Defending One’s Self

Have you ever gotten into a discussion about the Lord or the Word of God or even about yourself and felt that you had to defend all these things?  As a believer, do you always feel like you are on the defense?  It seems like most of my Christian life I have always felt like I had to defend all these things.  I think we could learn a great lesson from Jesus in this area.  I don’t think that Jesus ever tried to defend Himself.  What Jesus did was to speak the truth in love with the Spirit’s power and anointing on His life. People were amazed at His teaching, for He taught like a man with authority and not as the Pharisees and teachers of the law did.

It says this about Jesus in Luke 4:31-37, “Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!’

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be quiet, and come out of him!’ And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, ‘What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.’ And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.”

When Jesus spoke, people listened with astonishment and amazement.  They were not only amazed and astonished at His teaching, but also at the signs and wonders that He performed.  Think about the disciples that were in the boat with Jesus while He slept in Matthew 8:23-27, “Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’

But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”

Did you catch what verse 27 said?  “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”  These men saw many of the miracles that Jesus performed and they were seasoned fishermen, but this storm took them by surprise and they were very frightened, but Jesus demonstrated His authority once again even over the wind and waves and the disciples marveled.  That would have been quite a sight to see.  Jesus didn’t defend Himself He spoke the word and let the word speak for Him.  No matter what was said about Him in the negative, He never retaliated in anger and bitterness.  

There was a time He struck out in righteous anger because of the way people were acting in the temple, which He considered His Father’s house of prayer, but He never sinned.  Why do we let so many people cause us to strike out in anger?  Many of us seem to think we need to have the last word when we are accused of something.  Jesus didn’t react like that, for one thing, His conscious was always clear and He wasn’t full of pride and He never lied.  When Jesus was accused of doing something He didn’t do, or say, many times He said nothing.  

This happened at His trial before Pilate, it says this about it in Mark 15:1-5, “Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate. Then Pilate asked Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’

He answered and said to him, ‘It is as you say.’

And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, ‘Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!’ But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.”  

Jesus didn’t defend Himself against their accusations, He let them trap themselves.  If we could respond this way the next time someone tries to give us an attitude, things might turn out so much better.  Remember this; no one can give you an attitude unless you decide to receive it from them.  If we always speak the truth in love, not tell a lie, get all the pride out of our lives and start imitating Jesus, we will have a clear conscious also and we will not have to defend ourselves, Him or His Word.  I hope this has been a help and encouragement to all who read it.  Something to think about!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and I hope you have a super day!!