Not With Us But For Us (21/11/2019)
By Pastor Aggrey Soyekwo
Luke 9:49-50 “John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.” But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.” – NLT
In an era of so many religious groupings and denominations, the level of suspicion and skepticism among faithfuls only keeps rising. This is both right and wrong. Right because of so many false ministers whom we are cautioned to test and watch against. Not everyone who comes in the name of the Lord is from God. Wrong because not everyone is false. They may not be part of us, use the same name with us, or do things our way, and yet posses a kindred spirit with us.
John and the other disciples had been made to believe that as long as someone was not in their group, moving with them, doing things with them, even if he did anything similar, they wouldn’t trust him. In their zeal to ‘guard’ their faith and Master, they stopped a zealous disciple casting out demons in Jesus name bit was not in their group. Jesus without hesitation, told them not to stop anyone on the basis of not being among them.
How often we fall victims of this! We don’t even want to listen as long as a person is not one of us. Such tendencies tend towards cultism. True, some are false wrong elements. Some worship differently but genuinely. Our role is to test the spirits behind their operation. If from God and bring Him glory, don’t lock them out. Extend a hand of fellowship to them. Not everyone who is not in our group is against us.
Shalom children of God.