BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

B V O V : 2 3 B V O V : 2 3 by Mark T. Barclay We need to know how to handle it when we're attacked with slander, gossip and lies. Dr. Sumrall added, "The battle will be intense… but we serve an awesome God who's equipped us for that battle." We will win! Carnal vs. Spiritual Christians In 1 Corinthians 3, Apostle Paul dealt with this very issue: And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (verses 1-3). The New International Version puts that last verse this way: "…For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?" No matter where we are, we will encounter two kinds of Christians: spiritual and carnal. Spiritual Christians are believers who know God's voice. They walk with Him without quenching or grieving the Holy Spirit. Carnal Christians, or "mere humans," are believers who have become perverted. They're the kind of Christians who claim to be saved by grace but don't seem to give a thought as to how they live. They may claim to have met Jesus, but they don't act like it, talk like it, dress like it or give like it. It's not our place to judge whether they're saved or not, but you can't help wonder how they can claim to know our Jesus while, at the same time, speaking words fi lled with poison. They're dangerous. They'll help you build a church, ministry, group, outreach—even a business—and then turn right around and tear the whole thing apart. So how do we respond when confronted by carnal Christians? It's our responsibility to respond as spiritually mature believers. Cast It Down This is nothing new. Thirty years ago, the Body of Christ experienced the e ects of slander in a profound way. The Lord told us that slander would be Satan's weapon of choice against ministries during the 1990s. Then came the 2000s, the era of liars—people who would surface and attack ministries without any shred of truth. They just made stu up! Those of us who lived through those times learned the truth of 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;) 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." We learned how to conduct spiritual warfare and defeat the enemy along with his weapons of gossip, slander and lies. As a former Marine, I understand combat. I know how to use a physical weapon. However, spiritual warfare uses a di erent kind of weapon. We can't shoot, stab, choke or grenade a demon. And if we try to respond unkindly toward God's people, even those who are acting like brats, we're going to get in trouble with Him. Instead, we have to rely on our spiritual weapons to cast down vain imaginations. We have to recognize the source of the gossip, slander and lies. People who tra c in this kind of garbage are empowered by evil, familiar, seducing spirits that are hell- bent on penetrating our space and stealing our energy. They want nothing more than to render our faith ine ective and numb us. We must cast down the images those words put in our heads. Brother Kenneth Copeland once said God told him not to ever read anything about himself—good or bad. I've lived my life by that same instruction. It IT'S PAINFUL WHEN SOMEONE WE CARE ABOUT TURNS AGAINST US, BUT WE CAN'T HOLD ONTO THAT PAIN. INSTEAD, WE HAVE TO FORGIVE AND RELEASE THEM.

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