What happens when believers say, ‘ ‘The Lord rebuke thee?’ Does the evil spirit submit or does it turn and rend the believer? Well, the response of the evil spirit depends on WHO is giving the rebuke! After reading a WordPress post titled ‘Does He Know Your Address (Satan)’ at the blog site called Rainbow Gulf of Love…I began to think about differences between how mere ‘professing’ believers and ‘true’ believers respond to Evil.
Acts 19: 13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
God does not argue. God does not rant and rave against evil with heated discussions and accusations. God does not hold loud and angry protest marches. God does not SHOUT. He calmly REBUKES. As Haim Ginott once said in his book Teacher and Child, ‘A word softly spoken rings loudly.’ The voice of AUTHORITY does not need to ‘scream.’ He just ‘speaks’ Truth. And ‘truth’ softly spoken rings LOUDLY. I love the example of Michael the archangel as he wrestled with the devil over the body of Moses. Now…one can imagine the fulness of KNOWING between these two beings! Lucifer and Michael were once both angels of God. But Lucifer chose iniquity over purity..and the Lucifer became the enemy of God and His angels. BUT…Michael’s POWER is in his AUTHORITY in and from God. So he simply says to Lucifer, ‘The Lord rebuke thee.” He didn’t rant to the devil about how ‘wrong’ he was. He didn’t accuse about the devil’s ‘evil’. Michael spoke nothing against the devil other than the AUTHORITY of God…’The Lord rebuke thee.’ Hmmm. World would be a much quieter place if we ranting Christians would speak nothing but the AUTHORITY of God…in ‘soft’ voices.
(Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.)
With the example of scripture just quoted and others which instructs the Christian to turn the other cheek, to do good for evil, to love the unlovely, and to judge not….I do not ‘rant and rave’ against flesh and blood whether they are professing Christians, non-christians, Democrats, Republicans, and so forth. But God is teaching me how to take part in the warfare of wickedness in ‘high’ places. Man’s words are USELESS. They are a ‘dime a dozen’ …so to speak. Man words have become a constant noise in our ears. Most things we say…if left unsaid…would make no difference to any situation. But the Words of God spoken by way of the Holy Spirit are ‘powerful’.
May we learn the meaning of James 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
I was reminded of my son’s kindergarten teacher. It used to amaze me how this softly spoken lady could control a class of 30 kids, and they would sit up and listen.
And today, I was in the supermarket, and this tiny girl says very indignantly to her mother, “I DON’T LIKE YOU!” This young embarrassed mum did not raise her voice at the child, but quietly rebuked her. A raised voice would have only made matters worse.
So you are right when you say, “World would be a much quieter place if we ranting Christians would speak nothing but the AUTHORITY of God…in ’soft’ voices.”
Thank the Lord that we have it!!
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Amen. Carolyn, the Lord is also teaching me the wisdom in few words. We don’t need to give the devil a lecture…that I agree with you totally. Our yes or no…is more than sufficient.
Blessings and be encouraged,
Gladwell
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Jeanettesozpix, don’t we long for more words of wisdom in place of such an abundance of ‘noise’ :smile:.
Thanks so much for visiting and for letting me know you were here.
Carolyn
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Gladwell, after reading your post earlier today, I just couldn’t get out of my mind the ‘whooping’ the devil gave the sons of the Jewish priest. If one sticks his hand up to the mouth of a rattlesnake…he will strike! And his venom is deadly. Our dominion over all things comes through Christ alone. Apart from him we are powerless.
Heb 2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Heb 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Heb 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. BUT NOW WE SEE NOT YET ALL THINGS PUT UNDER HIM.
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
God gave man dominion over all things AND that dominion would come only through Christ by the POWER of the supernatural Holy Spirit of God and His Christ.
Thanks for dropping by and have a great weekend!
Carolyn
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You said:
God does not argue. God does not rant and rave against evil with heated discussions and accusations. God does not hold loud and angry protest marches. God does not SHOUT. He calmly REBUKES.
Amen! I’ve often heard Jesus described as a gentleman. Well, I’d say that’s true–and Jesus is no pushover. The combined qualities make us stand up, watch, and listen
Lord bless you,
Mary
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Amen. Never mistake meekness for weakness. Christ let His ‘actions’ speak. We could use more of that in the world. Heard someone say that those who rant and rave are tractor drivers trying to pilot jet planes :smile:. But the saying has a lot of truth.
thanks
Carolyn
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GREAT post Carolyn! It is all so very true. I wonder, when we rant and rave, is it simply because we are scared and unsure of the power of God? Because we feel threatened?
” World would be a much quieter place if we ranting Christians would speak nothing but the AUTHORITY of God…in ’soft’ voices. ” Amen!
Thank you so much for the kind comment you left on my blog today! It was wonderfully insightful and I appreciated it very much 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful day with your family and may God bless you!
Eden
p.s.
My mother’s side of the family is from Alabama, Hamilton mostly. Blessings!
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Thanks for visiting, Eden. God has given you a gift of ‘expression.’
Carolyn
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Carolyn,
I’m glad that I read your blog today…When Satan tries to defeat us with his tactics…we need to apply the authority that God has given us as His children…But most of the time we do not realize the magnitude of His authority…Our pastor often says this..”A person who ‘screams’ his power through words has already lost His authority”. Satan is not scared with the loud noises that we make to rebuke him, but he trembles when he sees the confidence we have in the God given authority..
Beautiful thought…
God Bless you and your ministry.
Rani John
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Amen…Rani. And thanks for visiting. The power of God to affect the world cannot be measured. Shame on us if we don’t yield our bodies to His service in a world where so many are hurting.
Again, thanks for visiting.
Carolyn
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