Entitlement

I am 38 years old and in my generation there has been a shift from being grateful and doing our part to I am entitled to everything. This idea of entitlement has entered into the theology of the the church today, especially Pentecostal churches. We believe that because of what Christ has overcome we are immediately entitled to all of the things God gives in the covenant. It doesn't matter how we live or how much we have allowed God to change us. I am not talking about works because we are going to heaven once the decision to live for Jesus is made. I am talking about that we put a overlay over the Biblical message that there is no need for death on our behalf. Jesus suffered and had His Gethsemane so will we. Many believe that because Jesus suffered and overcame that we will never have to suffer. There is a principal of Jesus being formed in us that comes from a dependency on Him and a choice to pick up our cross and follow Him daily. My concern is that we are not growing into mature believers and are instead training a generation of those who have a sense of entitlement. So when rough things come they do not know how to handle it and walk through the rough things and see Christ formed in them in the process. Jesus has overcome and I believe it, my question is have you allowed Him to overcome in all areas of your life? I see us our lives as the promised land and we have areas controlled by the flesh and the enemy. We have to know that God wants to occupy all of us. He paid a price to own all of us, are we allowing Him to own all of us?