Tag: Slanderer

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Division is demonic!

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?” But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What did the Pharisees know about Beelzebub?

Not enough! This demonic confrontation was unusual because there’s a clash of demonology and theology among the Pharisees. Who knew more about both, Jesus or the religious leaders? The Pharisees may have just tossed out a simple rebuke and rebuff by casually, almost jokingly saying, “yeah, this guy obviously works for Satan!” They were all rilled up because the people were asking if Jesus could be the Messiah. Jesus didn’t think it was funny.

Jesus used the misinformation and verbal distraction to correct and teach truth on the subject. Just think about this, the Pharisees dropped the “official” title of the chief liar and slander – Beelzebub! It was used 8 times in the New Testament and it comes from an ancient combination of two words, Baal and Zebub, literally lord of the flies! In this story is the technical name of Satan, the chief of evil spirits. Well, that settles the argument about where flies come from, right? 😁

Jesus lays out some common sense truth. How or why would Satan cast out Satan? The sad observation that the demon inside this man was doing an excellent job of torturing him and keeping him bound and enslaved by being blind and mute. Why would Satan kick himself out? Jesus makes such a strong case, not only about how evil works, but why it is so effective still today. Jesus says, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive.”

Ah, it’s not just satan’s kingdom that wouldn’t survive, it’s our towns and families that won’t either. Truth boom 💥 – division is a demonic weapon. Division is just more lies from the lord of flies. Jesus zeroes in on the real issue. It’s not just mis-identifying the work of God as demonic. It’s flat out telling the Pharisees – you’re on the wrong team brothers! They said they worked for God, but Jesus being God, says “nope, they are not working for me.”

When folks start calling freedom and deliverance satanic, it makes me wonder who’s team they’re on. As believers we MUST be unified under the banner of Christ! We need to stop gossiping and heresy-hunting about every preacher, leader we just don’t agree with. We need to stop the denominational divisions and nitpicking of preferences and polity within THE CHURCH. We are all one whether some admit it or not. Like the warning to the religious leaders then, we need to quit falling prey to the ploys of Beelzebub. Get on team Jesus and behave like a united family!

Prayer

Dad,
I need to be reminded that you are coming back for the bride of Christ, the one without spot or wrinkle. I feel like we’ve got a lot of spots and wrinkle and I’m looking for the day we, as Your Church, not just look good, but behave good! Help us Oh God! We need you to judge us, purify us, prepare us for your return. Maybe that’s really what’s going on right now. As so many are exciting the Church and many are walking away from their faith, maybe this is exactly what you want to happen. I still pray, in hope, that you will pour your Spirit capturing the hearts and minds of those who have fallen for the lies and save them.

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A Sailor’s Life?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I wonder if Peter had a sailor’s mouth, or a fisherman’s mouth at least. I know he was Jewish, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t struggle with the workman’s culture of talking up the weekend or the night out with the guys. Peter wasn’t always a saint.

Here in his letter to the Church he lays down the admonishment of better behavior now that Christ had redeemed their lives. He generalizes getting rid of all evil behavior, but then gets more specific. The general word, “kakia” is wickedness, better understood as an intentional desire to injure. Wow! Right? Proverbs talks a lot about intentional wickedness in a couple of Hebrew words for fool, the worst of the two is Nabal: an obsession to do wrong, causing pain to anyone and everyone. Peter encourages those to cold-turkey-quit several evil habits that are inappropriate for followers of Jesus. Eliminate deceit. The word “dolos,” baiting the naive, employing decoys to snare people, especially the innocent. Kick hypocrisy. The word, “hupokrisis,” someone acting under a mask. A theater term used to describe a performance by actors playing a part. If you’ve ever been around theater people you know that are able to quickly move in and out of roles, alternating their voice and persona to fit the part. In relationships, we want to be known for who we really are, and not some projection of a fake representation of ourselves. For jealousy, Peter uses the word, “phthonos,” or envy. A jealous envy that negatively “energizes” someone with an embittered mind, conveying “displeasure at another’s good.” Whoa, that one hurts! How often do I de-celebrate another’s success or accomplishment? Unkind speech is “katalalos,” a defamer. A person that slanders, employs back-biting, and tries to de-rail a person’s life!

Getting rid of these qualities just reminds me of the power of transformation and the character of Christ who creates this change in me. Given my nature and proclivity, I would likely be deceitful, possibly even hypocritical, envious and slanderous all just to get what I want! Wouldn’t that make sense if I didn’t live by a godly code of conduct? Maybe I get ahead, make more money or just get there faster than people around me. Believe it, that is a lot folks “truth.” I like how Peter tells us that getting rid of these qualities helps us grow into what he writes is the “full experience” of salvation! The word, “auksánō,” is to grow and it is key to authentic discipleship.

Prayer

Dad.
Do I lead a life of former thoughts, attitudes and behaviors? Not always. And, certainly not purposefully! Do I strive to lead the counter-life of Jesus? Do I yield more and more to the Holy Spirit allowing him to lead and guide me into this “full experience” of salvation as Peter says? I sure hope so. I often check and catch my thoughts just before they come out as behaviors (translated: WORDS). Should I be thinking this? Should I be a dualistic life? Should I be celebrating someone’s failure? These are the small decisions of detail that form who I becoming, right? I want to keep growing and maturing becoming like Jesus!

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The slanderous snake returns.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Matthew jumps over a few years in Jesus’ life, taking us from three to thirty and quickly introduces John the Baptist who in turn introduces Jesus. We leave the ancestry and Christmas story to a thunderous annunciation – “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.””

Matthew then quickly thrusts us into a battle in the desert. The place where Jesus fasted and prayed – this was no longer eden and the landscape of the earth and the human condition were no longer paradise. John Mark Comer reminds us that this battle did not take place with physical weapons, like swords, knives or clubs. It took place with words – just words. Of course, that’s all it took to bring the first couple down in the beginning, they were just words; one of them a question in fact. With Eve the liar asked, “Did God say?” Here in the anti-Eden, the slithering slanderer planted a more subtle challenge… “if you are the Son of God.” Thinking Jesus might need proof at this point in his life? “Turn stones to bread,” the smooth talker said. Take control Jesus. It’s yours to command, if you’d like. If you are as they say, “really God.” Interesting that later on Jesus would replicate a few fish and some barley loafs into food for thousands who were hungry. The stones show up again when Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Luke writes Jesus’ words, “If humans won’t praise, even the stones themselves will cry out!”

Two more temptations would come and Jesus wisely used God’s word, his own sword of the Spirit to fend off the little blood-sucking flea. The last temptation would come just before a betrayal and an ambush in another garden. Would Jesus drink the cup of suffering? The desert, the garden, the war and the win was all for us! Hebrews says it poetically perfect, “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬. The second Adam made everything right between us and God.

Prayer

Dad,
Jesus was tempted and passed. His only defense and weaponry was Your Word – the most powerful force in all creation. I am daily tempted, tested and faced with subtle questions as well as accusations and lies. I MUST hide your Word in my heart, not only so I do NOT sin, but also so I can win the battles within my own heart and mind. What lies do I want to believe to get my own way instead of submitting to your way? What God-Words can I store and retrieve to help fight these lies? Thank you for leading, guiding and protecting me as I learn to depend on your Word.

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The poop-slinger and it’s posse.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians‬ ‭6:10-12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Calling out the liar. The Apostle Paul, prolific writer of much of the New Testament, calls a spade a spade. But first, his admonition is to remind us where our focus and our (followers of Jesus) strength should come from – the Lord!

I love it! To be EMPOWERED in Jesus, endunamoó: to empower. That “dunamis” he speaks of is an overwhelmingly, supernatural power that comes from the creator himself! That power that raised Christ from the dead and dwells in those who believe. That is where our perfect and complete dominion comes from. It’s good for us to get that in our heads and hearts.

Paul then defines for us a real and capable enemy. It is because of this enemy that we should armor up. Every piece, an object lesson from what soldiers, warriors wore in the first century, just to give a visual.

Paul re-introduces the enemy by name… the LIAR, more specifically, the SLANDERER. It’s translated as diabolos, the devil, but that word has no real meaning then nor today. This creature cast out of heaven and thrown to earth is the “lie-thrower.” This fallen angel has taken up the chief position of being the one to bring charges, to constantly hurl complaints, accusations and slanderous lies to the battle in our minds. It feels like Diabolos describes most every modern politician and ridiculous bill on the ballot today – our mailboxes, spam texts and media messages are filled with lies because we have a midterm election coming up this November 8, 2022.

Just name any and every bad-actor on the world stage today and their backer is the diabolos. Paul says that pretty clearly. Don’t look at these evil puppets, playing their roles, look up the strings and see who’s holding the sticks! We are NOT fighting against humans, but evil rulers and authorities of the UNSEEN world, mighty powers and evil spirits in heavenly places. And for them, for that kind of battle, we need a lot more than weak words and cheap, repetitive memes on social media. We need more than protests and angry exchanges of sound bytes. We need powerful prayers of the Holy Spirit, going after the unseen “methodeia” crafty, deceitful methods of the slanderer.

Let’s see our real enemy, let’s wage war against the real cause and financial backer of these cultural disturbances, these attempts to separate and fracture our resolve. The poop-slinger and it’s posse!

Prayer

Dad,
Why is it so hard for us to see BEYOND this world, beyond ourselves into the spiritual world that is constant and eternal all around us. We are so selfishly bound to our five senses that we ignore what takes place in the heavenly. And we do so to our own demise! We need to be people of the Spirit, to not only see, but to fight and love through prayer in that realm. Help us not to be so earth-bound and heavenly ignorant! Amen.

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The slander-slinger

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.” Luke‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

He’ll be back! That what he does. Luke tells us straight out that Jesus was tempted and who was doing the tempting. And Luke calls the tempter by one of his character descriptions.

The word tempted is interesting enough. The word means to test or to try, but it comes from a word that means, poke, pierce or pick at to literally see what’s on the other side. It’s a test to examine and prove.

The other interesting word is the word Luke uses to give Satan a character title, diabolos – the slanderer, the false accuser, the one who brings a constant barrage of charges to bring someone down – diabállō – properly, “to throw across (back and forth), “either with rocks or words with slander, gossip, the word implies malice even if the thing said is true. He’s a slander-slinger and never stops harassing the work of God, humans created in God’s image and here in Luke 4, even God himself.

Here the slinger uses the word “if” in every volley. Ever the sly, he beckons to question and cause doubt or he spins a selfish, preferred future that is hinged on a simple act of worship to himself.

Ah, deals with the Devil, same pitch, same results. But oh how sad that he snares and snags so many by poking and prodding until he finds a weakness. Then he sets the hook and owns your soul. Creepy huh?

He didn’t own Jesus that day, however, Luke leaves us with a cliff hanger so to speak. Luke says, “until next time…” Oh no, he’ll be back! Where, when and how did the slinger tempt Jesus again?

PRAYER:

Dad,
This stuff gives me the creeps! Not only the insidious methods, but the fact that they work on us. Part of me is rattled at how effective the temptations can be, the other part is embarrassed and angry that I fall for them. The temptations are so consistent and even though I see the patterns of how and what is happening, there is still the desire to grab the bait, knowing there’s a shiny hook waiting. It’s not even that the slinger is so good at it, it’s that I am so weak in thinking “this time” would be different. It sure makes me ache for that day of perfection when neither the lie nor the ill-desire will have an effect on me.