Why are some churches governed by controlling spirits? Perhaps it is insecurity. There may be other reasons. One thing is certain. Controllers want to stay on top by keeping other people down. The Apostle Paul wrote:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was[a] in Christ Jesus,
who, though he existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
assuming human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a human,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.Therefore God exalted him even more highly
and gave him the name
that is above every other name,
so that at the name given to Jesus
every knee should bend,
heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:3-11)
Let us be certain that we are not controllers, Satan wants to control the Church and he will often do it through fear. If we fear about losing control, then we have fallen under the spirit of fear which is not a good spirit. Let us remember:
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
We have the blood of Jesus as our justification before God. There is no reason for insecurity. Jesus is our security. By the cross God has shown his perfect love towards us.
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. (1 John 4:17-18)
See Gatekeepers and Packaged Church.
Preaching the Lectionary 