Culture is the way of life of a group of people. It includes their values, their mode of dressing, their language, customs and traditions. In some villages, here in Africa, there are certain days in which neither marriages nor burials are head.
It is their custom there, and though a pagan belief, they stick by it, and they punish those who break it. That is how strong the idol worshippers adhere to their culture. The strength of every village lies not in the god they serve, but in the culture they inculcate in the villagers present there.
The same way the idol worshippers have their culture, is the same way this world at large has its culture.
THE WORLD HAS A CULTURE
Have you ever observed that the moment one announces publicly that one is a homosexual; one receives praises and applause from different ‘Human Rights’ organizations.
But when one publicly speaks against homosexuality, one is criticized and labelled as a, ‘Religious Extremist’. It is their culture! The culture of the world celebrates sodomy. They celebrate ladies wearing clothes that reveal sensitive parts of their body. Fornication and abortion fall under the culture of the world. The culture of this world includes everything that contradicts God’s principles and laws.
Divorce, Pornography. These are all permissible under the culture of the world.
Living in this world even as a believer, one can be tempted to yield to the culture of the world, just to belong and avoid being persecuted.
But in Romans 12, Paul speaks vehemently against it.
Romans 12:2: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world…..”
THE KINGDOM OF GOD ALSO HAS A CULTURE!
Ephesians 5:8: For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (NIV)
There is a way we live as the light of the world. When we got born again, even though our spirits were recreated, our mind and our behaviours remained the same. But God expects that as we grow in our faith, we begin to remove these negative thinking and behavioural patterns and develop in us, the pattern of living for Christians.
This Kingdom Culture is what has made many great in this kingdom. It is what has made many believers survive the hardest of opposition and live an ever victorious life.
1. THE CULTURE OF ENQUIRY
2 Samuel 2:1
In the course of time, David enquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered. (NIV)
Proverbs 3:6: “in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV)
True saints are never presumptuous about what to do. They always enquire from God before making choices.
Believers who are confused and lacking direction are believers who have not developed the culture of always enquiring from God.
Most of the divorces that happened in Christian marriages happened because of the inability to enquire from the Lord before stepping into that marriage.
God wants us to acknowledge Him, not just in our businesses, or in our education, but in all our ways.
Have you sought for the Lord’s permission to do business with that partner?
Have you sought for the Lord’s permission to take your kids to that school?
When we teach on these things, we are tagged as extremists. But extremism is actually when you live your life and you make your choices without bothering about what God has to say about it.
Take a look at this:
Proverbs 3:6: “Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go…” (MSG)
You don’t need to hear the ‘loud’ voice of God before knowing that God has spoken.
God speaks in different ways.
He can implant a strong, compelling resistance deep within you.
He can give a sense of optimism and tranquillity to your spirit.
He can speak through your pastor.
He speaks in many ways. We do not hear because we are not concerned with what He has to say.
Develop the habit of always asking God,
‘What should I do’
‘Is this right’ ‘Is she the right one’. ‘Should I go ahead and do this’. It will save you from a lot of trouble.
2. THE CULTURE OF SENSITIVITY
Luke 5:22: “But when Jesus perceived their thoughts…. (KJV)
Luke 20:23
But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? (KJV)
Jesus was the most controversial public figures in His humanity on Earth.
He was hated and despised by the cunning Jewish Rabbis. As result of their hatred, they made several attempts to get him entangled in serious problems, by asking him tricky questions.
Just like Jesus, Christians are hated around the world, by the world. In places like China and North-Eastern Nigeria, Christians are being murdered in large numbers.
The world hates Christians, and they always look for ways to get them in problems. Hence, you cannot afford to live in this world as a genuine, devout Christian and not be sensitive.
Spiritual sensitivity doesn’t mean a believer should live in suspicion, reclusiveness and timidity. It simply means we must be proactive and discerning in our daily works.
Spiritual sensitivity is a culture, and a skill that the believer must master. There are times I interact with very jovial people, yet, because I have a trained spirit, I can see beyond their jovial outlook, to behold the depressed and destabilized person they are within. This helps me a lot in liberating people from depression.
Training your spiritual sensitivity is quite simple.
i. Pray regularly. Prayer keeps us in spirit-mode. This helps us capture spiritual signals and signs that God sends into our spirit to keep us safe and prosperous.
ii. Observe fasts at intervals: The absence of our fasting causes our spirits to get rusted; and it reduces the ability of our spirit to get necessary information quickly.
iii. Do not be in a hurry! Always stop to ponder and meditate before doing things. Be ever cautious of what the Holy Spirit is saying within you.
These two principles outlined above, are quite necessary for you to imbibe.
If you do not imbibe the culture of God’s kingdom, you will be like an old wine skin carrying a new wine.
It will make you a misfit both to the Kingdom of God and to the world. Develop the habit of always enquiring from God. Develop the habit of being sensitive to His voice within you.
Pray this prayer:
“Dear Father, I thank you for giving me access to your counsel and wisdom. Having gotten knowledge of the utmost priority of seeking your counsel in my daily endeavours, I decide that from today, I shall continually enquire from you. I shall seek your approval or disapproval in whatever I am going to do. I shall listen for your voice in whatever way it comes. Thank you, Father. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen”.
Now, go ahead and put what you learnt tonight into practice.
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Shalom!
KOINONIA ART 