The narcissist denies the truth about a believer that they have changed. The covert narcissist pretends there has been no change in the born again believer. They prefer to think of their target as the same person they were before.
Since becoming a new creation wipes away their sinful bent, the target becomes a threat to the narcissist.
Since the narcissist depends on being superior in the eyes of others, they hate an authentic person who can see the real them.
A born again believer has great joy and godly perspective, this is anathema to a demonically influenced narcissist.
If you have been born again, love the Lord Jesus Christ and desire to obey Him, you will be a target for any narcissist that crosses your path.
Mark 13:12-13 "…12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. "
If you are born into a narcissistic family system you will be rejected and scapegoated by them in order to diminish your walk with Christ as well as how others view you.
The narcissist is not content to be mean to you, they must cause others to treat you with contempt too.
I am reminded of a cult situation in which those in the cult were bent on subjugating women to the point of justifying disrespect and demeaning treatment.
When the cult could not control one women, she resisted their attempts to devalue her by avoiding them as well as informing her husband as to what was going on.
The cult worked on the husband to "control" his wife so that she could be just as unhappy and unfulfilled as the rest of the women in the cult. This cult hated any personal accomplishment or wisdom that might develop in a woman.
Having been able to influence the husband to be mean to his wife, disregarding her needs and her opinions, this husband began to treat with contempt the woman. Even though the Bible is clear that the husband should revere and respect his wife, treating her with a great deal of respect, this man was convinced for a short time in order to fit into the cult. This woman was even told by one man in the cult that he didn't respect her, merely because she spoke her mind in disagreement with him.
As the marriage became strained because of the husband's ill treatment, the cult worked on the wife to feel guilt for sharing her opinions and ideas. This woman wanted nothing more than to seek God and be heard when she had a joy or correction from God based on Scripture.
The cult demeaned, dismissed, ignored and mocked this woman until she had enough and said "no more."
When the woman decided that she had been treated shamefully and was no longer willing to remain with these people, the cult doubled down to convince her husband to despise her.
Over time though, the woman went to intense prayer. During such time of prayer she realized God was changing her husband's heart to understand the role of the husband according to the Bible. He began to see the sin of the cult and the damage they had done to the marriage.
Thankfully after the woman declared she would no longer be in the cult the husband came out too. Once he was away from them he could see the devastation they potentially had in marriages.
Mocking, demeaning and minimizing a woman is not God's way it is the devil's way. If the devil can diminish the influence of the wife, then the husband has no help mate, he only has a slave and will not grow spiritually. The devil loves superficial mean spirited men who think of their wives as nothing more than beasts of burden to do their bidding.
Ephesians 5:24-26 "…24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her 26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,…"
A wife who is treated with the respect mandated here in God's word is compelled by that love to support her husband as well as counseling him in his blind spots.
"And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." (KJV, Genesis 2:18)
Meaning of "help meet", Opposite attributes, the man is not meant to be complete without the woman. The word "help meet" is described in the original language as "the other half."
"An equal but opposite helper to the husband.
One writer gave the example of two wings on a plane, they are equal and identical. They each have a function to do, working together.
In other words the woman completes the man. The man does not have all knowledge and wisdom apart from his wife.
A suitable wife is one who is suited to him but different from him. He is the leader and she is the counselor to the leader as is the government leaders who have designated advisers.
No leader can lead well without advisers. No one person is so complete within themselves that they have no need of counsel. This is why we have so much chaos in the world today, everyone is considering themselves as the only entity unto themselves needing no advice and no instruction.
In the days of Noah everyone did what was right in their own eyes and no one would listen to anyone else. We are living in those times right now. The men will not lead their families according to God's word and the women will not support their husbands as the leaders. Everyone rejects counsel or self sacrifice in favor of personal and self gratification.
The ultra-conservative groups over react to feminism by moving in the opposite direction which is also incorrect according to the Word of God. Leading does not mean "oppressing" or "controlling." A good leader leads by example and gentle teaching, leaving the choice to follow up to the wife. If a leader is intimidating and forcing to have power over the wife he is then sinning.
1 Peter 5:3
"Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."
1 Peter 3:7-8 "7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tender-hearted and humble.…"
Our world today is full of pride that seeks to treat people in ways that fit with their own selfish agendas. We are living in the days just like those of Noah and Lot.
Genesis 6:5,11,12 ...'And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.'"
When we love Christ we love people, the two greatest commandments. God first and people second! This does not speak of loving oneself at all. If we love God first and others second, then we won't have much time to elevate and prop up self.
When someone becomes born again we rejoice with them. Treating all people respectfully, saved or unsaved, we realize our own faults and limitations, there is no room to feel superior.
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