When we are confident in the Lord we will not be affected by the tricks of the narcissists. If we are secure in Christ we become sorry for and pity those who cannot stand alone in confidence. Believers who are confident in Christ do not need others to validate them.
Believers are confident just as Noah was when he built an ark in obedience to God. He did not need the validation of anyone else except God.
When we are new in the faith we feel hurt when others demean us for our stand for Christ. As we grow in holiness and strong in the promises of the Bible we lose that sense of hurt from the tactics of others who wish to diminish us.
Over time we become strong and so confident in Christ that we develop pity for those who live a superficial Christianity or are not born again.
James 1:2-8
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
As born again believers our confidence is in Christ alone, not in any preacher, not in a writer of a book, not in anyone famous or prestigious, but in Christ alone.
No one can teach and train us better than Jesus Christ Who lives in us.
John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
When we obey God's Word His way what we do will always glorify the father and reveal the Lord Jesus Christ to everyone around us.
This is the purpose of depending on the Lord, that He might be glorified. And, remember just because rebellious people do not respond to our obedience with joy, they may even become angry, this is not evidence that we did not obey God.
Many people will accuse us unjustly refusing to see that God worked in us to do His will, this is on the person who rejects God's word, not on us.
There will be people who say we must have done something wrong because someone got angry. They hated the prophets, crucified Christ, and came against the truth of God's Word, they are speaking of themselves when they accuse us of wrongdoing.
This has been one of the devil's favorite tactics all down through history, to accuse others of doing what the devil is doing and the others are not. It creates frustration in those who are righteous, if we remember this we can avoid being baited into wrong behavior.
Ignore the arrow of the devil and the people he uses, bless those who curse you when you must be in their presence but remove yourselves if you can get away.
Romans 16:17
"Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them."
Proverbs 1:15
"My son, do not walk in the way with them.
Keep your feet from their path,"
Those who are contentious and will not listen to the truth will infect us with their rebellion if we keep them as friends.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34 " 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.…"
Make your close companions those who love the Lord as much as you do. Come out from among those who do not love Christ.
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 "…16 What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” 17 “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18 And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”…"
Hallelujah!!!! May the Lord lead you in everything that you might glorify Him. This is not based on the responses of others but on the leading of the Holy Spirit.
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