November 5 - The Loss of Spiritual Sensitivity

We cannot overstate the importance of our human conscience. Being a part of our human spirit, our conscience plays a vital part in sensing right from wrong, good from evil, what is from God and what is from the devil. Our conscience is washed by the work of the Holy Spirit at our conversion but we must keep it clean and clear before the Lord so it does not get polluted or corrupted. The Holy Spirit must fill the conscience in order for us to have a heightened spiritual sensitivity.

One quick way for us to lose our spiritual sensitivity is to be double minded. While holding on to the law of God, we also look the other way. Is there a way to get around the stiff demands of God? Could there be a compromise? Can I do the work of God while employing the ways of the world? Can I keep part of the commandments but not every one of them? If I do all God has commanded, life would not be fun for me. The beginning of our deviation from God’s principles is always a minor infraction here a harmless compromise there. Harboring an alternative to God’s absolute will turns us into double minded people and God would not be pleased.

Ezekiel actually called this group of people “rebellious”. They had eyes but could not see, ears but could not hear for their hearts were not in the right place. Our spiritual insensitivity can cause our physical and mental blindness, not able to function normally. The sin of rebellion turns our normal spiritual sensitivity off, allowing us to go deeper and deeper into sin. The hardening of the heart is a common description for rebellious Israel, taking away God’s blessings and inheritance from the nation.

The false prophets, when following their own hearts instead of the Word of God, would prophesy lies and commit the sin of divination and witchcraft. When no longer listening to the Lord, their words gave the people false sense of security. Even the prophetesses manufactured amulets and other ornaments, selling them to the people for a few pieces of cakes but in so doing, profaned the name of the Lord. Even the elders were worshipping idols, leading the whole nation astray.

How is your spiritual sensitivity? Are you able to tell what is good and what is evil or you have sincere doubts about what is really good for you? Have you wandered away from God’s absolutes and ventured into the gray areas? Do you begin to sympathize with evildoers and occasionally take their sides and act as the devil’s advocate? This is a sure beginning of losing your spiritual sensitivity. The more you go into that, the less the conscience would be functioning. Ask the Lord to come and cleanse your conscience now and declare that there is no good apart from God.