This is a testimony from one who saw a few of the dangers of 'wrong focus'. It was sent to me by a close friend a few years ago--I held on to it for the simple reason, its 'loaded' with truth.
I don't want to add much to the wise words of Sandy Warner except to say this;
Any of us can become 'wrongly focused' and deceived if not careful.
Satan is no fool. He is not going to present us with obviously sinful things to take our focus away from Jesus...No, No No! He is too sly to try this against those who are desiring and seeking a closer walk with Jesus, but instead he will place things in front of us which may EVEN APPEAR to be about or connected to the kingdom of God. And in some cases may actually be!
Yes, he loves to twist up our callings from the Lord too.
Even a ministry, a work for the Lord, or studying exclusively one doctrine to the point of obsession [*note- Did you know obsession is only ONE STEP above possession? believe me, it is] can be a clever trick of our enemy.
Ever come across a believer who is so obsessed with the wrongs going on within the body of Christ today, that they talk about it constantly? Completely ignoring the fact that God is still on the throne, and the Holy Spirit is still dawing men, women, and children to the cross of Calvary, to receive salvation every day!
Or other believers who are so concerned about what's happening in the world or politics that they appear to have forgotten that we as followers of Christ, are 'only passing through' this world.
They'll 'bend your ear' for hours on end about the woes of the world or
governments, etc..
Until later looking back on the conversation, you realize 'Hey! we spent all
that time talking, and not once was the name of Jesus mentioned.
That's wrong focus....and not having balance in our outlook.
We can in fact, find ourselves so wrongly focused that we can unknowingly become an 'enemy of the cross'. I've seen it in others, and found myself on the brink of this dangerous pinnacle concerning apostasy some years ago. I call that season now looking back, my 'year of anger'
Why? Because its all I focused on! No wonder I was one angry Christian.
The question asked in this title, is a part of examining ourselves daily, to be sure we're continuing to abide in the faith. We need to ask ourselves often;
WHAT ARE WE FOCUSING UPON?
Whatever it is, if its not Christ, do we find our minds and hearts 'there' more then in the presence of God, in His word; or even in our every day 'speech' are we speaking more of this 'whatever' then the Lord who saved and keeps us daily?
For if its not Christ we are focused upon folks, then we are indeed being swayed by 'someone' or some 'thing' to take our eyes, hearts, and minds off of the one who Died for us, and called us unto Himself.
Matthew
Recognizing the Stumbling Blocks of Distraction
The Lord has revealed to me a climaxing enemy plan called "distraction."
These last few months have been almost like watching a drama as one attempt after another has been coming against the body. As soon as one distraction is overcome, another fills its place.
The Lord has given me a very clear warning that these distractions are now climaxing to being a stumbling block. Their purpose is to wear out the saints so they will stop doing the will of the Lord.
Consider the following scripture with my little paraphrases added in parenthesis:
Matt 6: 22-24a NKJV-
The lamp of the body is the eye (or our focus). If therefore your eye (focus) is good, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eye (focus) is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.
The following are the some of the schemes I have witnessed. I share them to help fine-tune our alignments. These distractions have existed for a long time and are now climaxing. We need to understand their source and keep our focus.
WORSHIP
The Lord inhabits our praise. That means that whenever we praise Him, He dwells in our midst. Our worship is simply expressing and pouring out our love for Him through whatever means He gives us.
At church people usually worship Him through music. The enemy attempts to derail our focus through the sound equipment, by way of hot mikes and screaming amplifiers, disharmony, and broken strings When our focus is on musicians and their equipment rather than pouring our love out to the Lord, then the enemy has succeeded in stealing our ability to enter into the Lord’s Presence.
"But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." Psalm 22:3
PEOPLE
Song 2:14 NKJV -
O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
Our eyes have the ability to focus on one thing at a time.
I remember hearing a sermon years ago about the dove.
Other birds have binary vision which means they can see out of the peripheral part of their eyes. But doves only see straight ahead and they (like us) must turn their heads to focus.
When we turn our heads and become focused upon the sins and compromises of people and/or leadership, it sends us on a downward spiral of becoming negative, critical, judgmental, unforgiving, angry, resentful and finally bitter.
When we keep our eyes straight ahead, towards the Lord, we see Jesus, & His loving ways.
SUPER STARS
Another stumbling block the enemy uses to derail our attention is to get us to focus on the anointing upon men, and their perceived wisdom, rather than the Lord. It is so easy to exalt the gifts He gives men and place them upon pedestals. This becomes idolatry as our focus subtly changes from the Lord to mere men.
I remember hearing about a prophet who was sent to a meeting but when it came his time to speak, he sat in his chair unable to say a word. The Lord sealed his lips because the people had come to see the prophet, instead of looking to the Lord as their Source. We need to forsake our focus upon men and their gifts, and look to the Lord.
Jer 9:24 NKJV -
But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.
DISCERNING DEMONS
The gift of discernment becomes a stumbling block to those who have the gift, but do not recognize the gift or do not know what to do with what they recognize.
Often people find themselves wrestling in their hearts with the behavior and personalities of people. They lack the understanding that they are actually wrestling with demons who are manifesting as personalities.
We become weary after months and years of working with a person, giving them feedback, counsel, correction when we see no change, and the same continuous cycles.
As we begin to recognize that this is actually a battle with a demonic personality, and not the person, then we are able to respond appropriately. We can respond in prayer, taking
authority and deliverance if the Lord says it is time.
Matt 16:23 NKJV -
But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
I often wondered why the Lord told satan to get behind him. Then it occurred to me He was telling the enemy he was a distraction to Him and the Lord was turning His back on him.
Recently I became so distracted during worship that I finally found myself going to the back of the church and facing the wall to worship.
When we turn our backs upon the distractions we are not able to see them.
It is as simple as that!
WARFARE
I remember years ago reading Smith Wigglesworth testimony when he saw satan appear at the foot of his bed. Smith said, "Oh it’s only you," and he turned over and went back to sleep.
That astonished me.
I had seen and been exposed to many terrifying principalities and the concept of being in such a deep rest in the Lord was absolutely astounding to me.
After years and years of warfare, the Lord finally brought me off the front lines and into a wonderful season of rest. I learned a lot on the front lines and I have learned even more
in my rest. One of those lessons is that warfare can be a strong distraction.
If the enemy has his way, war becomes a career. We must learn when to fight and when not to. The enemy LOVES war. War is what the enemy does best which distracts us from our intimacy with the Lord.
NAVEL GAZING
When we focus upon ourselves and our feelings or troubles, this also keeps us from the Lord.
2 Cor 4:7-10 NKJV -
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed -- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
Matt 6:22-24a NKJV -
The lamp of the body is the eye (or our focus). If therefore your eye (focus) is good, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eye (focus) is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other...
Sandy Warner
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