Spiritual Stragglers

Far too many of us Christians struggle with spiritual amnesia—walking around with a constant bump on our forehead, forgetting just how sly the devil moves and operates.

“Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God.” (Deuteronomy 25:17–18, NKJV)

Amalek here is a type of the enemy. In fact, the root meaning of “Amalek” means: To work, toil endlessly. To “Straggle” means just about the exact opposite: To dawdle, walk slowly, lollygag. So, while the enemy is staying awake at night, scheming how he can destroy a life, a family, a church, a nation—Mr. Christian is at the end of the line, in last place, oblivious to the fact that the devil has his sniper scope all dialed-in to pick you off when you least expect it!

Also, notice the timing of the enemy’s attacks: “…when you were tired and weary.” It’s not to say the he can’t, or doesn’t attack believers when they’re on-fire for God, but (being the sly devil that he is), he knows that spiritual stragglers are easy pickings, and he (in a sense) get’s more bang for his buck. Always remember that the devil is your enemy. Never hope that he’ll have mercy on. The Bible says of Amalek, “…he did not fear God.” The reason I say this, is because many Christians have the idea, “Well, I don’t want get too serious about my walk with Christ. I’ll just go to church, not be too bad, that way the devil won’t bother me.” Watch out. With that type of thinking, you might actually be a spiritual straggler, at the end of the line. Everyday you find yourself getting more tired, more weary; and the devil is watching you with a smile on his face—just waiting for perfect the right time to pull the trigger and take you out.

Romans 12:11 says, “…not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” The King James says, “Not slothful in business.” Hebrews 10:38… “Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

We can’t afford to lag behind!
We can’t afford to be slothful!
We can’t afford to draw back!
We can’t afford to take spiritual vacations!
Now is the time to AWAKE!

“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Romans 13:11–14, NKJV)

Don’t Settle for Less

Some merely settle for a “Christian-radio coffee-in-hand-drive-to-work” kind of walk with the Lord.

“You shall not at all do as we are doing here today— every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes— for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. ” (Deu. 12:8–9, NKJV)

One of the signs of a halted spiritual growth is when a person just begins to do, “whatever is right in his own eyes.” They’ve somehow lost sight of the fact that there’s more that the Lord has for them. The Apostle Peter calls it being “shortsighted” (2 Pet. 2:9). This is why the Holy Spirit is very strong in saying, “For as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you.” It’s like going to a movie… but then walking out after the previews, saying to yourself, “What a lame movie, l’m getting out of here.” That would be so foolish, and yet it’s what so many believers are doing today—quitting just shy of their breakthrough. Some merely settle for a “Christian-radio coffee-in-hand-drive-to-work” kind of walk with the Lord. There’s no tears of intercession, no baptism of the Spirit, no joy unspeakable, no power over the flesh, no passion for the lost, no time soak in the scriptures, no time to melt in God’s presence. It’s all on big yawn.

Now, thank God He doesn’t give up on us as easily as we give up on Him. His mercy does endures forever, but the Holy Spirit is still trying to get our attention as we stand in line at Starbucks…

“My Son, you haven’t arrived yet. What are you doing here? You need more than caffeine poured down your throat, you need Me burning in your heart.”

Maybe you’ve been running on empty lately because of disillusionment, and perhaps it’s even caused you to run the race according to your own rules. But deep in your heart you know you aren’t satisfied. It’s time to yield to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and to stop running in circles, and begin to once again submit to the mighty hand of God upon your life, your calling, and your future destiny. Don’t allow yourself to settle for less than God’s best. It’s time.