The more in tune with the Holy Spirit we become the more able to discern spirits.
1 John 4:1
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."
Not only will we be able to discern false prophets but we will be able to discern a pretender when we meet one.
Now that we have been given the Holy Spirit after we were born again, we have the power within us to resist sin and the devil. We no longer have to follow the world as we did before, we can follow Christ, depending on us to direct and guide us as we walk the narrow path.
Ephesians 2:10
"10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."
The narcissist pokes at you on purpose to get you to become angry so they can accuse you of what they are, don't fall into the trap. Don't give back to them what they have done to you. Remove yourself to avoid the attacks that will continue to come as long as you allow it by remaining in their life.
Romans 12:18-19 "…18 If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Politely ask them to stop, if they will not then remove yourself. When we remain with a clear conscience we are the winners.
I have an older brother who used to literally poke me in the arm when I was a young child. I would tell him to stop but he would do it again, I would again tell him to stop, then here it comes again, another poke. After the third time I would blow up in anger, shouting for him to stop, at which point he would say, "see how you are, you are out of control."
Nearly all of the people that have used these tactics on me have been extended family members. They have negated me at every turn to make themselves superior to me. What they don't know is that I don't care if they are superior or not, it has no meaning for me, its only important to them.
I have no need to be superior to anyone since Christ is the only One who is superior, He alone gets the glory, I have no need of glory nor do I have no need of placing glory on any other human being.
That brother never grew up, to this day he finds more subtle ways of doing the same pokes, that are covert, in an attempt to frustrate and get me to respond in anger. It doesn't work anymore because I am an adult and in Christ, knowing what he is doing. So, if I have to be around him, I don't respond, but mostly I stay away from him. He makes sure that others do not understand what is going on a sort of "plausible deniability", by cloaking his insults as a joke. Because I don't laugh, he accuses me of not being able to take a joke. This has been his tactic all his life, to make insults and meanness appear to be jokes so he can get away with his rudeness. Sadly, he doesn't realize that others see what he is doing and God sees, so he gets away with nothing.
When we are confident in Christ, we have no need to defend or explain ourselves. We can ignore the rudeness of ill mannered people and keep away from them whenever possible.
Proverbs 22:23-25 "…23 For the LORD will plead their case And take the life of those who rob them. 24 Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, 25 Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself."
Freddy Lent said this:
"Democrats are no longer the Democrats that existed when I was growing up. They are now radicalized enemies of the United States"
This is true about everything that started out good. When someone becomes more attached to an organization than they are to the principles of that organization, just about anything can sneak in and those who PRIDE themselves about belonging to that organization will tolerate and then embrace whatever that organization brings in. The churches are this way too. The one man pastor concept insidiously crept in over the last 150 years, people thinking it was a good thing, and before you know it nearly everyone thinks only "ordained" (ordained by man, not God) preachers could be in the pulpit. Also the pulpit is a problem too, because it tends to elevate above others who ever is in it. We don't see these concepts in the Bible they are man made ideas not God's way.
Yes, all the holidays that we celebrate today originated in the Catholic church. They all have pagan origins and dishonor God. May the eyes of many be opened to reject that which elevates pagan celebration rather than Christ.
Jeremiah 10:2-3 "2 Thus says the LORD, "Do not learn the way of the heathen, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them; 3 For the customs of the peoples are delusion;"
