Battlefield of the Mind (20 page)

Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind
(humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with
patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because
you love one another. Ephesians 4:1,2

Some time ago in our family life there was a situation that serves as an excellent example of my point about suffering humbly, meekly and patiently.

Our son, Daniel, had just returned from a missions trip to the Dominican Republic. He came back with a severe rash on his arms and several open sores. He had been told that it was the Dominican Republic version of poison ivy. It looked so bad we felt we needed to confirm what it was. Our family doctor was off that day so we made an appointment with the doctor taking his calls.

Our daughter, Sandra, called and made the appointment, told them how old Daniel was, and that she was his sister and would be bringing him in. We were all very busy that day, including Sandra. After a forty-five-minute drive, she arrived at the doctor's office only to be told, "Oh, I'm sorry, but it is our policy not to treat minors unaccompanied by a parent."

Sandra explained that when she called, she had specifically said she would be bringing her brother in—that she frequently took him to the doctor for us because of our travels. The nurse stood firm that he had to have a parent with him.

Sandra had an opportunity to get upset. She had pushed herself to add this errand to her already overloaded schedule only to learn that her planning and efforts were all in vain. She had another forty-five-minute drive home facing her, and the whole thing seemed like such a waste of time.

God helped her remain calm and loving. She called her dad, who was visiting his mother, and he said he would come and take care of the situation. Dave had felt led that morning to go by our offices and pick up some of my books and tapes, not even really knowing what he was going to do with them. He just felt he was to go get them.

When he got to the doctor's building, the woman registering patients and helping with paperwork asked Dave if he was a minister and if he was married to Joyce Meyer. He told her he was, and she said that she had been seeing me on television and had heard enough of our family names to wonder if it might be the same person. Dave talked with her a while and gave her one of my books on emotional healing.

My point in telling you this story is this: What if Sandra had lost her temper and been impatient? Her witness would have been damaged, if not ruined. Actually, it could have done spiritual harm to the woman who sees me on television, and then observes my family behaving badly.

Many people in the world are trying to find God, and what we show them is much more important than what we tell them. It is, of course, important that we verbally share the Gospel, but to do so and negate what we have said with our own behavior is worse than to say nothing.

Sandra bore her suffering patiently in this situation, and the Word of God states that we are called to this kind of behavior and attitude.

THE PATIENT SUFFERING OF JOSEPH

He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold as a
servant. His feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in chains of iron and his
soul entered into the iron, Until his word [to his cruel brothers] came true, until the word of
the Lord tried and tested him. Psalm 105:17-19

As an Old Testament example, think about Joseph who was unjustly mistreated by his brothers. They sold him into slavery and told his father that he had been killed by a wild animal. Meanwhile, he was purchased by a wealthy man named Potiphar, who took him into his home as a slave. God gave Joseph favor everywhere he went, and soon he had favor with his new master.

Joseph kept getting promoted, but another unjust thing happened to him. Potiphar's wife tried to entice him into having an affair, but because he was a man of integrity he would have nothing to do with her. Lying to her husband, she said that Joseph had attacked her, which caused him to be imprisoned for something he hadn't done!

Joseph tried to help others the entire time he was in prison. He never complained, and because he had a proper attitude in suffering, God eventually delivered and promoted him. He ultimately had so much authority in Egypt that no one else in the entire land was above him except Pharaoh himself.

God also vindicated Joseph concerning the situation with his brothers, in that they had to come to Joseph for food when the whole land was in a state of famine. Once again, Joseph displayed a godly attitude by not mistreating them even though they deserved it. He told them what they had meant for his harm, God had worked out for his good—that they were in God's hands, not his, and that he had no right to do anything but bless them. (See Genesis, Chapters 39-50.)

THE DANGERS OF COMPLAINING

We should not tempt the Lord [try His patience, become a trial to
Him, critically appraise Him, and exploit His goodness] as some of
 
them did—and were killed by poisonous serpents;
Nor discontentedly complain as some of them did—and were put
out of the way entirely by the destroyer (death).

Now these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example
and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right
action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached
their climax (their consummation and concluding period).
1 Corinthians 10:9-11

From these passages, we can quickly see the difference between Joseph and the Israelites. He did not complain at all, and all they did was complain about every little thing that did not go their way. The Bible is very specific about the dangers of grumbling, faultfinding and complaining.

The message is quite plain. The complaining of the Israelites opened a door for the enemy who came in and destroyed them. They should have appreciated God's goodness—but they didn't—so they paid the price.

We are told that the entire account of their suffering and death was written down to show us what will happen if we behave the way they did.

You and I do not complain with our mouth unless we have first complained in our thoughts. Complaining is definitely a wilderness mentality that will prevent us from crossing over into the Promised Land.

Jesus is our example, and we should do what He did.

The Israelites
complained and remained
in the wilderness.

Jesus
praised and was raised
from the dead.

In this contrast, we can see the power of praise and thanksgiving and also the power of complaining. Yes, complaining, grumbling, murmuring and faultfinding have power—but it is negative power. Each time we give our minds and mouths over to any of it, we are giving Satan a power over us that God has not authorized him to have.

DON'T GRUMBLE. FIND  FAULT OR COMPLAIN

Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves],
That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent
 
and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless,
unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually
perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or
beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world. Philippians 2:14,15

Sometimes it seems that the whole world is complaining. There is so much grumbling and murmuring and so little gratitude and appreciation.

People complain about their job and their boss when they should be thankful to have regular work and appreciate the fact that they are not living in a shelter for the homeless somewhere or standing in a soup line.

Many of those poor people would be thrilled to have that job, despite its imperfections. They would be more than willing to put up with a not-so-perfect boss in order to have a regular income, live in their own home and cook their own food.

Maybe you do need a better paying job or perhaps you do have a boss who treats you unfairly. That is unfortunate, but the way out is not through complaining.

DON'T FRET OR WORRY— PRAY AND GIVE THANKS!

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every
circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite
requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to
God. Philippians 4:6

In this verse the Apostle Paul teaches us how to solve our problems.

He instructs us to pray
with thanksgiving
in every circumstance.

The Lord taught the same principle to me this way: "Joyce, why should I give you anything else, if you're not thankful for what you already have? Why should I give you something else to complain about?"

If we cannot offer our current prayer requests from a foundation of a life that is currently filled with thanksgiving, we will not get a favorable response. The Word does not say pray with complaining, it says pray with thanksgiving.

Murmuring, grumbling, faultfinding and complaining usually occur when either something or someone has not gone the way we want it to, or when we are having to wait for something longer than we expected. The Word of God teaches us to be patient during these times.

I have discovered that patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.

It is very important that this matter of complaining and all related types of negative thinking and conversation be taken very seriously. I sincerely believe that God has given me a revelation on how dangerous it is to give our mind and mouth over to them.

God told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 1:6,.. You have dwelt long enough on this mountain. Perhaps you have been around the same mountain many times and are now ready to press on. If so, it will be good for you to remember that you will not go forward in any positive way as long as your thoughts and conversation are filled with complaining.

I did not say it would be easy not to complain, but you do have the mind of Christ. Why not make the most of it?

Chapter 20

Don't make me wait for anything; I deserve everything immediately.

Wilderness Mentality #5

So be patient, brethren, [as you wait] till the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits expectantly for the precious harvest from the land. [See how] he keeps up his patient [vigil] over it until it receives the early and late rains
.

JAMES 5:7

Impatience is the fruit of pride. A proud person cannot seem to wait for anything with the proper attitude. As we discussed in the previous chapter, patience is not the ability to wait, it is the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.

This Scripture does not say "be patient if you wait," it says "be patient as you wait." Waiting is part of life. Many people don't "wait well," and yet, we actually spend more time in our lives waiting than we do receiving.

What I mean is this: we ask God for something in prayer, believing, and then we wait and wait for the manifestation. When it arrives, we rejoice because we have finally received what we have been waiting for.

However, because we are goal-oriented people who must always have something to press toward—something to look forward to—we go right back into the process of asking and believing God for something else, and waiting and waiting some more until that next breakthrough comes.

Thinking about this situation made me realize that I end up spending much more time in my life waiting than I do receiving. So I decided to learn to enjoy the waiting time, not just the receiving time.

We need to learn to enjoy where we are while we are on our way to where we are going!

PRIDE PREVENTS PATIENT WAITING

For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn
everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly
 
than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own
importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each
according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him. Romans 12:3

It is impossible to enjoy waiting if you don't know how to wait patiently. Pride prevents patient waiting because the proud person thinks so highly of himself that he believes he should never be inconvenienced in any way.

Although we are not to think badly of ourselves, we are also not to think too highly of ourselves. It is dangerous to lift ourselves up to such an elevated place that it causes us to look down on others. If they are not doing things the way we want, or as quickly as we think they should be done, we behave impatiently.

A humble person will not display an impatient attitude.

BE REALISTIC!

...In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and
frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain,
undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of
power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] John 16:33

Another way that Satan uses our mind to lead us into impatient behavior is through thinking that is idealistic rather than realistic.

If we get the idea in our heads that everything concerning us and our circumstances and relationships should always be perfect—no inconveniences, no hindrances, no unlovely people to deal with—then we are setting ourselves up for a fall. Or, actually, I should say that Satan is setting us up for a fall through wrong thinking.

I am not suggesting that we be negative; I am a firm believer in positive attitudes and thoughts. But I am suggesting that we be realistic enough to realize ahead of time that very few things in real life are ever perfect.