He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
This is a wicked spirit of religion. The spirit of religion gets “furious” and violent with anger if someone gets healed but not in the way they deem acceptable.
Anytime you encounter someone display anger at the working of the Holy Spirit to heal, redeem, deliver or restore be exceedingly wary; they may possess this same spirit.
We all have preferences, opinions and points of view on how we believe things should be done, or what is of greatest importance, or even to what we are accustomed and comfortable. But anytime we react strongly to this being crossed we risk coming into a place of opposing the work of God over our own preferences and ideals. And that’s a dangerous place to be.
In fact the stronger our reaction to things that produce kingdom fruit, that go against our accepted means, styles, methods and preferences, the stronger possibility a religious spirit is at work within us.
The true root of a religious spirit is pride. It says “I know better than God”. That is also what lucifer said in leading a rebellion against heaven. And it is why God says “I oppose the proud, but give grace to the humble” (James 4:6)
PRAYER: Father, examine my heart and enable me to re-order my beliefs according to your truth. I humble myself before you and confess your ways are perfect and I can trust them. Thank you for the work of your Spirit in my life Lord, in Jesus name, Amen.