Fearful Enchantment
In the movie “Shrek,” it starts out somewhat like this, “Once upon a time, there was a lovely princess. But she had an enchantment upon her of a fearful sort which could only be broken by love’s first kiss. She was locked away in a castle guarded by a terrible fire-breathing dragon. Many brave knights had attempted to free her from this dreadful prison, but none prevailed. She waited in the dragon’s keep, in the highest room of the tallest tower, for her true love, and true love’s first kiss. Like that’s ever gonna happen. What a load of….” So we watch, or re-watch this kid’s movie, and laugh and cheer, but then again, are you and I under the powers of some “Fearful Enchantment?” Some of us have made unwise and somewhat foolish decisions, and landed ourselves trapped in a round of things, controlled by Alcohol, drugs, sport, even an abusive or controlling partner, so what has got you trapped, “in the highest room of the tallest tower?” Romans 12:1-2 JB Phillips “With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”
How easy it is to live in a “Parallel Universe,” under some “Fearful Enchantment,” where what we think makes us happy, is in reality, something that holds us captive, slowly destroying us, and not by something we long term desire. Here is a couple of quotes from Martin Luther “I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen. To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Are we “Living and Breathing” the reality of Christianity, or are we deluded by a semblance, held under some “Fearful Enchantment,” a form of Godliness. 2 Timothy 3:5 ERV “They will go on pretending to be devoted to God, but they still refuse to let that “devotion” change the way they live. Stay away from these people!” These people are most likely under a “Fearful Enchantment,” then “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck,” but then again it might not even be so, it may be a “Fearful Enchantment.” What “Fearful Enchantment,” has got control of your mind? There are things like; Lust, Greed, Power, Money, Fame, Fortune and there are loads more, Philippians 2:5 “[But] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”
Isaiah 44:9-10 “They that make a graven image [are] all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they [are] their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image [that] is profitable for nothing?” Isaiah 43:21 “This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.” Isaiah 44:24 “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I [am] the LORD that maketh all [things]; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;” Galatians 4:19 “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,” Christians, Real ones, are captivated by a “Fearful Enchantment,” they have met Jesus Christ, their burdens of sin and strife have been rolled and washed away, they now experience freedom from debilitating bondage, now “Love,” the real deal, controls their every thought deed and action, they have caught a glimpse of a real life, a life free from the bondage of sin and death, they are captivated by a “Fearful Enchantment” of a Heavenly kind, and by their fruit you shall know them, as they are real, live real lives, and their devotion is real, no enchantments here, just a reality of a real life, and eternal life, a life that goes on endlessly getting better and better, fuller and more joyous every moment of every day.
Philippians 2:1-6 ERV “Think about what we have in Christ: the encouragement he has brought us, the comfort of his love, our sharing in his Spirit, and the mercy and kindness he has shown us. If you enjoy these blessings, then do what will make my joy complete: Agree with each other, and show your love for each other. Be united in your goals and in the way you think. In whatever you do, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble, and honour others more than yourselves. Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too. In your life together, think the way Christ Jesus thought. He was like God in every way,
but he did not think that his being equal with God was something to use for his own benefit.” Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Let us be under the “Fearful Enchantment,” of the Love of God which constrains us, and have the mind of Jesus remain always controlling you.” So what “Fearful Enchantment” controls your life and existence?
Hebrews 10:30-31 “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance [belongeth] unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. [It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” God’s Mercy tastes way better than his vengeance, when you receive the just results of your wickedness. We have two choices, the Fearful Enchantment of Life everlasting or the Fearful Enchantment of everlasting Death and non-existence. Joshua 24:15 ERV “But maybe you don’t want to serve the Lord. You must choose for yourselves today. Today you must decide who you will serve. Will you serve the gods that your ancestors worshiped when they lived on the other side of the Euphrates River? Or will you serve the gods of the Amorites who lived in this land? You must choose for yourselves. But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” So which “Fearful Enchantment” did you choose?
