False accusations cut deep. Of course, we want to be open to correction and take responsibility for any wrongs we’ve committed, even unintentionally. But our spiritual maturity also calls for us to discern and resist any condemnation that’s not of God.
Satan is known as the Father of Lies and the Accuser. And one of his tactics of spiritual warfare is to accuse us of things that are not true, or no longer true, in Christ. It’s then our duty to take up the shield of faith to stop all these fiery arrows of accusation against us.
This starts by simply remembering and holding on to our identity in Christ, and discerning the fruit of the accusation being made. To be sure, the Spirit will convict us of sin and guide us toward God’s best. But the accusations of evil, on the other hand, paralyze us with guilt and shame – distorting reality and tempting us to forget our hearts have been redeemed.
And while this is a spiritual battle, it gets played out in the relationships closest to us as well. For instance, it’s generally easier to dismiss the faulty indictments of a stranger than those of our wife. But we must have the eyes for spiritual warfare even in our marriage.
When our wife’s words are dripping with accusations against us it is usually because some deep hurt or fear has been triggered on her part. These are legitimate concerns that evil seeks to take advantage of to bring division and strife into our marriage. Our challenge is then to resist the condemnation without neglecting her heart in the process.
Our heart becomes poisoned with lies when we allow the accusations to stick. And even for our wife’s sake we must resist so that evil doesn’t use this as an opportunity to establish a stronghold in her heart. Our resistance frees us to care for the deeper issues of her heart.
In the end, humbly accept correction while courageously rejecting false accusations, even from those closest to you. Live in God’s truth without letting lies rob you of your freedom and power to love.
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