I have been taught early in my life that you can only grow as deep in the Lord as you have learned to submit to those He has placed in authority over you and the amount of love you may walk in. This was confirmed to me by some very frank conversations that I had with David Wilkerson and Myles Munroe many years ago. This was the root of Judas' problem and a Judas spirit in Christianity and America. (Some of you are not going to like this devotional)
"The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take him away under guard.” 45 As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. “Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. Mark 14:44,45
There is a clue in here as to why Judas was able to betray Jesus. I hadn't noticed this in all the time I have spent studying the scripture until someone else pointed it out to me. What do you think it is?
Relationships are often determined by titles. Now I am not a "title" kind of guy, but in studying this verse, I guess I have to adjust my thinking a bit. "Mom and Dad" are titles of affection, security, and love. "Boss" is a title of authority and respect and distance. "Doctor" is a title of respect, honor, and trust. "Pastor" is a title of respect, honor, trust, and love. These titles don't necessarily define the person who carries them as much as they define our relationship to them. We are in charge of giving these titles out of our understanding of the relationship.
When Judas greeted Jesus, he told us all about the relationship he had with Him. He used the word that can be translated either Teacher or Rabbi. While this is a sign of respect, Judas was a man who had walked and talked with Jesus. Because he was in charge of the treasury, Jesus may have spent more intimate time with Judas than any other disciple defining who would receive help and what expenses to cover for the married disciples, where to buy food and so on. Jesus was so much more than simply a teacher to the other 11. To each of the other's, Jesus was Lord.
The respect Judas had for Jesus was only surface. It was easy to betray Him because love relationship, submission to His authority, and most importantly submission to the authority God had placed over his life was little to nonexistent. Too many times when things get tough people find out they are not submitted to their Boss, their parents, their Pastor and rather than fulfilling the destiny God has planned for them they run away under the Judas spirit. While their end may not be as dramatic, it is just as unfulfilling. Judas had an opportunity. Jesus knew all along, Judas would betray Him. However, Jesus still poured out love, grace, wisdom, and understanding with hope.
Have you been betrayed by someone with a Judas spirit? We don't have a choice but to follow Jesus' example and continue to love, be patient, and pour into them with hope, that they will submit to God's call rather than destroying their future. Keep praying!
Think about it, do you have a Judas spirit? Do you have authority in your life God has called you to submit to but are merely surface submitting? I can't answer that for you. The relationship is not based on anything I or any other authority in your life can define, you will define it. Pray, if you don't have it, keep submitting and watch God bless. If you do have it, ask the Lord to teach you to submit so your future can be fulfilled as God planned!
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