There are many ways that Christians tolerate sin in their lives. Most struggle due to being hurt growing up – a parent, step-parent, other relative, sibling, neighbors, kids at school, teachers, church people, etc. When we are hurt emotionally, verbally, physically or sexually we will hear demonic voices in our heads telling us not to trust anyone, having thoughts of anger or bitterness for those who hurt us, wanting to get back at people, being sad for all the injustices. Thus forgiveness is imperative in order to take away the legal rights of the demons so you can command them to go from you so you can have more peaceful thoughts and fruit of the spirit.
Have you ever thought through some of the ways that Satan causes you to tolerate sin?
#1 – Bullying. If you have a relationship with someone who historically gets angry or will go on and on arguing with you if you don’t give them what they want (and their desires are for things that are not what the Lord would want you to allow them to do or get) then you will usually give in to them and let them have what they want. Why? So that you can minimize the length of the argument or tirade that they will go into. Thus if your spouse demands that you watch a movie that is R-rated with curse language, graphic violence and sexual content then you often just agree to watch in order to save a drawn-out fight. You tolerate a sinful movie due to them. Your spouse may also demand their way of listening to music that talks about having sex or with curse words in it which grieves the Holy Spirit but if you talk to them about not listening to it they will again go off on a tirade. Perhaps God wants you to do some ministry and help a family that is in need but your spouse goes off into an argument against it and to save wasting 30 minutes of your life you just agree with them and do not do what God wants.
#2 – Money. When people give you money (either on the job, a friend, a spouse, etc.) you will usually tolerate them if they choose to do something corrupt or evil and keep your mouth shut because you know that they may cut off your money supply or hold it over you. Many work at companies who they know are doing corrupt business practices or hurting people all for the sake of the dollar instead of trusting God to provide and standing up for righteousness. Many who are abusive who attend church give tithes and then the pastor looks the other way or supports them if they abuse their spouse emotionally or worse because of the money.
#3 – Fear. All it takes is a threat from someone who will lie about you if you expose the truth about their evil or sin in their lives. Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah when he killed her Baal Prophets at Mt. Carmel so he ran for his life. So many people look the other way when they need to go to someone and report the evil that others are doing. They are more afraid of others’ threats then obeying God. Many pastors are more afraid of those who operate in Jezebel in their churches or afraid of the government and submitting to their threats instead of standing up for God.
#4 – Sex. There are many church leaders and those who regularly attend church who tolerate sexual sin and live an impure sexual life. There are unfortunately many in the church who are having sex with people that are not their spouses or looking at porn and masturbating. People have tried to justify that everyone is doing it and God knows we have physical sexual needs but the Bible is clear on it. When we tolerate sexual sin in our lives then our ability to obey God is harmed in powerful ways.
Revelation 2:18-23 NKJV
The Corrupt Church
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
In 1 and 2 Kings Ahab married Jezebel and then tolerated all the sin she wanted to do. She did many evil things. She introduced Baal worship and tried forcing everyone to worship Baal. She killed God’s true prophets. She introduced prostitution and sexual perversion.
1 Kings 21:25 NKJV
25 But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up.
The reason Ahab tolerated her evil was that he received benefits. Jezebel would get him things that he wanted. One of the things he wanted was Naboth’s vineyard so he could turn it into a vegetable garden.
1 Kings 21:1-16 NKJV
Naboth Is Murdered for His Vineyard
21 And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”
3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”
4 So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, “Why is your spirit so sullen that you eat no food?”
6 He said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ ”
7 Then Jezebel his wife said to him, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. 9 She wrote in the letters, saying,
Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; 10 and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, “You have blasphemed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.
11 So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naboth with high honor among the people. 13 And two men, scoundrels, came in and sat before him; and the scoundrels witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has blasphemed God and the king!” Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16 So it was, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
So take time to think how you give in and tolerate sin in your life and take a stand against it. Forgiving those who have hurt you and humbling yourself from your pride goes a long way. Command the demons to be gone from you so that you can hear from the Lord. Pursue things of the Lord and pursue His gifts including praying in tongues, reading your Bible, fasting, and pulling away from the things of the world. My latest book Freedom From Soul Wounds and Demons will help you get healed from your past and live a godly life.
Is there anyone I could connect with about this?
You can contact tinak@restoredtofreedom.com