Opposites Attack

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33


I read the following quote the other day that said, “Man’s rejection is Gods protection” that was meant to encourage followers of Jesus in the times in which we live. James the half brother of Jesus Christ put it like this, “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). James was pointing out the obvious. If you choose Jesus and to follow Him closely, many in the world will reject you simply because you love God and seek to please Him. Sad but true.

Pastor Greg Laurie wrote a book years ago tilted, “The Upside Down Church” which basically says “whatever you see the world doing the church should being doing the opposite” as the world and the church are for the most part polar opposites. Jesus warned us in advance while He walked the earth reminding His disciples, “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”

So then how is mans rejection God’s protection? I like the saying, “I didn’t realize Jesus was all I needed until Jesus was all I had.” The world’s rejection can lead us right to Jesus. Luke gives us a warning from the very lips of God in Luke 6:26, “What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.” Another translation says, “Beware when men speak well of you for they spoke well of the false prophets before you.” Sadly, people will reject the message of the gospel for many reasons but the most prevalent seem to be that if people admit there is a God that means we are accountable to God and if there is a God then His Word is to be obeyed as authoritative. Much of humanity refuses to be accountable and to live in submission to God so therefore the existence of God must be denied plain and simple.

Believers in Jesus Christ who choose to acknowledge His Lordship and seek to walk in obedience to God’s commands appear to be a threat to those that don’t so the world will quickly seek to silence the message and often times the messenger because the recognition of God demands accountability to God. In other words the worlds motto becomes, “Out of sight, out of mind” where as for the believer we hold near and dear to what 1 Peter 1:8-9 declares, “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”

Yes, to love God will cost you friendships and relationships with others because the light of Jesus in your life, exposes the darkness in theirs and frankly, you make life uncomfortable for people who do not genuinely love God and who do not seek to live according to His Word. Even if they have not read the Bible they can read you! Thats the good that comes out of rejection. When the world turns away from you, God is right there for you! After all, it was God, not the world who promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Keep that in mind when you are rejected for putting God first in your life and remember that the power of the enemy is no match for God.

“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.”

Romans 12:14


I LOVE YOU!