Trust God To Be Your Strength and Your Defense!

“…. you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  Jn 8:32 NIV

What is it about people that make them want to control others?

Control comes in many forms; domination, violence, anger, oppression, to subtle forms like the way one may speak to another, or manipulate others by preying on their insecurities.

Examples of controllers are:  cult leaders, dictators, religious leaders and governments.

Controllers can also be in our homes through a spouse or a child.

By controlling the environment and essentially that of the person being controlled gives the controller power and it ups their self-esteem.  They know that whatever the other person does or says, they have control of the situation and can manipulate the other person to do what they want.

Most often controllers get off on the power they feel when they know that the other person/people are completely under their influence.  If the controlled person becomes unruly or does or says something out of line, the controller just uses a few manipulative phrases to bring that person back under their control of domination.

A healthy church will not allow a pastor to cross the line into control and manipulation. 

A true shepherd will use his influence to draw church members into a close relationship with Jesus, who is the only “head of the church.’  (Eph. 5:23) 

A true shepherd realizes that the people in his congregation don’t belong to him---they are God’s flock.

Jesus never motivated or tried to influence anyone with fear.  In a controlling church, fear is a form of manipulation regularly used.

Many times people are tempted to feel that they will never escape the controlling grasp of a Jezebelian leader.   Satan will cause ‘you’ to think that the controlling leader’s influence is greater than it really is.  Don’t give into Satan’s temptation.

This word applies to all areas of our lives where we encounter controllers:  church leaders, spouse, a child, bosses, co-workers or friends.

Trust God to be your strength and your defense.  Keep your heart pure.

 Pray for those who have used you, and bless those who curse you.

God will anoint your head with oil and heal your wounds.  (Ps 23:5 (b) )

“ Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.  He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.”   Titus 1:7-10