The Ballestero Blog

The Anatomy Of A Spiritual Shutdown

We read about government shutdowns. We all know of businesses that have shutdown.  Computer owners know about the shutdown button on their laptop.

Every child of God knows of a church member that appears to have shutdown. They no longer worship or pray as they did before. They’ve become unfaithful. A change has certainly taken place.

As a pastor and an evangelist, it has been my joy over the years to see people miraculously grow and develop in God. It has also been my heartache and frustration to see some self-destruct and lose their joy, their testimony, their good attitude and their hope of being used of God.

Watching the spiritual decline of a child of God is not an easy thing for one to see. Their choices of wrong friends become the first great influencing factor in their decline. The hearts and souls of their family, friends and the ministry, are made to ache.

“You can’t help those who don’t want help,” is a phrase quickly understood by friends, preachers and teachers. Parents are grieved, spouses are influenced, and children are almost always damaged as a result.

What is the cause? What happened to rob this person of their joy? What happened to rob this person of their respect for the things of God? What happened that would cause the flame of their spiritual fervor to go out?

I think the answer is found in the book of Psalms, Chapter One.

Ps 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Please Notice This Persons Progression Toward A Spiritual Shutdown.

1. Walking
2. Standing
3. Sitting

1. Walking

Most would refer to their spiritual life, as their ‘Walk With God.” Too often unassuming and impressionable souls have walked in the Counsel of the Ungodly.

• Who we listen to, always affects what happens to us.
• It’s not long before we become a product of who they are and what they say.
• The counsel of the ungodly will never bring anyone closer to God. Their advice will only bring devastation to spiritual progress.
• If we claim to be spiritually minded, why would we ever seek advice from the Ungodly?
• We must watch whom we walk with and whom we listen to.

2. Standing Still

If we listen to the advice of the Ungodly, then we quickly become the stumbling block that prevents sinners from finding God.

What started out as a Walk, has changed into a Standing still.  We become a roadblock of sorts.

The Apostle Paul recognized the powerful influence of the wrong people in our lives. He confronted the issue directly in his letter to the Galatians.

Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

Gal 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

Paul made it very clear that it is the Who and not the What that gives us the biggest problems in living for God. People, more than Things bring negative influences into our thinking.

3. Sitting (With A Bad Attitude)

I promise you by all that’s holy, that by allowing our Walk to include the Counsel of the Ungodly, our Walk with God is brought to a standstill. What happens next is so sad. We won’t standstill for very long. We’ll soon find a place to sit down. This is the most grievous of the three positions.

If We Sit in The Seat Of The Scornful, We Will Soon Be:

• Critical Of The Church,
• Critical Of It’s Standards,
• Critical Of It’s Preachers
• Critical Of The Saints.
• Uncooperative,
• Uninvolved,
• Joyless
• A Hindrance To Revival.
• Without The Blessings Of God.
• Backslidden In Heart.
• A Negative Influence On All Those Around Us.

The Change Is Subtle At First, Then Very Obvious At The End.

Remember the young man who helped the Apostle Paul for a while? He is first listed as a Fellow laborer, or some one who worked shoulder to shoulder with Paul. In the next mention, he is referred to as an also ran… ‘and Demas.’ Lastly, Paul announces the absence of Demas. Demas had a spiritual shutdown.

 1. Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers. (Philemon 1:24)

 

2. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you. (Colossians 4:14)

 

3. For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. (2 Timothy 4:10)

What Are The Chances Of Recovery From A Shutdown?

(How Many Do We Know That Have Changed From Sullen To Joyful?)

I Truly Pray That All Men And Women Will Be Able To Recover Themselves If They Want To!

Paul told Timothy how to deal with these people in the hope they would recognize and admit their wrong doings, and if they did, maybe, just maybe, God would give them repentance.

2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

God Promises Some Amazing Things Here:

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

1. If we will HUMBLE ourselves,

2. PRAY

3. SEEK GOD’S FACE – (Which includes WORSHIP)

4. TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS

THEN…

5. He will HEAR our prayer. (God will take us off ‘hold’ status and listen to us pray.)

6. He will FORGIVE OUR SINS

7. HEAL OUR LAND – (Bless our finances)

If You Have Experienced Spiritual Shutdown…

You Can Find Restoration And Once Again Experience The Joy Of The Lord!