Spiritual Arrogance (Wednesday, Week 14, Year II)

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The spiritual power to cast out unclean spirits and cure all kinds of diseases is a wonderful gift that must be greatly appreciated, earnestly sought after and wisely used. 

As I go about exercising such gift, wisdom demands that I mustn't enter every "pagan territory". What does this mean? 

Any wise army commander knows that he must limit his objectives. He must direct his attack at one chosen point. If he diffuses his forces here, there and everywhere, he dissipates his strength and invites failure. TO ATTEMPT TO ATTACK ON TOO BROAD A FRONT IS SIMPLY TO COURT DISASTER (William Barclay).

Does Jesus have this in mind when he told his newly commissioned Gospel Generals (that is, the apostles) "TO GO NOWHERE AMONG THE GENTILES AND ENTER NO TOWN OF THE SAMARITANS" (Matt. 10:5)? Your thoughts may be as good as mine!

I deem it a crass show of spiritual arrogance when people highhandedly invade territories and begin to destroy the vegetation, cutting down trees and turning communities into warfronts in the name of spiritual decontamination. As you use your spiritual powers, please know your boundaries, be conscious of other people's boundaries and respect it. That you mustn't enter every "pagan/gentile territory" is a word of wisdom too expensive and valuable to be ignored.

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