Familiar

Jesus traveled from city to city, often addressing specifics unique to the city or region. His teaching revealed aspects of community life that Satan would have preferred kept secret, as was the case in Matthew, chapter eleven. The fact is, those living in any community imbibe of the spiritual atmosphere peculiar to it—good and bad.  

As for the bad, knowing what is hidden from casual view helps us to identify spiritual bondage in our lives. When communities of people hold to a common belief or behavior, truth can be difficult to discern and bondage hard to break… like going around with a bag over your head. Once the bag is there, you might just adjust to living that way, especially if you came to believe that everyone else lives that way, that it is actually the right way to live, and that everyone should!

The same principle holds for smaller units such as families, and larger ones like nations. Essentially, one person’s freedom to function fully in the Kingdom of God can be measured by negative things around them—things that have become familiar. Many habits, thoughts, and social behaviors are dictated by negative spiritual forces whose operation separates precious people from a solid relationship with the Lord and the freedom He intends.

Living life in the familiar can mean you learn to function in your dysfunction.

Amen.

2 Chronicles 33:6 | Isaiah 29:11-12 | Matthew 11 | Verses@Once