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;"
The Second Timothy three types do not see people as human beings but rather as objects to be used.
2 Timothy 3:1-9
"1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was."
They have no connection to their things, their kitchen stove or their car, they simply use them. They may even like them as long as they operate the way they want them to operate. When they are no longer useful, they throw them away and get another one that serves them better.
The spiritual narcissist has no connection to God except what they think He can offer them. They look to God for all their needs, for personal validation and for a place in heaven, but without a desire to actually please Him.
Those who think of God in this way cannot be born again. They have come to God through a back door, not through Jesus Christ but through their own desire to feel safe and superior.
For the spiritual narcissist God's usefulness is not at all about Him, its about their appearances of spirituality and elevation in the eyes of others.
These people know things about God, will speak them while at the same time making no effort to obey what they know. God is a prop for the narcissist, just as are all the relationships in the narcissists life.
Feelings take priority over facts in the life of the narcissist. We see many Pentecostals who operate nearly entirely on the basis of how things make them feel. Obedience to the word is not important as long as everyone in the room is happy and senses a personal elevation to everyone else who is not in the room.
There is a much higher rate of divorce among the Pentecostals since obedience to the word is not a priority but feelings are, then they are free to do what they please. While justifying it because God gave them a feeling, that it was right. God always gets the blame for these failures to obey God's Word. They often assign to God what God never said or never did, it removes the guilt that comes from disobeying Him.
God and people are merely props to the narcissists stage production. These people can destroy others, malign the truth of God and make a ruinous heap of any relationship without even noticing.
Spiritual narcissists are full of jealousy as well as the need to be superior to everyone. Narcissists have a deep envy for those who have talents or gifts the narcissist does not have but often believe they have.
Their view of self is so elevated that no one can touch it. At the same time they are jealous of others, its a conundrum. They believe they are superior and yet are jealous. If they really think they are superior then there would be no need to be jealous, since no one can compete with their own talents and gifts, or so they think. There is a conflict of epic proportions going on in the mind of those who seek to reach godhood of their own merit.
The narcissist loves people with talents and gifts as long as the narcissist gets some or all of the credit for those qualities that the other person possesses.
John 15:9-11 "…9 As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11 I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.…'"
There is pent up anger in many of these people, we know there is because when we inform them of their disobedience, their first response is to rage, intimidation into silence is one of the tools on the tool belt of the narcissist.
Proverbs 29:10-12 "…10 Men of bloodshed hate the blameless, But the upright are concerned for his life. 11 A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back. 12 If a ruler pays attention to falsehood, All his ministers become wicked.…"
And so here we are, in the midst of insanity in a culture that elevates feelings above rational thinking and places people in leadership roles who have no more sense than a six year old when it comes to righteousness or godliness. Most "pastors" in the pulpit today are more concerned about entertaining the people than they are about raising up a standard from the Bible, while elevating Christ.
Narcissists have the mentality of a spoiled six year old, they rage when they don't get their way or when someone tells them they are wrong about anything. If they don't get their candy they are mean to the one who withheld their treat. In the case of the narcissistic pastors, their treat is popularity through compromise.
Something to think about:
It is interesting the relationship problems that occur when someone decides to give up the man made holidays that began in paganism.
There are people who will become upset with family members for not celebrating with them the very things that had no basis in the Bible, and worse yet, that were orchestrated by the devil in paganism, deceiving Christians into believing they were about God. Or should I say, the have tacked onto the pagan holidays Christianeze to make them acceptable to the church.
Then of course there is the matter of the greeting card industry that managed to create an emotional bond between the greeting card and family relationships.
How many times have we experienced a family member who didn't receive a card, feeling unloved, as if the the card itself was the expression of someone's love.
I am so done with all these manipulations and holidays. Sadly those who decide to be done with the man made rules and traditions of society, will be treated with contempt or excluded from relationships for not participating what everyone else thinks they should be doing.
The devil has managed to cause family hurt feelings and division through the expectations of people to celebrate that which isn't even godly.
Just so you know, I am done with all the man made rules that have nothing to do with Christ. I judge no one else for it, I just have made this choice for myself, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Jeremiah 10
" 2 Thus says the LORD, "Do not learn the way of the heathens, 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;"
We are free in Christ to practice what we believe, if we lose a friend over it, then perhaps that person was never our friend or they would operate with understanding and accept our boundaries and choices for ourselves.
