Day 4: Purge the Compromise
Week 1: Awakening & Consecration
“Therefore, ‘Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.’ And, ‘I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’”
In today’s verse, the apostle Paul is writing to believers in a very spiritual city. Corinth was full of idols, temples, and immorality. The danger for the church was not that they would suddenly deny Jesus, but that little by little they would blend in. God’s people have always faced this same danger. The enemy rarely starts with open rebellion; he usually starts with a subtle compromise.
To be separate does not mean we move out of the world or cut off from people. It means we live differently in the middle of the world. Our values, our choices, our loves, and our loyalties belong to Jesus. We do not play with what God calls unclean and then expect to walk in clear authority.
The Need for Discernment
In his book Armed and Dangerous, John Ramirez talks about a demonic ceremony he once took part in where a bucket of ice-cold water was poured over a person from head to toe as part of sealing a spiritual contract. Years later, when the Ice Bucket Challenge exploded worldwide, he was shocked at how closely it resembled that ritual and by how quickly many of us in the Church joined in without even asking the Holy Spirit.
I must be honest; we did the same at home. Our children took part, we laughed, filmed it, and shared it, thinking it was just harmless fun for a good cause. At the time, I never stopped to ask, "Lord, what is behind this, and does it honour You?" Reading Ramirez’s story really challenged me. It was a wake-up call about how easily the enemy can slip things into our lives through trends and viral challenges.
Living Awake
That story does not mean we live in fear of everything. It does remind us that we must live awake. There is a real spiritual battle, and the devil is happy to dress things up as charity, entertainment, or tradition, as long as they slowly dull our discernment and open little cracks in the walls of our lives.
At the "Battle for Britain" conference, there was a strong call to "divorce" unholy alliances and practices that have become normal in our culture. That might be involvement in:
Horoscopes and fortune telling
Occult games
Pornography
Unforgiveness
Entertainment that glorifies darkness
Many of these things are laughed off in society, but they grieve the Holy Spirit. When we "touch" them, we cannot expect to walk in clear authority.
The Promise of Intimacy
God’s call is strong, but look at the promise attached to it. When we choose separation from what is unclean, He says, "I will be a Father to you." Separation is not God pushing us away. It is God drawing us closer. When we let go of what grieves His heart, we experience more of His love, His nearness, and His fatherly care.
As a church that wants to be a place of refuge and restoration, we must take this seriously. People should be able to walk into ANCC and find a different atmosphere. A clean house. Not perfection, but a people who are willing to repent, to learn, and to let the Holy Spirit put His finger on anything that does not belong.
A Challenge for Today
There may be things God starts to highlight to you in these 21 days. Certain habits, music, films, parties, traditions, or spiritual practices that you have never really questioned. Do not respond with fear or stubbornness. Ask Him honestly, "Lord, does this honour You, or is this a place of compromise in my life?" He is a good Father. He will show you.
Let Us Pray
Father, I thank You that You love me and You want me close. I hear Your call to come out and be separate. I do not want to live in mixture. Holy Spirit, shine Your light on any area of compromise in my life.
Show me where I have allowed the culture to shape me more than Your Word. Give me courage to say no to what is unclean and yes to Your ways. Draw me close as Your child and make ANCC a clean, safe house for Your presence and for people who need refuge and restoration. In Jesus’ name, Amen.