No More Mister Nice Guy

~Alice Cooper...No more Mr. nice guy!~

16Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 

2 Corinthians 5: 16 -17 NKJV

I was reflecting just the other day about how I handle dificult people whom I run across from time to time.  In the past, my first reaction was usually to give back as good as I was getting from that other person.  To stick it to the man!  Well, surprise surprise, this approach usually only led to escalation and not DE-escalation of the situation.  Unfortunately, this latter approach is the very same approach which we all too often use in our own difficult situations.  So, my question is, how is it that conflict can defuse conflict?  The old Teddy Roosevelt philosophy of walk softly but pack a big stick may not be the best advice when dealing with the flesh.  When I say flesh, I'm refering to that fleshly part of our being, our very emotions and behaviors.  It is this very part of us which the apostle Paul warned us to not judge others by in 2 Corinthians.  But flesh or not, these are people and those people are getting on our last nerve!  And so we continue to do battle against a well known enemy the wrong way.  For when we are faced with a difficult person, we are not only dealing with the flesh but the roaming roaring lion satan himself.  Once we put this into perspective, we may just see that each and every time that we are confronted by a difficult person, it is satan who is pulling the strings of escalation.  For he loves nothing better than to wage warfare on Gods children.  We can see a excellent example of this in the book of Job.  Here was ol' Job minding his own business and going about his righteous life when satan decided to throw a few curveballs his way.  That...is the spirit of error.


17Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19We love Him because He first loved us. 20If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
1 John 4: 17 - 20 NKJV

We do well to remember that, as we ourselves were a creation of our heavenly Father in His very image, that satan and his minions were also created by God to be used for His ultimate purposes.  That means that satan himself is also subject to our heavenly Fathers desires and plans, not the other way around.  When we as feel as if satan is influencing a situation, we should immediately ask one important question.  Our question should never be why me God?  Instead, we should be asking, what is it that you are doing God?  Knowing that the battle which we are facing is spiritual in nature will help us to put things in perspective {Ephesians 6:12}.  Indeed, our heavenly Father can use satan for His own purposes.  THIS is what we should be wondering in these times of conflict.  It wasn't Jobs neighbors, cattle or family who were causing him distress.  No, it was satan himself who was warring against Job...allowed by God of course.  Notice that even before Job came under attack, satan entered into our Lords presence.  As God so correctly observed, "Have you considered MY SERVANT Job?"  God was indeed proud of Job as He held him up before satan as an example of righteousness.  Of course, satan didn't see things that way at all.  The rest is history.  So it is that when we ourselves are faced with difficult situations of people that we keep things in perspective.  What is it that God is doing in this situation?

12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of cthe darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6: 12 -13 NKJV

~Scott~