Confrontation

God is with us and we are going to overcome any obstacle, because nothing is impossible for God. And if there’s nothing impossible for him, if He goes with you, if he has control over your life, then you also hold the opportunity to overcome anything. Don’t be discouraged, don’t turn back, don’t faint, because I know that everybody or almost everybody is about to overcome an obstacle. You’re closer each day, despite the fact, that each day that you are fighting against that obstacle, is a bit more painful. But every time we feel this, it’s not but a sign that we are on the right path.

There are a lot of people in need, but the way to satisfy this need is making sure that we are the people we should be. Sometimes we get asked what the Sunday’s sermon and we don’t even know what to answer.

Something I’ve been living up close with some people is the fact that tough times come during the process of our life, because we confront ourselves about something that’s wrong. I’m not speaking about confronting one another, but confronting one’s self. Is confrontation bad? No, It’s good and necessary. Nobody likes to be told what’s wrong with you, or the mirror telling us we are bad tempered people, that they tell us “this is wrong”. In some cases, when someone comes and tells you: “I believe you should do this…” we go against it. God speaks to you through his spirit, his word, and the people who surround you in order to confirm his message to you.

You need your neighbor to be turned into a better person. The problem with this is that it should take us to an end. Even if we begin praying for you, it could be that many of the things you are going through, have a lot to do with confrontation and the renewal of your own life being established, because we like to request for things, but don’t like to give much. We can be very intelligent and skillful at finding someone else’s mistakes, but we haven’t accepted ours, nor the weaknesses that are in us.

I would like to tell you that one of the weaknesses I carried around many years ago was fear. I grew up under that yolk and it’s pretty hard to get rid of it. I received fear from my father, from people who surrounded me. I became a very insecure person. Speaking before an audience like you was impossible for me; my hands got all sweaty when I had to talk to a young lady. I

I grew up surrounded with fear, and had to fight against that, but I didn’t like being told that; I didn’t want to accept it and many times I refused to go into a transformation period, soon I understood that my life was going to be limited by this unless I allowed God to put me through a process that should last as long as he considered necessary. I found a verse that hit my heart. The book of Psalms says: “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps”. When I’m close to God, I feel safe and confident. When I am far, I’m inconfident. He began working in my character; He had me go through certain circumstances that had transformed me into someone new at the end. It was at the age of 19 that I met the Lord Jesus in a prayer in my house and this process got started. I started drinking to feel more confidence, and it was a huge mistake.

Proverbs 25:28

He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

This is the man who knows no boundaries or limits, who can’t identify the risk of certain things he does in life. As long as this person lives this way, he won’t accomplish anything; his life is always in danger, and some times jeopardizing other people’s lives as well.

Proverbs 15:1

A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Verse 14

The heart of him that has understanding seeks knowledge: but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

18 A wrathful man stirs up strife: but he that is slow to anger quiets strife.

28-32

The heart of the righteous studies to answer: but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

The LORD is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

The light of the eyes rejoices the heart: and a good report makes the bones healthy.

The ear that hears the reproof of life abides among the wise.

He that refuses instruction despises his own soul: but he that hears reproof gets understanding.

Verse 32 is closely related to the verse 10 of this chapter: Correction is grievous unto him that forsakes the way: and he that hates reproof shall die.


Correction is part of the confrontation that God wants to have with us. He wants us to recognize our weakness, and transform our character. I wrote some things I’d like to share with you:

How many of you recognize that, two or five years ago you thought in a way and today you think in a different way? Your thoughts now are different; you see things in a different way, you have a different attitude towards life now. I assure you that five years ago you believe your thoughts were the right ones, but when you had an open mind, God had the opportunity to change your thoughts and now you think in a better way. If the thoughts you had a few years ago changed, and now are better, Do you believe that the thoughts you’ll have two, three, five years from now will be better? Are you sure? Will you think in a better way? Are you sure? That means that the thoughts you have now, aren’t the best. If you’re an open minded person, God can definitely work with you better. Maybe the thoughts you have tomorrow are better than today’s thoughts. Maybe you came with negative thoughts today, but I hope you leave this place with positive thoughts.

It’s not bad for your thoughts to change; you just have to make sure they turn into good thoughts. The bible says that he who hates correction will die.

Jeremiah 7:23

But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people: and walk you in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil hearts, and went backward, and not forward.

Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:

Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

Therefore you shall speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to you: you shall also call unto them; but they will not answer you.

But you shall say unto them, this is a nation that obeys not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receives correction: truth has perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

There are some people to whom correction is nonexistent up to this date. What will happen when we negate to the correction someone wants to make us? When we deny circumstances that bring shaping to our life, when we close the channel through which the Lord wants to bring forth correction? It makes us angry, it upsets us, but it’s part of God’s forming process. The scripture says that God sent his prophets, his servants, before bringing something; he always speaks, try to make him move forward and not back, but refusing to God’s Correction draws us back. This nation refused being corrected. When was the last time a change took place in your life? You know your weaknesses. Awhile ago, I had the opportunity of speaking to a man who’s weakness was lie. Your weakness might be a habit, a vice, a woman, a man, a sexual sin, greed, doubt. Everybody knows their weakness; the problem comes when the human being gets used to that weakness. What can God do there? When a person has a bad habit, a vice, and is weak and comes back to the cycle where it starts over again? When he notices, things are going bad for him.

What happens when God is insisting on talking to us through someone? I get scared when He doesn’t speak any more, because that’s what happens to us when we have said all we had to say. Once I told a man: “I have said everything I had to say, fro I always give you the same advice and you are still in the same things”. The risk is when God quiets down, because he has said all he had to say and we didn’t answer.

Are you willing to be confronted? Are you open to that? Are you accessible to that?

Hebrews 11 speaks about faith. God starts to speak about faith and how to work in faith. On chapter 12, he begins to speak about correction, because this will provide a sense of identity to every one of his children that needs it.

Hebrews 12:3-9

For consider him that endured such hostility of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.

You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of him:

For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not?

But if you be without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are you illegitimate children, and not sons.

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Each correction bears fruit, this process has a result and God sees it as necessary.

There are people who become bitter and refuse to being disciplined. I have met people who are fighting with God, because they wanted him to do something as they wanted it to be done, and by not receiving it, they became bitter. Could a man fight against his maker? Could he fight against the maker of Earth and all that is in it? It’s hard to relieve correction because sometimes we were treated badly as children. I didn’t like it, I ran away from it, but I understood that it was the only way that I was going to overcome all those fears I had in my life. To this date, there are still people who correct me.

Because of you being a person that sets a before and after in your life, in your coming generations, discipline that will be spoken about by your children, they will appreciate you more. I opened my heart to God, I was taught that starting that moment, I became a son. Every son that has faith has to go through the process of correction so that faith may always go with him. There, are some that have a God, but not a father. We all seek for God, but we don’t all see a father.

Who made you? You need to meet with your father, because you know Jesus for his forgiveness and healing; you know the holly Ghost for the anointing; but what do you know about your father? It is he who corrects you. Who do children look for when they are afraid? Who do they go to when they are in need? Who do they go crying to when sick? When you hang around him, when you spend time with him, meeting with your father, you will notice how each day, how you are, and why you are here. The things you’ve always wanted, there He is. There are things in life in which you haven’t made him part of, you’ve done it alone, but he is willing to do many things for you.

I will end with this: There is a father and a son here; “embrace your son”. Each time you bump into one of this meeting with your son, your faith will be greater. Alter the kisses, when it’s time to correct something, he will allow himself to relieve correction, because he knows you love him, because he knows it is the best thing that can happen in life, because it is the greatest love expression from a father to his children..

I started praying for a need, but I end telling you, that you need to meet with your father for circumstances to change. Each time you go into that place with Him, know you won’t go out being the same person.

[nashdude]

Amen, Jeff! An excellent post, very well thought out and timely.

[Maggie May]

If you dont mind Jeff, I would like to print this so I can sit and really meditate on this one. I am currently helping a friend for whom the spirit of fear has been an enourmous obstacle: he has recently come to Christ, and I really think that this would be a great help to the both of us as the Lord works with Him on this.

Would that be ok? And blessings for this- it is lovely, and thought provoking.

Originally Posted by Maggie May

If you dont mind Jeff, I would like to print this so I can sit and really meditate on this one. I am currently helping a friend for whom the spirit of fear has been an enourmous obstacle: he has recently come to Christ, and I really think that this would be a great help to the both of us as the Lord works with Him on this.

Would that be ok? And blessings for this- it is lovely, and thought provoking.

Of course you can! Nothing I put on here is copyright. It is all Holy Ghost copyright!

[AB517]

great post

I am printing it too

Thank you Jeff