problem at jail

I go to my city jail every week, and last night I had I pretty bad experience. My friend that goes with me threw his back out, and couldn't make it. So I go by myself, and about 7 people show up to hear the Word. Before I can even start, one of the guys starts stating his opinion of why he only believe part of the bible. Basically saying only the things he likes are true. This makes someone else agree with him and decide to leave. He then proceeds to start talking about who he calls "the creator" and how he live on what his heart tells him is right. All the while I am bringing forth scripture that shows he is in error.
Now an example. He says that he has never worked a day in his life because the creator says do not kill. He says that the money that is paid in taxes goes to the building of bombs to kill people and he can not support that in any way. Then he says he can kill "evil men" if he knew he wouldn't get caught, and that would be okay.
I don't want to send any one away without giving them a chance to hear the Word, but what do I do. I had the chance to share with the others in the room for only sbout 20 minutes, but that could have been two hours. Now he wants to come back next week.
I would like any scriptural advice on how to deal with this situation if it arises again.

Also any messages that talk about this sort of thing?

'The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly', John 10v10.

I don't personally know how anyone one would deal with this situation, nor do I have any examples to give you.

But this I do know, pray, pray and pray again.

God is all powerful. With God all things are possible, Matt 19v26.

Seems like the enemy is using this person to discredit God's word.

You might have to ask others to pray for this situation, and for God to give you answers.

I mean, how come he ended up in prison anyway? What did he do?

As it is, he might not come next time, but I think satan like a fight, so he might just turn up.

You are God's tool, he is satan's tool, under his grip. Pray for that grip to be broken.

In Acts 16, when a slave girl kept following Paul and Silas and saying they proclaimed the way of salvation, it says Paul commanded the spirit out of her, and it came out.

If you and others can fast and pray, who knows what God will do.

Others will give much better advice on this forum than I can, so do be encouraged when it comes.

God bless.

On the streets people always want to interupt you so I politly ask them to just hold that thought and I'll get back to them in just a min. Normally the Lord defuses them before I return to them. Now that's in a preaching context, not in a question and answer context. There is a sense in which you need to cultivate what's called commandability, or an overall sense of control. What I mean here is not to be taken as being overbearing but as one who is in charge of the direction, flow and content of the meeting. You act as an overseerer of the whole and sit in the position of authority. This will come through and be seen by thoughs present, but you personally must be convinced that Jesus has called you there and is with you and has given you this awesome authority. Then just stand tough and face this foe as one who's already defeated, you are more than able to do this because Christ is in you, and you are His faithful witness. I can give you scriptures if you need but rember some battles when you're preaching to thoughs in jail are just not worth fighting, chose wisely your battles. Always stay on point, here's what I mean. If you're preaching on the cross and someone interupts you and wants to interjectMary the mother of Jesus or some strange experience they may have had, rather than address them, you tell them to (here we go again :-) ) "hold that thought", and you proceed with your flow of thought in your message on the cross. I hope that makes sense?..

Lastly, what has already been mentioned, pray, then pray some more and when you are finished praying , pray some more, actually forget about leaving the attitude of prayer, just bring that Holy place of prayer with you to the jail :-)

Ray Comfort has some pretty good advice for hecklers he calls them. He does alot of street preaching and he gives pretty good advice for how to deal with the hecklers. Ones who just want to disrupt you and make a scene so forth.

Amen brother! Our enemies are the principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness. We fight these battles against them in the secret place of prayer!

Thats wise counsel brother!

"...and they overcame him..."

Bubba,

Romans 13:6,7: For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon1 this very thing.
Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

This is still in effect. No amount of philosophizing can eliminate this directive. This was written by a man who wrote about a government that later killed him. Now go figure!

BTW: I am not impressed with the co-mingling of all different kinds of religions who work to eliminate war. What they are working for is to get rid of Jesus believing Christians because we believe in absolutes, are exclusive in our beliefs, do not believe in the 'big tent'.

Sir, your position bothers me. You do not promote classical Christianity at all. Why do you even bother to come here?

ginnyrose

Bubba wrote:

pss. here's an Oxfam letter from religious leaders on the subject.

Bubba, I would urge you to go read what pastorfrin wrote on the thread "We Need to Talk About Peace". Read the post he wrote on 2007/3/8 at 15:05.
[Edit] Or, here is the link:
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?forum=35&topic_id=15338&post_id=119376&viewmode=thread&order=1#119376

ginnyrose

Hi everyone.

Divdasunder,

I would like to second what brother Daryl expressed and confirm it a bit from my own experience.

"On the streets people always want to interupt you so I politly ask them to just hold that thought and I'll get back to them in just a min. Normally the Lord defuses them before I return to them."

My experience is limited to conversations with small groups of people but it still happens that someone may walk up on the conversation and begin to interject [i]whatever[/i]. Or it may be that one of the people standing around listening will interject something. Two things have been helpfull in my experience, which also brother Daryl suggested:

the need to excercise authority, or as he put it, [i]cultivate what's called commandability[/i]. I do not mean, and I don't think he did either, that we should go around giving people orders. Still, it is needfull to be, in a measure, in control of the situation, and to keep control of the converstion. It maybe that the adversary's tactic is to confuse and misdirect the converstion so that the people we are speaking to never hear the message of the Gosepl clearly, or whatever it is that God has given us to speak upon. And as brother Daryl suggested, asking them politely, to 'hold that thought', or something similar, has been helpfull in my experience also.

Also, I try to adress people as sir, or ma'am(except with younger children who I may address as young man or young lady), no matter who they are or what [i]station[/i] of life they may be in. I think people respond better to authority when you treat them respectfully.

And remember too [i] A Soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.[/i]

We need help from the Lord at every turn.

And because we do not physically see our adversaries, I think it is easy to forget that once we are speaking to others, we are on the field of battle.

Chris

I want to thank everyone for the advice you have given. Sometimes I am interested on where the people take the conversations in the jail. Usually when this sort of thing does happen, It is taken care of directly. The only thing about this guy was all the polite "hold that thought" statemnets I made would be ignored. There are those people who won't listen to you sometime. Once again thanks for the advice.

Bubbaguy, I don't really see Jesus anywhere in scripture not saying what he meant. He didn't hide things from pharisees or any one else because it wasn't His time to go. The scriptures say that when Jesus offended people and they were about to stone Him or throw Him off a cliff, He walked right through their midst and was not harmed.

God Bless
Riding for the King!!

think you have misinterpreted the passage about rendering unto Ceasar. What Jesus says is essentially that what you so decide you owe to Ceasar is exactly what you owe, and nothing more. it is your decision what you render unto God and what you render unto Ceasar; and your decision makes obvious your commitment to each.

this is how Jesus actually supported political activism while not bringing about his premature incarceration. (the time was not ready) if He had said, don't pay taxes to Ceasar, He would have been immediately arrested. so He used covert language to tell the truth about where our allegiances should be.

What an absurd notion! "[i]what you so decide[/i]" may well summarize the greater part of the things you forward here. Do you not realize that you are crafting in essence an idol of your own making to worship? You are placing a skewered humanitarian above allegiance to the Lord and find little difficulty in making scripture bow to your interpretation ... On that note, this is something I am beginning to find quite a bother, this idea that 'everybody interrupts the scriptures differently', definitely something for another posting.

Sir, your position bothers me. You do not promote classical Christianity at all. Why do you even bother to come here?

And it bothers me even to the point of being practical besides myself in just what it might take to bring you to a rejection of or at the very least some reconsidering of these things you have crafted in our flawed understanding. Without a doubt there is much that is flawed in all of understanding but I do not recall you having expressed any change of mind since you have been here. I do not believe your motives are in any way hostile and that has kept the charity open. That however does not change anything over your abuse of the scriptures.

Bubba, I pray sincerely that you would seriously consider reading through [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&order=0&topic_id=10733&forum=34&post_id=&refresh=Go]Jonathan Edwards - Undiscerned Spiritual Pride[/url] as it applies to how [i]you[/i] determine what is acceptable or subject to your [i]own[/i] interpreting.

[i]Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.[/i] Rom 8:7

Dear divdasunder,

Truly, you have a difficult situation. I would not know what to do either. I am nothing, and I am not sure if I could give you any worthy advice. May the Lord lead you, and may He bless you with His presence. I will write what is placed on my heart.

Jesus said, "Do not throw pearls to swine." This is a classic example of this. Some people will not accept the gospel. There is nothing we can do in such situations except to heed the words of our Lord. A pearl is nothing to a swine. The swine will not acknowledge it or even look it at. When we throw a pearl at a swine, the swine will just leave it there in the mud. As such, you must refrain from arguing with this man. Ignore him. Save your pearls for those who listen.

Jesus said, "Love your enemies." Obviously, this man is not speaking alone. The Devil is using him to speak against the bible. Pray for this man that Christ will set Him free. Only God can help in this situation. You can do nothing.

If the man is rejecting the bible, then quoting scripture will do nothing for him. Continue to preach the Word as Christ directs for the others. The truth will always prevail against lies. Do not be concerned about what this mans says, and do not be fearful. Lies have been taught since the day of Christ, and will continue to be taught. These do not concern God. He is far greater. Stay focused on the truth and the gospel. This man will try to direct you away from the gospel so that your preaching becomes ineffective. If you are focused on other issues and counter theology, then you will not be preaching the cross.

When anyone speaks about God the "creator", we should quickly point out that God chose to be known among His people as "Savior." God doesn't want to be known simply as "creator", he wants to be know as Jesus, whose name means "Savior." (Matthew 1:21)

Lastly, pray for the Holy Spirit to be upon you with great authority and power. Pray for the Lord's presence. In this, the man will be convicted of his words.

It could be the Lord has sent you there for the salvation of this very man. As such, be prepared for a spiritual battle, and always give in love, just as Jesus gave His life on the cross.

I hope this helps,
I will pray for you in this,

In Christ,
Blake