44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Jesus identified Satan as the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Peter says that the devil roams about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may destroy. The devil wants to steal life and productivity from us, he wants to impede our spiritual growth and block us from experiencing the fulness of Christ. And, he does his work in churches, too, acting in that role as a thief and stealing our corporate effectiveness for the Lord. We have to be careful that we are not involved in allowing the enemy to enter our churches, participating in divisive practices, which can result in great harm. We can hold to the promise of Scripture in James 4:7, which says:
7...submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
In John 10, referring to the devil, our spiritual enemy, Jesus spoke these words:
10The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
A robbery took place this past Sunday at a church in Holyoke, MA, according to the NBC News website, citing a WWLP television report. Just before 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon, a masked man with a gun allegedly walked into the Pentecostal Church in the city and stole cell phones, money and other personal belongings from the congregation.
Meanwhile, in Springfield, MA, CBS News reports a longtime member of the Holy Temple Church of God in Christ said that thieves have ransacked the house of worship, taking "everything but the pews." She reported that an organ, communion dishes, the PA system, microphone stands, furniture, silverware and other items. She estimates a loss of $150,000.
These 2 incidents, first of all, underscore the real need for every church to have a security plan. There are far too many examples where you have had people behaving badly enter worship centers and sanctuaries with intent to do harm and often are successful. This is a real area of concern, and to be able to worship in a safe and protected environment is so critical.
But, I also began to think about thieves in the church. You may not have a burglar, or robber, or even an arsonist that assails your church building. But, there is a destroyer at work - the thief, whom Jesus said, comes to steal, kill, and destroy. There are some thieves that will make their way into our churches and leave them powerless.
One is disunity. We know that Satan has a "divide and conquer" strategy. If a congregation is divided, then the level of Holy Spirit power is reduced. Bitterness, unforgiveness, gossip - there are all thieves that will break in and break up our churches.
Another is related to it and that is disrespect of leadership. And, this is something that I think that Pastor & Staff Appreciation Month can help to mitigate, as we make a conscious effort to show honor to our spiritual leaders, with October as a catalyst, but part of an overall effort to build them up. Pastors, worship leaders, youth ministers, and other church leaders can be on the receiving end of harsh and discouraging statements - to their face or behind their back. If we would spend the time that we criticize our pastors praying for them, it could make a tremendous difference.
And, yet another thief in the church is a deafness to the Word of God - we have been born again by the Spirit of God, by following God's Word, confessing with our mouths and believing in our hearts, therefore we are saved. We're called to be disciples - and our growth in Christ is dependent on our devotion to the study and application of the Scriptures. In our individual lives and in our churches, adherence to Biblical truth and holding to a high view of the Word of God is key as we seek to reflect the glory of God.
We have to take the necessary steps to put on the full armor of God and guard against our spiritual enemy stealing our effectiveness and passion for Christ from us.
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