When Judas betrayed Jesus he was paid thirty pieces of silver. When he tried to return the money the chief priests said, "This money was paid to have a man killed. We can't put it in the temple treasury." They could pay, we learn, for Jesus' murder with the silver, but they couldn't put it back in the church's bank account. That's the murderous spirit of religion that is still lurking about actively seeking to destroy His Church and your life. The religious spirit did not disappear after the resurrection of Jesus. Perhaps you have heard the voice of a religious spirit before saying things like:
"We don't let that kind come into our church."
"And you call yourself a Christian."
"You are being judgemental."
"Lord, bless this meal."
This is one of the most controversial books you will read as you come face to face with the hypocrisy of the religious spirit and learn how to overcome it. There are many things that you will face in your life that are not from God; the religious spirit is one of them.
The spirit of religion is legalistic, hypocritical, self-righteous, mean, and hateful, will stab you in the back, having a form of godliness, focusing on form and ritual, will ambush and destroy your life, ministry, and church.
CHAPTER CONTENTS INCLUDE
1. A Respectable Effigy
2. A Different Spirit
3. A Form of Godliness
4. The Religious Pattern
5. The Strange Woman
6. The Pharisees
7. The Eight Woes of Jesus
8. Protection from Religion
9. Scriptural References to the Religious Spirit
