Day 340 - What To Do When Accused Of Being False

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength (Vol. 1) - # 331

         

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This is a great writing to soak on. And it applies to any Believer who says something or writes something pertaining to Spiritual things, especially of the Person of Jesus Christ. It is very interesting that so many want to follow a person or program other than Christ, and will argue for those against someone arguing for Christ.

Having experienced what he is writing about, Michael gives many good thoughts throughout his writing that speak for themselves.

DAY 340

What To Do When Accused Of Being False

Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? --I John 2:22

. . . regarded as deceivers and yet true. --II Corinthians 6:8

Every believer must be prepared for the day when he is accused of being a false teacher or a cult leader. It has happened to me, and so I have begun opening nearly every conference with the admonition that not everything I say is true; I am a man in process and make mistakes. However, the one thing I always will say in a conference that is truth is that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Sometimes I say the wrong thing, sometimes I am wrong, and other times I am misunderstood when a person hears what I am not saying. However, there are those with an agenda to disregard the message of abiding in Christ moment by moment by discrediting me; my words, written or uttered, are examined to confirm a pre-established bias. These believers are something like pre-conversion Saul, wanting to stir up the crowd to lay their robes at the feet and stone any who do not agree with their positions 100%. They throw around words such as cult, false teacher, and heretic, harsh assessments for one who teaches that nothing but Jesus matters. I have often told those who are looking for ways in which they can discredit me that if they would simply sit down with me, I would give them a list of my harmful attributes. I have been negative, I have not always abided in Christ, I have walked in the flesh, I have judged, I have been bitter, I have not walked in love or loved without hypocrisy, and the list goes on. But then again, knowing my own frailty is why there is no record of my ever trying to get anyone to follow me. My emphasis consistently runs toward following Jesus. Well, amen, false judgments must come, and some with a vengeance.

What am I to do? First, I must see God in it. David looked at the man on the hill cursing and spitting and refused to allow his soldiers to harm the man, because he wondered whether God had allowed it for His own purposes. There is a purpose in being judged falsely and loving enemies. I may not want any enemies, but I cannot learn to bless those that curse me without ever having been cursed. I want to rise above distractions and follow Jesus, but I never want the distractions. Just as Judas delivered up Jesus, and from that treacherous act Life was given to man, so God sends us our own Judas, who in ignorance delivers us up in order that we might discover that the Jesus within is greater than the slander without. If I am not preaching Christ crucified, then in all honesty I want God to remove me from the lives of others. But if I am preaching Christ, I will let God deal with the detractor on the hill.

Second, I cannot allow the judgments of the carnal to become my focus. This is the most demonic side of accusations, that a hitherto unknown person might actually steal a believer’s focus away from Jesus. In a worst-case scenario in which what is being said is true, health would come from a glance back to Jesus, not a prolonged look at and dialogue with the detractor. Therefore, when I am attacked, I am best off to go silent and start talking all the more about Jesus, not wasting time defending myself. To win the alliance of an accuser is not a victory! By attacking me and making me his focus, the accuser proves that he does not agree with the message of keeping our focus on Jesus.

Third, I can freely tell other believers that they can help by not defending me to anyone. I am God’s servant, so those who accuse should be sent to the Master of the servant. The servant is not greater than the Master; the Master is all that matters. We defend the preaching of Jesus always; we defend the messenger never. When we start defending someone we love, our flesh is stirred, our focus moves from Jesus, our peace departs, and our accuser has accomplished the goal of the “accuser of the brethren.” This is the most difficult thing for me; I can stand to be slandered, but I cannot bear seeing those I love slandered. It is important that we do not defend men, for it is always a trap the enemy has set. When someone we love is falsely accused, we should respond by talking about Jesus. Our goal is Jesus. Remember, the detractor’s job is to detract us from Jesus to a lesser issue.

Fourth and finally, I want to have compassion for those who make false judgments, for I have done it myself. I have gotten everything wrong. Having this in my past, I can say with complete confidence that I would rather be the one being judged than the one doing the judging. The one being judged can come away sweet, but the one involved with judging will always go away depleted and under the judgment of God.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

As Michael points out, teaching that nothing but Jesus matters can draw lots of harsh criticisms from Saints as well as Sinners. It is to be expected from the natural mind, which is enmity with God (and a mind all Saints possess as well as the Mind of Christ). And Michael gives us excellent advice on how to handle being “falsely accused,” whether accurately, or not.

I like Michael’s idea of preaching Jesus and keeping our focus on Him, and not wasting  time defending myself. No servant is greater than the Master; the Master IS all  that matters!

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NOTICE: another blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the Wilderness.  You can access by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

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