Can You Be Unequally Yoked And Win?

“The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked LEADS THEM ASTRAY.” Proverbs 12:26 Why does the Lord have to tell us this? Shouldn’t it be obvious? But no, the enemy will ARRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES to put us into friendship with the wicked, and there many go as lambs to the slaughter unaware that this is a setup. It isn’t for nothing that God repeats this throughout his Word. “DO NOT be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?” 2nd Corinthians 6:14-15 Many fall into this trap thinking they can change the unbeliever, but more often than not it’s the other way around. Do not forget that we have an enemy whose goal is to destroy us. While you’re looking at the unbeliever with intent to change him/her, you are not seeing the enemy who brought this friendship together – not that he/she might be changed, but that YOU might be changed. So you ask, “Well wouldn’t the Lord be stronger than the enemy so that I can make it go my way instead?” And the answer to that is yes and no. Yes, of course the Lord is stronger, but the Lord has told us NOT to enter into a situation like this, so if you do it anyway, you’re rejecting the Word of God and you’re on your own. As we journey through our time on earth, it’s hard to keep in mind that there is an unseen realm all around us, because we don’t see it. Derek Prince once said that if our eyes were opened to what’s around us, we would die of fright. Yes, it is THAT REAL. And what is in that realm is not passive. The demonic forces of hell war against us. They set up circumstances that are nothing less than plans to bring us to destruction. Many go willingly, because the enemy always draws people through one of two ways: 1. Through suggestion of something to be desired. 2. Through deception He will convince you that entering into a relationship with this unbeliever can be good. He’ll speak to your mind words of assurance and happiness ...but ...they are lies. And many fall for it, because they are not placing the Word of God above all, so they’re sitting ducks for deception. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 That is the realm we wrestle in. “Principalities and Powers” are names of specific genres of demonic forces. The hosts of wickedness are those who come to you daily trying to make you fall; through deceit; through pleasure; through suggestion of something good to come of it, by convincing you to make an excuse to not heed the Word of God. Satan will tell you that yours is a special case. But it’s a lie. It always has been, from the beginning: Indeed, his very first words in the account of creation were: “has God really said …?” ...This was the great deception carried out from the very beginning and which brought in the very first sin. (Genesis 3:3) If there is an unbeliever you’d like to be in a relationship with, do not make excuses to violate the Word of God. It's deception. Just don’t do it. If you are already in a relationship with an unbeliever, seek the Lord with all of your heart for direction. First, confess your disregard for the Word of God which brought you into this relationship to begin with. It is sin. Confess it as such. Then take up intercession for that person. You can accomplish far more through prayer than through futile nagging. Withdraw from all arguments and simply pray. Above all, stay very close to the Lord so that the unbeliever doesn’t take you down with him/her, because this is an opportune setup for Satan to squeal with delight as he attempts to draw you down through this unbeliever. Don’t think you can out-smart Satan, because you can’t. If the unbeliever is a family member, the word is the same, withdraw from all arguments and pray with all your heart. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 But be willing to pay the price, for it just may cost you dearly.