Conflict and Controversy

"At the foot of the mountain they found a great crowd surrounding the other disciples, as some teachers of the religious law were arguing with them.  The crowd watched Jesus in awe as he came toward them, and then they ran to greet him.  'What is all this arguing about?' he asked.'" Mark 9:14-16 (NLT).

Did you ever notice that wherever Jesus or his disciples went there was controversy and conflict?  We often have false notions about Jesus' life.  We picture him traveling from village to village doing good and healing.  We picture all the people swooning over him and smiling all the time.  But while many did swoon over and praise him, others did not.  Others hated and opposed him at every turn.

Consequently, Jesus was absolutely, positively involved in conflict nearly every day of his earthly life.  This is an inviolable spiritual principle: where holy men or women attempt to share God and make a difference, conflict will be.  It is unavoidable and inescapable.

If you are trying to share the good news of Jesus with an unbeliever you will experience conflict.  If you are battling the Evil One's influence in a loved one's life, you will be attacked.  If you are piercing the darkness, you can expect the darkness to react!  This is what is taught repeatedly in Revelation.  The entire book is a series of snapshots that teach us spiritual truths.  The first snapshot is of Jesus and the seven lampstands (See Revelation 1-3).  The churches are called lampstands because they are called to shine their lights into a dark world (See Revelation 1:20).  The second snapshot is of the throne room of God telling us that God is in charge (Revelation 4-5).  We need to know he is in charge, because when we pierce the darkness with the light of Jesus, there is a violent reaction.  That violent reaction is pictured in the snapshot of the seven seals which show Satan's violent response to God's light - Christians are opposed at every turn, starving to death and being killed (Revelation 6-8).  Darkness hates light!  When we pierce it with God's Word the reaction is violent!

Satan, who the disciples were encountering in this story, hated the disciples' light.  They were a threat to him because they wished to cast out a demon from a boy.  So he incited opposition to the disciples.  The Scribes came to argue with them!  How the Evil One hates the light!  He hates it when a servant of God speaks the truth about God.  He despises the Bible and hates God's word.  He detests God's servants and will fight their every effort in behalf of the Master.  He hates to lose!  He will not yield any ground willingly and when he feels his turf threatened by a Christian's efforts, he will come out swinging!

Arguments will break out; pressure will mount; opposition will arise; relationships will sour; circumstances will toughen; rejection will come; threats will begin - against your job, your marriage, your children, your friendships, your credibility, and even your life.

Bob Russell, the pastor of one of the largest churches in North America, has had threats against his life because he has spoken out against homosexuality.  He actually has to have a body guard accompany him much of the time because of these threats.  The more his church grows, the more it pierces Satan's darkness in the lives of others.  The more the darkness is pierced the stronger Satan's opposition becomes. 

Where did we ever get the idea that if a person is Godly they will never be opposed or involved in conflict or controversy?  This idea is lunacy!  Godly people - - the ones who are really piercing the darkness with the light of Jesus - - will always be involved in some kind of conflict.  It will never end in this life, though God gives us seasons of respite.

Be ready.  Be alert.  Don't quit.  The greater your victory is, the greater your opposition will be.  Do not fear.  Rejoice that you are being effective in piercing the darkness.  Spend more time in prayer.  Fast if you feel convicted to do so.  Search the Bible to find out how other Godly people reacted to opposition.  But at all costs do not stop what you are doing that you know is right in Jesus' name.

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