15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
very insightful eye-opening picture of the true enemy of the Church, January 19, 2007
This review is from: Freedom from the Religious Spirit: Understanding How Deceptive Religious Forces Try To Destroy God's Plan and Purpose for His Church (Paperback)
I have heard of the Religious Spirit but I didn't know quite what it was and how it oppressed the church. After reading this book, I was able to see very clearly the way it attacks and divides Christ's body - the Church, individual Christians, and practical ways to war/intercede against this spirit. This book offers several perspectives and insights on the religious spirit, written by different pastors and leaders. As a result, you get a very well-rounded view of this dangerous spirit that has oppressed the Church for centuries. Reading this book will cause you to be aware of the schemes of the enemy and how he tries to choke the very life out of God's Word, God's people, and God's Kingdom work. Some of the enemy's schemes are so commonplace and ordinary that I am surprised I didn't see them earlier. As I look back into my own experiences, there is newfound insight into why I struggled through past obstacles in my own faith and in ministries within the Church body.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Different Take on a Familiar Term, January 19, 2009
This review is from: Freedom from the Religious Spirit: Understanding How Deceptive Religious Forces Try To Destroy God's Plan and Purpose for His Church (Paperback)
The term "religious spirit" seems innocuous enough to many believers and non-believers. But the theogically trained contributors to "Freedom From the Religious Spirit" consider the term antithetical to true religion. According to this interprettion, religious spirit is all about the form and nothing of the substance of true spirituality. It encourages pride and arrogance rather than submission to God's will in humility. It encourages an empty devotion to ritual and perfectionistic ideals that have nothing to do with real service to others.
The contributing writers give plenty of biblical support for their attack on religious spirit. Jesus condemned the Pharisees whose words seemed to Jesus to laud God while their deeds denied him. The book cautions against being so impressed with the outward forms and traditions and other manifestations of religious spirit that the real humanistic concerns of faith are diminished or ignored altogether.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thank God for honesty!, October 31, 2008
This review is from: Freedom from the Religious Spirit: Understanding How Deceptive Religious Forces Try To Destroy God's Plan and Purpose for His Church (Paperback)
Thank God for honesty.
This will not be the first book I have ever read on the subject of religious spirits.
Most of these books are written by pastoral ministries, and the lopsided bias is mind-boggling.
The picture is painted of a poor, honest, sincere, God loving, sheep loving, hard working, Polly- poor-bred pastor who is working so hard he/she is almost sweating great drops of blood over his/her incredible diligence and care....etc...etc...etc.. and then along comes the big bad wolf.....
And the big bad wolf is ***ALWAYS*** within the flock, and ***NEVER*** a ministry.
Give me a break!
Do they think I'm that dumb!
The truth is, the enemy savourest the things of MEN. (Mark 8:33)
And this is always un-submitted flesh.
When ever, and where ever it is!
And if you don't think there is un-submitted flesh within the ministry, boy are you in for a surprise!
Diotrephes is everywhere! (3 John 1:9)
So that is why I was looking forward to Peter's perspective on this topic.
And, indeed I got more than I bargained for, as Peter utilizes a number of ministries.
Not an in depth analysis on the characteristics of those Jezebel...etc spirits that you typically find.
Not earth shatering, but a very balanced and good perspective.
And, most of all, he breaks out of the *poor-wonderful-me* mold set by most pastors on this subject.
Peter, how about a book titled "The Hireling Spirit".
That will rock the evangelical world a little!! :)
Thanks for your honesty Peter! A+
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