A Layman’s Guide
The religious spirit is a sneaky and harmful influence that tries to replace the real work of God’s Holy Spirit with empty religious habits. It pushes us to focus on outward appearances—like attending church or doing good deeds—while ignoring the deeper, heart-changing power of God. This kind of false spirituality was mentioned in the Bible, where it warns about people who seem holy but lack real connection to God (2 Timothy 3:5).
What Is the Religious Spirit?
The religious spirit feeds on pride and creates a false sense of godliness. It’s like yeast in bread—Jesus called it the “leaven of the Pharisees” (Matthew 16:6). Yeast makes bread rise but doesn’t add real nutrition, and the religious spirit inflates human pride without offering true spiritual growth. Instead of helping us grow closer to God, it keeps us focused on our own efforts and self-righteousness.
How Does Pride Come Into Play?
Pride is at the core of the religious spirit. It tricks us into thinking that external actions—like going to church, giving to charity, or reading the Bible—are enough to prove our spirituality. While these actions are good, they mean little if our hearts aren’t truly aligned with God. Pride blinds us to our dependence on Him and stops us from experiencing His grace fully.
The Enemy’s Strategy
The devil uses pride to pull us away from God. Interestingly, he doesn’t just use our sins—he also uses our virtues to inflate our pride. For example, we might feel overly proud about how often we read the Bible or help others. When we focus on our achievements rather than God’s greatness, we fall into the trap of the religious spirit. Pride spreads like yeast, taking over our thoughts and actions, making repentance harder.
Why Self-Righteousness Is Dangerous
The religious spirit convinces us that we already understand God completely and don’t need His guidance. This mindset creates a delusion where we twist Scripture to fit our own ideas and ignore His corrections. It also fosters judgmental attitudes, where we focus on others’ flaws while overlooking our own. Jesus repeatedly warned against this kind of attitude, especially in the Pharisees, who cared more about appearing holy than being transformed by God.
The Fight Inside Us
The religious spirit isn’t something external—it’s a challenge within us. Every believer will face this struggle, especially as the Church moves closer to the end times. The key is choosing humility and allowing God to reveal areas in our lives where pride may be lurking.
How to Break Free
True freedom from the religious spirit comes through humility. When we admit that we need God’s mercy and allow Him to change us, we can experience real spiritual growth. Humility helps us worship God authentically and share His message without seeking recognition for ourselves.
Steps to Overcome the Religious Spirit
· Pray for Insight: Ask God to show where pride might be influencing your life.
· Choose Humility: Remember that everything you’ve achieved is due to God’s grace.
· Examine Your Intentions: Are your religious actions about pleasing God or impressing others?
· Stay Grounded in Scripture: Let it guide your heart rather than justify your opinions.
· Seek Accountability: Surround yourself with trustworthy believers who can keep you grounded.
The Church’s Role
This isn’t just an individual battle—it’s a challenge for the Church as a whole. To effectively share God’s love, the Church must reject pride and rely on the Holy Spirit. Together, we can model humility, authenticity, and God-centered worship.
In conclusion, the religious spirit tries to undermine our connection to God by inflating human pride and focusing on superficial acts of holiness. By staying humble, seeking God’s guidance, and walking in truth, we can overcome this influence and live as true ambassadors of Christ. With God’s help, we can worship Him in spirit and truth, and share His love authentically with the world.
Minister A Francine Green
afrancinegreen.com 