The word STRIFE (or "strifes") is mentioned more than 40 times in scripture. STRIFE is defined in the dictionary as a heated and often violent conflict, a bitter dissension involving ANGER, quarreling/arguing, conflict, and/or negative confrontation directed at other people. Variations of the synonym CONTENTION are mentioned an additional 20 times and were often used interchangeably with the word STRIFE by the KJV translators of the biblical texts.

The fallen nature of the human being is to be in STRIFE and it's the Flesh that leads us into it. Indeed, the first example of it in scripture is the murder of Abel by his own brother Cain which was brought on by the latter's ANGER toward both God and Abel (Genesis 4:1-8). When it had become apparent that Cain was ANGRY, God warned him that he must RULE over it or his ANGER would lead him into sin (Genesis 4:7). God's warning shows that Cain had within himself the ability to choose not to allow his ANGER to result in sin but he gave into it and made the wrong choice. God's warning also shows that when we allow our ANGER to take us into STRIFE, He considers it to be sin. In other words, Cain's ANGER in and of itself was not the sin but unchecked it led him into the sin of STRIFE. Today the Holy Spirit is saying the same thing to Believers: "you are faced with many opportunities to become involved in STRIFE but you must make the choice to overcome your ANGER and avoid sin."

The truth is the ability to be ANGRY has been given by God to each and every human being. But, God has a positive purpose for that ANGER which is to enable Christians to resist evil and the enemy. We're supposed to get ANGRY at evil so we'll be led to resist it. The Bible says: "Hate evil, you who love the Lord, who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked" (Psalm 97:10). It also says: "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil" (Proverbs 81:3); therefore, to HATE evil is the beginning of wisdom (derived from Psalm 111:10). The Hebrew word translated HATE carries the connotation of personally contending with and overcoming an enemy. ANGER is therefore required for the release of a Godly HATRED for evil.

And so, from a biblical standpoint ANGER that's under the RULE of a Holy Spirit-directed will against evil and unrighteousness is NOT sin and serves the purposes of God. Indeed, according to Scripture it's applied wisdom. But when ANGER is no longer Spirit-RULED and is used for ungodly purposes, it becomes STRIFE and STRIFE is always sin. Instead of resisting the enemy, STRIFE opens the door for him to freely enter into your portion of the Kingdom of God to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10) what God has given you to watch over. Through STRIFE the enemy causes to decrease what God has provided for increase. It brings lack and poverty and sickness and disease. Instead of victory it produces an insidious defeat and most Believers overlook it when they're trying to figure out why they're having problems. STRIFE must be recognized for what it is and then resisted at all costs: "drop a contentious issue before STRIFE breaks out" (Proverbs 17:14).

There is something immeasurably important about STRIFE that every Believer needs to understand and come to grips with today. Jesus COMMANDED us more than once to love one another (Matthew 22:37-39 and John 13:34). If we're always in STRIFE how can we be fulfilling this COMMANDMENT? And the relevant point is that if we're not fulfilling our love walk, our faith will be ineffective (1 Corinthians 13:2) and if our faith is not working it's guaranteed we'll not be experiencing the fullness of biblical prosperity. Indeed, the Bible says it's impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). This is why the Bible also says that "a man's PRIDE will bring him low" (Proverbs 29:23) and that "PRIDE goes before destruction" (Proverbs 16:18).

The Bible also says that CONFUSION and every evil work come from STRIFE (James 3:16). Have you ever considered that "every evil work" can include sickness, disease, lack, insufficiency, poverty and everything else listed in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 (the curses) including death? Did you know that the Greek word for CONFUSION in this scripture means disorder, instability and tumult? Believers who are constantly in STRIFE are people whose lives are in tumult. They are unstable and double minded. They are unable to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit or discern His direction for their lives. There's difficulty in marriage and in the home and while this is the most common place for STRIFE, it's also the most overlooked. Domestic STRIFE causes financial problems and those financial problems continue to be the number one cause of divorce both in this country and in the Body of Christ as well.

If you have ongoing STRIFE in your life today, the Word of God urges you to take steps to RULE over it. The costs are too high to continue in STRIFE and particularly in the form known as UNFORGIVENESS. God has a better way.

Now, no one at PLN is saying it's an easy task to RULE one's ANGER. What has to happen is that we count the costs and then make a decision, a choice to forgive and avoid walking in STRIFE as if it were one of the plagues of Egypt. The Flesh fights on behalf of STRIFE every step of the way and we must make this decision over and over again, day after day, week after week and year after year, every time we're faced with a temptation to enter into STRIFE. Therefore, only by the Holy Spirit are we able to RULE over our ANGER and stay out of STRIFE.

Fortunately, we have a weapon at our disposal to help us overcome the Flesh. There is a fruit of the Holy Spirit called LONGSUFFERING (Galatians 5:22). In other translations it's called PATIENCE but it's a type of patience related to "forbearance." In Ephesians 4:1-3 the same Greek word is used when the Apostle Paul says the following:

"walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience (longsuffering), showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Friend, each Believer has within him/herself the power of the Holy Spirit to stay out of STRIFE. The qualities are within. So by faith release them to work on your behalf. In doing this we will come to RULE over our ANGER by emphasizing the following attributes when we're faced with temptation:

• We need to ask ourselves WHY the other person is doing/saying the thing that's provoking our ANGER.
• We need to give up our rights to prevail in any confrontation.
• We need to regard others as more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:3).
• We need to keep in mind that the only way to deal with SELF is to deny it. We'll never be able to satisfy it.
• We need to keep in mind that God's opinion of us is all that counts, not what other people think.
• When faced with a difficult interpersonal issue, decide to forgive and pray that God will bless the other person.
• We need to leave it to God to fight our battles and to deal with those who've wronged us.

If you truly want to overcome HARD TIMES, and most people do, you need to avoid strife. The Bible is clear about this so make it a major objective for your life and focus on getting rid of it. Strife brings defeat; it brings about the worst parts of the HARD TIMES. Instead of passively allowing strife to endure in your life, be active in resisting it and try walking in LOVE with an expectation to overcome the HARD TIMES.

When people experience HARD TIMES with their finances, they tend to experience a lot of tension and stress. Our finances are a very important part of our lives and when financial pressure is around, STRIFE is never far behind. STRIFE is a prominent part of our Fleshly nature so you have to walk by the Spirit so stay out of it. You can't do it by your own strength but you have within you everything you need to defeat it. Friend, if you can get the STRIFE out of your life you may very well open the door to your financial VICTORY even In HARD TIMES. Try it and let us know what happens!

Thanks for reading PLN today and we'll be looking for you again in three weeks on August 28. In the meantime, may God overwhelm you with the fullness of His love and spiritual blessing! Enjoy your victory over HARD TIMES!

If you've never invited Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you can do so today just by saying the following simple prayer:

Jesus I believe in you and I believe that God raised you from the dead. I receive forgiveness for my sins and I ask you to come into my life today. I receive you as my Lord and Savior.

If you were sincere as you prayed this prayer, God has already come into your life and you are a new creation, a totally new species recreated in His image. Now ask the Lord to lead you to a good faith-based, bible-teaching church where you can be equipped to fulfill your potential in the Kingdom of God.

© Make A Way Ministries, Inc. 10621 North Kendall Drive - Suite 120 Miami, Florida 33176