John 6:63
“The Spirit
gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are
spirit [Or Spirit] and they are life”.
The one thing that brings me the most
pain in Church and among believers is the fact that we spend most of our time
throwing 'barbs' at one another. It is as if we suddenly became GOD! In fact, ‘delete’
that and ‘save’ because the GOD who we proclaim to love is not like that at
all. GOD is a comforter and a peacemaker. GOD does not thrive on sending veiled
barbs to us...Yes, even if He does convict us of sin in our lives through His
Spirit He does not publicly talk about our wrongs. When
GOD convicts us, He does so privately but if we refuse to listen He sends
us someone – a prophet. However, even the prophet He sends has no business
telling our business to others unless it is as a report or something that
others can learn from. The prophet should not even rebuke us openly or preach about us on the physical pulpit or that of facebook, Twitter to mention but a few. GOD encourages us to rebuke one another privately – this
is kingdom business and should not be blurted out on worldly media for all to
hear! In other words, if you have a problem with the way someone else handles his
or her ministry you can either pray about it or speak to that person using Godly wisdom.
Romans 8:6
“The mind
of sinful man [Or mind set on the flesh] is death, but the mind controlled by
the Spirit is life and peace”.
I do not refute the fact that the
Holy Spirit may use something someone has written or said to convict us but
this is done at a spiritual level. If someone’s flesh sets out to fight you,
your flesh will feel the barb (condemnation) but if the Spirit of GOD sets out
to convict you, your spirit will feel it and be encouraged to respond by
repenting and doing right. This 'thing' that the barb awakens in us is a result
of the condemnation of fellow believers. We often forget that there is now no
condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! When we set out to correct one
another from a judgmental standpoint, we end up killing instead of giving life.
True, there are times when we need to be mature enough to receive correction
but the person giving the correction should also be mature enough to relay it
without killing the receiver. It is also without a doubt that even the most
holy person may at times do something unholy but the one who rebukes must be in
a position to have a holy standing that will cover the two of them and rebuke
in love.
Romans 8:1-2
“Therefore,
there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [Some later
manuscripts Jesus, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according
to the Spirit,] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me
free from the law of sin and death”.
Today, my prayer is that we as
Christians stop fighting one another with weapons of the flesh but with those
of the Spirit of GOD. We must stop condemning one another and instead gently guide
one another along the right path. Let us seek to offer peace instead of strife,
subduing our flesh and nurturing our spirits so that when we act or respond we
do so in the spirit and not in the flesh. Let our words give life instead of
death so that those who receive them can glorify our Father in heaven.
I have reason to believe that when we
get to heaven, GOD will not ask us how many people we broke, ‘policed’ or caused
pain but how many we built. I believe that as our Father, GOD is more concerned
about us doing good for His kingdom but also for and to one another. Stop for a
moment and ask yourself if your words heal or kill (maim)? Do you set out to write
just so you can fight someone else’s 'flesh'? Do your words bring peace or strife to
those about whom and to whom you address them?
I want us to remember that we are not
a superpower and that it is not our responsibility to fight every battle. In fact,
sometimes, we are supposed to pray out one another’s weaknesses instead of
silently (yet openly) declaring war.
My prayer is that we each speak words
that give life and preach peace to those about whom and to whom we speak or write.
Let us take off our policing attires and don our priestly garments of peace and
spiritual counsel.
Prayer
Dear GOD, I admit that I have often
set out to rebuke others openly and on public social networks or in the Church
that I minister in. Please forgive me. I now know that you are a GOD who builds
up His children all the time and that is why your word is called the Good News. You are the GOD of peace not of strife.
Heavenly Father, I also know that my
calling does not lie in causing others strife by the words I say or write but
in bringing peace, joy, laughter, hope, healing and faith among other things.
Please give me the grace to heal instead of kill. Let my words show the world
that I am indeed a messenger of peace for your kingdom.
I now choose, by your grace, to
subdue my flesh and nurture my spirit. I choose to operate in the spirit and
keep in step with the Spirit at all times. Almighty GOD, I choose to turn my
back on those things that my flesh is quick to react to and that cause people
pain. I now turn my face to the things that your Spirit, inside of me, gently
reaches out for and washes clean of all dirt in order to maintain peace in your
kingdom and to glorify your name. In JESUS’ name, I have prayed, amen.
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