The tons of bricks that were piled on my back for many years, have been lifted, I have heard from the Lord and He is healing in wonderful ways. I am not referring to physical healing, although that it happening too, but emotional healing. For many years I had to depend entirely on the Holy Spirit, which is where God wants me to be, sometimes the battle was intense while fighting the darts of the devil. He used people who wanted to destroy me, narcissists who had only one thing in their mind and that was to control me through demeaning and disrespect.
For years I have been battered by narcissistic people, those who wanted me in their life for one reason only and that was to control me. They used manipulation, fierce language, dismissiveness and the tactic of ignoring me entirely when I could not go along with their whims.
These people judged me, not on sinful behavior but my personal beliefs. They never desired to learn why I think as I do, or discover my motives, they were concerned solely with the fact that we disagreed. In the mind of the narcissist, there is no room for any belief other than theirs. They will bludgeon anyone who stands up to them with boldness.
As believers we have to learn to go with God even when those who claim to be Christians bring in false doctrine and man made rules to mold us into their image, rather than seeking Christ to become more Christlike.
I am deeply blessed that my husband is on my side in this, realizing that for years I have been battered, he is solidly with me in our resolve to live for Christ. Far too many people live for everything else but Christ. They will stand firm with family in order to keep family in their life, while negating God and His principles to maintain worldly relations.
When we must have family above all else, we cannot be sold out to Christ. God has clearly shown us in His word that we are to go with God, leaving behind family who refuse to learn and attempt to work ruin in our lives because of their ungodly mindset. AND, yes, I am speaking about family who claim to be believers, but mock us, demean us and refuse instruction or correction.
Luke 14:26 ""If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple."
I write a lot about this subject because it is the condition of our world, if we do not understand what we are dealing with, we may give into to the ungodly for the sake of peace. I am here to tell you that we have actually been commanded to get away from these people in order to walk with God.
Matthew 10:16-25
"16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,
18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.
19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.
20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,
22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household."
"2 Timothy 3
Perilous Times and Perilous Men
3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
The good news is that we can walk with godly people, our circle will be small because there are not many left, but one good friend is all we need, and that friend is Christ.
John 15:15 ""No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you."
God has instructed us not to remain friends with those who cause divisions, manipulations and turmoil. We are to become separated from non-believers who will not repent and trust Christ and we are to separate from believers who walk disobediently to the Word, while working to malign our walk.
Proverbs 26:21
"Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife."
God is deeply concerned with the quality of our relationships, we are not called to remain in every relationship, even if those involved who claim to be believers. A profession of Christianity is not necessarily proof of a born again status. When someone is born again and works ruin among the brethren, we are to pull away from them too.
Titus 3:10-11
"As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
Notice in verse 5 of 2 Timothy 3, God commands us "from such turn away." We are in disobedience when we remain in the company of those who are trouble makers. They will keep our focus on all the drama instead of on Christ. In Titus 3 we are commanded to "have nothing to do with them."
Here is a description of what the body of Christ should look like;
1 Corinthians 1:10
"10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment."
1 Corinth 12:25-27
"25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it."
If there is a disagreement, we are to respectfully go to the word and prayer to resolve it. Those who have already been told the answer need to hold their ground lovingly, firmly and boldly.
When we obey God, telling the truth boldly, standing our ground and encouraging the one who causes division to repent, one of two things will happen, they will either repent and be restored or they will run away. When unrepentant trouble makers run away it is a blessing for them to leave, but it is even a greater blessing that they repent and be restored. However, let me warn you, in these last days of apostasy, there is a greater chance they will merely leave.
Proverbs 28:1
"The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, But the righteous are bold as a lion."
We are living as in the days of Noah, when everyone did what was right in their own eyes and no one would listen.
Praise the Lord we know the end of these things, when this life is over our reward awaits us, a home with nothing but pure love in the presence of our Savior is in store for us. How could we ever be intimidated by this wicked world when we know all this. Hallelujah!!!!
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