Strife!

[Tobias]

It seems that whenever God starts to do something, it doesn't take long before the nay-sayers come along and start to pick apart the human frailties of the people involved. Pretty soon nobody cares about what God is doing, because we're all too busy attacking or defending what we feel the more important issues are. It's all just too easy for the enemy to turn our eyes off of what God is doing.

What then should our response be? When we see something positive happening for God, yet also discern doctrinal or moral issues with those involved? Correction is certainly needed; and being open to correction is a must. OTH we also need to be sensitive to the fact that our broadcasting of these same issues to the public can detract from what God is doing. Also, if we turn our eyes off of Jesus to put down our enemies, we sink into the waves just like Peter did when walking on the water.

Jesus did set apart a small amount of His ministry time to expound upon the failures of the religious leaders of His time. He even debated with them occasionally, proving His ability to out wit them. If we never answer those who disagree with us, we risk not only becoming above reproof, but also being a disservice to those who have legitimate questions about what we have to say.

So is the Gospel always then going to be accompanied with strife? Or perhaps that is one of the true signs of it, that "strife" shall accompany those who believe??? lol

 

[enoch son]

It's the losing of one's life here that matters and should be the thing that is gauge. Lose it gain it so to speak. Could thead for the mind.

 

[mdaniel]

What then should our response be?

Take the wheat - leave the chaff.

 

[Tobias]

Take the wheat - leave the chaff.

 

[Amaryllismayfly]

chew the meat, spit out the bones.

 

[DianeL]

2 Timothy 2:24-26 (New King James Version)

24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.


Being 4 months or so on this forum, I have seen some/little humility with those who 'correct'.

There are others though from whom I have learned so much. Thank you.

 

[Elijah2]

Keep away from "milk" and feed on "meat".

Trust in our Lord Jesus Christ and have no confidence in man.

Test all spirits.

And most of all, call a spade, a spade.

Be blessed in Jesus' Name.

 

[Wyvern]

It seems that whenever God starts to do something, it doesn't take long before the nay-sayers come along and start to pick apart the human frailties of the people involved. Pretty soon nobody cares about what God is doing, because we're all too busy attacking or defending what we feel the more important issues are. It's all just too easy for the enemy to turn our eyes off of what God is doing.

Civil War due to the experimental new leadership movement...

That is being ushered in with you and Todd Bentley at the helm as we speak?...

What then should our response be? When we see something positive happening for God, yet also discern doctrinal or moral issues with those involved? Correction is certainly needed; and being open to correction is a must. OTH we also need to be sensitive to the fact that our broadcasting of these same issues to the public can detract from what God is doing. Also, if we turn our eyes off of Jesus to put down our enemies, we sink into the waves just like Peter did when walking on the water.

Do you mean...

Everyone that does not agree with you should be corrected?...

Who is "we"...

What are you broadcasting?...

Are your enemies the people that do not agree with your vision?...

That Todd Bentley is the new leader of Christ's church on Earth ?...

Jesus did set apart a small amount of His ministry time to expound upon the failures of the religious leaders of His time. He even debated with them occasionally, proving His ability to out wit them. If we never answer those who disagree with us, we risk not only becoming above reproof, but also being a disservice to those who have legitimate questions about what we have to say.

You're not Christ...

I've heard what you've had to say...

And the Spirit in me does not agree with it...

So is the Gospel always then going to be accompanied with strife? Or perhaps that is one of the true signs of it, that "strife" shall accompany those who believe??? lol

5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife,
seditions, heresies,

5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the
which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that
they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith,

5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts.

5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another,
envying one another.

 

[SharonL]

STRIFE - THE ENEMY'S BIG SHOT GUN

It scatters and hits everyone in range​

Proverbs 17:14
The beginning of strife is like releasing water: Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.
Ever try to put water back into a glass after you start pouring it out. The same goes with our words - how many times have you wanted to reach out in the air and grab a word that just came out of your mouth and cram it back into your mouth.
You can repent and say I am sorry, which we must do when we have hurt someone, but those words still remain out there, they can never be brought back.
Again, Jesus' words come back to reveal how easy we fall into the enemy's trap -

​

James 3:8
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue:

TAKE A STAND AGAINST STRIFE ONE MOMENT AT A TIME
Strife causes trouble in the Spirit realm.
It opens the door to the devil.
It keeps our prayers from being answered.
It even keeps our angels from moving on our behalf!
​

REMEMBER - HURTING PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE

​

 

[Tobias]

5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife,
seditions, heresies,

5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the
which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that
they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith,

5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts.

5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another,
envying one another.

Awesome!


Verse 20 is particularly appropriate, especially in the NASB:

Galatians 5:19-20 (New American Standard Bible)

19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,