What do we do when all around us are negative voices that have a way of leading us into the entanglement of mental and spiritual drain?
First, we start by asking the Lord for clarity in the situation.
We ask if it is a distraction or an opportunity to speak Truth into the lives that are around us. A saying that I once heard and love to repeat is: in every opposition we are given opportunity. Meaning basically that in all situations we can use the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures to bring life.
We all have heard it said thousands of times, “Speak Truth to Power”, but rarely does anyone say, “Speak Truth to the Powerless.” Even though it is just as true and just as important, we need to seek & speak truth at all times, in all situations – in love.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV).
God’s purpose is not for us passively or actively listen to the negative cares of this world and simply “hear” them… Nope – God forbid!
God’s plan and purpose is for us to serve one another in love, compassion, showing empathy, and providing Truth as the only solution.
This is why Truth and the Idea of Truth are under attack. If there is no truth then “we” can call good, “evil” and evil, “good”… we can call love, “hate” and hate, “love”…
So what Truth can we give someone that believes what they are experiencing and know to be true. Ask more questions to find the root of the injustice, and the negativity that they are embracing. The first question that I would ask to gauge what direction the conversation needs to go in – is: “Do you want me to pray with you about this…” We want to invite them into being part of the solution team.
Why?
Why do people live in a realm of negativity? Because the cravings of the sinful nature (aka our flesh) have a never-ending lust for the selfish pleasures and thrives in darkness like rot. There is comfort found in the rot of the sinful nature, and it seeks to draw others. The sinful nature is a very lonely place, dwelling on the things that you do not have control over or the feeling of injustice that has been placed on them. The desire for self-justification and self-righteousness overrides the care or thought of, “How will this conversation encourage the person I am talking to…” Bottom-line is, they could care less. The point of being negative is not to find resolution or build relationship, but to satisfy the craving that dwells within themselves to feed and to pleasure the rot.
The natural state of man is fallen, dead in transgressions and sins. Living as a slave to the negative patterns of death that own them because of their sin. As much as they may “wish” not to be bound by it, they cannot escape the corruption of it.
5 This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”9 The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?10 “I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.”
Jeremiah 17:5-10 (NIV)
How?
If the person is open to prayer about the negative situation then be led by the Holy Spirit to say, “Let us pray to ask God to help you… “ and then just be lead of the Holy Spirit to pray, being confiendence that the Lord’s purpose was for you to invite them into the solution.
If the person is not open to prayer about the negative situation, then be led by the Holy Spirit to say, “I am so sorry to hear these things. I do not have all the answers. I do not know how this will work out, but I will be praying about it. If the Lord gives me something to share with you about it, then I will.”
You do not need to provide any additional advice, suggestions nor solutions.
Take the situtation to the Lord privately (1 on 1) and with a sincere heart ask of the Lord.
Ask God to detangle your mind and spirit from the interaction (2 Cor 10:5).
Give the burden to the Lord, because He cares for you (1st Peter 5:7) and the other person that needs us to intercede on their behalf (Philippians 4:6-7).
Ask the Lord if there is anything that you could say or do for the person.
When you know that the Lord has spoken to you, then trust His leading, whether it is to give a hand-up or hand-out, speak a word, or continue to pray.
Follow up with the person that you are still praying for them and if they bring up something else start again with an invitation to prayer to be part of the solution team.
There are times in this life and journey of faith that God will bring people with negative thoughts and situations to you, and even more so as you grow in Him and in your knowledge of Him. This brings us back to 2 Peter, chapter 1. Christ’s divine power has equipped us for every good work, and we are to continue building upon His finished work of the cross.
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:3-10).
Prayer Time
Let us end this with a prayer that is only fitting.
Dear Jesus, You know that I struggle with the people around me. But You do not struggle with them. You simply love them, whispering to their spirit to open up their hearts and minds to receive You. I pray that those who surround me would hear Your voice and that I would hear Your voice. I pray that I will hide Your Scriptures in my heart so they may fill me and be used in situations that are uncomfortable and frustrating to me.
I want to love them the same way You love them and the same way You love me. Help me to be the Light of Jesus Christ. Help me to be the voice crying in the wilderness, like John the Baptist was.
People need You. They need to know that they do not have to live in a state of damnation, but that they can be made alive and set free from the corruption of the sinful nature. Help me first to remember that so that I can help those around me. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.(Psalm 51:10-12).
Victorious Life Church 
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