DON’T HIDE FROM IT

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Heb 4:12,13 )

Generally, people like to cover up who they really are so far as what is in their heart is concerned. Appearances mean a lot to many; even among believers. We are very much interested in what the other thinks of us or sees us to be. Because of this error, many work very hard to keep up an image which, to them, is acceptable to anyone who cares to observe. Again, because of this unhealthy desire to look good before others, many a believer has become a hypocrite, often hiding behind a façade.
                                                                                  Download the PDF


Ultimately, this behaviour stems from the fear of man which is rooted in self-love or self-centeredness. Out of the fear of man, many believers who began to serve God out of a pure heart have abandoned that blessed vocation to pursue what is- at best- only a facade or appearance of serving God but is in truth the service of personal ambitions centered on selfishness.

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (Ga 1:10 )

People like this do not like to face the truth. The truth is a pain to them because it throws light on the intents of their hearts and the motives with which they operate. These are far from the truth not because it is far from them, but rather because they hide in the presence of the truth. They run away. How? By applying the truth to anyone or anything but themselves. By preventing the truth from reaching their hearts to lay them bare. They are happy to store it only as a memory.
 
Many have so kept appearances before men that now they have qraduated to keep appearances before the word of God also. Beloved, the word of God is a double edged sword. It is meant to deal with your heart and straighten it such that your spirit man which is created after Christ will have a free way.

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2Co 10:4,5)
 
The word of God is a weapon. It is a hammer. It does not only build you up. It also tears down the veil behind which the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life dwell. Consequently, it works in the believer to drive such lusts out of the way. It is the light. Light that reveals many things that are hidden from the natural eyes. Things that perhaps may not even be so apparent to the believer who receives the word. The light of God which is His word reveals the intents of a man’s heart to turn his heart to the Lord.
 
There is an uneasy feeling whenever the word of God throws light on the hidden details of an otherwise well-packaged life; when the heart of the believer is being judged by the word. It is almost crippling. This is because such a word brings loss. It brings about the separation of that which the believer has held on to through lusts and self-centeredness. Because the believer is very much attached to these, the dealing of the word of God is to them as a knife cutting through the flesh. This makes such a dealing unpleasant. Therefore many hide from the word. They laugh it off. Some joke with it. Some stop paying attention to it. Some engage themselves in other activities in other to drown the sound judgement of the word.

Such people hate the truth and would rather hear a lie.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (2Ti 4:3 )
 
This is the source of many deceptions. Hiding from the truth. Man was created as a dependent being and not an independent one. Therefore man needs to live from a source. This source is either the Lord or the devil. Man lives from and by the Lord through the truth supplied to him by God. When man turns himself away from these truths he does not become neutral. He actually turns himself to falsehoods or deceptions which is the word by which the devil rules in a man’s life. In turning from the truth, a man gives himself up to be deceived.

The interesting thing about deception is that the one who is being deceived is unaware of the deception. Since that which reveals deception is the truth. The best chance the believer has against deception is therefore to receive the truth without hiding.

Many people have equated having itching ears to a readiness to hear the gospel of prosperity. I beg to differ on that. This is because in the given context, itching ears are according to the person’s lusts: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life. Thus ears that itch itch to feed the flesh with what it lusts for. The itching ears like to hear messages that teach self-righteousness. A righteousness that is independent of God. Itching ears like to hear how they must merit everything they get and thereby be their own gods. Itching ears do not like to live by God. They do not want to live for God.
They do not want to walk by faith. They want to follow after the deception that comes from the devil through the flesh.The truth however teaches that man is nothing without God and therefore must live on Him. Any message which therefore falls in the category of what the devil preached to Eve in the Garden falls in line with that which the itching ears want to hear.

The unrenewed mind is a deceived mind. That is why we need to receive the word of God which does not only reveal the deception of the unrenewed mind or heart but also removes and builds in its place the true mindset.
 
Many also run away or hide from the truth because they find it overwhelming and think they have not the strength to act in the manner the truth seems to be demanding. Anyone who feels this way has approached the word from the fleshly or carnal perspective where merit by one’s own strength is deeply rooted. So in hearing the truth they see themselves as incapable of measuring up to the standard the truth seems to present. To such people, hiding and refusing to consider the truth in their heart appears the logical reaction. This is life under the law where fear rules.

The word of God is not just a judge but also a supplier of grace which is the Divine ability. The word does not only reveal, it also enables. It does not only pull down, it also builds. The one who therefore opens his heart to the truth is opening himself to a process which results in the formation of Christ in him. It will of course include the revealing of some negatives in the heart but where the pain of hidden flesh is revealed, there is also the soothing balm of the love of God. A love that draws one from the fleshly state into the spiritual. A love that creates a willing heart and supplies the strength to overcome the hidden lusts and self- centeredness revealed. The word of God is the complete package. It comes as the rain which does not return but accomplishes the very purpose for which it
was sent (cf. Is. 55:10). It has an end in mind. Submit to it and you will see the fruit it produces- a life fashioned after Christ. 

Love the truth. Receive it into your heart and allow it to lay you bare. Don’t hide from it by covering up what it seeks to reveal, root out and replace with the good. Don’t be a hypocrite before the truth. Don’t receive the truth just for others. Receive it for yourself first. You will make spiritual progress this way, if you let the truth lay you bare.