THE FIGHT OF FAITH, AN EXAMPLE
Pastor Bankie
TIP OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THE FIGHT OF FAITH
Recently I had some experiences in which it was so ‘clear’ that I was being discriminated against by reason of natural origin. Of course we all understand this—we say that the whites discriminate against the blacks; Northerners against Southerners etc. I was a ‘victim’ of this kind of situation and many people highlighted it to me as the thing going on. There was however a problem; the kind of person the Lord has formed me into; I NEVER accept such a thinking pattern. I never let anyone derive it for me from circumstantial evidence. I will only believe it when the doer tells me directly that that is what he is up to, and nobody has been bold enough to tell me that.
I told all the people concerned that it was not a case of discrimination as a result of tribe or race but that there are many other possible explanations. Well, it turned out at the end of the day that I was right and the matter had nothing to do with discrimination for the colour of my skin or my state of origin. Stuff happens and that one just did.
I had discussions with some people on a similar matter and in this situation I happened to have a lot of facts that showed that this sort of discrimination was not at all at play. When I heard the arguments put forth by the aggrieved parties, I realized that in the situation at hand, of the many possible explanations, they had simply chosen the matter of discrimination as the one to hold. While trying to persuade someone sympathetic to the cause otherwise I told him of my own experience and what I had chosen to think. He said it was tough and that I was to be commended. That is what I am talking about today. It is a tough fight to believe the right things, to have a clean mind.
You MUST fight the victim mentality first in your mind and in people trying to plant it in your mind. Your mindset is the first fight of your life.
Refuse the victim mentality that says you did not get that job because you do not know important people. You already know the All-Important One. If you agree with them you would have crippled your ability to success with the power of God in life. The thoughts we accept decide whether the power of God will be manifested in our lives or not. We often accept the wrong thoughts and we wonder why God is not moving on our behalf and in our lives.
As a believer you are not a victim.
If you failed an exam, don’t let anybody tell you it is because the lecturers don’t like you. Think with a victor’s mentality, and go and learn some more. My wife and I were talking with a dear sister a few days ago, and Mrs B asked why this lady chose to specialize in that area of medicine. The lady said she had to repeat the exam in this specialty as an undergraduate, and in preparing for the repeat exam she came to really know the subject and discovered how interesting it was. Notice, she tackled the matter as a victor.
You are not sick because of a witch. The devil and all his agents do not have power over you. You are not to keep awake because of superstition, praying needless prayers over people and things that are powerless against you.
A Christian is a victor. He or she has overcome in Christ and must never think those evil thoughts.
Have you ever gotten a mail that says if you must forward to 10 people or so or you’ll die or loose money, and if you do send the mails you will become rich? I have gotten many of them and I have never forwarded one to anyone. Those things die when they get to me; I refuse totally to participate in propagating the cycle of fear.
Fear will not rule me and I will not send it into anybody’s life.
Let bad-blood not spread by your mouth. Do not readily accept the culture of mutual distrust that only generates more distrust. Take the current banking crisis as an example, I deliberately refused to join in religious fear mongering. I know my Jesus is the Lord and will scatter any real enemy. I hold on to the word of love and I’m “… ever ready to believe the best of every person and every situation” (1 Cor 13:7 AMP).
When we subscribe to these evils, they auto-propagate. Be the anti-oxidant that ends the cycle of free radical damage (pardon me, biological scientists will understand). Let it end there. These things are spiritual and they eventually manifest as our faith dictates, and when it is evil we say we were right, not knowing that we gave it the power to come to pass.
If something is burdening your heart, please pray about it and talk to people with godly wisdom. It is a fight and you must win in this fight.
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH. DON’T JOIN IN PROPAGATING EVIL THOUGHTS AND THOUGHTS OF FEAR. REJECT THE VICTIM-MENTALITY AND EMBRACE THE CONQUEROR’S THOUGHT PATTERN.
