Adolf Hitler once said, "Propaganda is a truly deadly weapon in the hands of an expert." Hitler understood the power of manipulation and deception to accomplish the goals he set for himself. His "propaganda" cultivated many things especially hatred, fear, and suspicion.
2500 years before Hitler there was king that understood the ways of shaping the views of people under his rule. King Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon and during his reign they were "THE" world power. It's armies conquered much of the known world and along with this sweeping domination they brought their immorality and idol worship.
Part of his strategy was similar to Hitler's. He would identify the smartest and best equipped young men for each of the places that he conquered and turn them into leaders for Babylon. In doing so, he brought the smartest and brightest young men from Jerusalem to Babylon and spent years trying to brainwash them. Imagine being taken from your home to a different land far away and then being told you couldn't worship as you had before, you couldn't eat the things that you had grown accustom to, and not being able to speak the language that you had spoken all your life. That is exactly what Nebuchadnezzar did to the young men of Israel. He went as far as to change the names of these young men. Names given to them by their fathers and each had special meaning to them. The king was systematically eradicating their past and their culture.
The truth is that he didn't invent this sort of thing. Thousands of years before Babylon, Satan invented "propaganda" and manipulation. Ever since Eve heard his smooth talking voice in the garden we have been subjected to the propaganda that he was endeavoured to spread. He is the master of manipulation. He masterfully uses the world and its views to shape the way that we think and to challenge what we believe. Just like Hitler and King Nebuchadnezzar before him, our enemy has a propaganda machine and he uses every means at his disposal to influence our worldview. He attacks us through radio, internet, books, magazines, education, advertising, websites, movies, and a thousand other ways.
We have a powerful enemy that given the opportunity will destroy us.
In Romans 12:2 Paul gives us a challenge to be separate from the world. His call is very plain and straightforward and if we aren't careful we will miss it. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." We have to make the choice daily to either be a follower of the world or a leader for Christ. We have to make decisions that will subject ourselves to the manipulation of our enemy or make the decisions that will separate us from this world. God telling us to live separate from this world and its ways is just like us telling our children not drink bleach or not to run with a sharp knife.
So which is it: Will you lead? Or will you follow?
2500 years before Hitler there was king that understood the ways of shaping the views of people under his rule. King Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon and during his reign they were "THE" world power. It's armies conquered much of the known world and along with this sweeping domination they brought their immorality and idol worship.
Part of his strategy was similar to Hitler's. He would identify the smartest and best equipped young men for each of the places that he conquered and turn them into leaders for Babylon. In doing so, he brought the smartest and brightest young men from Jerusalem to Babylon and spent years trying to brainwash them. Imagine being taken from your home to a different land far away and then being told you couldn't worship as you had before, you couldn't eat the things that you had grown accustom to, and not being able to speak the language that you had spoken all your life. That is exactly what Nebuchadnezzar did to the young men of Israel. He went as far as to change the names of these young men. Names given to them by their fathers and each had special meaning to them. The king was systematically eradicating their past and their culture.
The truth is that he didn't invent this sort of thing. Thousands of years before Babylon, Satan invented "propaganda" and manipulation. Ever since Eve heard his smooth talking voice in the garden we have been subjected to the propaganda that he was endeavoured to spread. He is the master of manipulation. He masterfully uses the world and its views to shape the way that we think and to challenge what we believe. Just like Hitler and King Nebuchadnezzar before him, our enemy has a propaganda machine and he uses every means at his disposal to influence our worldview. He attacks us through radio, internet, books, magazines, education, advertising, websites, movies, and a thousand other ways.
We have a powerful enemy that given the opportunity will destroy us.
In Romans 12:2 Paul gives us a challenge to be separate from the world. His call is very plain and straightforward and if we aren't careful we will miss it. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." We have to make the choice daily to either be a follower of the world or a leader for Christ. We have to make decisions that will subject ourselves to the manipulation of our enemy or make the decisions that will separate us from this world. God telling us to live separate from this world and its ways is just like us telling our children not drink bleach or not to run with a sharp knife.
So which is it: Will you lead? Or will you follow?
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