Tag Archives: Spiritual Maturity

Truth

Have I Become Your Enemy by Telling You the Truth?

Galatians 4:16 (AMP) So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Have you ever been treated like a traitor for simply speaking the truth? You spoke out to warn someone, to love them well, to call them higher. And yet, instead of gratitude, you were met with rejection. This is not unique to you. The Apostle Paul was faced with rejection for telling the truth in love when he asked the Galatians, “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16, AMP).

Telling the truth in love is not about condemnation. It is about compassion. It requires boldness birthed in prayer, courage formed in the fear of God, and a deep love for people that is willing to risk misunderstanding.

Truth Offends Before It Heals

Jesus said, “And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin]” (John 8:32, AMP). But what He did not say is that the truth often offends before it heals. It confronts pride, exposes hidden sin, and tears down the idols we’ve grown comfortable with. Remember that telling the truth in love can provoke strong reactions.

When Stephen told the truth, he was stoned by the very people he loved (Acts 7:54–60). When Yeshua told the truth in His hometown, they tried to throw Him off a cliff (Luke 4:28–29). The truth can provoke violent reactions, not because it is wrong, but because it hits the mark.

Speaking the Truth in Love is a Command, Not an Option

Paul urged the believers in Ephesus to grow up in Messiah by “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15, AMP). That means we cannot pick one and ignore the other. Love without truth becomes flattery. Truth without love becomes a weapon. But when the two walk together, God is glorified and people are set free.

You cannot serve God and stay silent when He calls you to speak. The truth is a scalpel, not a club. It is meant to cut with precision, not to harm but to heal.

Expect Rejection, But Speak Anyway

Yeshua was perfect, yet He was hated. Stephen was filled with the Spirit, yet he was killed. John the Baptist was the forerunner of the Messiah, yet he was imprisoned and beheaded. The common thread? They told the truth. Telling the truth in love is often met with resistance, but it remains a divine calling.

Paul wrote, “Am I now trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10, AMP). If you aim to be accepted by everyone, you will never carry the weight of God’s Word faithfully.

How Do You Respond to Correction?

When someone speaks the truth to you, especially when it is uncomfortable, what is your reaction? Do you push them away or examine your own heart?

David said, “Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23-24, AMP). The humble heart receives correction and grows. The proud heart resists and withers.

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend [who corrects out of love and concern], but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful [because they serve his hidden agenda]” (Proverbs 27:6, AMP).

Stand Firm in the Truth

Beloved, if God has given you a voice, do not silence it to stay comfortable. Telling the truth in love should always be done with humility and courage. Speak truth with humility, weep before you rebuke, and pray before you confront. But speak.

The Church does not need more echoes. It needs a generation of voices who love truth more than popularity. A Church without truth has no power. A Church without love has no heart.

Let us be those who speak the truth in love, who receive it in humility, and who follow Yeshua regardless of the cost.

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O sharpened truth, You pierce my pride,
You draw the wound I tried to hide.
But in Your cut, the healing flows,
For mercy meets where justice goes.

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Prayer

Lord, I want to be faithful to You above all else. Help me to speak truth with boldness and love, never out of pride but always from Your heart. Teach me to receive correction without offense, and to offer it without bitterness. Let my words be guided by Your Spirit and filled with grace. You are the Truth, and I choose to follow You, no matter the cost. In the name of Yeshua, Amen.

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Calls

Now is the Time

Beloved ministers of the Gospel, servants of the Most High God,

I solemnly charge you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will come again in power and majesty to judge the living and the dead, to take hold of the sacred trust given to you. As the Scriptures declare, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him” (Revelation 1:7, AMP). Our Lord’s return draws near, and with His appearing, the fullness of His kingdom shall be revealed. Do not delay.

You have been called not by the will of man but by the will of God to proclaim His truth. The Word that burns in your heart is not your own; it is the message of Christ, the living Word. He has said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field” (Luke 10:2, AMP). And now, you are those workers. You are sent out not in your own strength but in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is not a time to shrink back but to rise up.

Remember the charge of Paul to Timothy, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2, AMP). There are no convenient seasons, no moments where the work of the Kingdom can be delayed. Now is the time. Whether the soil seems fertile or barren, whether the people are eager or resistant, preach the truth of God’s Word. The Spirit compels you to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15, AMP) and to shepherd the flock of God entrusted to you with all humility and patience.

Beloved, understand this: “The time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3, AMP). And I tell you, that time has come. Many have turned aside to follow after myths and fables, seeking words that soothe their ears but lead them astray. But the Word of God is a two-edged sword, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12, AMP). We must wield it with truth and love. Do not soften the message for the sake of comfort, for “the truth will set them free” (John 8:32, AMP). Stand firm and guard the deposit entrusted to you.

To the apostles, be as those who establish the foundation of the Church, “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20, AMP). Lead with authority and humility, knowing that you build not for yourselves but for the glory of God.

To the prophets, speak with boldness and clarity the words that God has placed in your mouth. Do not be silent in this hour. “If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people, their blood will be on his hands” (Ezekiel 33:6, AMP). Now is the time to call the Church to repentance and purity.

To the evangelists, go forth with the message of life, for “how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” (Romans 10:15, AMP). Let your words carry the urgency of eternity, for the souls of men hang in the balance.

To the pastors, shepherd the flock with the heart of the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11, AMP). Care for the broken and the weary, but also be ready to correct and protect, for “wolves will come in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15, AMP).

To the teachers, teach sound doctrine and handle the Word of Truth rightly. The Church needs to be rooted and grounded in truth in this age of confusion and deception. “Let your teaching be full of grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6, AMP), for your words have the power to shape the hearts of the next generation of believers.

Beloved, “the night is far spent, and the day is at hand” (Romans 13:12, AMP). Do not allow complacency or fear to hinder your ministry. “Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13, AMP). As you walk in your calling, know that the Spirit of God is with you, strengthening you, guiding you, empowering you for every good work. “He who has called you is faithful; He will surely do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24, AMP).

Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set before us (Hebrews 12:1, AMP). The Lord is coming soon. The fields are white for harvest. And you, His beloved ministers, are His instruments. Fulfill the work He has given you. Preach, teach, prophesy, shepherd, and evangelize with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20, AMP).

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