Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.
I wish I could tell you that’s a quote from Abraham Lincoln and you could turn it into a meme to spread around the internet. It’s not. No, it’s Paul’s heartbreaking reality he shares in 1 Timothy 4.
I’m grieving this morning as I grasp the news of yet another turning from the faith. Jon Steingard, lead vocalist for the Christian rock band Hawk Nelson, recently denounced his faith in God in a recent Instagram post.
As I sit and listen to one of my favorite songs of theirs, Diamonds, I struggle to grasp this truth – this truth that a man who once sang, “Oh the joy of the Lord, it will be my strength. When the pressure is on He’s making diamonds. Oh the joy of the Lord, it will be my strength.”
Struggling to Grasp the Truth
I struggle to grasp the truth that he “no longer believes in God,” the very one who created him.
I struggle to grasp the truth that 29.7k Instagram followers, some who may be struggling with their faith as well, may see this as permission to stop believing in God as well because of a particular struggle they’re going through.
I struggle to grasp the truth that Satan so far, has won this man’s heart. Steingard believed a lie, then believed another, then another, until one day Satan’s lies became his truth, and now the words, “I no longer believe in God” flow from his lips and onto his keyboard.
I struggle to grasp the truth that this man’s eternity has been decided as of today, unless he truly repents of his decision. Hell. As I write the words my stomach aches. This man who once spread the Gospel through his music, will spend eternity in hell.
Satan laughs and I feel sick to my stomach, desperately hoping and praying he will come back to the truth before it’s too late.
Most of all, I struggle with the truth that I am not immune from this either. No Christian is, and if any of us think so, we better humble ourselves quickly.
Seeds of Doubt Change Everything
It only takes one seed of doubt to grow into a massive decision like this. If we water that seed without allowing Holy Spirit to intervene and bring us back to the truth, we too are destined for denying Christ and choosing darkness.
I’ve recently watched a writer friend publicly going through this same struggle, though he has not yet denounced the Lord. He worked in ministry before he hit the big time, then fame took its toll on his identity. I would argue his identity was confused before he found fame; it only made the struggle worse.
I see him on this journey to “find himself,” but I fear in the process he’s losing himself even more, as well as the intimacy with Jesus that keeps us from losing our ever-loving minds.
We’re Going to See This Happen More and More
Unfortunately, we’re going to see this happening more and more. Paul told Timothy about it. Jesus warned us in his own words in Matthew 24:10. And the writer of Hebrews dealt a devastating blow when he said….
For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. Hebrews 6:4-6
John said about his decision, “It didn’t happen overnight.” He’s right. My pastor gave the perfect explanation for his decision…
What happens does not happen over night but through an orchestrated drawn out attack. It’s kind of like a lion following a wounded animal. At first the animal can fend off the lion, but it grows weaker and weaker until it can’t fight off the lion. It then becomes its prey.
Steven Wagner
Jon Steingard became prey and now he’s being devoured by the enemy. He’s no longer being hunted; he’s being devoured as 1 Peter 5:8 warns us about.
And I’ll say it again – none of us are immune to being hunted down and devoured by the enemy. Whether you’re a pastor, the leader of a Christian band, or Mother Theresa, intimacy with Jesus is vital for our salvation. We’re all only one doubt away from destruction.
A Message for Jon
Jon, if by some chance you’re reading this post, I want you to know something. I am praying for you, genuinely. I will not shame you for your decision, but I pray for a holy conviction that overwhelms every fiber of your being. I pray for the first time in your life you have an encounter with God. I pray you are able to grasp what a true relationship really looks like, because friend, it’s amazing, and I fear you’ve never experienced it.
For whatever lies you are believing, I pray you see the truth about who God really is. For every seed of doubt that has been planted, I pray they are dug up and destroyed, leaving no trace of darkness.
I pray that it is not too late for you. I pray you experience the love of Christ like never before. I pray you change your mind. You are worth fighting for, my friend. You are valuable. I’ll say it again: You, Jon Steingard, are worth fighting for.
May we all have a great awakening in our hearts today, humbling ourselves before the Lord and choosing light over darkness.
Photo Credit: Facebook/lovekillsfearofficial via screenshot