This is a transcript of Episode 11 of the WAK Talk podcast. Listen on your favorite podcast platform by clicking here. Or watch on YouTube by clicking here.
Are you awake?
Sixteen years ago, at my high school graduation party, we had a hypnotist show. The hypnotist asked for volunteers and had each one relax and count to three. Then he made suggestions for them to follow. Like, act like your favorite animal. I remember sitting on the bleachers not really believing my classmates were hypnotized, but it was still entertaining to see them say and do some pretty funny things. While watching the show, I remember thinking about how this all seemed too familiar. The Lord told me that this is humanity.
We are hypnotized by the self, the world, and by Satan. How often do we listen to the lies in our heads? Or give into our feelings and fears and desires?
Hypnotized
Hypnosis is the sleep-like state where suggestibility is heightened. This is the human condition. In my last episode, we talked about sober-mindedness versus drunkenness. Drunkenness is similar to a sleep-like state because the senses are dulled. Like being hypnotized and asleep, when someone is drunk, they have a harder time knowing what is right and wrong. They don’t know what is real or not—what is true or not. But at the same time, a drunk person believes they are thinking clearly and are able to do the same things as when they are sober.
When we are drunk or hypnotized, we are asleep to reality. We easily give into the suggestions of the world around us or the lies, feelings, fears, and desires in our heads that we wouldn’t otherwise do if we were awake. And when we are asleep, we are living in darkness.
Jesus & Reality
So, what is reality?
This is reality: God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. And everything was good in His sight. But mankind was deceived and gave into a lie. We gave into the lie that we don’t need God. We believe that we are in control of our lives and can build our own identity and purpose. This separates us from God. But God had a plan. Humanity’s fall did not catch Him off guard. In His infinite wisdom and sovereign authority, He sent His one and only Son to take yours and my place to pay the price for our sins—to pay the price for our rebellion and defiance against God. Jesus willingly stepped down from His heavenly throne to be a light in the darkness—to live among sinners.
I think we easily forget how great a cost this was. We get focused on the self and go about living our lives. We choose the easy path. We let the world seep in, and we allow our feelings, our fears, our desires, and our comforts in life to dictate how we live. We are hypnotized. We are asleep.
WAKE UP
Romans 13:11-14 tells us: “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
“Put on the armor of light.” Jesus is the light in the darkness. Jesus alone is able to snap us out of hypnosis.
And “do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” What things do you think about that will feed the desires of your flesh? Sex, money, power. What about the comforts you can’t live without? Your smart phone, TV, retirement, vacations, the weekends. How often do you think about those things? Are you thinking about them more than Jesus? Does your smart phone comfort you more than Jesus?
The desires of our flesh have hypnotized us. We are asleep. I’m not talking about the non-believers. I’m speaking to the Christians here—those who claim to be followers of Jesus. “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.” Are you awake? And don’t tell me you’re woke. Woke is past tense. That’s pride talking. It’s like saying, “Been there, done that.” If you are woke, then you are asleep right now. And I’m not getting political here. I’m talking about spiritual warfare. We are in a spiritual war, not a political war. I’m not talking about Trump versus Harris. Or Democrat versus Republican. I’m talking about Jesus versus the world. I’m talking about the King of kings and Lord of lords versus the father of lies. Which side are you on?
Where have you compromised? Have you given into your flesh and allowed the world to influence how you live? Have you given into the worship of worldly things?
Jesus didn’t die for you to be comfortable in this world! He didn’t die for you to pray the prayer to accept Jesus into your heart and then sit back and relax. He didn’t die for you to be a Sunday only Christian. He didn’t die for you to have your hope in weekends, vacations, retirement, or summer breaks. He didn’t die for you to spend your free-time on some type of screen. He didn’t die for you to know all the Christian lingo and be a “good” person.
Jesus died so that you would die. Not physically, but for your old self to die spiritually. Jesus proved just how immensely important it is for us to be close to God that He sacrificed His own life on the cross. He knew that without Him, we are doomed. We are on a path for destruction—a path that only leads to us meeting God’s wrath.
Jesus died to save you from yourself! If you aren’t grounded in God’s Word, then you’re asleep. If you aren’t sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading, then you are asleep. So, wake up Christian! The world doesn’t revolve around you. It’s all about Jesus! Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ! Put on the light and be a light to the world! Live as children of the light, not children of darkness. Remain close to Jesus, not the world. Speak the truth and stand for the truth! Be strong and courageous! Jesus said: “‘In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’” (John 16:33).
