Don’t let the “Negative Nellys” in this world pull you down to the bottom of the barrel. Instead, we need to remember that we walk by faith and not by sight (see 2 Corinthians 5:7) and do not allow the negative report of others to tear down your faith. Stand firm in He who has called you and hold on to what you know. Pray for them that they will be drawn by the light of God’s faith in you (Holy Spirit) and will they themselves have an “attitude adjustment.” Remember that “We have overcome by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony.” (Revelations 12:11) and sometimes we allow them to drown out the voice of Holy Spirit. They go against what the Bible says in Philippians 4:4-8:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Our faith goes against the grain of this world. Remember what Jesus said in John 17:14-16:
“I have given them Your Word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.”
You may be dealing with this with those that do not know Jesus, with those that say they are Christians, but by the way they treat others – by their fruit, have within them a spirit of religion. The Witness within you does not bear witness with them. As you grow in Christ, Holy Spirit gives you a Spirit of discernment, you will be able to recognize someone who IS part of God’s remnant people and those who are not. I say this not to judge (leave judgement to God for the doing) but for you to pray for those who speak against you, are jealous of you or persecute you for your faith in God. PRAY FOR THEM. The light of Christ within you convicts them and so it is not YOU that they are persecuting, it is Christ IN you. They are convicted by your faith and love of God that is you have made the very center of who you are. If they say nasty things about you, mock you, tear you down, know that they did this to Jesus, why would we who LOVE Him who called us not endure the same? Romans 12:14 says:
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”
This is the HARDEST thing to do, especially when it comes from those closest to you. Remember that Jesus said in Luke 4:24:
“Truly I tell you,”He continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
And also, in John 15:20:
“Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”
Try to look “above” the situation in which I mean, ask God to see mean-spirited people with HIS eyes. This is not easy to do, it is very much like “spiritual exercising” when you have to use those “faith muscles” or those “love muscles” to love who otherwise you would dislike. Luke 6:32-36 says:
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
“Ol’ slewfoot and his dominions know how to push the buttons of you. What matters is what comes out of you when those buttons are pushed. Pray to have the mind of Christ. Pray for God to fill you with an overflowing love for those that are unkind. Pray that God would change YOUR heart. Remember that Jesus said the greatest gift of all is LOVE. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 says:
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE and often “love” is the HARDEST thing to do. Jesus experienced it and STILL He loved us. He loves us. Let’s set our minds on Him. “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
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