ANB 37, no more strife

Hello everyone, I wanted to talk to you this week about strife. Just to open up, I am fully aware
that the things the Lord has me speak to you about are often (if not always) things the Lord
desires that I learn. I think back to some issues like ‘How to pray’, ‘your body’s God’ and ‘Be at
peace’ and I clearly see the Lord wanted me to understand these concepts. But truthfully, He
didn’t want me to just understand these ideas, He wanted me to put the processes to work. For
example, in ‘Be at peace’ we saw how thankfulness towards God can bring a sense of peace and
happiness to your life. Now I know this, and I’ll never forget it. But it profits me nothing if I
don’t begin to walk it out. Who cares what I know if the knowledge does not better me in some
way? And what good is knowledge save it can be used? (I suppose that could start a long
debate, but you spend your time, if you think it wise, learning useless knowledge, I’ll spend mine
learning knowledge that will better my relationship with God and consequently life.) Anyway, I
just want you to know that I learn along side you. I also wanted you to see the importance of
putting into action the Godly knowledge we receive here, or in church, or from the Holy Spirit,
or wherever.

So, for the past few months the Lord has dealt with me over and over about getting strife out of
my life. Why, first of all He desires to conform Me to the image of Christ (just like He desires to
form you to Christ). Moreover, it may just be that my spirit without God working with me
would go to strife and argument. Well, we’ll just have to see about that. Whatever needs
changing God will show me and by the power of the Holy Spirit I can change it. Praise God.

First of all, what is strife? The ‘Strongest Strong’s’ Concordance defines strife as ‘selfish
ambition or contention.’ I believe the word ‘contention’ really sums it up. (No doubt selfish
ambition will sooner or later lead to contention). We must consider that we only have two laws
of God to obey, and number two is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40). Can
you love your neighbor when you contend and argue and fight with them, no. If you are fighting
it is because you are trying to enforce your will or put another’s down. Think of Jesus, did He
ever fight? Did He ever enter into strife? No, some other people entered into strife because of
certain things He said, but He only stood up tall and spoke the truth. Moreover, His motives
were not for His own ambition, but that some may be saved. He loved everyone. He did speak
some harsh truth, but only with love as the purpose. God greatly desires that you love one
another as He loves us all, and strife clashes directly with this desire.

Now let’s look at how serious strife is. “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and
every evil work.” (James 3:16, copied exactly as ‘is’). Look at that, where strife is there is every
evil work. Think about it. Imagine you are into strife. Chances are you are there because
someone has angered you, you now haven’t forgiven, you are now being selfish. You won’t
forgive as you should and leave it. Your jealousy rages for you only want what is good for
yourself and won’t allow the other to have the upper hand. You are self seeking. The list could
go on. But we must see the significance of this. When we enter strife we have opened the door
to every evil work in our lives.

We must take both a defensive and an offensive posture when it comes to strife, for we must
keep anything out that allows every evil work in with it.
When I say defensive, I mean this: You must set up a wall against strife. You forgive
immediately, you love unconditionally. You ask the Holy Spirit to help keep you from anger,
then you walk it out by faith. YOU BOTTLE IT UP AND CAST YOUR CARES ON GOD
FOR HE CARES FOR YOU (I Peter 5:7). The Lord sees what has happened and will reward
your refusal to enter into contention. (Remember, contention doesn’t need to be spoken to exist.
You can be in contention all by yourself, without the other person ever knowing it). You do
everything you can to stay out of strife. You begin to pray, just to get your mind on God and off
of the situation.

You want to know the best way, you pray in tongues. (I know I haven’t really discussed this
before, but this is absolutely Biblical and is an awesome gift available to us all). Look at this
scripture. “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy
Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God.” (Jude 1:20, 21). Praying in the Holy Ghost is
praying in tongues. You just start to pray and the Holy Spirit helps keep you in the love of God.
Try this, it is supernaturally powerful. As for how it works, it is the Holy Spirit (God Himself)
praying through you, which helps you focus on Him and on love (for He is love). If you don’t
pray in tongues, just pray regularly, this will work too, praise God. (For more information on
praying in tongues feel free to email me directly at byron4232001@yahoo.com)

As for the offensive stance, you get aggressive about showing people the love of God. You
show love wherever you can. You attack strife with love. You have an argument with someone,
give them a gift. Someone annoys you, tell them ‘God bless you.’ You sow a seed of love into
that situation, putting down an offensive attack to slice that strife away from you before it even
gets started. ”The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off
contention, before it be meddled with.” (Proverbs 17:14)

”He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.”
(Proverbs 17:19). If you begin to think on your own gate, on your own defenses, if you think
about keeping others out and keeping them down, then you seek your own transgression. If you
like to contend with others and argue, if you are quick to quarrel, then you like and are quick to
get involved with every form of evil. I didn’t say it, the Word did. You don’t love sin do you?
Therefore begin to hate strife as you do all other sin.

”It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.” (Proverbs 20:3)

”He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be
made fat.” (Proverbs 28:25)

The honorable thing in the Lord’s eyes is to cease from strife. Be wise, leave arguments, do not
let the water of anger flow. Stop the flow quickly. Attack strife with love, and keep strife from
you at all costs. Do not cease to force your own way, but put your trust in the Lord. Cover over
wrongs with your love, as the Lord Jesus Christ covered our wrongs with His blood.