It's time to repent for a spirit of entitlement that is destroying our testimony.
entitlement
noun en·ti·tle·ment:
the condition of having a right to have, do or get something
the feeling or belief that you deserve to be given something (such as special privileges)
In
a self-centered, narcissistic world, one can only presume entitlement
would be in the mix, as well. This attitude is doing great harm to our
testimony as Christians in addition to creating a proud, lazy people who
expect to be served instead of to serve.
"Let nothing be done out
of strife or conceit, but in humility let each esteem the other better
than himself. Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but
also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you all, which was
also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider
equality with God something to be grasped. But He emptied
Himself, taking upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men. And being found in the form of a man, He humbled
Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross" (Phil.
2:3-8).
Attitudes of entitlement have overwhelmed so many and it
is actually a clear manifestation of the enemy. His character is defined
by selfish ambition. Lucifer presumed it was his right, his portion, to
be exalted.
"How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of
the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weaken the
nations! For you have said in your heart, 'I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also on the
mount of the congregation, in the recesses of the north; I will ascend
above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High" (Is.
14:12-14).
Lucifer desired to be lifted high while Christ went
low, to the grave, in the greatest act of service history has ever
known. Our invitation is to serve and give ourselves for others just as
Christ did.
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I
who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the
flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself
for me" (Gal. 2:20).
A Simple Evil Desire
"'All
things are lawful for me,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things
are lawful for me,' but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own,
but each one the other's well-being" (1 Cor. 10:23-24).
We can
presume we are entitled to something because it seems right. If other
people stand in the way of what is rightfully ours, we might presume we
have the right to obtain it—even at the cost of others. It might be
lawful for us, but is it helpful? Does our pursuit of that build others
up?
Understand, I'm not saying we roll over and become doormats. This is a heart issue.
When
in Orlando recently, my wife and I had the worst experience with a
hotel we've ever had in our 20 years of marriage. In fact, this was a
celebration of our 20-year anniversary and the room met us with
scurrying roaches and hairs in the bed. We had prepaid for four nights,
yet we absolutely were not going to stay there. The short version of our
long drama was that the hotel only agreed to refund three of the four
nights because we had checked in the first night. That was astonishing
to us! We didn't spend more than a couple of minutes in that roach
infested hotel room!
So, we absolutely believe it's lawful for us to receive our first
night's money back since we had to find another hotel to stay in that
night. We made some phone calls and dealt with several people, but we
continually had a heart check. We refused to cross the line that would
have compromised our testimony. It's better to lose some money than to
put people's eternities at risk.
We didn't want to function in a
spirit of entitlement. We wanted to do our due diligence, to honor those
we were dealing with and to represent Christ as powerfully as we could.
In a way we were being "cursed" and we wanted to bless those who were
giving us trouble. Again, it's a heart issue. It is possible to deal
with significant violations of what is right if we learn how to handle
the small problems with the right attitude. There's no room for
entitlement whether it's a minor grievance or a major assault against
us.
Entitlement is usually a simple, subtle desire or expectation
that we don't give much thought to. This is why it's so important to
allow God to search our hearts and to reveal selfish motives, attitudes
and issues that bring forth death instead of life.
Entitlement
puts us on the throne as others are scrutinized and ridiculed if they
don't measure up. This is an anti-Christ spirit and we have to allow the
Holy Spirit reveal that deadly heart issue to us. We must endeavor to
consider others more important than ourselves. We must go low.
An Emergency in Haiti
On
a recent ministry trip to Haiti, mere minutes after I preached my final
sermon of the 10-day trip, I suddenly came down with an extremely high
fever and an unbearable pain in my lower right abdomen. I didn't realize
it at the time but I later discovered that I was hours away from my
appendix bursting—far away from the familiarity of home and the medical
care that I was most comfortable with.
A few hours later, I was on
a flight from Port Au Prince to Atlanta—possibly the worst three hours
of my life. By the grace of God, for the first time in many years I was
able to sit in first class. This minor perk was so appreciated. I must
have been a sight to behold as I turned down the free meals and constant
attention of the flight attendant. I was curled up almost in the fetal
position with blankets covering me as I futilely attempted to get warm.
My temperature must have been over 104 degrees.
The pain in my
right side was off the charts. I had to unbuckle my belt under the
blanket just for the slightest relief from the pain. I was convinced I
would need to have the attendant radio ahead to Atlanta to have medics
ready for my arrival.
As I shook from chills attempting to find
the slightest relief someone tapped me on the shoulder. The person
behind me demanded that I put my seat back up so they could be more
comfortable.
This was also a first-class passenger who had
probably paid a lot more for the flight than I did (I found a ridiculous
deal that was cheaper than coach). He was entitled to all the comfort
he could muster, right?
Now, the reason I'm sharing this story is
not to make you feel sorry for me or to get upset with the man who sat
behind me. You see, a spirit of entitlement would want you to do just
that!
The reason I'm sharing this is to reveal how simple it was
for me to reject a spirit of entitlement and to serve the man in the
first class seat behind me. Did I deserve to have the seat lean back a
few inches? After all, I was in the midst of a medical emergency. That
didn't matter. If Jesus can be slaughtered by and for evil people,
surely I could put my seat up. It really was quite easy! I simply had to
choose to love a stranger more than myself.
"Above all things,
have unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of
sins. Show hospitality to one another without complaining" (1 Pet.
4:8-9).
Waiters and Waitresses
My wife and I have a
standing rule in our family. When we go to a restaurant we always tip at
least 20 percent—no matter how great or terrible the service is.
An
attitude of entitlement rises up possibly most often in our nation when
seated for lunch or dinner in a restaurant. The expectation is that we
are to be served, and if we are, then we will give the server a small
gift.
What would happen if we turned those dinner tables by
determining to serve the server instead of demanding they jump through
our hoops?
"Give to everyone who asks of you. And of him who takes
away your goods, do not ask for them back. Do unto others as you would
have others do unto you. 'For if you love those who love you, what
thanks do you receive? For even sinners love those who love them. And if
you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks do you receive?
For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you
hope to receive, what thanks do you receive? Even sinners lend to
sinners, to receive as much in return. But love your enemies, and do
good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. Then your reward will be
great, and you will be the sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the
unthankful and the evil. Be therefore merciful, even as your Father is
merciful" (Luke 6:30-36).
I'll say it bluntly: Servers aren't dogs we give treats to when they obey our commands.
Additionally,
we aren't there to train them or to punish them when they fail. What
better place to break an attitude of entitlement than a restaurant? What
better place to serve with passion?
Just as it was extremely easy
to push the button to raise my airplane seat back up, it's just as easy
to write in a few extra dollars on the tip line on your receipt. In
fact, maybe we should give more when service is poor. That sure would
seem to follow biblical principles much more than punishing those who
fail us does.
If we are to bless those who curse us, surely we can bless those who fail to refill our drink as quickly as we'd like.
"We
who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak and not please
ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to
edification" (Rom. 15:1-2).
I was sitting in a popular national
chain restaurant on a ministry trip recently. A hostess seated an older
husband and wife at a table near ours. Admittedly the hostess was a
little quirky and possibly a bit insecure, but she was, without
exaggeration, one of the most friendly people I've come across! She was
pleasant, extremely attentive to everybody she came in contact with and
did an amazing job. The couple she seated didn't like that the sun was
shining in their eyes so they asked if they could move. The hostess very
nicely told them she could pull down the shade for them, which she did.
After she left their table the couple grumbled. They were exhibiting
entitlement. After all, they were the paying customer and they should be
able to be accommodated per their wishes, right?
Or, maybe they could have endured the discomfort with cheerful hearts.
"Do
all things without murmuring and disputing, that you may be blameless
and harmless, sons of God, without fault, in the midst of a crooked and
perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world" (Phil.
2:14-15).
I read a story the other day of a patron in a restaurant
that wrote in LOL on the tip line of their check with the comment "1
hour for food" alongside it. The server lost out on over $20 because the
kitchen didn't turn out food quickly enough for the entitled customer.
The customer took it upon himself to teach the server a lesson instead
of blessing her extravagantly. This has to stop.
Revival
Interestingly,
one of the major manifestations of a spirit of entitlement comes when
contending for revival in a region (or any manifestation of God's plans
and promises in any setting).
Something happens when the
prophecies of a massive outpouring in a region start flooding in.
Instead of resulting in a contending spirit in the church it most often
results in a lazy, entitled church that presumes they are due a move of
God. They wait and wait with eyebrows raised irritated that there's a
delay of the arrival of what's rightfully theirs.
We need to
remember that any prophecy not found in Scripture is conditional. It's
contingent on the response of the people. If revival is prophesied over a
region then a primary enemy to revival is a people who are expecting
revival to come—without being the laborer that revival demands.
I
believe this is the result of a casual, American theology that
emphasizes easy salvation and an easy life for those who name the name
of Christ. If we jump through the hoops of tithing, praying, reading our
Bibles and asking Jesus into our hearts (which really isn't biblical,
but that can be addressed at a different time), then by all means we
presume to be owed a mansion in heaven!
It's no wonder there are over 19,000 cities in our nation and none of
them are engulfed in revival. Not one. Is there a presumption that we
are entitled to revival and that it will come regardless of our
participation?
In one particular region there was an extremely
strong spirit of entitlement that had infiltrated the culture. Revival
was extremely close to breaking out, yet you could pick up on that
spirit as people were slow to respond, casual and lazy. The laborers
didn't show up in sufficient strength.
I'll never forget a stern
prophetic word that was given in that season: If this region doesn't
respond to the opportunity for revival, then God will move on.
He named the next city that would be given an opportunity.
Well,
the hope of revival did leave that region (not that it can't return at
some time; it absolutely can). Very interestingly last night I was in a
meeting led by Mario Murillo here in Branson, Missouri. He named a few
regions that are currently on God's radar for revival. The city that the
first prophetic messenger named a few years ago was on that short list.
Mario mentioned that God will move if there isn't a right response.
That brought be back a few years, and the truth remains—we must say yes
to the call of God and advance as if the prophecy may not come to
pass—because it absolutely won't if we hold back.
The question is,
will that city (Chicago) mentioned by both prophetic voices respond in
this critical season or will entitlement cause the church in the region
to expect the outpouring with no investment?
False Faith
Entitlement in spiritual contexts can feel a lot like faith. It's not. It's presumption.
Faith
without works is dead. Maybe another way to say that could be, faith
without works is presumption, or faith without works reveals a spirit of
entitlement.
"What does it profit, my brothers, if a man says he
has faith but has no works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister
is naked and lacking daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in
peace, be warmed and filled,' and yet you give them nothing that the
body needs, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works,
is dead. But a man may say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me
your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
You believe that there is one God; you do well. The demons also believe
and tremble. But do you want to be shown, O foolish man, that faith
without works is dead?" (James 2:14-20).
True faith results in action. Entitlement results in inaction.
True faith results in joyful expectation. Entitlement results in grumbling and disappointment.
True
faith results in blessing those who curse us. Entitlement results in
resisting and rejecting those who don't meet our expectations. We need a
people to rise up who are dead to self, full of life, driven by faith,
relentless in their pursuits and ready to serve others with passion, not
expecting to be honored, served or counted.
Enough Is Enough
It's time for the spirit of entitlement to be eradicated from the church and the nation.
We must go low, serve others and quit making demands that promote our special interests.
Everywhere
we look people are demanding what is presumably rightfully theirs. This
spirit of entitlement drives major, evil movements today such as
abortion, homosexuality and feminism. It's also fueling crusades and
campaigns that are generally good, but tainted because of this foul
spirit.
What if we stopped focusing on our own rights and started loving people even if it costs us comfort, money and vindication?
