Have you ever been the topic of gossip, or slander, if so, you will know exactly just how much it can hurt and cause frustration and anger.

The thing with gossip and malicious slander is that 99% of the time the origin is someone that knows us, a friend, family member or colleague.

Its adding insult to injury, because we deal with betrayal as well.

I don't have to tell you about the effects gossip can have on someone’s life, I think we all have experienced or heard about the absolute devastation that can occur when gossip does its worst.

People have lost their livelihoods, their families and relationships and sometimes even their lives as a result.

Keeping true to the topic of Spiritual Warfare, I want us to look at gossip from a different perspective, the biblical perspective spiritual warfare perspective.

According to James 3:15-16, the practice of slander is demonic. People who engage in slandering other people are being led by demons—not the Spirit of God.

As followers of Christ, we should be fully aware of who we are fighting against as described in Ephesians 6:12.

Gossip & Slander are tools the devil uses to cause harm, in not only the intended target but also the one from where it wells up

In James 3:8 the tongue is described as an unruly evil full of deadly poison and we are warned against the evil that sprouts from it that is described as being set on fire by hell itself.

The things we speak over ourselves, about others, to others carries tremendous power, and if we open a spiritual door to the demon of gossip & slander, we essentially open a door that makes us an enemy of God.

If we dissect a rumor/slander, the aim is to damage someone’s reputation. We see this in the corporate  world between businesses all the time.

When friendships or relationships end, one party might start a smear campaign against their ex partner or friend to try and damage the way other people see or think about them.

Sometimes it can be only an acquaintance that starts a rumor, simply because of the few minutes of attention that would give them from someone.

To make it clear, we are warned against not starting gossip & slander but we are also warned against opening our ears to such things.

Gossip causes harm because of the underlying purpose of tearing someone down. True Godly love does not dishonor others (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) but helps to build them up and encourage them (Ephesians 4:29). When people take part in rumors, they choose to dishonor someone and cause strife which is inherently against the nature and will of God.”

When we are the topic of slander or gossip, one can easily fall into a trap of hatred towards the gossip spreaders, revenge or even making ourselves guilty of spreading our own poisoned gossip back.

Other times gossip or slander hits a soft target and many tragic stories have ended with someone taking their own lives as a result.

What a tragic ending!

Proverbs 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

We are human and unfortunately we will experience hurt, pain and suffering by the hands of others in our lifetime, the key however is in HOW we as followers of Christ, respond to these things.

First we need to take a look at WHO we are;

Our identity in Christ is a function of our relationship with Him. Knowing our authority and dominion in Christ Jesus makes us aware of who we are in Him. Embracing the authority that is in Jesus reveals to us what our true identity is in Him.

Then we need to take a look at how God sees us:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

“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

Then we need to take a look at how God says we should react:

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. …” (Eph. 4:31–32.)

Matthew 18:21-22

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.' "

Forgiveness is a big topic in the Bible, not only because of how God forgives our sins, but also how we should forgive those who hurt or betray us.

It's not easy to forgive, however not too long ago I did a whole episode about forgiveness and why it is a fundamental action from our side when something like this happens.

So we forgive, but that does not make what is happening to us ok, does it? No it does not, however God is the one who will fight our battles for us. 

Psalms 37:39-40

39 The Lord saves the righteous and protects them in times of trouble.

40 He helps them and rescues them; he saves them from the wicked, because they go to him for protection.

What we should understand is that the person who is making us the topic of slander or gossip is being demonically influenced to do so. Somewhere they have given into sin, opened a spiritual door and now are doing the devil’s work for him.

We should pray for this person to be delivered from this evil spirit, and not try to hurt them back as this will only play into the plans of the enemy, to put family against each other, to cause problems between friends and friction in the workplace.

It's not easy to get to this point when your feelings are hurting, as praying for someone who hurt you seems and might feel weird. To me prayer is sacred and to get to a point where you can put aside your own feelings, and pray for the deliverance of someone else takes courage, but also being obedient to what God teaches us. Let God take care of them, let God fix your situation.

The righteous man never needs to fight his own battles or defend his reputation. God said that He will protect the righteous, and make his way straight.

The moment we take out the stinger in the Gossip, or the jealousy that is normally laced into malicious slander and we understand the plan of the enemy, we might approach situations differently.

With God’s help we might act in such a way that everybody might see Jesus in you. 

Imagine what a testimony it could be when you react in love instead of revenge when the whole wold knows revenge could have been justified.

Imagine instead of cursing the one who has done you wrong, you pray for them and bless them.

Imagine an ordeal that was meant to destroy turns into a blessed testimony, only because you gave the issue to God.

You allowed God to heal your pain, to solve the conflict, to deliver the wrongdoer and to defeat satan’s plan.

Isn't that what God meant when He called us the “Light in the dark world” and the “salt of the earth”

To stand out, to be different, to act different.

Is it easy? NO!! But you can with God’s help brush things off, because He has got you!! He will fight for you, you just need to rest in Him.

Lets guard our hearts, put a guard in front of our mouths and ask God to help us to speak life whenever possible.