I am so thankful that God gives permission to remove people who hate God and us from our lives. And, to keep us from becoming like them. They will poke and poke repeatedly in an attempt to cause us to become angry. Then if we bite and become angry they accuse us of being the one who starts the fights.
Sadly, most of this was done by those who say they are Christians. They justify their anger by making up stories about us that are not true but they wish to believe about us.
Bullies love to attack those they are jealous of or who are kind and loving. They hate the happiness of others because they do not have joy in their hearts and live continually in a state of irritation over the smallest and insignificant things.
They tend to make an issue over things that need not be a problem because they are trying to find a place to put their hatred and it lands on anyone who has the fruit of the Spirit. Since they lack this fruit they hate to see it in anyone else. Does this sound like the mentality of the devil, he hates God, he hates God's people and he hates righteousness?
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."
The responses of the one who is controlled by the devil are many. Grunting noises to show disapproval, rolling of eyes, and using disparaging language to convey their contempt with the intent of making their target feel shame. Many of you could name some of these tactics that are common in all those who are controlled by the devil. Since he is in the minds of those who are his puppets they all do and say nearly exactly the same things to demean the ones they hate.
Romans 8:6
"For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."
1 John 4:8
"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."
Romans 13:10
"Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
Colossians 3:14
"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
If there is love and godly intent there is harmony. If there is continual competition, hatred and envy there is no peace and no harmony. We can all recognize the spirit of those who hate God and those who love Him. There is a world of difference between the actions and reaction of godly people and those who hate our God.
Pretenders are those who follow rules to be elevated as special. They attend churches every week for people to see their own goodness. They care little to nothing about what God thinks while they twist His Word to fit their own fleshly desires. Pretenders act fleshly while dedicated to their own god-like appearance, their mind is focused on themselves, not on God. Appearances are far more important to the pretender than character. As long as they can appear holy by following rules they are satisfied, there is no concern about becoming holy within their own soul.
Matthew 23:27-28
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."
Godly people who walk in the Spirit do not harm others, they do not speak lies to elevate themselves and they love the ways of God. They have all the fruit of the Spirit within their hearts so that they only act out what God puts there.
Character matters to the born-again believer, character does not matter to the pretender only outer appearances.
Colossians 3:1-3 "3 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 [a]Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory."
Colossians 3:12-16 "12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also.
14 In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."
If we are in Christ walking with the Holy Spirit we will not be manipulated by the devil to become rude and mean to others. We will make our boundaries to please God and resist becoming friends with those who love their pretending and their sinful superiority.
No comments:
Post a Comment