"How Do You Know Who Is Of God"

Matt 5:10-12
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
NKJV

Why is it that so called Christians attack each other. Jesus said that when someone strikes us on the cheek to give them the other cheek, to love those who hurt you and to pray for them, to recognize that you are not fighting flesh and blood but works of darkness... If another believer is bent on your destruction like Saul was with David, who was obsessed with finding something wrong with David. Instead of focusing on fulfilling God's purpose for him, Saul was intent on destroying the man that brought him good, David. David had ministered to Saul and refreshed him, drove away the tormenting spirits and defeated the one enemy that would have destroyed Israel, Goliath.

If they were real believers they would not try to discredit you, defame you and destroy you, they would bless you, pray for you, and cover you. If they were sons of God they would promote peace not war. If they were Christlike they would forgive you and not try to harm you. Let's see what James says about this.

James 3:13-4:1

13 Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom


Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
NKJV

James tells us that those who have envy (hatred) and self seeking that confusion and every evil work exists there. he contrast the wisdom of God and demonic wisdom in this manner. Those whose desire is to get back at someone, who attempt to slander someone, whose obsession is to find something that they can use against you, they are not operating in Godly wisdom but they are operating under demonic influence and those that associate with them will experience confusion and every evil work. Let me say this, many times a sickness such as heart disease, cancer etc. is not from the devil, it is the result of bitternice and unforgiveness that is in you.

Here is a fact. Just as the Pharisees hated Jesus because he didn't look like them and he didn't come the way they wanted him to, people will hate you because you do not look like them. When you experience something new that is different from them, they will say you are of the devil (see Jesus) or that what you have is not real. Here is my problem, if what religion and much of the Church had was the real thing, why is the condition of the Church the same as the world? Why is the divorce rate in the Church (57%) the same as the world, why is poverty just as real in the Church... Why is there strife, envy, jealousies, unforgiveness, sickness in the Church just as in the world? Could it be that what the Church is doing is not working and that we need to return to our first love and do the first works.

What do you do when someone is obsessed with your demise? You pray for them, you bless them, you submit to God, you humble yourself, you don't speak evil of them, you realize the battle is the Lord's, you let God judge and validate, you cover them. God will vindicate and validate you just as he did for David. Be above reproach and recognize that is for righteousness sake. Lastly, know this that the greatest indicator of blessings is not the accumulation of stuff, more money, a nicer car, a bigger house.

The more they talk bad about you, lie on you, hate you, mistreat you... The more it releases the blessings of God in your life. What did Job do when his so called friends said he was experiencing hard times because he was in the wrong? He prayed for them and blessed them and God turned his trouble into double. You choose, you can respond properly and get double blessings, or you can fight back and get double trouble. It is when you are persecuted, lied on, hated, spoken evil of... The release of blessing comes when you don't try to defend yourself and fight back, but you humble yourself under the mighty hand of God for in due time, God shall exalt you!

Paul said, if God be for you, who or what can be against you. Here is Craig's translation, If you stay right before God, then you are guaranteed to win!

Blessings,
Craig