“Being Deflected From the Path of God” Late Mr. N. Daniel

HABAKKUK 3:2 "Lord revive thy work, in the midst of the years."

Habakkuk prayed that God's work should prosper anew. He wanted God to revive His work, lest he should gradually go down. This world is full of sin and the powers of darkness. Converted people who are doing great work for God should prevail in prayer until God does again and again revive His work. Once I was praying by the sea shore, a sudden sharp shower came down. I shielded my Bible from the rain and began to run fast towards certain fishermen's coves 200 meters away. The wind was blowing against me and heavy drops of rain were shooting into my face. So I shut my eyes and ran. After a while. I felt I should have come to the close proximity to my destination. I opened my eyes, but I could not see any houses but I found that I who was running away from the sea, was running into the sea. How did this happen? The strong wind, and rain which beat upon my face imperceptibly turned my head by a small angle to the original direction. So, I had to run a big semicircle, and had reached at last the direction exactly opposite to what I wanted. In a similar manner, ministry which is commenced with proper motives and is Spirit-led can undetected loose that life. So we need God to revive His work.

Christian workers forsake sin and the world and run towards the presence of God. But gradually they can deviate at a small angle and finally sink into what they once forsook. We should be watchful and examine ourselves again and again in the light of God, lest God say to us “I never knew you, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.” Too late, we are taken by surprise and say “We ate and drank in your presence and in your name did many wonderful works.” Such of those who do not constantly strive to stay in the narrow way, they miss the way altogether. They see a degree of victory in their ministry, they receive respect and honor from the people around, they find themselves financially secure. Then, they exalt themselves above the Lord. Those who seek after wealth and honor are not those who are in the narrow way. Those who rob widows, and bring God's name to shame, destroy the work of God. “Oh God revive thy work.” All of us in our fellowship should pray this prayer. Satan is ever watchful to destroy the work of God through the love of money and carelessness in your dealings with women.

The Lord chose Saul to be king over Israel. When he was established on the throne, he began to disobey God's commandments. The prophet Samuel pointed to his sin and rebuked him. He could see his mistake but he said, “I have sinned, yet honor me I pray thee, before the people.” (I Samuel 15:30) This was not repentance. Saul could not find repentance again. He wept many times. He acknowledged before David that he had sinned but he never repented. Why? an evil spirit deceived him. (I Sam.16:4) Evil spirits deceive careless evangelists. They have backslidden. They confess their sin but not wholeheartedly. We should be seriously warned about coming to such a state. When the unclean spirit departs from a man, it finds 7 others to come back and strongly take position of that individual. Such evil spirits take hold of Christians who miss the way and will not allow them to repent. It is a terrible thing to come to such a state. They have spiritual experience, and therefore they can preach the Word. Apparently there might be some fruit in their ministry but an evil spirit is ruling over them, they do not know it. They weep some times, but they stop there. I am able to observe several in such a state even today.

King Saul forsook God and clung to the throne. It was God who brought him to the throne. Losing a kingdom was not such a serious matter as losing the presence of our high and holy God. Once, near Rajahmundry, when the river Godavari was in flood, a man clung to a raft and holding it, tried to swim to the shore. The raft was small and could not keep him above the water. He left the raft and tried to take hold of a log which was floating on the flood. The log could not float him either, above the water. He left the log and tried to take hold of the raft again. But it was now out of reach. He turned towards the log again, but to no avail. He sank and perished. Those who forsake God, the source of every blessing and take hold of His benefits will like wise perish in the flood of life. “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;”(Heb 6:4-6) The lamp of the ungodly will be put out. The light in their tabernacle will become darkness. Habakkuk was a true prophet. He says, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut of from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet,…(Hab.3:17) This is the righteousness of faith. Even though wealth and honor are taken away, those who feel satisfied in God will endure till the end. “Oh God revive thy work.” In other words, “Lord, see if there is any evil spirit in me and drive it away, and deliver me. Revive thy work that thy people may rejoice in thee." God warns us. “Deliver thy self as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler."(Prov.6:5)

Many people trust in doing kind deeds which are not in the will of God. They feel they are doing it for God, when actually they are departing from God through it. If God doesn't revive us again, we have no hope. Christian workers awake, lest blindness set in and wrong desires take hold of us. Perhaps evil spirits have entered in. To release such people is very difficult. Such people should have fellowship with the children of God and seek restoration through their correction and by wrestling with God in prayer and fasting. The sign that evil spirits have come into a worker is that he loses oneness with the others. Love dies. He begins to think that his own work should prosper and he must be a great man. (Instead of feeling that God's will should be done and He should be glorified.) We should not crave for greatness and approbation of people. Seeking the honor that comes from men is the sure sign that the evil spirits have entered. David alone among the backsliders mentioned in the scriptures repented deeply and found restoration. He prayed. "Create in me a clean heart O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me, the joy of thy salvation." (Ps.51:10-12) "Behold thou desirest truth in the inwards parts." (Ps.51:6) Backsliders will not have truth in their inward parts. Those who forsake God and take sides with their relatives scatter the flock. One should be careful about such people. Let us all pray, “Oh God revive me, revive my family, revive my prayer group. Please show us that if any evil spirit has entered into me or any one of us. Oh God sustain the work which you have begun.”