Spiritual Pirates On The Sea Of Life!

Spiritual Pirates On The Sea Of Life!

I'd like to start today with a popular saying, "misery LOVES company!" How true is that statement? I've been in and around church and "Christians" my entire life and I'm still blown away by the negative attitudes, the critical personalities, and the complaining spirits among people who claim to be children of the King! I've grown to recognize these today as "spiritual pirates!" I also call them "church folk" from time to time. These are people who obviously DO NOT have the joy of Christ in their life. They are living blindly through religion which will never satisfy, it will always leave you longing, and it will cause you to be self-righteous and judgmental and critical of others. There isn't a Sunday that passes that a spiritual pirate doesn't sail my way! I've found that the closer I get to Jesus and the more "on fire" I am, the more attacks I face from these "spiritual pirates." It's Satan at work, diligently seeking to STEAL your joy, attack your faith, and defect you off your spiritual course! The last thing a spiritual pirate likes to see is a happy Christian, a prosperous ministry, and unity of the brethren! As Peter said, "the enemy is as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour!" As Christians we tend to put up our guard outside the church, we often put on

our armor as we leave the sanctuary and enter the world but that leaves us vulnerable to the spiritual pirates in the church! Their ship looks just like yours, they're flying the same flag as you are, but if we aren't careful they'll sneak up next to us, attack our character, steal our peace, and knock us off the course intended! They look good on the outside, they would never commit fleshly sins, they would never take an alcoholic drink, they would never say a curse word but if you watch them, they never keep their word, they give up at the first sign of trouble, and they cannot be counted on spiritually! We MUST be ready at all times, constantly looking through the looking glass of the Word, suited up in the whole armor of God, searching out those "spiritual pirates" that the Word of God calls "wolves in sheep's clothing." They're out there and they'll sail your way! They're not happy, and if they can help it, you won't be either! Well Pastor, how do I recognize these "spiritual pirates?" There are some "tell tell" signs of a spiritual pirate. First, they are ALWAYS negative. These are people that, even when the church is on fire, a ministry is booming, people are
being saved and growing spiritually, will have something negative to say! Second, they are always critical. They typically criticize the Pastor first, and something I've learned here is, if they'll criticize the Man of God, they'll criticize anybody! Not exactly the type of person you want with you on the front lines of spiritual warfare! They are always gossiping and attempting to cause division. Thirdly, they tend to be self-righteous and prideful about religious activities. They look down on others for the same mistakes they made along the way. They tend to say "I can't believe they did something like that" instead of picking their brother up and helping in the fight. They're always talking about what "they" did, how "they" paid their tithes, how "they" read 68 chapters this week, how "they" gave a homeless man a dollar, etc. Watch out for these, they've never read in the Word where we ALL are as filthy rags, they missed the part about not telling your right hand what the left hand has done! Next, they are usually wavering. They'll tell one person this and tell another person something completely different. They believe one thing this week and another thing when it's convenient. Lastly, a "spiritual pirate" is stubborn and despises change! They want it their way or no way! If it's different, it's not of God! They typically say things like, "we've always did it this way," and "mama and daddy said," mama and daddy isn't the rule, GOD IS! You've received the warning, be on the look out. They're sailing along life's sea searching out joy
they can steal! "Spiritual Pirates"

1 Peter 5:8King James Version (KJV)

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Matthew 7:15King James Version (KJV)

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Romans 16:17King James Version (KJV)

17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

James 1:8King James Version (KJV)

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.