Victory Is Yours: Overcome Life’s Challenges God's WaySample

Day 4: Ambushed

Instigating inside fighting has been a warfare tactic of Satan’s since the days of Eden. Somewhere in the timespan between Genesis 1 and 3, Satan turned against God and convinced one-third of the angelic host to rebel with him (Revelation 12:4). Then, in Genesis 3, Satan persuaded Adam and Eve to defy God and ignore both His created order for marriage and His command for life on earth.

Next, brother turned against brother when Cain killed Abel. And today, it’s not only nation against nation, but Satan is actively working to destroy unity in our homes and churches and communities with infighting. And much of the time, the fighting starts with someone’s senseless or hateful words.

The book of Proverbs couldn’t be clearer about the dangers of a careless tongue:

• “With the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand”(10:14).
• “With his mouth the godless person destroys his neighbor...By the mouth of the wicked, [a city] is torn down” (11:9, 11).
• “A fool’s lips bring strife...His lips are the snare of his soul” (18:6-7).

Proverbs 12:6 even states that “the words of the wicked wait in ambush for blood.” And 2 Timothy 2:16-17 adds, “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene” (NIV).

“Hold up,” you say. “I’ll admit my words are foolish sometimes, but wicked? Godless? Really?”

That’s how the Lord sees it.

To guard against infection and ambushes from within, let it begin with you and your circle of friends. Avoid instigating. Speak in ways that uplift others. And when you must address the truth, do it responsibly. James 3:2 affirms, “If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man who is also able to control his whole body” (HCSB). In other words, the one who controls their tongue tends to be safe in every way.

Think About It: Spread the gospel rather than the gossip. Make your faith contagious, not contentious.