Avoiding Distractions
I just wanted to talk about some of the possible distractions that we may face as we walk forward together into
this coming time of great revival and harvest of souls in the earth. It would be nice if we could have a problem-free revival,
but we have an enemy that will try to work through any undealt with area of the flesh, the world, or himself that he can find
still alive and kicking in us. Since most of us have been through the wilderness though, many of these problem areas have
been fairly gone through by now already. But there is usually a few blind spots left and we will also be facing many new challenges
that we have never faced before, so we must still be very careful in the days and weeks ahead. Here are some of the more common
distractions that you will likely encounter during this time of revival, but I'm sure you could add some as well.
1. Gossip and Slander
When you walk in God's power and blessing you can expect to have every imaginable evil thing spoken against you.
You will be called all kinds of silly names and be accused of every wicked impropriety and sin that you can imagine. The best
thing that you can do is to not let it get your goat, or try to defend yourself. Satan wants for you to fear what people think
about you and have you try to defend yourself. Don't allow your energy to be diverted away from God's work, and allow the
Lord to defend you if you really need it. People come to receive from the Lord, and nothing will dissuade them if God is leading
them. Jesus was called a glutton and a drunkard, and He warned that people would do the same or even worse to us.
2. The Pharisees
The ultra religious legalistic crowd will try to pick apart everything you say and do, and they will criticize
everything good or bad that happens with the ministry God calls you to do. These people will also show up at your meetings
with bullhorns, hand out leaflets, start web sites denouncing you, or condemn you on TV. They may also tell everyone that
you are a cult and that you are bilking the sheep, and/or warn everyone in your city about how the Devil is destroying their
town through your ministry. Once again, you must not let their attempts to interfere with God's work distract you. Jesus was
constantly being harassed by the Pharisees, but He did not allow it to slow down what God had called Him to do. He confronted
them publicly if necessary, but only as God led Him to, otherwise He just ignored them and focused on what God was telling
Him to do.
3. Satanists and Witches
You have to understand that these people think they are doing Satan and society a big service by trying to interfere
with your work, disrupt your meetings, place curses upon you, or intimidate you with threats. You may find sacrifices placed
at the doors of your meeting places, get threatening intimidating letters, emails, or phone calls, or have them posing as
Christians in your meetings. You may also feel spiritual pressure from some of their attempts to curse you, but they have
no real power over you and you need not fear if you just pray and keep your eyes on God. It is good to have intercessors praying
for the work God has called you to. Worship is a powerful weapon as well, and it helps to make sure that all sin is confessed
and repented of in your camp, and that you know those whom you walk with. Simon the sorcerer did his best to blend in with
the new Christians that were being saved, but he was exposed in the end and rebuked.
4. Temptation
Temptations will come along, especially when revival is taking place, so be aware of this and do not think that
you are beyond being tempted to sin. You can expect to have people tempt you to sin sexually, to misuse or be dishonest with
finances, or to be tempted with pride through flattery or offers of promotion. You will also be tempted with jealousy, selfish
ambition, rebellion against the leadership, betrayal, or temptations to leave and get away from all the stress, strain, and
responsibility of dealing with all the problems and challenges involved with revival. Being honest and accountable to each
other can go a long way in preventing sin to enter the camp. Teaching the truth of the word, counseling, and communicating
with one another can help everyone to remain pure. Ananias and Sapphira learned the hard way that the Holy Spirit will call
people out on their secret sin.
5. Internal Power Struggles
Revival is a wonderful and exciting time and because so many people are being saved at once, we will need a number
of people to help lead and organize what is taking place. It would be nice to think that all people are genuinely humble and
free of selfish ambition, but there are always a few in the bunch that seek glory and power for themselves. They slander the
leadership and criticize their decisions behind their back, they flatter the people and try to make themselves look like the
true leader in the midst (Absalom). But God hates this kind of rebellion and also the poison that it spreads into the hearts
of all the impressionable sheep. The spirit of Jezebel looks for people with a big chip on their shoulder toward authority,
so just be aware of this potential problem not only in others, but also in yourself as well. The only real leader in our midst
is Jesus Christ, and a good leader just does what Jesus is telling them to do. He alone died for us, and He alone deserves
all the glory. We must trust God to give us whatever level of responsibility that He knows is healthy for us and healthy for
those around us. Aaron, Miriam, and Korah rose up to challenge Moses and God took it very personal, so we must not test God
in this way either.
6. Family Strife
When there is a lot of successful spiritual work going on, it can create a lot of added stress upon your family
life. It may also bring on a lot of spiritual warfare and pressure that tries to get you to fight with your mate and/or children
in order to discourage or distract God’s work. This is another good aspect of the wilderness because we will have usually
already learned to manage a lot of spiritual warfare, and weather stressful situations together which has rounded off a lot
of the rough edges in our familial relationships. But, revival tends to take up a lot of our time, and we must not allow ourselves
to become workaholics again to the point where we are completely neglecting our families. Try to involve your family in the
revival activities as much as possible, and take breaks when you sense you are reaching the point of overload. Pray for each
other constantly, and walk in love.
7. Doctrinal Disputes
This is another tactic of the devil to get people to argue and bicker between themselves over issues that really
just divide, rather than unify. If you are going to discuss any doctrinal subject, allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and
do not be suckered into foolish debates over issues that really do not apply to the problem or situation at hand. There is
always going to be something that people do not agree with, so avoid the Pharisees trap of baiting you into a doctrinal mud-wrestling
match. Mix love into everything that must be discussed.
2TI 2:23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce
quarrels.
Like I said, there are other distractions out there as well, but these are just some of the more common
ones that I wanted to mention. The wilderness has been a very needed element in our lives because most of these weak areas
are dealt with there. Some things though, like greedy people trying to steal from you, or exploit you, only happen when you
have something valuable that they want to take from you. Praise and flattery usually only happen when the power and anointing
of God is heavy upon your life. A manipulative Jezebel spirit usually only comes around to deceive and seduce when there is
a position of power that they want to try to control and exploit. So like all other things, we will have to hang on to the
Lord and to each other in an even greater way in the coming days, months, and years ahead. Deception can only happen if you
think you are beyond being deceived, so hopefully we will remember some of these snares and keep our eyes and hearts open
to the Holy Spirit's direction as we walk this revival out together.
MT 5:11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against
you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.
20 Remember the words I spoke to you: `No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted
me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because
of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of
sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates me hates my Father as well.
LK 10:16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me
rejects him who sent me."