A Dangerous tool IS BEING WIELDED

Are you in transition? Welcome to the party. There are many being moved into a new position in this kairos season.

The question is what will we do with it?

That kind of action would be appropriate if a criminal action had taken place.

However, that hasn’t been the case in any of the incidences I’ve observed. Worse, some perpetuating these actions are godly leaders acting in an ungodly fashion without accountability.

There are red flags to watch for when this tool is being used.

red flag #1 – the punishment dOESN’t fit the “crime” by a long shot.

Anytime I see an action being repetitiously repeated in a short amount of time, I have sensed the Lord’s instruction to take a closer look. Obviously, this kind of retaliation against someone isn’t new. What has caught my attention is the rapid repetition with which this is taking place.

More concerning is that I have observed this not only in political circles, where we have sadly grown accustomed to this behavior in which there is retaliation against an opponent to remove them. But it is happening in other areas where a leader—someone we would normally trust–has misused their power.

Have you been the recipient of such actions? Or perhaps, have you been the perpetrator of such actions convinced you were acting in a just manner?

Read on.

We know we are living in perilous, deceptive times. When we see someone removed with such a harsh penalty as stated above, it immediately puts into question their character and integrity.

In the instances I’ve observed recently, the removed individuals have been asked, or in some cases told, that they aren’t to share their side of what happened. A gag order is essentially put in place—whether officially or not—which allows the unjust actions to go unchallenged and remain hidden.

SEE ALSO: How to Pray for Those who Attack You

Red flag #2 – the accused is told to keep silent about what took place so that the actions of what actually transpired remain cloaked.

This is what happened with Ken Paxton, the Republican Attorney General of Texas who was removed from office, silenced, stripped of his salary and at least temporarily of his position. It has only been recently that the public was able to hear his side of the story and the illegality of what took place.

But this pattern is happening not only in political circles but on a wider scale–because it is a common tool of the Enemy.

Even godly leaders have used these actions. Why?

I believe the root of what we are observing is one of several reasons:

1. Politically motivated. To remove someone who has stood in the way of a political/business/profiteering agenda. A leader uses their authority to remove anyone who might thwart their plan.
2. Out of fear. When the person removing the individual believes they must do so in order to maintain and protect their position.
3. Out of offense. When the removing leader has taken offense at something the individual did, meditated on it, become enraged over it, and then uses their position to take action against it.  Offense always opens the door to deception. They are convinced they are doing right and justified in their actions using the excuse they are “protecting” others, the church, the ministry, etc.
4. Personal gain. To remove and silence someone so that the person doing the removing, or those they are helping, gain a benefit of position, power or financial gain.

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For those who do not serve God, these actions shouldn’t surprise us.

Leaders who use their power to remove opposition isn’t new. Think Hitler, Mao Zedong, current Chinese president Xi, the globalists who have targeted Trump…

But when the person perpetuating these unjust actions serves God and is in a position of leadership, whoa to that individual!

They have now put themselves in a dangerous position.

Leaders are held to a higher standard. When a leader has no accountability or oversight, it provides unchecked power. But God always sees and He will hold each of us accountable for our actions.

There is a season in which the Holy Spirit will prompt and convict us to repentance. He will deal with us privately first. But if repentance doesn’t come, eventually it will become public.

There is nothing hidden that won’t be revealed. It is so much easier to allow the Holy Spirit to deal with our hearts privately.

When conflict arises, the Bible gives us a couple of models for resolution. But first, we need to ask ourselves several questions before harsh actions are delivered.

1. Is this a first offense? If not criminal, what disciplinary action should be taken that would fit the issue of what has occurred?
2. Is the discipline motivated by grace or out of offense?
3. Does the punishment fit the crime? If not why?
4. Has the accused been given a chance to share their side of the issue? Note: If the leader is in a place of offense, it doesn’t matter what is said, they will only hear what they believe. This is why it is important in these issues that more than one person is involved, who is neutral, to help mediate and oversee what takes place for a just resolution.

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How Are We to Handle CONFLICT AND ERROR?

If the matter is that someone has sinned against us, the Bible gives the following instruction for conflict resolution in Matthew 18:15-18:

• First go to the individual privately.
• If they will not listen, take another person with you.
• If they still will not listen, take it to the church (make it public.)
• Treat them as a tax collector.
  • That last step is a little complicated and can be seen from two angles. The people treated tax collectors as outcasts. They refused to fellowship with them. But how did Jesus treat tax collectors? That leaves us with the question, what are we to do?

However, in Galatians, Paul confronted Peter publicly over an issue of hypocrisy. It doesn’t appear Paul followed the steps outlined in Matt 18. Instead, we are told he confronted Peter to his face–and publicly.

Why? Gal 2:11-14 explains it.  

Peter’s actions were causing other believers, even the amazing mercy-motivated Barnabas, to be carried away in hypocrisy/duplicity towards the Gentiles.

This wasn’t just a private issue—it had far-reaching effects.

Because what Peter did was public, it had to be addressed publicly. Going to him privately wouldn’t have corrected the issue as people were following Peter’s example. It had to be corrected so everyone could see it.

Any way we look at it, conflict resolution is hard. Sadly, biblical conflict resolution isn’t widely taught or followed.

However, the ongoing and increasing pattern in which leaders act as judges to remove and silence someone. Where the “punishment doesn’t fit the crime.”

In those cases, they have enacted a spiritual law in which they put themselves in a dangerous position and set themselves up for judgment.

What they have done will eventually circle back upon them.

• Not many of you should become masters/teachers/instructors, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1).
• For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Matt 7:2).

That instruction should put the fear of God in all of us.

May we all heed that warning and walk circumspectly so that we do not inadvertently find ourselves judging someone without mercy or worse without verified facts.

As we continue to watch these knee-jerk reactions increase, we need to pray.

First for this pattern of unjust removal and politically motivated actions to come to a halt. Second, we need to pray for our leaders to act righteously–free from pride and offense—and able to lead with the wisdom and the love of God.

There are certainly times in which swift and hard discipline must be enacted. But may it be done with the fear of the Lord—rather than the offense of man.