Defeating the Spirit of Compromise

Pastor E. Keith Hassell

Foundation Scripture: Hebrews 13:7-9

I. We are exhorted not to compromise:

A. Remember those who rule (i.e. lead) over you who have spoken the word of God to you

B. We are to follow their faith

C. Remember that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow

D. Resist being carried away by various (different kinds) and strange (new, unheard of, without share in) doctrines

E. Let our hearts be established by grace

II. Church history is filled with stories of prayer-filled revivals that do not continue. People do the same. The overwhelming reason is the “spirit of compromise.”

III. What is compromise?

A. To make a mutual promise to abide by an arbiter’s decision.

B. A settlement in which each side gives up some demands or makes concessions

C. An adjustment of opposing principles, systems, etc. by modifying some aspects of each

D. Something midway between two other things in quality, effect, etc.

E. Exposure, as of one’s reputation, to danger, suspicion, or disrepute

F. A weakening, as of one’s principles

G. Synonyms: Give-and-take, bargaining, granting concessions, accommodation, trade-off

H. The spirit of compromise is substituting the spirit of this world in the place of the Holy Spirit

I. Compromise is coming into agreement with something else that weakens or nullifies our covenant with God

1. Deuteronomy 28 Blessings and curses—depends upon our obedience

2. Exodus 23:32 (NKJV) “You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

3. Exodus 34:12-16 (NKJV) “Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. 13 But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images 14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), 15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot with their gods and make sacrifice to their gods, and one of them invites you and you eat of his sacrifice, 16 and you take of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters play the harlot with their gods and make your sons play the harlot with their gods.”

4. Deuteronomy 7:2-5 (NKJV) “and when the Lord your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. 3 Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. 4 For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly. 5 But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images, and burn their carved images with fire.”

5. Deuteronomy 12:1-4 (NKJV) “These are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to observe in the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth. 2 You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. 3 And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. 4 You shall not worship the Lord your God with such things.”

6. Judges 2:1-3 (NKJV) “Then the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: ‘I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, “I will never break My covenant with you. 2 And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.” But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? 3 Therefore I also said, “I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”’”

IV. The purpose of the spirit of compromise

A. To disqualify a person or a church from accomplishing its original mandate

B. To prevent the current generation from possessing its inheritance

C. To cause them to receive a curse rather than a blessing

D. Revelation 2:20-23 (NKJV) “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.”

V. Examples of Compromise

A. Balaam caused the children of Israel to compromise

B. Samson fell into the enemy’s hand through an area of compromise

C. Satan tempted Jesus with compromise in the wilderness temptations

VI. Recognizing the spirit of compromise

A. Choosing disobedience rather than obedience

B. Choosing the flesh over the Spirit

C. Choosing traditions of men over the commandments of God

D. Choosing to please others rather than to please God

E. Choosing love for this world over the love God

F. Choosing fear of man over the fear God

G. Choosing our own way over God’s way

H. Choosing weakness over discipline

I. Choosing convenience over commitment

J. Choosing excuses over accountability

K. Choosing rebellion over repentance

VII. Defeating the spirit of compromise

A. Submit to God (James 4:7-10)

B. Allow the word of God to reveal areas of compromise (Heb. 4:12-13; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

C. Break off all agreement with all forms of compromise

D. Break off all relationships with those who encourage you to compromise (Rev. 2:22-23)

E. Faithful adherence to the will of God will defeat compromise and bring us into the completion of our original mandate and into the full possession of our inheritance.