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“To be confident is to act in faith.”
~ Bernard Bynion
If you have attempted anything in ministry, you know all about conflict! It seems like the greatest obstacle to forward movement is the possibility of change. When we try to do something for the glory of God, almost inevitably, someone steps up and assigns evil motives to our actions.
Jesus was no stranger to conflict and accusation. Fear grows in the hearts of those who are challenged by changes they neither like nor can explain. Listen as Jesus is blistered by another barrage …
Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.” And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.” So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house. “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”– because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.” Mark 3:20-30 (NKJV)
We become like Jesus when …
o We confront our accusers with the foolishness of their assertions.
The attack upon Jesus – Jesus mind you – was nothing less than incredible! In the parallel passage, Jesus asks these scribes, “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.” Matthew 12:27 (NKJV) When Jesus deals with this problem, he goes right to the heart of the issue.
Those who serve God’s plan know that major changes bring major opposition! Resolving these attacks is not always possible with those who fear our ministry. Our task is to stay focused on our mission and clarify the accusation so that all know its credibility or lack thereof.
© 2009 By Dr. Matthew Lee Smith
