Confrontation is Necessary
Confrontation is often painted in a bad light but confrontation is also necessary for growth.
Whose approval are you looking for?
People do not often have wisdom on how they should confront someone else. Confrontation is an essential part of communication but many people avoid it out of the fear of man.
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” – Galatian 1:10
Are we looking for God’s approval or the approval of men? Fear will discourage healthy confrontation often causing a person to suppress what needs to be addressed. That in turn becomes a bondage. Not everything is meant to be confronted so seeking God’s approval is imperative to when this particular style of communication is needed.
The apostle Paul knew he needed the courage to confront in order to be a servant of God. Some preachers preach what they want as a way to entice the ears of men but followers of Jesus Christ need to speak the word of God. If a believer is living a life opposed to the word of God then it should be addressed.
We seek man's approval wanting them to know who we really are but God knows us, he knit us together in our mother's womb.
In Matthew 18:15–17, Jesus teaches His followers three different ways to confront a friend or family member who has wronged them. First, they are to go to the person alone and explain the grievance. If they do not listen, then they are to bring one or two others with them. If they still refuse to listen, Jesus said to notify the church.
Confrontation is a bridge to transformation
“Confrontation is the bridge between stagnation and transformation” Pastor Mike Signorelli declared in his sermon “What The Devil Hopes You Don’t Learn about Confrontation.”
Transformation can come about for yourself and the individual being confronted.
Jesus said that a rebuke can very well bring forth repentance and forgiveness in the other person (Luke 17:3). Also releasing something burdensome to you, to someone else is healthy if done correctly. If you want to be transformed you need to be able to confront, not out of anger or evil but through discussion.
Sometimes people want to get free but they bury what needs to be said rather than taking a stand for righteousness. Scripture says “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” Christians have to make up their minds to be the same person everywhere they go. It’s hard trying to manage multiple personalities because we were not created to manage more than one personality.
In trying to win everybody's approval, you lose everybody. Pastor Mike urges his congregation to spend more time confronting than pretending. People who are not afraid to address matters may be hated in the moment but those who learn the value of good correction will love that same person in the long run.
The apostles declared often, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
Confront your past and the possibilities
Sometimes a person must confront their past to move forward. Past hurts are keeping people back because they have been afraid to confront the things of the past. Every season of life will unearth pain from our pasts that we take to God and progress to the next level. Pastor Mike told V1 Church that the past produces the expectation of one’s perception of the present which then directs one's future.
Confrontation is uncomfortable but wherever there is confrontation there's a true connection. The solution for many marriages in turmoil is not divorce it’s confrontation. A healthy discussion about the issues can bring forth resolution. At times, people do not confront because they do not want to be vulnerable and intimate but we are challenged by scripture to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)
Confronting the issues in life can be beneficial. Some go over a mountain, some go around a mountain but Jesus said to confront the mountain and tell it to “move” (Matthew 17:20).
God wants His children to have a breakthrough in the area of confronting and Pastor Mike instructed his church to declare this prayer over themselves. Recite it out loud:
“Lord I trust you, you gifted me, you will make room for the gift. Activate me! Call me past my pain, call me to the next level. I’m getting out of the boat to walk on water. I will confront, I will be vulnerable, I will step in new relationships, and new possibilities. I will speak to the mountain.
I command it to move, all wounds, all trauma. Mountain move, all programming from hurt, pull down every stronghold, pull down all rejection from the wound. I cancel it. I am accepted by Jesus. The favor of God is on my life. I am loved, I am received and I am moving into my future right now in Jesus' name!”
About the Author
Jeannie Ortega Law is a chart-topping singer, evangelist, media personality and author from New York City. She can be reached on social media: @JeannieOrtega or emailed at Info@JeannieO.com
At V1 Church we believe in teaching Bible-based relationship principles so that you can your family can be strengthened. Connect with us using one of the links below – we’d love to see you and help you walk through the process of reconciliation.