Nicholl McGuire, Author of Face Your Foe: On Confronting the Critics
and Know Your Enemy The Christian's Critic
Soon to follow would be cynical questions, harsh criticisms, lies, and unhelpful statements. Just as Jesus was questioned by his enemies (see the books of John and Luke), I being his child would experience similar confrontations. “Jesus didn't tell you that…God wouldn't have you do that. You are not a Christian…Now explain to me why you did what you did again? You really think God put you up to that?” my foes wanted explanations, information to use against me, and other things that had little to do with God and everything to do with them.
The accusations they made, which I knew were influenced by Satan, hurt much. The mean words were from those I thought loved me. Their harsh statements were not meant to support me on anything related to God’s will, but to discourage my wanting to do more with my life which was to become a better person. “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6, ESV).
Satan was using some backsliding relatives, unbelieving acquaintances and former friends to put pressure on me to renounce my faith in God and go back to walking on the dark side. Some said things like, “You don't want to be like (Christians). You know how they are in the church--that's why I don't go. You can talk to me about things without mentioning God or Jesus.” By dissuading me not to follow the Father, they would not have to feel convicted around me to change their dark ways of thinking and their lifestyles too.
When I was in love with the world, I recalled that the sincere Christ followers were not the kind of people you could sit comfortably around while justifying personal sins. They would call you out on your foolishness, but no so with the wayward. They were very supportive when it came to sinning, because they knew what they had done and were still doing. The popular response to sin from them was, “I’m not going to judge you.” But I knew that teaching or warning people not to fall in a trap was definitely not judging them. I learned early on that the hypocrites liked words such as: “wise, righteous, God, and Jesus,” but they weren’t much interested in following him or his precepts.
After turning my life over to the Savior, critics would mouth "you call yourself a Christian" when I spoke truth about something they preferred to believe lies about. It didn’t matter what the news or the kind of truth or how I delivered it, if it was good, righteous and convicting, many backsliders and believers found fault with it or blatantly didn’t want to hear it.
Due to my faith and past disputes, I noticed during the early days of my walk, that I no longer had access to some people’s ears or their environments. There was no reaching a compromise with people who were passionate about their unbelief in an unseen “force” or other names they referred to God as like “it,” “ghost,” “thing,” “voice,” “something said,” “man upstairs” or “god” (but not the Almighty--some other god). Our relationships were forever changed when I said, “Yes” to Jesus and “No more” to Satan.
Frustrated faces that were deeply offended by me and my God just didn't want me talking about Him or His truth. “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9, ESV). From revelations regarding deceptive worldly news to manipulative behaviors of others, I with a journalism and communications background was not well-received.
Some people rejected the truth about the existence of Satan's minions (primarily beloved entertainers, leaders, family members, civic connections, etc.) in all sorts of industries. In addition, they didn’t want to think about how they were in error and their self-righteous concepts were simply not beneficial to the masses. Satan’s minions were enablers, backsliders, liars, cheating spouses, argumentative, mentally ill, and so-called believers in Christ. They were (and some still are) a defensive, arrogant, and profane, unbelieving bunch.
Like with so many zealous, new believers, during the early days of receiving Christ into my heart, I couldn't help but want to talk about the Bible, God, and other spiritual signs, wonders and miracles. Although I am not as zealous as the new babe in Christ I once was, as a mature believer, I still very much talk about righteousness, sin, God and other related things both on and off the Internet. I do not consider myself religious, but spiritual and I am not in agreement or supportive of lukewarm churches either. I prefer to meet with veteran believers who are out in the field doing what they are called to do while actively working outside of boxes. We were never meant to stay in the church for the rest of our lives! There are lost, confused, and desperate people who you won’t find going to any churches, so we as believers meet the people where they are! My love for Jesus and the hurting and wounded has not changed!"
Book excerpt taken from Face Your Foe: On Confronting the Critics by Nicholl McGuire
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