Kenneth Copeland Devotional 22 May 2024 – Silence The Critics
Topic: Silence The Critics
For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. – 1 Peter 2:15
Scripture Reading: Luke 23:1-9
1Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”
3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
I know from personal experience that when people start to criticize you and persecute you because you live by faith, your natural human response is to want to strike back. You want to start dishing out a little criticism of your own. Maybe if they get a taste of their own medicine, they’ll shut their mouths, you think.
But you know what? They won’t. Your words will just add fuel to their fire and they’ll criticize you harder and louder than they did before.
According to the Word of God, however, there is a way to silence them. Not by arguing with them. Not by defending yourself. But by keeping quiet and continuing to do the good works God has called you to do.
Jesus was highly criticized by the religious establishment of His day. But He never fought back. Instead, Acts 10:38 says He simply went about doing good.
When people start riding you about living the faith life, be like Jesus and just keep on blessing people. Keep on praying for folks who are oppressed by the devil and get them delivered. Keep on laying hands on the sick and getting them healed. Keep on doing what God has called you to do.
That will aggravate the devil because his primary purpose is to make you ineffective for the kingdom of God. He wants you to get wrapped up in the criticism. He wants to distract you, to get your mind off the job God has given you. He really wants you to quit.
Don’t do it! Instead, follow the instructions in 2 Timothy 3:14 and “continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of.” Silence the ignorant criticisms of men by continuing to do good and by continuing to live by faith. And when all their foolish words have faded away, you’ll still be standing strong.
This message was written by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, the leader of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith – prayer, healing, salvation and other biblical topics.