Confrontation: My Gift and Privilege

In Jennifer’s post “Grace and Truth,” she wrote, “When the Holy Spirit initiates a confrontation, the clash is not between two people; it’s between Reality and unreality. Truth and lies. Life and death. Love and hate. God and Satan. We do not confront another person; the indwelling life of Christ within us – the Word – confronts the power that holds them. And that’s why truth comes with grace” (Eph. 6:12).

The Confrontation of Obedience

Several days ago the Lord called me to a difficult confrontation. For two years I’ve waited and listened, praying for His will and unction, His timing, His zeal concerning a particular situation. I knew in my heart it would take absolute surrender and loyalty to Him and His purpose, and so I bowed and waited until He moved on me in zeal and with His words.

In the aftermath of that confrontation some realities have become clearer. For one thing, obedient confrontation puts us on the front lines of spiritual warfare. I am seeing it as an offensive move of the Spirit, a weapon of warfare. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 reveals that the weapons of warfare are for “pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” It seems that more often than not, because it is an offensive weapon, confrontation stirs up the ‘hornets of hell.’ But for a moment I want to leave that thought and focus on the gift and privilege that confrontation has been for me both to receive and be called upon to give.

Dealing With Confrontation

In my own life, it has been absolutely necessary for the Lord to confront me repeatedly, both gently and at times fiercely to break through my hard metal jacket of rebellion and lawlessness. One day long ago when I was in Jeremiah 31, which is a treasure trove of personal promises for me, verse three reached out and wrapped itself around me. A transforming of my mind began as He uncovered my fear: the belief that when God confronted me He was rejecting me. “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you” (NKJV). The NLT says, “With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself.” His love has truly been a tsunami – faithful, loving, unrelenting and confronting. I began to see and understand that even His more painful confrontations were really a divine sword dripping in His love and kindness (Hebrews 4:12). After all, among His many names, He is Jehovah Makkeh: “The Lord God Who molds me; strikes, smites, corrects, disciplines, trains, and chastens” (Ezekiel 7:9, from Marilyn Hickey’s book The Names of God).

What Does Confrontation Mean?

Over the years, confrontations I’ve received through the Body of Christ, true friends who watch for my soul, and from ‘just life’ at the Hands of my loving Father have all been to draw me in love to Himself, my ‘Ishi.’ It’s all been about relationship with Him, for an intimacy that He longs for way beyond my own desire. I thank Him that He has often cornered me and brought me to a decision where I had no other choice but to say yes to Him.

Hosea 2:16 AMP
And it shall be in that day, says the Lord, that you will call Me Ishi [my Husband], and you shall no more call Me Baali [my Baal].

Confrontation is a gift and a privilege and for “the working out of my own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).