Morning Hope – April 18, 2011

James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work (KJV)

Having decided that having every evil work and confusion in our lives is a bad thing, we need to decide how to battle it. We saw last week that our weapons are not carnal, meaning they aren’t something we can do because we “set our mind to it”, they are spiritual.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (KJV)

Strife is translated in some versions as self-seeking. This is really the bottom line to what strife is and does.
In all situations, when we get into strife it’s because we are trying to take care of ourselves, trying to stand up for ourselves , trying to do God’s job. We are not trusting God in that area of our life. We are not trusting God to take care of us and our situation.

So knowing all that, how do we stand against strife when it rears its ugly head?

Let’s look.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (KJV)

So spiritually, all we’ve got is Him, Him being Jesus.
He abides in us and because of that we bring forth much fruit.
It’s His Fruit, it’s all coming from Him , as we see that without Him we can do nothing.
What fruit?

Galatians 5:22-23 but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (KJV)

Lots of folks have these verses memorized and can rattle them off easily. Let’s slow down a minute and not miss the importance of them as weapons, spiritual weapons against strife.

The first is Love, how does love battle strife?
I’m not talking about “mamby-pamby” flowers and butterflies.
I’m not talking about how much you love your car or your *insert thing here that you always say you love*
We toss around this word too easily now a days. We say love when we should say like.
Biblical love is a verb. It’s an action word. It’s a choice to walk in love even when you don’t “Feel” like it. Love is definitely not a feeling spiritually.

Galatians 5:6 tell us that Faith works by Love. If we want our faith to work, we need to be really serious about this love thing. (KJV)

Choosing to love someone that is up in your face, or choosing to love someone that is not being kind to you is no easy thing. But here is the answer, it’s not YOU doing it, it’s you letting HIM love through you.
It’s making a choice to take a deep breath, say to yourself “Self, I forgive this person and I love this person by faith no matter what I feel” and act accordingly.
This is a weapon. It’s funny to think of love as a weapon, but it is. The most powerful weapon against our enemies.
It isn’t easy at first to tell your flesh to shut up when it wants it’s way. But as you do this, daily, sometimes hourly, it becomes easier and easier.
Forgiveness goes along with this. Forgive by faith, even when you don’t “Feel” it. When that old anger rises up say to yourself “Nope! I’ve forgiven so-and-so and I’m not going to be robbed by unforgiveness any longer” and then walk in love in that area.
Look at every opportunity to practice this as a way to stop strife in it’s tracks. Look at every opportunity to practice this as a way to stop EVERY EVIL WORK from coming to work in your lives. Look at it as a way to draw a line in the sand and tell the enemy “NO MORE” in this area of your life. Then watch and God’s power moves on your behalf! You have the power within you, it’s HIM!

You obeying the command of Love, you allowing His fruit to come from within you, will open doors in your life to let God move.  Faith works by love,  and Faith pleases GOD!

If you need prayer in this area please e-mail us or leave comments and we will be happy to come in agreement with you to stop strife in it’s tracks!

Be blessed!
-Kath

Scripture quotations marked “KJV” are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge, 1769.