Steal, Kill, Destroy

     Recently my husband and I were talking about how to tell if something was of God or the enemy. We talked about how you are to check the spirit or the person against the word and their fruits (1 John 4:1, Matthew 7:15-20) but then my husband asked me if there was any other way to tell. It was brought up how some people can seem really great on the surface, and from a distance their fruits may even look good but how as time goes on you discover otherwise, this can happen with objects, books, music or TV shows as well. On the surface they seem innocent enough, okay or entertaining but over time a darker side of it can take over, or without realizing it you are investing more time in this object, show, or form of entertainment than you are the relationships around you or your relationship with God. As we discussed this I shared with him the theory I have and follow when it comes to making decisions about people in my life (who to spend time with, and who to shy away from), what programs I watch or listen to, the books I read, and the things that I allow to entertain me. Now I would like to share it with you, and now this is not something I am saying you have to do or live by to be a 'good' Christian, it is simply a suggestion based on what works for me and something to think about, if you've ever wondered.
       Basically what I ask myself when I am trying to understand if something is really good or bad is a question that comes from the text found at John 10:10; which reads like this in the NIV "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." So I ask myself 'could the enemy use this thing/person to kill, steal, destroy, or will this thing or person bring me closer to Jesus giving me more life?' Now that means we have to look at the words steal, kill, destroy in two ways to accurately answer this question, first there is of course the physical aspect of those words but there is also the spiritual aspect.
       In the physical sense steal, kill, destroy is pretty easy to determine, it isn't always but usually you can tell when someone is a threat to you and its usually good to follow that instinct. With objects it can be more difficult, but a good idea for this is realizing moderation with some things is okay(like videogames) but too much is where you put yourself in danger ( consequences are killing relationships by lack of time invested, tendonitis, poor eyesight). In the spiritual though it is often harder to tell because we can't see the effects so much as we experience the effects. In the spiritual sense those things that 'steal' are any things that steal the joy of the Lord from your heart, anything that steals your attention from God, which actually leads to the next two words. If it is stealing your joy, it's also killing your relationship with God. It is hurting you both, and as the separation grows you will feel less and less of the Lord as you fill up on this something else. This path can and will if not caught and changed, lead to destruction, the destruction of your soul. 
       Now I realize many of you may be like, 'wow she's taking this pretty far', and I can totally see why you would say that! And I even said to my husband to use some common sense when asking yourself this. Some thing's in moderation are really okay, for another example can soda steal, kill, or destroy? Well taken to the extreme yes, it is very bad for your health and can lead to diabetes or other complications so yes it can destroy, it can and does destroy normal body functions when taken to excess, but is one soda a day going to distract you from God or destroy usual functions of your body, no. So, provided you have some will power soda is okay, but still definitely better to avoid.  
       I hope this helped you stop and think today. I hope you take a moment to think about what you are filling your mind and spirit with. Is it something that is stealing, killing, or destroying your belief and relationship with God or is it building that relationship giving you more life and abundantly?   

John 10:7-13
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

 

1 Peter 5:8        
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.