"FOR YOU yourselves know, brethren, that our coming among you was not useless and fruitless. But though we had ALREADY suffered and been outrageously treated at Philippi, as you know, yet in [the strength of] our God we summoned courage to proclaim to you unfalteringly the good news (the Gospel) with earnest contention and much conflict and great opposition.   - The Apostle Paul  

One of the worst things you can do in conflict is remain silent.

Conflict seeks to silence the call and assignment that is on your life.

Your level of conflict will always rise in proportion to your winning percentage, authority and identity.  In other words, its mere presence is a sign that you are winning and the devil has perceived you as a threat.

Like in any competitive sport, the more games you win, the greater conflict or opponent that awaits you.  Yet out of conflict, a giant named Goliath was slain, millions of Hebrew slaves came out of Egypt with silver, gold and jewels, a Red Sea was split open and the walls of Jericho fell down flat.

Conflict [v. kuhn-flikt;  n. kon-flikt]:

"Conflict" occurs when people (or other parties) perceive that, as a consequence of a disagreement, there is a threat (physical, emotional, power, status, etc.) to their needs, interests or concerns.

It is more than a mere disagreement.  It is a meaningful experience or event that cannot be invalidated by "maybe it will just go away" or "well, they will get over it; it will pass."

Consider your own life and workplace for a moment:

• What are some key sources of conflict affecting your leadership or life? (It could be: a topic of how to spend or save money, how the kids will be disciplined, asking your boss for a raise or promotion, talking to your parents about your childhood, etc.)
• When do they tend to occur?     
•  How do people respond to these conflicts as they arise?     
•  When you solve problems, do you do so for the moment, or do you put in place systems for addressing these types of concerns in the future?

In the book "Boiling Pot: Understanding Men and Anger," a story is told: "...Recently Nathan exposed to his four friends an area of inner pain.  "My father is in a nursing home," he began.  "He's totally incapacitated.  His mind is gone.  I went to dress him and take care of him on Father's Day, but I could hardly hold myself together.  I keep wishing that he will come out of his mental fog and tell me just once before he dies, "You are a good son."  But I know I he never will." Nathan was on the verge of tears."

The fact that he had never been validated by his father was a source of conflict for Nathan.  Time was running out; yet his conflict remained unresolved.  Sometimes, our mouth keeps conflicts "alive" in our heart and future.

James 3:2,9 states:  "For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature.  But the human tongue can be tamed by NO MAN. It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison."

You poison your LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS through your mouth.

James 4:1 reminds us that there will always be an opportunity to be mad or offended at people.  But God's house is not a vessel of destruction and wrath.  1 John 2:10 says, "When there is love, there is nothing in you (or no occasion or opportunity) to make you stumble."

What conflict is causing you to question if you should stay in a place God has called you?

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He had a conflict: The weight of the world's sin depended on Him sacrificing His life, stripping Himself of all rights and doing what He was called to do.

someone else sinned, YET He had bear it. 

Have you ever had to reap the consequence of someone else's sin or bad decision?  Or felt bad or shamed at something you didn't even do?  JESUS DID.  At one point, He even prayed: "Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me..." 

Yet Jesus endured the wrongful conviction and death penalty men put on Him; He felt the shame of being publicly exposed for the sins of others and ignored it for the joy of what was set before Him (Heb. 12:2)

RIGHT NOW, what is the joy and promise set before you? 

What kind of redemption, freedom and miracle hangs in the balance of your forgiveness becoming like His?

Jesus said "Father forgive them for they know not what they do..." (Lk. 23:34)  He prayed, "Father, throw the sins of those seeking my hurt, into a sea of forgetfulness."

Have you ever thrown something in the ocean and tried to find it?

This is the prayer Jesus prayed while in excruciating pain on the cross, while they were mocking Him: He covered their sin with His blood, never to be exposed or held against them.  He asked HIS FATHER to "KEEP NO RECORD OF THEIR WRONG." 

Then, AFTER HE PRAYED FOR THEM, they divided his garments and casts lots for it.

Today, you don't need a guarantee of reconciliation or change to learn how to forgive, just as in Christ, God forgave you (See Eph 4:32.)

God's promise in exchange for "His kind" of forgiveness is this: "I will throw not only the sins of your offenders into a sea of forgetfulness, but also the consequence and effect that sin has had on your life as well.  I will cast the crushing shame, torment, scorn, rejection and failure from that sin as far as the east is from the west."

REIGN AND LEAD WITH MINIMUM CONFUSION TODAY.