The Believer’s Mistake 613
meaning, and decide the course to take. It is important to obey God,
but not blindly. Such active investigation is not a sign of rebellion
against God’s ordering, because our heart’s intent continues to be
one of submission towards God. We only wish to be sure that in our
submission we are verily obeying God. A definite lack in an obedient
attitude exists among believers today. Though they perceive God’s
will, they nevertheless fail to yield. Contrariwise, those who have
been broken by God run to the other extreme by unquestioningly
accepting whatever occurs to them. The truth lies in the center; obey
in heart and accept after being assured of the source.
How sad, though, that many fully consecrated believers do not
discern this difference. Such a Christian therefore passively submits
to his environment, surmising that everything happens to him by the
order of God. He gives ground to the evil spirits to torment and hurt
him. These spirits provide environment (their snares) by which to
trap the saint into performing their will or raise up circumstances to
trouble him. Believers may misunderstand this to be what Matthew
5.39 enjoins when it says “do not resist one who is evil,” not
recalling that God summons them to struggle against sin (Heb. 12.4).
By overcoming environment they are overcoming the spirit of this
world.
The factors in such a misapprehension of God’s ordering are that
(a) believers do not use their will to choose and decide; (b) God
certainly does not oppress them with environment; and (c) the evil
spirits utilize the environmental circumstances as a substitute for
their passive will. Rather than obeying God these believers actually
are obeying the evil spirits.
Sufferings and WeaknessesHaving fully surrendered to God the Christian naturally concedes
that he should walk in the way of the cross and suffer for Christ’s
sake. He additionally acknowledges the futility of his natural life and