now if harassment is a reality for a true follower of CHRIST then how do I handle it?
well first of all we need to understand who is the source of the harassment? ephesians 6.12 (ms) tells us that this is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the devil and all his angels.
GOD is the enemy of the devil. if you're a parent, i can hurt you, but the better way to hurt you is to hurt your kids. if i hurt your kids that really hurts you. the devil cannot get at GOD, so he does the next better thing – he hurts GOD’s kids.
the bible says in revelations 12.10 (cev), satan accused our people. the person at work who's harassing you is not the real problem; recognize the source.
then you must refuse to retaliate. romans 12:17 & 19 (tev), if someone has done you wrong, do not repay him with a wrong…never take revenge…let GOD's anger do it.
remember who the enemy is. the person attacking you is really just a pawn. they don't understand that they are being used by the devil.
JESUS, in v. 11 of matthew 5 lists three different kinds of verbal harassment. (tev), happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you. HE says there are insults – when people try to dishonor you or discredit you or say derogatory things about you. there is persecution – mistreatment. then he says, they will tell lies – deceit and deception. the world loves to find fault with CHRISTians.
if they can't find any fault – if you walk blamelessly, with integrity – they'll just make something up. they will insult you. they will mistreat you. and they'll make up lies about you. they are going to attack CHRISTians.
in the bible JESUS was accused of being a drunk. they said HE's a glutton and a wine bibber. that means HE was a party animal! but JESUS never reviled back. HE refused to retaliate.
just a thought from the front porch…
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