command is from Christ who died for the church and must not be neglected but to be held seriously. To neglect such command is to forsake life and chose death and chose to spend eternity in hell fire.