The Lessons of Lent: Judas' Syndrome!

The Lessons of Lent: Judas' Syndrome!

Judas was a major player in the passion of the Christ. John 13 describes his preparation for the ultimate onslaught of delivering our Lord Jesus to those who crucified him.

The scriptures had prophesied about him. He was the one the scriptures prophesied that would eat bread with the Messiah and still lift the heel against Him. He was the one whose bishopric another would take. He was the one Jesus often referred to as the unclean one who would betray him.

At the supper, Jesus raised the issue again being troubled in His heart. Each of the disciples would want to know who that was, none would want that prophesy to come to pass over him.

Jesus revealed him to those closest to him like Apostle John by giving him something to eat. Instantly, Satan entered into him. Jesus then turned to him and said whatever he needed to do he should do quickly.

Most of them didn't understand that. They had thought it was the same old instruction being given to their finance director to give to the poor or purchase what was needed by the ministry.

That reveals something crucial about the financial administration of the ministry of the Lord Jesus which should be a model to our ministries today. Two broad things on the budget include welfare expenses to the poor and then ministry needs. A ministry finance that doesn't have an active,  effective and properly managed welfare system isn't following Christ fully. The church is the first charitable organization and we shouldn't leave that to the world while we go on to build earthly empires.

The first sign that the scriptures of who would betrayed Jesus was going to be fulfilled on Judas began with him mismanagement of the funds committed to his care. The scriptures say he was stealing from the pause particularly under the guise of giving to the poor.

The love of money that is triggered by inordinate ambition to gather earthly goods and honor through whichever means will ever be an inroad for Satan into any one. In any association or relationship, be it in marriage, in church, a company, a country or wherever, once those in charge of the commonwealth permits selfishness and greed to control the management of the funds committed to their hands, they open up their hearts for Satan to occupy and control.

A lover of money would do anything good or bad to get it. One who serves mammon would obey Satan compulsively. Judas was already serving mammon, to betray Jesus wasn't anything his conscience couldn't take, it was mammon, his real master, he wouldn't betray!

We have often asked why Jesus prayed for Peter who denied knowing Him and not praying for Judas who betrayed Him? One reason is this that his error was of financial nature, it wasn't out of fear that he did what he did but deliberately out of greed.
He was already serving another god long before he carried out the act.

When you love money, you serve another god even if physically you still go around with Christ. If your main purpose of moving with Christ is to enrich self and not for the kingdom's sake, you make yourself open to satanic influence. If making money is your ultimate goal under the cover of a ministry or church work, you will soon betray Jesus Christ and go the way of Judas. If you serve mammon instead of God, you will soon lose your bishopric...

Once we cannot commit our financial sustenance to the power and wisdom of God, we switch to greed and covetiousness mode. God doesn't support our greed, He only cares about our needs. If God cannot control our money, He would hardly be able to control us and if God can't contol us we can easily guess who will....so Satan entered into Judas!

Judas syndrome is that spiritual sickness that makes a child or servant of God steal for himself to satisfy his greed from the resources God has committed to His hands for His people and His kingdom...

I pray God's grace for faithfulness will heal and cleanse us from the syndrome in Jesus name. I pray our services and obeisance to mammon will give way for conscientious service and worship of God. I pray that love of money, greed and covetiousness will have no place in us and our belly would not become our God in Jesus name!

Good Morning!

THE ESSENCE OF EASTER

continues

Thursday, 26th March 2015 6:00pm

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