ISOLATION – THE DEVIL’S POTENT WEAPON
Read Heb 10:25
In a documentary titled “planet earth”, a pride of hungry lions killed and devoured a large bull elephant. Lions are not known to attack elephants because elephants are big beasts that move in groups called herds and are well equipped to take care of themselves from any attack. How did the lions then kill the elephant? They simply managed to distract the bull elephant from the herd and made it chase them while the other elephants moved away. Once it was isolated from the herd, it was only a matter of time before the lions killed it.
Similarly the Bible says that the devil is “like a roaring lion looking for whom to devour” (1Pet 5:8). One of his most potent weapons for destroying the believer is by isolating him or her, albeit gradually from God (spiritual isolation) and other brethren (physical isolation), so that they can end up like the elephant in the story above.
Spiritual isolation is usually a gradual process whereby a Christian ceases to enjoy those things that make them to be on fire for God. A lot of Christians say that they no longer pray, read the word of God, or share their faith like they used to when they first got born again. The writer of the book of Matthew said, “the love of many will wax cold” (Matt 24:12). These are some of the signs of Spiritual isolation.
Physical isolation on the other hand is a withdrawal from fellowshipping with other brethren. The Bible says “iron sharpeneth iron” (Prov 27:17). Although the word of God says we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling (which signifies our daily personal walk with God), we are also encouraged not to forsake the assembly of brethren. When a Christian does not regularly worship with other Christians, it is a sign of Pride-the precursor of spiritual isolation. Spiritual and physical isolation go hand in hand and ultimately they make a shipwreck of the faith of believers who do not check themselves.
As Christians therefore, we should constantly consider our ways (Hag1:5). Let us go back to our first love and become energized once again for the things of God. That way, we will not end up as food for the devil. Remember that popular saying- any river that forgets its source will dry up eventually. When we drift away from our maker, and/or forsake the assembly of believers, we are doing so at our own peril.