Who We Can Become

"We say we're fighting against the devil, or against him working through people, when the truth is our effort's began as self-will, as self-defense, and not as a defense of the gospel."

GOD TOOK Paul from Saul, an arrogant murderer, to a humble, compassionate man who loved people. He changed Peter from an impulsive, outspoken fisherman to a bold herald of the Word. Peter went from a denial of Jesus to a voice for Him. Timothy changed from having a fear of prison to being freed from it, having served time there for the gospel. Ezekiel was just an average man when God called him to prophesy. Elisha was a farmer, planting seed for that year’s harvest. Gideon was the least of his family and became the leader in a victorious battle for Israel. Abraham lived many miles away from Canaan, was impotent and had a barren wife, yet believed when God said he would become the father of nations.

Where we stand today is no indication of who we can become. Prophet Kenneth E. Hagin was a bedridden boy with a severe heart problem. He was written off to die, even from birth. Yet when he believed, when he spoke the Word in faith, he was completely healed and went on to change the kingdom. It is a kingdom. We, Americans, don’t think in this manner, but Jesus was born to bring the will of God and the kingdom of God, that displayed His will, to earth so that men could rise from the death and disease that had taken over and become peaceful, victorious children of God. He came to make us new creatures, empowered with the Spirit of God Himself, who could separate light from darkness and raise the dead from the grave.

We tend to focus on the raising from death, and that is important, but skip over the peace which follows. We see everything in the Word from a human perspective and not from God’s point-of-view. Where our behavior is to lash out and criticize broken, angry people, Jesus desires to heal their hearts and minds, to make them peaceful. We’re looking for a reaction, to defend ourselves. Jesus needed no defense. Facing false accusations, He said nothing but what His Father gave Him to say. He’d come to die for those people, who desired and would cause His death. The Scripture says, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord (Romans 12:19),” and we focus on the word “vengeance” and the idea God will “smite them.” But God’s vengeance is mercy. He’s asking us to lay down our arms and pick up our shield. We fight not against flesh and blood, but our sword is meant to be wielded against the enemy, death and the devil.

Even then, we are not to pick a fight. We say we’re fighting against the devil, or against him working through people, when the truth is our efforts began as self-will, as a self-defense, and not as a defense of the gospel. We are defending ourselves through criticism and complaint. This was never Jesus’ way. We read the gospels and concentrate on His words to the Pharisees, His defense of the temple, and we don’t see He traveled miles across a lake in the height of a storm to save one man tormented by demons. That man refused to die, and God heard him and sent the Messiah. We know this when we see him fallen at Jesus’ feet. The demons spoke but the man worshipped.

“But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,” (Mark 5:6)

Where are our efforts like Paul, who had to travel across seas and deserts, through Gentile towns full of pagan temples, to preach the gospel? There was no easy travel, no trains or automobiles, just sailing ships at the mercy of the weather, and fasting because there was nowhere to find food. God is not calling us to abandon modern society. That is not my point, but we have grown used to “how things are” and let go of the truth about suffering. Our suffering is as Jesus’ was, to bear the burdens of men’s pains and offer them healing, to carry off their sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses and offer them peace.

Our suffering is commitment and obedience, that we lay down our self-will and do what our mind and body are fighting against. Our fight is to pull down the strongholds of our mind. I have said it this way —when my mind is reacting to a person and what I want to do is rail against them, instead I turn to the Spirit and ask, “How can I overcome this and never react against people this way?” All the emotions, the anger and confusion, the distress or sorrow, are proof I need to change. And do you know, the Holy Spirit has taken my request seriously and changed me completely. What would Jesus do? was coined a number of years ago. And it bears repeating daily today. Would He dine with publicans and sinners instead of arrogant Pharisees? Would He dine with a Pharisee who sought Him out by night? And who was changed by these encounters? Both the publicans and the sinners and the Pharisee, who anointed Jesus’ body after His death.

“And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.” (John 19:39)

The disciples wanted Jesus to fight back. James and John asked Him to call down fire from heaven on a town of Samaria when the people refused them entrance. Jesus’ reply should stop us in our tracks. “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them (Luke 9:55-56).” The Jews and the Samaritans were divided over doctrinal issues of worship and culture. This sounds so familiar. But instead of destroying one and hailing the other, Jesus brought unity. Jesus brought peace. Paul was sent to the Gentiles, cultures he had nothing in common with. They didn’t know the Jews’ beliefs, nor the temple worship. There between idols that could neither see nor hear nor heal, He preached the good news of Jesus Christ. Peter, a fisherman with no formal education, was sent to the Jews, those steeped in Law and false pride, to speak of the Messiah. Who are we sent to and why would we turn them away? Did they say the wrong thing and we hold it in offense? Did they offer us an advantage, and we decided it was God? Or should we walk in the ways of the Spirit, being Jesus to them, instead?

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities.” (Romans 8:26)
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” (Romans 8:26 BSB)

Opportunities are brought to us to speak God’s heart of love into people, and this can be done without a “Hey, do you know about Jesus?” Some people, many people, will turn away the instant they think you are trying to push God off on them. Opportunities are given to us to not react in the mind and the flesh and instead say nothing. We can bear their burdens by being silent. When hatred falls on deaf ears and God is given the power to rule our fleshly reactions, what the devil desires to do through anger and strife is diffused. When Peter cut off the high priest’s servant’s ear, Jesus told him He could call down thousands of angels to defend Himself if He would but ask. He didn’t ask.

We see peace as weakness, but it’s not. It takes far more strength not to react to situations, to people’s words and actions, then it does to continually give in to making our own defense. Self-control is a power of the Spirit, who is the greatest evidence of self-control in existence. None is more able to use His power than Him, yet He chooses patience, longsuffering, and peace. He is a whisper not because He cannot be an earthquake or a flood, but because a whisper is what we will hear. What we need to hear. We need to learn to listen, to lean in and feel His heartbeat, to know His thoughts without them being spoken. In that position, we don’t see vengeance but the lightening of our burden because we’ve rolled all our care upon Him. We rejoice in His mercy to others and are glad for their salvation. Glad they chose God over sin’s judgment.

We are sent as lights to a hurting, dying world that God has redeemed. But the knowledge of, the revealing of His act of redemption, is not a socialist program forced on the listener. Just as Adam chose death and sin was the result, we must choose God’s life and eternal abundance is the result. But it is a choice. We are forced into nothing. Jesus lifted up that burden and carried it away. He laid down His life so that He could take it up again, and His complete salvation, our entrance into God’s goodness, for that’s what salvation is, could be an available choice. Encouraging people to choose is done through the Spirit, through love and patience with joyfulness. We give those outside of Christ a glimpse of how beautiful God is, and they see freedom.

Matthew 5:13-16, Remedy
(13) “You are like salt to humanity: preserving the knowledge of God, providing the flavor of heaven, and increasing the thirst for God. But if salt loses its saltiness, unless it becomes salty again, it is useless and will be thrown out and trampled upon.”
(14) “You are beacons of light in a world of darkness. A shining city on a hill cannot be hidden,”
(15) “and people don’t light a lantern and hide it under a bucket. No! They display it prominently, so everyone receives its light.”
(16) “Be like that! Let your lives radiate the light of heavenly love and truth by the way you treat others, so that they may give thanks to your Father in heaven.”

The Scripture says we fight not against flesh and blood but against the powers of the devil. We know not to pick a fight with people, but we do not pick one with the devil either. We are not weak and pushed around at his will. But to go on the defense requires knowledge of the Holy Spirit and the assurance that He has sent you forward. Paul was chosen and was sent (apostle means “sent one.”). Peter was told in what manner he would die and accepted it. James was martyred and the church learned to pray. Their continual prayers rescued Peter from prison in the miraculous hand of God. Prayer is our weapon. Praise is our weapon. The name of Jesus and the authority behind it are given to us, but they are not casually used, and they require persistence. Standing and having done all to stand, we keep standing. We swing the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, through our words, not hand gestures, and it is done in peace with complete confidence in God who is faithful to keep His promise of protection and safety. He has said He will deliver us, so He will deliver us from any oppression or affliction. But the way of it will be peace to the one in need and in the situation (the people) affected by it.

The need to fight is the flesh. The way of God is victory through joy and peace in believing. We will only reject the one and take up the other when we choose God’s ways, His methods and reactions, over our human ones. Choose to be like God and walk away from the devil.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:” (2 Corinthians 10:3)
“For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man.” (2 Corinthians 10:3 AMP)

Image by Sammy-Sander from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com