By Akosua O'King
Here he comes! There he is! LOOK! the master assassin is lurking everywhere. He is going to and fro looking for whom he may devour. His most oldest yet prolific method, character assassination.
These days it seems everywhere you turn there is some manner or form of character assassination going on. The enemy has employed squads of associate assassins to release their weapons of destruction in social media, phone conversations, text messages and silent whispers behind closed doors.
Look, the enemy is not here to build or create anything good. His solo mission is to annihilate destinies by destroying relationships, planting seeds of hurt and discrediting the assignment God has given to His beloved servants.
And guess what, he has assassins everywhere to do his dirty work. The funny thing about these assassins is that many are employed without them knowing they are employees! Satan uses their idleness, insecurity, bitterness, self doubt and jealousy to enlist them as assassins. He preys on their void lives to destroy innocent and well meaning people.
Someone hurts your feelings? assassinate their character. You are jealous of someone? assassinate their character. You don’t like someone’s style ? assassinate their character. You meet someone you don’t like, assassinate their character. It seems as though character assassination has been unleashed as the answer to all things these days.
The sad part of this malicious act is how it has penetrated our Christian churches, fellowships and godly relationships. As believers, we are gradually becoming comfortable with this evil which is solely opinion-based with no truth or biblical authority.
So why am I writing about this today? Well, because I have come to personally know how easy it is to get swept into the squad of assassins. Let me describe how easy it is.
Imagine meeting someone for the first time and you form an opinion of them during your encounter. Without really giving it much thought, you proceed to share that opinion with a close friend. This close friend also goes and shares with another close friend and then the cycle takes off from there.
During this spread of opinion, the original message gets distorted and before you know it, it has turned into a monstrous slander destroying someone’s destiny. It may seem innocent to begin with but there really is an evil spirit manipulating events targeted towards someone.
I think at this point I must come clean and confess. Sadly, I have been swept in this cycle. Fortunately for me, the Holy Spirit convicted me of participating in hell’s agenda. Unfortunately, shortly after my conviction, i had to bear the consequence of my action.
My behavior destroyed a friendship very precious and dear to me. The person was hurt deeply and I was hurt for allowing myself to be used to cause such grieve. God’s mercy is gradually rebuilding that relationship but what a shame that I even allowed this to happen in the first place!
As if this was not enough, I went on to become a victim of character assassination. Being on the receiving end of these disastrous verbal assaults is one of the most damaging and spiritually wounding experiences anyone can ever go through. Talk about God pruning me in the wilderness! WOW!
Beyond peer assassination, some assassins take their mandate a notch higher to the Church leadership level. Congregants assassinating pastors, pastors assassinating other pastors, churches assassinating other churches … the list goes on and on! Why are we allowing the enemy to employ us in his agenda? Why?
Recently my husband and I met up with some friends and during conversation, a collectively known minister's name came up. For those who have had the opportunity to listen to my husband teach, you do know that he HATES gossip. He has a ZERO tolerance for that. So when this other minister’s name and story came up my husband quickly re-routed the conversation to something else.
In that moment, it was as though darkness had tried to cover us and someone quickly handed each of us flashlights for safety. Of course the person who raised the issue looked embarrassed and perhaps felt disregarded, but we were all saved from that dark path through my husband’s wisdom. We were each given a way of escape from being enlisted as character assassins.
It is time we realized that gossip/conclusion with no evidence are demonic seeds that get planted into people’s minds. These seeds get nurtured and before you know it, good godly people have become agents of the enemy destroying destinies.
In Proverbs 16: 28, the Bible tells us “A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends.” What insight! I bet none of us would want to be known as perverse Christians. At least I know I don’t.
You may be thinking, but what if there is truth to what is being said, especially if it pertains to church leadership misconduct?
Well, the Bible gives us clear guidelines for accusations against church elders or leaders. When you read 1 Timothy 5:19, it says "Don’t listen to a complaint against a leader that isn’t backed up by two or three responsible witnesses." (MSG).
Friends, scripture is instructing us to deal with facts and not our opinions, perception, ideas or our offense. We need to come to a place where we are able to rightly discern between Biblical correction and our personal opinion or preferences.
To my fellow victims of character assassination, I want to encourage you to draw strength from God. Remember David’s advice at the end of Psalm 109 and know that God is for you. If you are being attacked or falsely accused, keep your heart and trust planted in God.
I know, it is not easy, honestly, this will be a painful season in your life but know that God will not only defend you but He will also promote you spiritually. What I mean by this is that, enduring your season of character assassination will move you into another level in your maturity in your walk with God.
Remember, your promotion is dependent on your submission to God in your tough seasons.
I wish I could tell you that once you go through one level of character assassination you are home free. Unfortunately, every level of promotion God brings into our life will have its own attacks attached to it. Don’t get discouraged, please stay with me, I have good news.
The good news is this, if you stay planted in your purpose and keep doing what God has called you to do, no number of assassins can defuse God’s approval of you. It is God we seek to please, not man. If you have God’s approval, no man can discredit you. It is said that character always outlives a lie. Let your life, your works and your integrity speak.
Friends, this is a very critical area we can all do better in. Let us refuse to be enlisted as character assassins. Is there something about someone you do not like? Please go to God and lay it at His feet in prayer. As James 1:19 says, let us be slow to speak.
Be encouraged and encourage others!