'Clashing' Relationships - Be Honest, We All Have One
"You use steel to sharpen steel and one friend sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17
In this season I see many relationships that are now clashing, that will become flashing "two-edged" swords forged together by the Spirit to do exploits and bring great devastation to the camp of the enemy. I saw relationships that seemed totally against each other, being welded together as God's love was dealing a fatal blow to their egos and "the way I see things." God is forging them into 'two-edged' swords to sever roots of
strongholds of division over families, churches, cities, and nations!
Friction Between Opposing Relationships Will Create Synergy In The Kingdom
Synergy: "The interaction of two or more agents or forces, so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects." I also believe synergy is the result of two people working out their differences together.
Through unparalleled troublesome times, many opposing relationships will be challenged to synergize together, forging relationships similar to 'Jonathan and David' and 'Ruth and Naomi' to experience covenant relationships that will affect the course of history!
Those in clashing relationships that differ in their convictions like day and night, but are willing to continue to walk together in love, will ultimately be the ones who discover the many facets of truth in God's word, and learn what truly pleases the King of Kings. I am not talking about what is clear cut in the word of God regarding sin. I am talking about those many gray areas that have been splitting churches and dividing friends forever.
Those who hang out with friends who seem to see eye-to-eye on everything and who never disagree, will not grow much. There is going to be a shaking and sharpening in all of us. Get ready--the person you don't like may become your best friend! The person you don't like may have the gift of healing for your sickness or affliction. As a result, the command to love and forgive one another may become a matter of life or death for some churches and
individuals.
Iron Sharpens Iron, Stones Smooth Stones and People Grind People
Have you ever met a person who seems to have an edge to them?
I sense the enemy has been working overtime trying to convince many that they no longer need the irritation and grinding of certain people in their life. Be careful, the Lord may still be sharpening you. The person who is least like us and sees things so differently, may be our best asset for our future purpose in God's Kingdom.
The grinding may not take long as our glaring differences clash and cut away at each other's views that are usually at best, a little off-centered from the Lord's perspective. "I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work. For as the sky soars high above the earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think." Isaiah 55:8
Misunderstanding Kills Relationships and Ministries More Than Anything. Let's talk it out.
In many conflicts, I have found that the longer I was willing to stick it out during disagreements and personality differences, the easier it became to understand the person and why they are the way they are. The grinding, slowly but surely, gave way to a binding in the Spirit, where God could actually use us together with our differences more than if we were left by ourselves and our own convictions.
"With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." To forbear means to hold oneself up against; to put up with; endure; suffer. Ephesians 4:2
This picture of forbearing one another may look at first, like two people are standing up against each other in opposition. But they are actually holding themselves up against each other in order to hold each other up! Their body language is saying: "I'm not going to let you go. You are not getting away from me just because we disagree. Even though it hurts, I know God is somehow using you in my life to grind me and sharpen me for a purpose. I am going to keep
putting up with you, and forgiving you until I find out God's purpose in all of this." ( Verbal and physical abuse should never be tolerated. )
Many in difficult relationships, who realize their 'straining' is being used for 'training' for 'reigning,' will endure and become razor-sharp fatal weapons in spiritual warfare.
Upcoming Meetings:
* Saturday, Oct. 26th 11am - 5 pm
Freedom Destiny Church ( Arise Men's Conference )
1241 Blanding Blvd.
Orange Park, Florida ( near Jacksonville )
* Sunday, Oct. 27th 10:30am
Freedom Destiny Church
1241 Blanding Blvd.
Orange Park, Florida ( near Jacksonville )
-- Please pray and come join us. Your prayers protect and strengthen us in our travels and bring the victory into these gatherings. Thanks so much.
