Understanding the Times in Which We Live

It is a good idea to pray that the Lord will reveal in us any narcissistic tendencies so that we can avoid becoming what dishonors God.

We need to understand the thinking of a narcissist so that we learn not to take personally the disrespectful things they say and do.

Taking things personally will cause wrong attitudes and actions in us. When we know it's not about us then we can shrug it off as nonsense and even pray for those who are captive to the devilish traits of narcissism.

Narcissists are always accusing others of things because they believe everything is manipulation. Why do they believe everything is manipulation? They believe this because everything they do is manipulation to get their desired result. Narcissists use people and love things and activities. A born-again believer uses things and loves people, a stark difference from the 2 Timothy 3 mentality.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

Difficult Times Will Come

3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,

4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."

The born-again believer operates from God's standard which is:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.

5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,

6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Notice that the born-again believer is just exactly the opposite of that of a narcissist.

If we bring a gift to a narcissist they suspect us of trying to show them up, to appear better.

If we bring a gift to a born-again believer they are happy and grateful and enjoy you very much.

If we do a kind act for a narcissist they think we will expect something from them in the future.

If someone does a kind act for a believer the believer has joy and expresses happiness to encourage the one who treated them with kindness.

In other words, a narcissist rarely has a pure motive for anything, they are deeply invested in controlling their circumstances and the people around them while thinking everyone else is doing what they do, which is attempting to control the narcissist.

If we go on a trip to visit a friend the narcissist will think we were rude for not inviting them or that we got away to hide from them. They may even be angry that we didn't tell them we were going. Because everything is about the narcissist in their minds, they will interpret everything as being done to them, and against them, they are perpetual victims.

If we have accomplished something we are delighted over, the narcissist will accuse us of boasting when we are just sharing. Why? Because in their heart the narcissist boasts when they share, they are also deeply jealous of anyone having something that does not include them. Being elevated above others is one of the foundational problems of everything they think and do. This is why the narcissist thinks others are thinking about them nonstop, or should be thinking of them nonstop.

If we meet a person who is deeply narcissistic without a conscience over it, then this person is not born again.

It is not possible for an authentic believer to act narcissistically as a lifestyle.

1 John 3:9 "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."

Born-again believers are sensitive about how they treat others. They cannot tolerate the thought of ever harming another human being. If they do harm someone because of a weak moment they want to confess it to be cleansed and to restore the relationship between them and the one they hurt. The believer confesses their sin to God and the one they harmed.

Narcissists never admit their flaws and intentional mean-spirited actions, rather they justify them with false narratives to feel free from guilt. They often blame others for their feelings generated by a selfish focus.

Someone once said; "they want to believe you are a bad person to justify the bad things they did to you."

Narcissists are often sullen and lacking in joy, the opposite of the Spirit of born-again believers. In other words, they lack the Fruit of the Holy Spirit because they do not have the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

May we learn to be unaffected by those who are controlled and ruled by the devil while praying for their salvation.

Matthew 5:43-45 "…43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45th that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. '

The devil wants us to become bitter and hateful to ruin our witness, this ought to be motivation enough for us to resist him while seeking to be like Christ.

James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

We are living in the end times and will see an increase in the 2 Timothy 3 mentalities of wickedness. We need to understand it and learn to resist the feelings to respond sinfully that come when the culture loses all sense of reason and righteousness.

Keep Looking Up!!!!!