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#36 Overcoming Furtive Offenders

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Greetings! Welcome back to the blog. In today’s article, I want to bring to light another barrier or weapon deployed during the pursuit or fulfillment of purpose. Furtive offenders attempt covert distractions to engage your mind and emotions on anything except purpose. Understand that this barrier or weapon will always fail if, we as believers, are aware of the device and use the biblical tools at our disposal to disarm and defeat the threat. 

Overcoming furtive people requires finesse because you want innocent parties to come into knowledge and discern the truth without being manipulated. Furtive offenders -people operating in the dark- are influenced by an evil spirit of jealousy, and manipulation is their lethal weapon of choice. The Bible declares that jealousy is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. Wherever jealousy exists, there will be disorder and every vile practice (James 4:15-16). Manipulative behavior exploits, controls, or influences others to one’s advantage. The four stages of manipulation are flattery, isolation, devaluing/gaslighting, and fear or threat. An example of this is revealed in the way Satan, who is jealous of God, tries to manipulate our beliefs and trust in God’s Word by inaccurately shining a light on God’s words, actions, or inactions in our lives. “You are a good person (flattery). Why serve God if this will happen anyway (isolation)? If God loved you, why did He allow (fill in the blank) to happen (gaslighting)? Your (fill in the blank) will never get better (fear/threat).”

The photo of this bronze placard was taken along the Via Dolorosa (The way of the cross) in Jerusalem, Israel (Sept. 2022).

The enemy wants to manipulate you and make you distance yourself from God so that you do not receive the blessings of God and fulfill your purpose. He wants to manipulate God into proving His love by doing the very thing that will hinder your acceptance and understanding of Him. That is how the furtive offender works; behind the scenes, manipulating you and others. On the other hand, God does not try to win you over by responding to the tactics of the enemy; instead, He shows love, which is the opposite of jealousy; He waits patiently; He grants mercy and grace; He shows gentleness, faithfulness, patience, and self-control.

Furtive offenders operate in the dark; flattering the people around you, including close and extended family, friends, and even business partners. They hang around you, gathering intel to use against you. The most dangerous thing is not knowing who these people are. Consider Judas. The Bible does not explicitly state that Judas was jealous of Jesus; however, Judas’ actions clearly show that he devaluated Jesus’ leadership in that Jesus’ plan was not to overthrow the Roman government as Judas thought He would or should. This shows clearly, from Judas’ perspective, that Jesus was not handling this situation the way Judas would; having an I could do it better attitude. And, since Judas was not in the position, he tried to manipulate the situation to his preferred outcome. Judas’ actions were an attempt to put him in the driver’s seat, supplant Jesus’ purpose, and derail God’s plan for salvation. Remember, jealousy leads to disorder and every vile practice; in this case, selling Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. This reminds me of Joseph and how his brothers’ jealousy of him led them to sell Joseph for 30 pieces of silver. In both instances, money was not the issue; it was about a way to gain control of circumstances to support their selfish ambition. They wanted to unseat and replace the favored one. You are the favored one and the enemy cannot stand it.

How do we handle furtive people as they are hidden in the dark while we are in the light? Jesus knew who Judas was and what he was after but, He could not out Judas because doing so would create further chaos and distractions, might derail the outcomes of His purpose, and possibly hurt innocent disciples. I’m quite impressed with the strength and wisdom Jesus showed in that situation. James 4:17 states, “Wisdom from above is pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere. And, a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” Jesus was preparing to fulfill His purpose, and He could not be distracted and allow this situation to cause Him to respond in unrighteousness. For humans, the hardest thing to do in situations like this is to resist defending ourselves. The good news is the more we practice, the easier it becomes.

Overcoming furtive offenders first requires an awareness of who these individuals are in our lives and how they operate. Remember that an evil spirit of jealousy is the root of this behavior and manipulation is the weapon of choice. People have died, been seriously injured, and lost family and friends, wealth, and jobs because they were unaware or did not respond appropriately to the furtive people in their circle. Secondly, to overcome furtive offenders we need to strengthen and exercise our spiritual fruit, including love, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. And thirdly, we should minimize furtive offenders’ access in our life. 

We exercise love so that we can see individuals involved through the eyes of Jesus and ensure innocents are unharmed. We exercise peace, kindness, and gentleness to sow seeds of righteousness and to minimize the chaos and confusion caused by the furtive offender. Do not add fuel to the fire! We exercise patience while we pray and wait for the revelation of truth. We exercise self-control to resist defending ourselves, taking the situation into our hands, and outing the furtive offender because doing so never fixes the situation. When we try to resolve this ourselves, we only end up making the situation worse. In addition, we need to cast our care on Jesus and exercise the tools of prayer and wisdom.

The photo of this bronze placard was taken along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, Israel (Sept. 2022).

You may be blind to the furtive offender in your circle or even the extent of their undercover infiltration and damage. By casting your cares on Jesus, you engage the Advocate to defend you, freeing yourself from the worry of the unknown so you can focus on purpose. We must pray for light to shine on the furtive offender, that truth will be revealed to the innocents, and for wisdom to know when and how to respond to people and situations. Truth may not appear during your lifetime; however, since you have engaged the Advocate, you ensure that heaven will come to your protection and defense against darkness, you will fulfill your purpose, and every blessing with your name on it will arrive as planned.

Lastly, we must limit the furtive offender’s access to us to minimize damage. This person will always try to be in your presence, to know all about you and what is going on in your life. They will Google you, conduct reverse lookups, drive by, and pay for your private information online. Consider the Last Supper and how Judas finagled himself in the honored seat at the table. We do not read that Jesus invited him to sit in the seat of honor positioned to the left, but this is how furtive offenders behave. They will work to convince others through words or deeds that they are in your corner and have favored access to you, all the while plotting and scheming your demise in secret. Limiting the furtive offenders’ access is not manipulating the situation because the Bible does not require you to help them in this furtive offense.

Highlights from Today’s Post:

  • Furtive offenders attempt to engage the mind and emotions in a level of distraction that derails the fulfillment of purpose
  • Furtive offenders operate from an evil spirit of jealousy and engage the weapon of manipulation to isolate you from people in your circle, and God.
  • We have the right tools to overcome furtive offenders: love, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control
  • Casting our cares on Jesus, prayer, and limiting access are effective strategies to overcome furtive offenders.

Thanks for visiting. If you missed the latest post, click here.

To purchase my bible study, “Journey to Purpose”, click on the links below:

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/journey-to-purpose-l-elizabeth-stewart/1130473472

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Purpose-L-Elizabeth-Stewart/dp/1545656908

#35 Free Indeed

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Today, African Americans, along with our allies, celebrate the newly legislated Juneteenth Holiday in America. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom that began in Texas and is now celebrated across the United States. The historical legacy of Juneteenth began when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Lincoln on January 1, 1963, which freed slaves in Confederate states. Although Confederate states received the news that slaves were then free, Texas did not abide by the new legislation until they were forced on June 19, 1865. As I participated in several Juneteenth events over the weekend, I reflected on the fact that as Christians, we do not always live according to the freedom we have in Christ.

Juneteenth Flag
State Capitol, Olympia Washington

The Word of God is the good news that every believer is set free in Christ, and every sinner can be set free. We are no longer slaves to Satan and sin. We are no longer bound by the rules and laws of an evil slave master: We are emancipated. If this is true, why then do many Christians live as though they have not received the good news? Why do many Christians live and behave bound in thinking, bound to a specific geographical area, bound to poverty, or bound in sickness? Jesus is the enforcer of God’s Word. We have all been set free. If we believe in the truth of His Word, and accept and trust His authority, power, and promises, we can live a life of abundance, prosperity, health, and freedom.

For the former slaves in Texas, a path had already been created for their deliverance but an enforcer was needed. The Union soldiers came to share the good news and enforce the fact that the slaves were free indeed. Likewise, God surely created a pathway and an enforcer for the deliverance of mankind. He has shared the good news that every person can truly be free. God desires us to be free from sin, guilt, worry, condemnation, sickness, poverty, and all manner of dis-ease (3 John 1:2). Hear and accept the proclamation of God –for whom the Son sets free, is free indeed (John 8:36).

I pray that you will study the good news and accept the proclamation of freedom in Christ.

Thanks for visiting. If you missed the latest post, click here.

To purchase my bible study, “Journey to Purpose”, click on the links below:

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/journey-to-purpose-l-elizabeth-stewart/1130473472

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Purpose-L-Elizabeth-Stewart/dp/1545656908

Highlights from Today’s Post:

  • God has created a path for freedom in Christ and emancipation from our old slave master, Satan
  • Jesus is the enforcer of God’s emancipation proclamation, and whom the Son sets free, is free indeed (John 8:36)
  • The good news promises freedom from guilt, sin, and all manner of dis-ease (3 John 1:2)

#34 Name-droppers Shall Not Pass

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Have you ever had the opportunity to be around a name-dropper? You know, an individual that likes to drop the names of famous, influential, or wealthy people. There are several reasons people name-drop, but oftentimes it is to make others believe there is a connection or relationship between themselves and the famous, influential, or wealthy person. Truth is, the latter usually has no knowledge of this relationship. So why then do people name drop? There must be an intrinsic or extrinsic reward; otherwise, why bother. Benefits may include the receipt of special treatment, favors, or reverence from others. It could also be an attempt to establish one’s credibility by claiming affiliation with a certain individual or group. What is so significant about name-dropping, and what does it have to do with purpose, kingdom assignments, or a relationship with God? I’m glad you asked.

Many people believe that just by dropping God’s name they get a pass into heaven, they establish creditability as being affiliated with God, or that they will receive or are due favor or special treatment. Some are misled into believing that simply dropping God’s name makes them part of His kingdom family, that God is pleased with them, or that He co-signs for them. Those who profess to believe and unbelievers alike fall into the deceptive illusion of name-dropping.  A deceptive illusion is something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality. It is this false reality that is so dangerous for anyone who has determined that heaven will be their eternal retirement destination.

I recall watching various music award shows over the years and noted how winners would pay homage to God for allowing them to achieve such an honor. The recipient would thank God and exclaim the improbability of receiving the award if it had not been for God’s help.  Never mind the fact that the award-winning lyrics were laced with profanities, sexual innuendo, and boasts of violent acts. You tell me; does that sound like God? Did God lend the songwriter breath and health every day while creating their music? Yes; however, an act of love and care is not to be confused with approval, acceptance, and relationship. Jesus clearly lets us know that if we are not going to do what He asks, why bother calling His name. Luke 6: 45-46 states:

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaketh. “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

Now, I would classify these types of artists as non-believers or as new believers who have no knowledge of the expectations of God. However, those who profess to know God and to be on His payroll are not exempt from the deceptive illusion of name-dropping. If you grew up or have been around evangelical or Pentecostal churches, you have heard Psalms 105:15, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” Albeit far from context, I often heard this phrase from believers -mostly preachers and prophets- as a roundabout way of saying they are tight with God and He will revenge anyone that harms His anointed one. This type of name-dropping was often used to manipulate or intimidate, and it is definitely not a message approved by God. What God expects is obedience and relationship: Obedience to His will, not ours, and a committed, not one-sided relationship. Ultimately if we don’t live a life of obedience to Him, it will benefit us nothing to drop His name. Matthew 7:14-23 states:

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, and neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Believers nor unbelievers are exempt from the deceptive illusion of name-dropping. It is important to assess our beliefs, daily living, our works, and our motives in what and who we claim God has co-signed. Unbelievers should first accept God, study His Word to know what is expected of every believer, and learn how to please God. For if our actions do not bear good fruit, we will ultimately be disowned and rejected by Jesus.

Thanks for visiting. If you missed the latest post, click here.

To purchase my bible study, “Journey to Purpose”, click on the links below:

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/journey-to-purpose-l-elizabeth-stewart/1130473472

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Purpose-L-Elizabeth-Stewart/dp/1545656908

Highlights from Today’s Post:

  • Name dropping is a deceptive illusion that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality
  • Dropping God’s name to establish credibility, to receive favors or reverence, to intimidate or manipulate, to misrepresent a relationship with God, or to misrepresent approval and acceptance by God will ultimately profit nothing
  • Not everyone that claims to work in Jesus’ name, or that calls Jesus Lord will enter into heaven
  • We should examine our daily living, our works, and beliefs and motives to ensure obedience to the Father’s will and that we are known by Him

#28 Releasing Guilt

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A couple of weeks ago I published a YouTube video about guilt. If you would like to see that video click here. Guilt is simply judging ourselves wrong or giving ourselves a guilty verdict over and over again. For the righteous, it’s when we perseverate over sin, wrong decisions, or inappropriate actions towards others or even ourselves. In essence, it is not forgiving ourselves. Continue reading →

#25 Synchronize for Purpose

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Announcements:  Reminder: My bible study, “Journey to Purpose”, is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon (print and e-format), Xulon Press. I’ve provided the links at the end of the page.

Blog content:

In this age of technology, we have many tools at our disposal that interface to make our lives easier. We have become quite dependent on these tools. We have mobile calendars to remind us of important dates and appointments; mobile personal and business development plans to help us maintain focus and monitor and accomplish goals; fitness tools that help us keep track of our physical activity, sleep patterns, and water intake; and all types of cameras that interface with our computers to help us save important snapshots in time. As wonderful as these tools are, none of the tools or applications will work properly if they do not occasionally undergo synchronization. There are times we receive notifications that we must synchronize devices in order for the devices and applications to continue to work properly. These systems are so sophisticated they will even tell us how long the synchronization will take. Continue reading →

#24 Watch God Provide!

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Announcements:  Reminder: My bible study, “Journey to Purpose”, is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon (print and e-format), Xulon Press. To purchase click on the links below or click on the Resources tab where I’ve provided direct links to purchase the bible study. Thanks for your support.

Watch God Provide! What an exclamatory statement. While I know exclamatory statements convey a multitude of emotions like anger, frustration, or warning, my goal is to invoke excitement about the dedicated exploration of your purpose and/or steadfast productivity related to kingdom purpose. I intend for this statement to cause you to exhale and invigorate you at the same time. When we are obedient to the call and instructions of God related to purpose and destiny, we can be ascertained that God will provide. Not only will God provide resources and connections related to purpose and destiny, but He will also bring you to resources, wealth, and good health too. Continue reading →

#23 Illogical Instructions Part 4: Provision where there is lack

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Announcements:  Reminder: My bible study, “Journey to Purpose”, is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon (print and e-format), Xulon Press, and other Christian bookstores. If you missed the E-launch feel free to watch the previously recorded Facebook Live sessions.

This is the final installment of our four-part series on “illogical instructions”. We learned the role trust plays in our relationship with God. If you missed Part 3, click the link at the end of this post. It bears repeating that trusting God means that we submit to God’s plan by laying aside conventional wisdom, knowledge, experiences, and even past works of God to realize that God is doing a new thing, moving in a different way in our lives, or preparing us for a breakthrough. God will give us an illogical instruction that is outside of our knowledge, wisdom, ability, or experience. We have seen how God builds our trust in Him through illogical instructions while in the midst of a battle, a move of God, or healing. God uses illogical instruction to aid in our Christian development, specifically, to build our faith and trust in Him. We have come to learn that our breakthrough is dependent on our obedience to an illogical instruction. We continue our review of instances where God gives an illogical instruction, discover areas of increased trust, and note how God uses circumstance and our obedience to an illogical instruction to bring about delivering power and provision of God.

Continue reading →

#022 Illogical Instructions Part 3: Receiving Healing

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Announcements:  Reminder: My bible study, “Journey to Purpose”, is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon (print and e-format), Xulon Press, and other Christian bookstores. If you missed the E-launch feel free to watch the previously recorded Facebook Live sessions.

This is the third installment of our four-part series on “illogical instructions”. We have come to understand the role trust plays in our relationship with God. If you missed Part 2, click the link at the end of this post. The important part that bears repeating is that trusting God means that we submit to God’s plan by laying aside conventional wisdom, knowledge, experiences, and even past works of God to realize that God is doing a new thing, moving in a different way in our lives, or preparing us for a miracle. Sometimes, God will give us an illogical instruction that is outside of our knowledge, ability, wisdom, or experience. So far, we have seen how God builds our trust in Him through illogical instructions while in the midst of a battle and a move of God.

Continue reading →

#21 Illogical Instructions Part 2: Noah – A move of God

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Announcements:  Reminder: My bible study, “Journey to Purpose”, is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon (print and e-format), Xulon Press, and other Christian bookstores. If you missed the E-launch feel free to watch the previously recorded Facebook Live sessions.

This is the second in our four-part series on “illogical instructions”. Last week, we talked about the role that trust plays in our relationship with God. If you missed that post, click the link at the end of this post. The important part that bears repeating is that trusting God means that we submit to God’s plan by laying aside conventional wisdom, knowledge, experiences, and even past works of God to realize that God is doing a new thing or moving in a different way in our lives. Sometimes, God will give us an illogical instruction that is outside of our knowledge, wisdom, ability, or experience. Recall that God builds our trust in Him by giving us an illogical instruction while in the midst of a trying situation like sickness, lack, a move of God, or a battle. Since illogical instructions are a part of our Christian development, we need to understand when, why, and to what end God gives us illogical instructions. A thoughtful understanding of illogical instructions will help us accept the illogical instructions we receive while on our journey to or while fulfilling purpose. We will continue our review of instances where God gives an illogical instruction, discover areas of increased trust, and note how God uses circumstance and our obedience to an illogical instruction to bring about a move of God and fulfill His purpose and plan.

Continue reading →

#20 Illogical Instructions Part 1: God will fight my battles

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Announcements:  Reminder: My bible study, “Journey to Purpose”, is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon (print and e-format), Xulon Press, and other Christian bookstores. If you missed the E-launch feel free to watch the previously recorded Facebook Live sessions.

An important criterion for any lasting relationship is trust –trust in the word and character of a significant other. Without trust, doubt and suspicion can creep into relationships and manifests in questioning a partners motives or displaying apprehensiveness in responding to requests. The thing about trust is that it requires you to have faith in the motives, words, and character of a significant other. Trust demands that you respond favorably even when you don’t have all the information you would like. In our relationship with God, exercising trust means that sometimes we will be asked to lay aside conventional wisdom, knowledge,  experiences, and even past works of God to realize that God is doing a new thing or moving in a different way in our lives.

Continue reading →