Justice, Judgment, Forgiveness, and ??? 

So Jesus has been keeping me on specific words. Other words He has given to me in the past were:  Perseverance, Accountability, Truth, Integrity, and now these words, justice, judgment, and forgiveness.  I'm getting the forgiveness slung at me all the time all while I'm looking at the behavior which presents as a very controlling type of presence.  The thing I have and am still learning is how the enemy operates.  You see, if you are going to win in a battle, you have to know how your enemy operates.  What are his tactics?  If you know this, you know what to do and how to make your next move.  I find discipleship sadly lacking now days.  Where are the Sunday School classes?  As my hubby said the other day, "Let's change the name Sunday School to Discipleship Class."  Yes, let's do that!  Whatever it takes to get to understanding what has happened in Christian-dom.  

Although the hurts and pains come through people, people are not your enemy.  The enemy is your enemy - the ole deceiver, otherwise known as Satan.  The Bible says, "He is the father of lies."  And so he is.  There is rule #1:  Satan lies.  It's how he got Eve in the garden of Eden and it is still how he operates today.  Lying can come in many forms - First of all, it is easy to see an outright lie.  When somebody just lies, you see it.  You know it.  Their words and their actions do not line up.  Okay, so we all admit.  We can see that...I know that!!!  Yes, I hear the yells - tell me something I don't know.  Well, I don't know about you, but for me, it comes hard to believe that somebody just does that.  I don't do that.  Do you do that?  Most people I know do not do that.  They really don't lie.  If you do, you are a sad, deluded individual and we will all pray for you to get free from that sin of lying.  

Satan, the father of all lies, has found a way to very sneakily, slight of hand, control and manipulate.  Sometimes, you see this openly and sometimes, it is very well hidden.  The results of which bring on anger.  He's very good at getting you to stay in the emotional realm which, as Christians, we are not to live in our emotions.  We live by faith.  By faith, remember Hebrews, chapter 11, THE WHOLE CHAPTER!!! By faith...

So this has been a process.  A process of why did this happen to me?  Anger, bitterness, resentment, the conviction of - pray for your enemy, pray for those who deceitfully use you, forgive,.  I can do this because by Christ Jesus, I can do all things, Philippians 4:13.  Yes, you know and a b'zillion times of - No, I forgave them as the enemy loves to bring it back up or the person unknowingly slaps you in the face again with the same behavior, actions, and if you say something...Forgive, you're judging.  Yeah, you know what I'm talking about...they will turn it on you.  You're the one with the problem, not me.  You're supposed to forgive me if I lied to you...aren't you?  Hmmm, hmmm...see there...see how you are...all the meanwhile they are still doing what they're doing and you're asking yourself, "God, I just don't understand.  What is going on?  What am I doing wrong?"  

One day, Jesus brings the answer and you see just how the enemy operates.  Now, I have to warn you because everyone always says, "Don't pray for patience because you will be tested to the max."  That I have found to be a very true statement.  But I also am warning you, "Don't ask for discernment either."  Well, let me say be warned when you ask for discernment because we should have discernment when going about our lives.  But be warned - most likely all hell will break out.

When a friend and I prayed and asked God to help us see and discern the enemy working, well, all I can say is that ALL HELL BROKE OUT!!!  I was attacked like I have never been attacked in all my life.  I'm still battling some of what I feel (feelings, aggghhhh get that song out of my head) but for lack of a better English word - feel...what I feel like was the demonic.  No, I'm not crazy.  Yes, this really happened.  Things began flying off of the countertop.  There were bumps and bangs at various places in my house.  A knock at the front door and no one was there.  And worst of all, an attack on my physical health.  My health spiraled majorly downward.  I still have issues going on physically.  I'm getting better as Jesus leads me down this path.  I have found myself learning, withdrawing out of some things completely and later finding out for good reasons.  One thing I know, my Savior, Jesus Christ, keeps me.  I listen to His Holy Spirit and if He says, "Do this..." I do it.  If he says, "Stop this."  I stop it.  Oh wait, hold it...that's another story for another day.  Back to the topic - Anger, forgiveness, truth, integrity, moral standing, more anger to now we're hopping mad.  Just past all the feelings of whatever it brings up in you to - I'M DONE!!! PERIOD!!! NOT MAD...NOT WHATEVER YOU THINK I AM - JUST DONE!   FINI! The End!  Right?? You understand where I am...and you, my friend, have you ever been there?  The point where you say to yourself, 'Well, they can do that, but I am not going to do that (_Fill in the blank_) that is what I call Righteous Anger.  A recognition of right and wrong and God so help me, I'm not doing what is wrong.  I don't do it to others, and no more are they going to do it to me.  I do believe God puts this in to people for change to come about.  Because if we all sit around and speak - love, forgive, peace, let them slap the other cheek, and do nothing what changes?  The ones doing this do not change.  They just get bolder.  They get more aggressive.  

So I am older now.  Hopefully somewhat wiser too as I age.  I am not promoting go out and start a war.  But, I am saying, "Stand your ground, Soldier of the Lord!"  We fight not as this world fights.  We fight in the spiritual realm.  Through thoughts, ideas, or in other words - Share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Pray, Praise, Worship!  It gets very disheartening when you hear that everything you ever thought was good and of God has been controlled, manipulated and turned in to an incendiary device by the enemy and used mightily for his kingdom.  But, BUT *** We have the Word of God.  The enduring Holy Scripture of God.  The Sword of Truth, the double-edged sword that cuts soul and spirit.  It endures for eternity.  Speak the Word over your life.  Decree God's Promises over yourself and your family.  If you don't know Jesus, get to know Jesus.  You do this by picking up your Bible and reading.  Ask for wisdom.  Jesus will help you.  I suggest you start in the chapters named: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  Then go to Romans... Jesus told them and He does it still today - He sends His Holy Spirit to those who believe in Him, repent of their sins, and desire to be obedient and follow Him.  

Okay, so back to my topic, one of the most forefront attacks you will ever receive is the statement of - You're judging.  You're bitter.  You're unforgiving.  So I say to myself, "Self, let's sit down and examine ourselves."  I don't think I'm unforgiving.  I gave them another chance, and another.  That's not unforgiving.  Am I crazy?  They called me crazy...and the enemy's next tactic comes in to play.  "You're crazy."  And there will be multiple episodes of someone yelling at you, You're Crazy!!!  Yes, he is the accuser of the brethren.  Every sling, fault, insult will come back and reverberate around inside your head until it does tend to DRIVE YOU CRAZY!!!  Driving you to the point of being a useless, ineffective witness for the Lord.  And the accuser (your true enemy) goes off hackling in glee because he's won the battle.  I tell you I live for the day when Jesus sends him to the abyss and I no longer have to deal with him.  

So, forgive the long rambling today, but all of this led me on a search which led me to boundaries.  But boundaries gets perverted really quickly because it turns in to more control and manipulation.  Remember, God gives us wisdom and it comes through His Word, The Holy Bible.  Boundaries led to Lord, give me discernment which led to all out attack from the enemy because he does not want you to learn anything of God and have any kind of success in your life.  This led to self-examination, what am I doing wrong? which led to I think I have forgiven which led to - definite conclusion - Yes, I have forgiven and No, I do not have to participate with them anymore, which led to more anger, but it is leading to righteous anger which led to more Bible reading - How do I deal with this?  which led to word study.  Word study on - "Okay, God...what do you say about justice, judgment, and forgiveness."  I am happy to say, God seems to have a lot to say about justice.  He is looking for those who will stand up for right against all odds.  He is looking for a few good men (women and children too) who will give it their all and be obedient to Him and His Word.  People who will be led by His Spirit.  You will know them by their fruits - Another way to discern the evil from good.  Bad fruit equals lying, cheating, stealing, murder, mayhem, control, bondage, enslaved, does harm to others.  Good fruit equals love, compassion, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, understanding, things that are going to lead to more good.  

I found it really very interesting what God has to say on the topic of Justice.  I'm going to list a few here from E-sword.net and, believe it or not, there are so many that I will leave it to you to look further for yourself.  

Gen_18:19  For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Psa_82:3  Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

Psa_89:14  Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

Pro_21:3  To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Isa_56:1  Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

It is scary when we see what happens if we do not stand for justice and judgment...

Isa_59:4  None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

Isa_59:9  Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.

Isa_59:14  And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

My absolute favorite on this topic - 

Psa 94:15  But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it. 16  Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? 

I hear myself say, "Me Lord.  I will, I will stand for righteousness."  I look around and ask "Who will join me?"  

Choose ye this day whom you will serve...as for me, myself, and I - I will serve the Lord, Jesus Christ!  

Hab 3:17  Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19  The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.