What do you think about the people trying to silence the messengers?

Have you noticed all through the Old and New Testament and even today, there is a force to silence God’s people, especially the messenger. From the Old Testament Prophets, to the first 12, and even after the day of Pentecost, we still can read and see in current events the force still trying to silence the messenger. It is really not the messenger they hate. It’s the message and why? Do they think if they silence the messenger, the message will go away and we know the truth is it won’t go away.
Acts 9:28-30
29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

Matt 24:35-36
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
KJV

There are different kinds of reaction when the Word of God is spoken in the Spirit. We've probably all had one of these reactions at one time or another. Although most reactions, even from out and out rebels against God, would be short of hating and wanting to kill the messenger!

One reaction is indifference, another is anger, another is persuading ourselves that the message isn't for me, but for that other person, "who really does need to hear this". Another is to find fault with the messenger's appearance, character, "spirituality" or manner of speech.

Yet another is to agree wholeheartedly, even with hearty "amens", or even to preach about or post such a message and exhort others to listen to it, but in the wrong spirit.

An extreme example of this is the slave girl at Ephesus (Acts 16) who followed Paul and his friends, proclaiming loudly, "[i][color=000066]These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.[/color][/i]". What she said was perfectly true, but it was a demon saying it! Just another of Satan's ways of attempting to destroy, confuse, defuse or otherwise divert attention from what God is saying.

And yet, no matter what Satan does...
Isaiah 55:[i][color=000099]8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 [u]So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it[/u][/color][/i]

But are we listening?

Am I?

In Him

Jeannette

I know the Lord has a lot to teach me on this particular subject. I have avoided persecution, and delivered an inoffensive message many times in the past, my old man being such a man-pleaser. But Christ calls us to be a light which cannot be hidden, so that people, seeing our good deeds, may glorify our Father in heaven. Wasn't He such a light? He was, The Light of this world. But men hated the light for fear that their evil deeds might be judged: "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:20). So if Christ was THE Light, and he was treated this way (crucified by sinful men), how do we expect the world to treat this same Light in us? Even Satan working in the children of disobedience, even in those who will call "Lord, Lord" on that horrible day, but He will not let them in.

I said it has been very painful for me. I pray that the Lord may achieve His purpose in me--I trust that He will. Parents, friends, everyone turning his or her back on me and criticizing me, often trying to maintain their friendship, but effectively saying, "I am not with you in this. You're out of your mind." The Gospel--in word and in deed--is extremely offensive. I will not receive a pad on the shoulder by people of the world; I will not be respected by them. Sometimes they may think I am wise, unable to refute what I am saying, and flatter me, but when confronted with the truth they would either hate it and me, or run to the Cross of the Lord Jesus. If they don't run to the Cross, or hate me, there is something wrong... and I don't think it is that they are not realizing the implications of the message, but rather that I have not declared it plainly and unambiguously, so they are without excuse. Just rambling here.

Father, please remind me and us all the purpose of all this, of speaking your word, of being messengers from You. Open our eyes to see and keep our hearts not to doubt so that we may not lose sight of You, that we may not be beguiled by the serpent. Give us a fresh anointing and a revelation of Your glory that we may not faint and, having fought the good fight, bring Your work to completion. We need you, Lord. I am weak, and want to quit so often. Rescue me in my distresses. You are my only hope.

It is really not the messenger they hate. It’s the message and why?

Art Katz talked about the Apostle Paul as a messenger who was [i]the[/i] message. The message not being a separate thing on its own, but something indelible from the person that conveys it. Just like Christ, who brought light into darkness, but also was the Light. Then the message is not something that we just memorize and utter impassively (although we may have to), but something that God has fashioned in the very fabric of our being, which we, as vessels of the Most High, carry within us. The Word of God is something that we must bring ourselves under before we can speak it. The way we live, our every word and action and thought, bear witness to the message; in a way, we [i]become[/i] the message in itself... God wants truth in the inward parts (Ps. 51:6). Either way, for us to be such messengers is something that only God alone can accomplish. So let's not worry too much about what we're going to say or how people are going to react, but abide in Him, and look to Him. The Lord will keep us. He will make our paths straight.

In Christ,
Slavyan