TWO SIDES OF EVERY CONVERSATION

This week my best friend and i started to do an accountability plan. We would go over our weekly goals, read a book and also a chapter in the Bible. Through the leading of the spirit we decided on the book of John and while doing my daily study there a couple of things i noticed which drew my interest. 

John 8: 1-11 says

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ² Early in the morning He came back into the temple [court], and all the people were coming to Him. He sat down and began teaching them. ³ Now the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the center of the court, ⁴ and they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of adultery. ⁵ Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women [to death]. So what do You say [to do with her—what is Your sentence]?” ⁶ They said this to test Him, hoping that they would have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and began writing on the ground with His finger. ⁷ However, when they persisted in questioning Him, He straightened up and said, “He who is without [any] sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Then He stooped down again and started writing on the ground. ⁹ They listened [to His reply], and they began to go out one by one, starting with the oldest ones, until He was left alone, with the woman [standing there before Him] in the center of the court. ¹⁰ Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ¹¹ She answered, “No one, Lord!” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more.”]

In this conversation, notice how the Pharisees intention was to test the Lord in order to accuse Him. They didn't care about the woman or what she had done. She was merely a tool to be used by them for they were solely fueled by their envy as well as  jealousy of Jesus and desire to entrap Him. In this scene, we see an active representation of the courts of heaven with the Pharisees as the accuser or the enemy, Jesus as the Judge and the lady as  the sinner. I realised the enemy doesn't care about us, what we have done but He recognises the love God has for us. The motive behind his accusations are not to hurt us but to use us as a tool to get to God. The enemy uses the tactic of revelation without covering which is why when they brought the lady to the center of the court which was right were everyone could see and hear what she had done. He exposed her to leave her under the judgemental eyes of the people but unlike the enemy, the Lord reveals where we have gone wrong and helps us to continually be transformed by Him.He reveals such that He can become our covering. If you go to genesis and read through the fall of adam and eve, you'd recognise that after they sinned, God covered them with leaves after the enemy had deceived them. The enemy's  deception caused shame which led them to hide.God asked where they were not because He didn't know but this was a chance for repentance. To continue my point, you'd need to read the next passage.

John 8: 12-29 says 

Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “^[a]I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” ¹³ Then the Pharisees told Him, “You are testifying on Your own behalf; Your testimony is not valid.” ¹⁴ Jesus replied, “Even if I do testify on My own behalf, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge according to ^[b]human standards [just by what you see]. I do not judge anyone. ¹⁶ But even if I do judge, My judgment is true and My decision is right; for I am not alone [in making it], but I and the Father who sent Me [make the same judgment]. ¹⁷ Even in your own law it is written that the testimony of two persons is true [valid and admissible]. ¹⁸ I am One [of the Two] who testifies about Myself, and My Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” ¹⁹ Then the Pharisees said to Him, “Where is this Father of Yours?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” ²⁰ Jesus said these things in the treasury, as He taught in the temple [courtyard]; and no one seized Him, because His time had not yet come.²¹ Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, and you will die [unforgiven and condemned] in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” ²² So the Jews were asking [among themselves], “Will He kill Himself? Is that why He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” ²³ He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ²⁴ That is why I told you that you will die [unforgiven and condemned] in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am the One [I claim to be], you will die in your sins.” ²⁵ So they said to Him, “Who are You [anyway]?” Jesus replied, “What have I been saying to you from the beginning? ²⁶ I have many things to say and judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I say to the world [only] the things that I have heard from Him.” ²⁷ They did not realize [or have the spiritual insight to understand] that He was speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man [on the cross], you will know then [without any doubt] that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own authority, but I say these things just as My Father taught Me. ²⁹ And He who sent Me is [always] with Me; He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.” ³⁰ As He said these things, ^[c]many believed in Him.

This might seem like a regular conversation the Lord had with the Pharisees, but if you look closer you would see a frustration or grieving the Lord had. Just as the Lord desired for paul to receive salvation, it was also one He desired for the Pharisees. It was a frustration about their rejection of Him and refusal to see who He was but also a grieving because He understood what would be on the other side of their constant rejection of Him. One thing I have come to understand is that our lives and how we live them are a reflection of our view, understanding and knowledge of God as well as ourselves. The pharisees viewed God as merciless instead of kind and we see that after He healed the blind man and this was the Pharisees reaction John 9:31-34 which says

"We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. ³² Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”³⁴ “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue."

They viewed themselves as better than others and righteous but they also had a very wrong idea of God and His nature which in turn caused them to crucify the very one they were waiting for. Every conversation they had with God there was either choice of rejection or obedience and submission but they chose different. Conversations can be access points the enemy and God can use as a way to bring about revelation, knowledge but also shame. This means we need to be even more careful about what we say but who we speak to and how we speak but also to choose obedience rather than judgement, slander. Scripture talks of how there is power of life and death in the tongue so then isn't this something we need to be careful about? Since we now know the enemy uses conversation to entrap and ensnare, shouldn't we guard our words to ensure we walk in truth and not deception?

So how can we use wisdom in our speech and conversations?

• Prayer for guidance and leadership as well as discernment before any conversations gives the spirit of God access into the conversation but this can also help protect you from any unseen motives and attacks of the enemy.
• Ask yourself hard questions.Start asking if the conversation  builds up or tears down.Whether it glorifies God or your flesh. This gives you time to really think about what has been asked and step away respectfully or continue the conversation .
• Creating boundaries. Create a list of things with the leading of the spirit of God that you know don't edify such as slander, gossip, lies. Whatever they are, this helps you to have an idea of no go topics. Make sure you vocalise these to the other person if one of these topics come up to set boundaries.
• Pray that the Lord will open your eyes and purify the motives of your heart. If there is any jealousy or envy or even pride in your heart, surrender it to the Lord and allow Him to transform you.
• Ask that God would tear down any fixed ideologies you have of Him that are outside of His nature or even about yourself. We are a mix of our opinions, desires, experiences, beliefs and these flow form a place of information. SO what we know and believe has the ability to shape your likes, beliefs but also who you are.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, i praise you and thank you for your revelation, your covering. I thank you for you reveal to teach me and not to condemn me. May I always have a heart softened to learn but also receive teaching. Where I have been fixed in human principles and a brokenness of my identity and knowledge of your very nature, may you please transform and renew these broken belief systems. Create new heavenly principles within me and reveal your true nature to me that I may know you and be know by you. Forgive me Lord where I have limited your move in my life because of my view of you and who i am in you. Forgive me where I have been fueled by arrogance, pride, envy, hate or jealousy. Grow me up in humility that I would walk in love for you and your people. Infiltrate my every conversation and relationships Abba. I seek you guidance ,leadership, seek your wisdom and discernment to walk through these conversations. That in all that I may do i would honour and glorify you. I thank you Lord. Thank you and I love you

In Jesus name Amen 

If you are new here you are very welcome. I pray this blessed you as much as it did for me. Leave us your name and how this helped you so we can know more about you and pray for you:)

I love you but jesus loves you more.