In dealing with the world, we are encountering more instances of narcissistic abuse, usually verbal and emotional insults and invalidation, because the devil has been working hard from the time of Christ until now to ruin the witness of believers as well as discourage them from speaking the truth.
Most of my interactions with narcissists have been their propensity to attempt to hide their insults in language that makes us look crazy if we were to confront them head-on.
We can sense the tension before a narcissist even opens their mouth. There is a hidden hostility that looms over the relationship that cannot be explained. It isn't based on anything that happened, but rather on a sense of hatred they must hide because they don't really have a reason.
Narcissists are always looking for a reason to despise those who love Christ. Sadly, these are not only people in the world, they are also deeply embedded in the organized church system.
Narcissists like to hide in plain sight. They love larger crowds because it is easier to pretend to have the traits they know the group expects in public. They are a different person entirely when no one else is watching or can hear, toward those they despise.
Godly people who have the Holy Spirit and have the fruit of the Holy Spirit are deeply enmeshed with the love and kindness of Jesus Christ. It is so much a part of their being that they never treat anyone with manipulation, superiority, or rudeness on any level. It is not in them to act in ways that diminish others.
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."
Those who have the love of Christ are loving and kind all the time to everyone they encounter. They may make boundaries excluding evil people to protect their walk with Christ, but their being is full of the love of Christ, no manipulation, intimidation, or mocking, just truth to help.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "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."
Never allow a narcissist to goad you into becoming like them. Never use their tactics to exact revenge; they and the devil love it when they can accuse us of the same things they do.
Often the narcissist is influenced by the devil to accuse the believer of the things the narcissist is doing, but the target is not. Accusation is the devil's favorite way of diminishing our walk with Christ. This is why God told us to avoid such people in 2 Timothy 3:5.
The key to our walk with Christ is to never adopt the tactics of the narcissist, which is influenced by the devil, and to keep ourselves from hating those who torment us.
Proverbs 26:3-5 "…3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes."
Foolish people want us to fight back defensively. They start arguments and then play the victim when we answer them. The best answer for an insult is no answer at all.
However, there are times when the Holy Spirit will lead us to speak the truth, but without the tactics of the devil. Speaking truth to resolve something is God's way; accusations that are not based on truth are the devil's way.
Proverbs 23:9 "Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words."
When we discover someone is being led by the devil in their words and tactics, the best course is to ignore it completely without response.
2 Timothy 2:23-24 "But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling. / And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing."
Proverbs 22:24-25 "Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare."
Proverbs 13:20 "He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed."
Part of living the joyful and peaceful life Christ has given us is knowing when to engage and when not to engage with people. Christ in us will tell us when we need to know.
Hallelujah!!!!
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