There is an expression that says that, “familiarity breeds contempt”. What this means is that every one of us can find ourselves in a state of knowing a person very well to an extent that we begin to disrespect them, their views, instructions and everything that is related to them.

( Read Numbers 12:1-13)

Let’s look at some problems which are likely to confront Christians who have either consciously or unconsciously decided to allow their lives to be controlled by the force of familiarity. Below are 7 problems which will likely confront anyone who chooses to walk in familiarity:
1. Unprecedented delay in the manifestation of God’s blessings.
2.Spiritual retardation.
3.Stagnation in life
4.Deprivation of God’s glory indicated by constant spiritual dryness and lack of spiritual insight
5. Devastation/damage to a life, ministry and career [like what happened to Jeroboam and Josiah the young prophet of Judah according to 1 Kings 13].
6.Distortion of God’s programme in life.
7.Disobedience and ultimately rebellion.

In Acts 5:3-4, when Ananias and Sapphira lied, they initially thought they did so against Peter their leader. However, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, Peter had to bluntly bring to their awareness that such an attitude, prompted by familiarity, wasn’t an offense before men but a direct demonstration of untrustworthiness towards the Holy Spirit: “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, Satan has filled your heart. When you claimed this was the full price, you were lying to the Holy Spirit”. [Acts 5:3 TLB].

Erick Bouwmeester
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