Scripture Reading: Eph. 4:18a; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; John 3:19-21; 7:17; 5:19, 40-43; 2 Thes. 2:10-11; Obad. 3; 1 John 1:8
Darkness is something general, while light is something very definite. We cannot lock out darkness, but we can consciously allow light to come in. Foolishness, uncertainty, doubt, and confusion are the normal state of man's mind. Before we were saved, we did not see salvation, and when others preached the gospel, we tried to argue with them. After we were saved, we became ashamed of the way we opposed others. It is easy to be confused, but it is hard to make people clear about salvation. Worldly people think that they are wise most of the time and rarely foolish. Actually, the truth is the opposite — those who have no knowledge of salvation are rarely wise and foolish most of the time.
The main characteristic of obsession is self-deception. It is easy to deal with those who deceive others, but it is not easy to deal with those who deceive themselves. A man is self-deceived when his thoughts are darkened by Satan; he thinks that he is clever and that everything he does is right. Because of his own pride, he turns more and more to his own decisions until he subconsciously becomes fully obsessed. It is possible for any believer to become obsessed. Once a person becomes careless and deviates a little, he is obsessed. Lies and fabricated testimonies are highways to obsession.
We all should be careful with our words. Some believers are not accurate with their words; they often exaggerate, inflate, overstate, and add things at random. Eventually, they believe their own fabricated words. These ones are obsessed with their words! Others can be obsessed by indulging in self-love. They may not be sick physically, yet they always feel uncomfortable. They pamper their own bodies and indulge in self-pity or self-love. When their heart beats a little faster, they think they are having a heart attack. When they cough a little, they think they have tuberculosis. They are obsessed with sickness.
John 3:19 says, "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil." One cause for obsession is a love of darkness rather than light. I know of a brother who does not pray with his natural voice; he prays with an unnatural tone of voice. This is a kind of obsession. An obsessed person is proud and self-deceiving. Obadiah 3 says, "The arrogance of your heart has beguiled you.../Who says in his heart,/Who will bring me down to the ground?" One characteristic of obsession is arrogance, pride, and self-deception. Hence, arrogance, pride, and self-deception can also become causes for obsession. Only a humble person can remove the arrogance that is in him.
Mr. Hoste once met a theological professor in his travels who refused to accept the truth of baptism. This is a kind of obsession. Another cause for obsession is the rejection of the truth.
Before we accepted the Lord, we considered ourselves to be wonderful persons. After we believed in the Lord, we no longer considered ourselves in this way because God's light has entered into us. The same should be true with all spiritual matters. We need light, and we must never be presumptuous. When we were saved, we had many questions. Yet when God's light shined in us, all of our questions disappeared. In our spiritual pursuit many questions may arise, and we still need God's light to shine on us. It is not right for a Christian to be in darkness constantly, saying that he does not know or that he is not clear. We have the light of life within us, but we need His light to enlighten us all the time so that we will not fall into self-deception or obsession. May the Lord deliver us from falsehood and all forms of self-deception.
