Babe or Beast?

Recently, a Facebook friend posted, “Loving God doesn’t mean that you’ll never have issues”.  I commented in response, “Neither does Him loving you.”

Days later, I learned that I was being severely demonized by a colleague…….

The Word says in II Timothy 2:3-4, “you therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a soldier.” Verse 10 reads, “Therefore, I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

When I heard some of the things that this person was saying about me, I was livid, but thanks to God, my anger passed quickly.  When you're placed in these types of situations, flesh tells you to immediately confront your accuser, but for what?

That’s how the devil gets the glory that we owe God.

There is no truth that has remained forever hidden. It doesn't matter how much you argue with a person or how angry you get, their perspective will always be their perspective, and IN GOD'S TIMING you will be exalted in truth. You can't approach someone in anger and expect Godly results.

Everyone tells you that you have to pick your battles, but before you can do that, YOU HAVE TO PICK A TEAM. You must know who you are in Christ, and in this fight. Thereafter, you must walk so that the world knows what team you’re on.

This colleague never expressed an issue with me. For years, things seemed fine. Then one day, something shifted.  When I addressed it, she brushed it off.  Immediately thereafter, the colleague who'd posted that Facebook post, expressed misgivings on her behalf and asked if the three of us could talk. No ma'am!  That’s not how it works. 

The Bible says that, “if your brother hath ought with thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone.” If someone has a problem with me or feels me to have a problem with them, they owe me that communication.  You don’t get to CHOOSE flesh with me.  The spirit says to go directly to my brother and sort out our issues between us alone.  The flesh says that we can involve anyone in any way that we desire.  This is where we run into trouble - talking to other people when we should be talking to God and the person with whom we have a problem.

Paul said in I Corinthians, “I buffet my flesh daily and bring it under subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified”. He also said, “I beseech you therefore brethren that there be no divisions among you”.

How am I going to preach the conquering of the flesh, but then draw into that flesh over unexplained foolishness?  Whatever portion of yourself that you breathe life into - whichever beast you feed, that’s the one that lives.

That’s the one that will survive.

My flesh doesn’t get to survive, because the Glory that is due God can only come from my life in the Spirit.

I, therefore, took my questions to the offending colleague directly, only to find that her shift in perspective was being perpetuated by the third party, however unintentionally.  The problem is that human communication will do that, that’s why we need to take our thoughts and oughts to God directly!

Not every time that someone engages in gossip, did they INTEND to gossip, and not every word uttered is well thought out. Sometimes we can say things with good intention that make matters much worse.

Flesh’s first thought is to approach the third party, but you have a choice…. Do you want to sip the milk on this thing, or are you ready to feast on the meat?”

We live in a time when everybody wants to "beast up" for show. Whenever somebody claps, there’s someone to clap back, all the while running around whispering Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. We talk about loving God but how many of us are TRULY ready to feast!

Babes in Christ are unable to buffet their flesh because they haven’t grown enough to bring it under subjection. But see, I know who I am and I know WHOSE I am.

I know that people are as frail as breath and am therefore free from their opinions of me.

That’s the milk sip characteristic of Babes in Christ. Beasts are deep in The Word, feasting on the meat whenever the hunger strikes. We, as believers, can’t be bothered with what people think of us. We’re supposed to be set apart - a sanctified, peculiar people.

So, what are you….

Babe or Beast?