Who is the “narcissist”, God or Lucifer? What about us ?

Spiritual blindness:
Why do we sometimes unintentionally believe lies? What is the cause of spiritual blindness and how can we escape it? 

Modern terminology

Wrong is no longer wrong and right is no longer right. This is what anyone who has been “gas-lighted”, is subjected to. If you have encountered what modern psychology calls narcissistic people you know what I am talking about. Even when they are clearly at fault or harm others, instead of apologizing and correcting their behavior they feel “exposed” and attack the victim and put the blame there. This is their “problem solving”. And although narcissistic tendencies are viewed as evil, most people who show these behavior tendencies on a regular basis, do it unintentionally. Most people who behave narcissistically are blind to their own behavior. Many of them really do convince themselves the other is at fault. Let us look at some of the narcissistic traits and then we will go and investigate if there is a conflict between modern psychology and the Bible, the difference in terminology used, and how it all relates to each and every one of us.

They feel threatened by guilt.
People with narcissistic tendencies love to put a psychiatric diagnosis on others who they feel threatened by. They consider “the feelings” of the victim as what is at fault during a confrontation, that their victim’s perception of reality is wrong. Any confrontation is considered an attack on them and they instantly defend themselves.
This is why they will almost always perceive the one they wound as the bad person. They can’t handle guilt in a healthy way and will despise anyone who makes them feel any sort of guilt. That is why an abuser, for instance, can feel anger instead of compassion when they see the tears of their victims. Many say people with narcissistic tendencies do not feel guilt, perhaps some don’t, but I would say they do. They just do not have a normal reaction to it. It does not inspire empathy and regret. They see the tears as an attack and they feel the need to avenge themselves or defend themselves against “the attack”.
They can even feel victimized by their victim’s tears or hurt. Like soldiers in a war, when confronted with their guilt, they instantly draw their sword and stab. And that is why people with narcissistic tendencies are feared. Because you can not reason with them in a situation of conflict the way you usually can with someone who has empathy. The healthy response is to feel compassion, to relate to the person who struggles, and to feel remorse when seeing the consequence of our wrongful actions. Then remorse leads to a change of behavior. We try to do things differently next time.

They take the role of victim
For someone with narcissistic tendencies, the victim becomes a threat. And many abusers, if they do not choose revenge, will hurry and take the victim role as a defense mechanism. In this way, they can escape being held responsible for their actions.
For outsiders, it will be confusing and sometimes they can not distinguish which one of the two in the conflict is actually telling the truth. Who is really the victim and who is not? Are they both bad? Do they just misunderstand each other? They might try to help but actually end up causing even more damage by demanding or suggesting the real victim apologize to their abuser.

They gather support
One of the key strategies (intentional or unintentional) for someone with a narcissist behavior pattern is to gather support in their favor. It is therefore important for a person with narcissist tendencies to have people they never victimize in their circle of friends and family, and it is important for their success to be outgoing. Most people around them are manipulated to behold the victim as the villain and the villain as the victim.

They “gaslight”
Another behavior pattern from such people is popularly called “gas-lighting”. This is an expression that originally came from a movie called ‘gaslight’ where the abusive husband manipulated his wife into thinking she was losing her mind. Not only her, but he also coached everyone else to think she was crazy too. You could say gas-lighting is a slow form of “brainwashing” which is why few realize they are manipulated before they start experiencing the symptoms from it. Even then they still might not understand what is happening.

The narcissist becomes the hero and the victim becomes the villain, or often described as the “sick person in need of help”. If the abuser can present the other as “sick” and “pitiful” they can take the role as the concerned person and by it, in front of other people, appear charitable to their own victim. It is a typical thing for “the gas-lighter” to say to its victim: “you need help”. They do not say it in order so they can actually help you, but they think you need to be helped from what the “gaslighter” feels is “a false reality”.

Again most people with these traits are not doing it intentionally. This is their defense mechanism. However, their defense mechanism is causing people harm and confusion. It is also turning them into very bad people. They confuse right and wrong, good and evil, just to “save face”. Most people who are subjected to them over time will struggle with confusion and will constantly question their own sanity. The ones with the narcissistic tendency, however, rarely question their own sanity, because their behavior is a defense mechanism and therefore it gives them some kind of peace to divert blame. Sometimes the term “scapegoat” is used in modern terminology which explains the concept of re-placing blame. Most dysfunctional families have a “scapegoat”. Sometimes we see it at workplaces, in politics, and in all parts of life.

Many do it unconsciously, they are “blind”.
I have noticed that many who create a false reality about people around them do it unconsciously. They are not the “evil villain” in the cartoons with the evil laugh doing everything intentionally. They believe what they are beholding, they believe their own narrative about others.

If they did it intentionally it can not be called “blindness”. When you have a great or minor conflict between people and even between angels and heavenly beings, there will be, almost always, two sides that both feel they are in the right and that the other side is the one in the wrong. Even the bad side will front some kind of “noble reason” for the bad things they do that they convince themselves of. Today, people throw narcissism and gas-lighting terms lightly on anyone that makes them feel bad about themselves.

A good and a bad side
The Biblical God claims that there is a good side and a bad side. And often, as we will see, God says those who think that evil is good are “blind”. Christ’s most famous words are a prayer for those abusing and stealing from Him: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing». (Luk.23:34)

God has dealt with the rebellion against His government for some time. He has had to endure that people can no longer see clearly what is right and wrong. The world today has never been more confused. And each generation leading up to our own, have changed their perception of right and wrong over and over again. God, on the other hand, as a contrast to the shifting morals, has stood by the same definition without changing.

God talks about a “blindness” to the truth. They are those who do wrong and still believe their own narrative that they are still the “good guys”.

The Jewish leaders longed for the Messiah and claimed to love God with all their hearts. And yet, when their Savior was standing right in front of their eyes, they hated Him? They perceived Him to be the bad one and themselves as the good guys fighting evil. What made them so blind?

How did good become bad in their eyes? And how is this all related to the modern terminologies of “gas-lighting” and “narcissistic” behavior patterns?

Many have all experienced it on some level.
If you have personal experience with people with narcissistic tendencies, you know how it is almost impossible to undo the damage they create. Someone’s reputation around that person will always be ruined. You end up always having to explain yourself and prove yourself in vain. It is no use.
A person falling victim to what modern terminology call narcissism, usually either becomes apathetic under their control or try to break free by confronting or exposing the ‘bully/abuser’ about their behavior. When you expose someone who might not be aware of their own character traits they will instantly go into self-defense and go to war against you. To them, you become a whistleblower that needs to be silenced. You are not acting “the role” you have been given and must be disciplined. And so, the gas-lighter will start coaching people around them to turn them against you. Basically, they will try and win over as many people as possible to their side, just to win their argument that you are the one at fault. Gathering people on their side empowers them. As a victim of people with “narcissistic” tendencies, your sanity is questioned, and also your perception. Your emotions are called unstable, that you have not really experienced what you have seen or heard, and that those who harmed you are innocent and wrongly accused by your delusions. Or, as mentioned, they claim that you are sick. Or they will, like many Christians with these traits, convince people that their degrading testimony of you comes from a place out of concern and care. Often the ones who display narcissistic behavior patterns are perceived as good and caring by everyone except the minority they afflict. A narcissist can often be extroverted and charismatic. On the other hand, a victim of years of “gas-lighting” is usually more insecure and more withdrawn expecting not to be believed because of how they have been treated by “the gas-lighter” and so they keep quiet, while the “gas-lighter” is more outgoing and thereby often preferred and sided with.
This is how the person with “narcissistic” tendencies recruits other people to help “gas-light” the “victim”. The harm they have caused which have affected how you present yourself to others with fear and insecurity is used to explain to people that there is something wrong with you.

At this point, many victims of such people cave in, because it becomes too overwhelming and the number growing against “the victim” takes them back to the state where they will question themselves rather than their “abuser”. They also become self-destructive. The person with narcissistic tendencies wins. They have saved their reputation and upheld their chosen narrative. The moment the “victim shuts up”, the narcissistic person withdraws again from the victim role and goes back to their abusive behavior. This time the victim dare not say anything, because of the experience that there will be no support or help, and they become prey once again. Many end their lives never getting away from the damaging relationship. Some end up at psychiatric hospitals. Others are alienated from their friends and family. The strong ones end up helping other “victims”.
The strong will flee from the abuser as the only alternative, and cut all contact.
By it, the escape might be seen as a confirmation that they were the unkind ones like they had heard.
When the one with narcissistic tendencies coach others to see them as the victim and the real victim as the abuser a harmful wound is afflicted. They get help in subduing the real victim and the real victim ends up in conflicts with more people. Many then see it as a confirmation that the “narcissist” narrative was the correct one. And the misunderstandings will not end. Rarely have I seen a victim completely win. Well, I have never seen it. Sometimes even the ‘real victim’ is convinced by everyone that they are bad, and not knowing what to change, as they are not doing anything wrong, they start self-harming. A “gas-lighter” will convince its victim that they know them better than they know themselves, making them believe they need to harm and silence themselves to make things right. Some victims then join the mob against them in destroying themselves. They can not care for themselves, they struggle to feel that they deserve kindness from others, and therefore will not accept anything good coming their way. They lose hope, they let go of ambitions, they see no future and they feel they have little left to live for. Many commit suicide.
This is one of the most tragic outcomes. And it is caused by people who will not take responsibility for their own harmful actions and therefore confuse right and wrong. People with narcissistic tendencies destroy tens of thousands of people every day. Sometimes they become leaders in a country and attack groups of people calling them out. No one wants to be a leader more than a person with “narcissistic” tendencies, but no one is less fit for the part. In society today we see many governments with “narcissistic” tendencies and they “gas-light” their own citizens into submission. Such is very unhealthy countries.
God is very aware of the problem, and it has existed since the birth of sin. But God declares a woe unto such people: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light
and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20).

The point is this, the doubt that has been created against you when you are in a confrontation with someone “narcissistic” can never fully be removed.
People that will not accept responsibility for their own behavior and harm, are a danger to be around. First, they inflict your wounds, then they point to your wounds and use them as evidence of their argument. It is the ultimate betrayal. They harm you and then harvest the sympathy that should have been rightfully yours. They harm you, and your wounds become their weapon. To make a silly example, they shoot you, and the blood splatters on their clothing, and when you call for an ambulance to get life-saving help, they will tell the paramedics they called for them, point to your blood on their clothing and they will get the ambulance to pick them up instead while you remain bleeding on the pavement as the ambulance drives away. If you dare survive, they will sue you for damages afterward. It is a silly example but I am sure any victim of narcissism will be able to relate.
What can feel even worse, is when they harm you and people are lead to view them as your benefactor or even caregiver. You will never get an apology and they will never admit wrong and if you confront them or even try to tell others they will punish you severely by continuing to coach people around you to accept their narrative and destroy your reputation.
The problem is that such a person more than often believes their own narrative, they are blind to the facts, to themselves. And so, they believe they are in the right. To them, you are causing a problem and are therefore a bad person.

When trying to understand narcissist tendency, I found it interesting to look at the battle between God and Lucifer. A cosmic spiritual war where there are two sides who claim to be in the right. God says Lucifer is a liar and a murderer and Lucifer claims God is the abuser. If we investigate, which one of them shows narcissistic traits? Is it possible to find out who is telling the truth? And if so, how? I was fascinated to find solid evidence in favor of one of them.

The War in Heaven – The two directions.

Why do some not see their fault?
Anyone who has any experience with narcissistic people is going to relate to how hopeless it is being in such a situation. “Narcissism” and “gas-lighting” are just modern expressions created by modern psychology on things we humans do not really understand. Modern psychology is not inspired by the Bible, but is non-religious philosophy around the problems we see in the world. In the Bible, however, harming others is not described as an illness. There it is presented as choices. It also explains that the more wrong choices we make, the more we are affected by them, until we do not know how to escape the person we have become. We become our choices so to speak.
In the Bible, we learn that there are no blurred lines, no good inside the evil or evil inside the good. God claims there is a right and a wrong behind every conflict. It is sometimes compared to light and darkness. On one side is God and on the other side is Lucifer. These two sides display themselves also in human conflicts. Although sometimes in the Bible good people do bad things and bad people do good things, there is an ultimate truth God judges from. The bad does not become good just because a good person does it. Nor does a good deed become bad just because a bad person does it. If someone is starving right there and then and the bad person gives him food, he did a good thing regardless of who he is.
In the Bible, everyone is presented with a choice, and a right and a wrong. The Bible has a different way of viewing human behavior. Modern psychology tries to explain behavior patterns that are damaging towards others in the best way they can. sometimes they get it wrong, and sometimes they are spot on. There are 200 classified forms of mental illness. Ironically modern psychology has many times helped the “gas-lighter” gas-light their victim.
Although the Bible recognizes that people are being mentally harmed by others, rather than giving the wounded a diagnosis, like modern psychology, the blame for the problems is placed on the one committing the crime or the one causing the harm. Its solution to cure or at least to help the wounded is to punish the perpetrator or force him to admit his guilt and make him pay recompense (Mat_5:23, Mat 18:15-17; Esek.18, Exo 22:9 & 12 and so on).
There is great justice and peace for anyone that has been wounded to be given justice. Even if they choose to forgive, they at least have been able to get peace by knowing what happened to them was wrong. To know that they had rights, that they were worth something. Anyone who is deprived of this can struggle with mental issues. In the Bible, the cause of all suffering among man is evil acts. If you commit them yourself you can harm yourself and others, but then you can solve it because you “own” the problem. If it is done to you, it is the responsibility of the other to stop or change. If this does not happen and the sinner instead of changing, changes the concepts of right and wrong, society as a whole will be affected. If blame is transferred to the wrong person, the problems can not be solved. The more the worse, until God judges them to stop the suffering. The prophet Habakkuk relates to this problem when he says: “Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth» (Hab 1:4). 

The Bible is very strict about holding the guilty accountable for the benefit of all. It talks about mercy and forgiveness, but the blame must be on the one responsible to prevent further damage.

The irreligious watches how mankind keeps harming each other and how hard it is to make them stop. They see the problems with man that God points out, but group people in boxes, using their own terminology to describe them. They create their own definition of right and wrong, for they see it is needed in a world of violations. But when God does it, they dismiss Him. Mankind is struggling to understand the following. Why, when there is a clear perception of right and wrong, do the ones in the wrong not see their own faults? This especially puzzles bystanders that see conflicts. Yet when the bystander ends up in their own conflict, they too become blind to their own fault. And almost by default, they view themselves as the “right side” of the conflict. And because of this, people feel the need to establish what is “right” and “wrong” and they do exactly what they criticize God for doing. They fear chaos if they don’t have a fact sheet that helps them evaluate a conflict. They create a “norm” and an “abnormality”. They see that if everyone has their own definition of right and wrong, then no conflict can be easily solved, and people can not be judged easily. And so, they need a fact-sheet to go by and they create it themselves. However, the fact sheet of man often differs from God’s fact sheet which is why the two come in conflict. The “normal” in an irreligious society is always changing.

In the Bible, we learn that everyone can have “narcissistic” behavior.
Modern psychology often claims that people with narcissistic traits are difficult to cure. They think it is a condition a person here and there suffers from or is born with. In the Bible, we learn that the behavior pattern of a narcissist is a bad trait every human being can have and that the behavior has an origin story. The Bible calls these traits something else, which we will look into. It is important that we understand these things because the Bible tells us this condition makes us “spiritually blind” and it can happen to any of us, even those who call themselves Gods people. The “blindness” is described as ignorance of right and wrong. If you do something you know is wrong towards others intentionally, the Bible says you doing something bad. God does not call it a disease. On judgment day, He will not be handing out exemption documents for people with psychiatric diagnoses. Neither for abusers or victims. He will hold everyone accountable for what they did. It is like a drunk person committing a crime. In the Bible, we see that one sin leads to another, and one chain of decisions might make you lose control of your actions. Yet you will still be judged because you took that path that leads to you not being able to control your actions. If you felt powerless in fighting temptation, you are held accountable for placing yourself in that temptation. Just like we do not exempt a rapist for being drunk, and by it losing control over his own actions. The girl will not suffer any less damage because of the man’s excuse for committing the crime. God is not going to blur right and wrong. When damage (sin) is done, no one will be able to put the blame elsewhere. The problem will always be with the one who commits the crime regardless of why they did it. The Biblical God tells the person to either change their ways or be punished for their crimes, all depending on what they did. In the Bible, there is no excuse for harming others that you can use to acquit yourself. You can not say “I was born that way” or “I was taught to be that way” or “I am sick and that is why” or “others did it to me first”. There is no excuse, the perpetrator has to take responsibility either one way or the other. We can have a reason for doing it, but we can not have an excuse. If you get to have an excuse, everyone should get one too and there will be no peace on earth. In the Bible, God gives no man an excuse for sin. The reason is that if you excuse sin you are justifying the existence of it. So although we sometimes have a teary story of why we ended up doing something bad, it will not acquit us. God cares about our stories and our pain, but not our excuses. With God, sin can never be justified. It can be atoned, but not justified.
God claims that all of mankind has a choice and that our actions are ultimately a reflection of those choices.
Perhaps the greatest conflict between modern psychology and the Bible is this concept of choice. While one offers excuses and explanations, the other tells you that you are always responsible for what you do. This is why many struggles so much with the Bible because we hate being held accountable. We want those excuses to feel better about ourselves. We all want to be the victim when confronted with our wrongs. In the Bible, there are good deeds and bad deeds. And when you do good, you are doing good, and when you do bad you are doing bad. “But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die» (Ezek. 18:24)
God will stick with His fact sheet no matter who you are. He says: «For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. (Deut.10:17)

So why did God choose such a clear “right” and “wrong” narrative, and do we really need it? Is God “the narcissist”?

What happened between God and Lucifer?
If you have experienced how impossible it is to clear someone’s reputation after “the gas-lighter” has done his work recruiting people to their side, how impossible the battle seems, you will understand better what happened in heaven. It might even help you to see God and His situation in another light.

When Satan was confronted with being in the wrong and causing harm, when he was revealed to have told lies about God to defend his own actions, there were two directions Lucifer could take. One was to repent and correct his behavior, or he could attack the one exposing his fault. Satan chose war instead of repentance. And he instantly started to try and get as many angels (and later people) on his side to strengthen his case that God was the one in the wrong. And he succeeded in convincing one-third of all of God’s angels that God was the problem, that God was the unreasonable one, the unstable, that God was the one that could not be trusted.
God was majestic, different than the angels, covered in mystery and glory. Once doubt was created towards Him, the difference between angels and God, the unknown, could work against God. Lucifer, on the other hand, appeared to be one of them, an angel, having their best interest at heart, and they saw him daily. He was one of them. The angels became confused. They loved God, but doubt had been created and deep inside many were confused about who was telling the truth and who was not. Had God fooled them? Was there truth to Lucifer’s accusations and if so should they act upon it? Who really was the villain? Lucifer seemed so kind and good, how then could he lie? Lucifer is one of them and God far above them and in that way different, and it most likely made many draw towards Lucifer. Even though the majority remained on God’s side, they too had to face that doubt now existed among them. Even after repeated dialogue, it could not be erased. It was a nagging feeling that could not be wiped away.

The doubt that was created was so damaging that God saw that only time could reveal who the villain actually was. Even for God, dealing with such a person is extremely difficult. God’s character was put into question. He had been painted as the villain and Lucifer as a victim, hero, and freedom fighter. Angels started to struggle to differentiate right from wrong. They had never been in such a situation before. Whenever there is someone showing “narcissistic traits” there will also be confusion.

This is why God could not judge and destroy Satan and his angels right away. Satan’s immediate death would only increase doubt.
And it is in God’s dealing with Lucifer we see who the “narcissist” actually is between the two of them.

A “narcissist” will always try to destroy or silence the one who exposes them. For they fear to be exposed, and they fear investigation. Their reputation is usually saved by silencing their accuser in one way or another. When the accusations against God first were made God did neither. He did not silence him and He did not destroy him. In fact in the story of Job, long after the fall of man, we see Lucifer coming before God and the other angels openly making his accusations. Instead of silencing Lucifer who was claiming that Job was on God’s side because of bribery, God allows Lucifer’s investigation of these claims. Remember there are witnesses beholding this conflict. God could tell the angels Lucifer is wrong and silenced him, but then no one would know for sure. Lucifer’s accusation was not only directed towards God but also against man, claiming that if he is to be judged so should we. God allows this investigation because God can not rule in the universe without trust. Jesus said once: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke.22:31-32)

God constantly allowing His actions to be in the open and under investigation for other beings to behold, even though He is all-powerful, is a sign that God is not a narcissist. God defends His government and Himself against false accusations, but we are still allowed to hear Satan’s narrative and critic.

If God told the truth, He was better served by allowing Satan to speak up and to live, for God would be cleared of the charges made against him by giving him exposure. If Satan was the narcissistic one, it would be the opposite for him. The more he was exposed the less it would credit him. And so he would have to lie, prevent our investigation of him, and do his actions in the “dark” to avoid exposure. That is exactly what he has done.

Jesus made this point many times. He said God’s work was in the “light” because it could be investigated. “So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.» Matt.10:26-27)

He also said: “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light» (Luke 8:17).

The Bible often uses the terms “light” and “darkness”. This is because where there is light there is visibility. When it is dark you can not see. And those who are in the wrong will hide their deeds “in the dark” so you can not see them, but those who do right will not be ashamed to be investigated. God’s actions can tolerate the light of day is an important point that God makes over and over again. We see the trials in heaven have thousands upon thousands of witnesses. Not one decision is made “in the dark” (Dan.7:10; Rev.4). In Ezekiel we see God’s throne has wheels with eyes all over them, again showing that God does not fear visibility. Instead these “eyes” follow Him everywhere He goes (Eze 1:18). They also see us.
Jesus says: “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed” (John 3:20). These terms are just another way of explaining the conflict we use different words for today. God loves using metaphors. And so the term “light and darkness” involves so much information to the whole problematic conflict. In them, you can go in-depth beyond visibility. For instance, it is easier to stumble in the dark, easier to go in the wrong direction, little can grow in darkness, and so on.

From God’s decisions alone, we know for sure that Satan is the narcissist and not God. If God was the “narcissist” he would have killed Satan off instantly and scared every doubter to silence. He would create a world of rule by fear, for His consideration would be to Himself and His position and not the well-being of His people. His first choice would be to defend and protect Himself.
God did not deal with Lucifer the way a narcissist would do. But Lucifer tried to do it to God. He wanted to silence God. God’s Son, Christ, came to earth to defend God and save mankind, to help them see. Satan retaliated by first trying to silence and then kill Jesus. Through those influenced by him Satan “gas-lighted” Jesus with all his might.

Jesus was called “crazy” and “unstable”. Satan called Jesus what God accused Satan of being, a lawbreaker and a troublemaker. This is very typical “narcissistic behavior”. When they are exposed they project their own bad traits on the one exposing them.
When Jesus was born in this world, Satan was prepared to have Him killed before He could utter one single word. While Jesus was still a baby, He was targeted. Satan was not open to Jesus investigating Satan’s claims that flesh could not be obedient to God, that God’s demands were unreasonable. He would not tolerate Christ coming to earth to expose his many lies to mankind. Christ survived almost all attacks on his life. Not only did Satan attempt to kill Him as a baby, but in Nazareth and Jerusalem, there were several attempts on His life. They tried to throw Him off a cliff and they stoned Him. All the beings in heaven had seen how God spared Lucifer several times. God had allowed him to speak his mind and He had listened to his accusations and allowed an investigation of his claims. God had always been the most powerful, but that does not mean He had to be the bad guy. How would it have been if the roles were reversed? When God was made “flesh” the roles were changed. Divinity reborn as a man was now in large part defenseless, even angels had a nature greater than Christ. Jesus was the one who could not be killed in heaven, He had life in Himself being like God. But when He took upon human flesh He could be harmed. The angels had seen how God had patiently dealt with Lucifer and his angels. But did God win because He was the strongest? What would have happened if Satan had been the most powerful? In a way, God got to showcase this scenario on earth. Now the earth was under Lucifer’s control and Jesus was born as a helpless man.
Would Lucifer allow God’s son to make his case among mankind to defend His Father? Would Lucifer tolerate God’s free speech on the very grounds he now claimed to rule? Lucifer acted like a true “narcissist” in his treatment of Jesus.
When Jesus would not be silenced, Satan was ready to have his subjects torture and kill him. The last attempt of His life God allowed, and as a result, Jesus died. God, along with His Son had created a plan of redemption to save mankind. In the end, Satan lost his claim on those who had sinned and he had also shown himself to be a despot. God brilliantly accomplished to expose Satan, not by killing him, but by making Himself vulnerable and allowing the universe to see just who Lucifer was. Christ’s death did not only save mankind but also exposed Lucifer’s character as a leader. When Christ had the upper hand in heaven He spared Lucifer’s life, but when Lucifer thought he had the upper hand here on earth he did not spare Christ.

When Lucifer first started his conflict with God in heaven, God had no other way to defeat the doubt created but to let it play out, and for the rebels to expose themselves over time. Once doubt had been created, doubt on who was in the wrong or right, the element of exposure over time had to be added before any final punishment could be made.
Satan could not be judged before he had exposed himself completely, made it blatantly evident who he was, and that he had lied about God. It had to be understood by intelligent beings that Satan himself was the one that he accused God of being, and that God was the real freedom fighter, the one who had their best interests at heart. God was the one who would sacrifice and give of Himself for their sake while Lucifer was serving himself and just using them to get what he wanted. God is a true leader, a trustworthy impartial judge.
God had to let Satan and his angels live, He really had no other choice if He wanted to ensure future lasting peace in the universe and on the earth.
But Lucifer and his followers could not stay in heaven as God’s perfect world could be used as Satan’s disguise and his character would not be fully exposed. Satan had to play out his rule somewhere else, a place that sympathized with him and accepted him. A place he was welcome.

How you have ever encountered someone with “narcissistic” tendencies who has ruined your or another person’s reputation? Someone who has lied about you or them, or put you or them in a false light? If you have, you would know that their death would bring yourself or them little justice. For their words would continue to cause damage even after they died. The people they lied to will continue their works and their words. However, if they were caught giving others the same treatment, evidence after evidence would pile up against them, and in this way, the bystanders will, after a while, realize that this is what happened to you or that person. In this way, you might have a chance to be believed. This is what God had to choose, Satan had to live in order for him to expose himself. Satan had to be alive for people, beings, and angels to be able to distinguish who the true villain really was. Why right was right and wrong was wrong, and why Satan’s version of “right” leads to “wrong”.
A war using word against word would not remove the doubt that was directed towards God. Satan was willing to lie and describe God with his own character traits, and himself with God’s character traits. This was to make it hard for even angels to distinguish. Who really, was telling the truth? Jesus brought this principle into the light for mankind to see when he was here on earth. He said we have to “know them by their fruits” (Matt 7:16). Not by what they say, but by what they do. For what they do will expose them. Often in the Bible, God’s many names are just explanations of what He does and who He is. This is what He wants to showcase. Again, visibility. In the same way, God calls Lucifer Satan which is a description of what he does. It means “accuser”.
Anyone can say the “right things” and falsely accuse another, but what we do will reveal who we are. We can only be an actor for so long. I am sure Lucifer did act like everyone’s beneficiary for as long as he could and still do to those who have not exposed him. Time will bring out the real us too, our hardships and abundance, sorrows and joy. They all tell the story of who we are. Jesus had already been in that war of lies, He had already beheld the confusion caused by it, both in heaven and on earth. There is a deep experience behind those few words “ye shall know them by their fruits”.

Satan was not created with narcissistic tendencies. God said that he was perfect from the day he was created: “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee» (Eze.28:15). Lucifer was perfect, he was not created with a damaged conscience or as a psychopath. Rather, it was a choice Lucifer made later on that changed him into what he became. We will look into how it happened and how it can happen with us as well. For the Bible says, it can happen to us as well, and that we have to be aware of making the same mistakes.

The awful power of doubt

Now let us make a constructed example of how doubt works and in what position being doubted places you in. Let us say that there are two men, one has a slight dislike towards the other, perhaps he loses a debate. This can cause embarrassment and even anger. Rather than accepting the loss, he now looks for a way to place the blame on the other. When losing the debate, he felt humiliated and thereby naturally perceived the other person as dominant, even if he was not acting dominant. So he starts insinuating that the other man is condescending, and then further speculates if the reason he did not feel that he “won” was because he was not heard, that the other person was too aggressive in his approach. Trying to look for evidence to confirm his perception and to feel better about himself, he looks for “other victims” or “confirmations” of his view to establish it. He can, for instance, imagine that the man’s wife looks suppressed and tell that to people. It must be awful being married to such a “dominant” person right? “If he can’t get a word in she definitely can not”, he may joke. He can bring up the story to others about the debate he had with exaggerations and caricatures to get support for his view that the other was at fault, yet had they been there they would not have seen the conflict that way.
Every time he shares and induces doubt about the other person, he himself restore some of the self-confidence he lost. It feels good, it feels right. Now, he is the good guy reacting to bad behavior from the other. Now he is the patient guy who tried to reach out to the other. Once his insinuations are spread around without any evidence, after a while, people will be inclined to believe him and the seed of doubt towards the other has been sown. The quiet wife can continue to be used as “evidence” of the man’s narrative.
A little later, when the wife of the other person shows up with a blue mark on her face, people will instantly think that her husband might have harmed her as one of the possibilities. They all heard the insinuations that the man was aggressive and the wife might possibly be suppressed.
However, if no false report had been spread people would not even have thought the thought that she was harmed by her husband. And when she said she fell on the way to the store they would instantly believe her without question. But once doubt about her husband’s character has circulated, people’s first thought will most likely be that the husband might have done it. This is a constructed example of how much damage one person can do towards another, just because they felt the need to elevate themselves after feeling humiliated.
Now, to the point. When false reports and doubt are spread about someone, anyone, that person will never be able to completely shake off the doubt that people have towards him. It will always stay in the back of their minds and will be brought up, even in completely innocent situations. There will be a questionable interpretation of people’s true motives and actions. If someone gossips about a person, saying he/she is vain, conceited, aggressive, unstable or whatever it is that has been spread falsely, people will automatically interpret what they see in accordance with the doubt that was created in their mind. We see what we have been ‘coached’ to see. This is why we sometimes can dislike someone we have never even spoken to. All because we have been coached to feel certain things in regards to that person. What we think might not even be true at all, it is usually a one-sided version of a given situation, mixed with human emotions, sometimes even exaggerated, in order to gain support. Sometimes we are “coached” to think a certain way towards whole groups of people. Whether it is about race or religion.
Now, it would be silly to call the man in this fictitious story a “narcissist”. He displayed a common human defense mechanism, which is a common cause of so much pain on this planet. All sorts of people do this to each other to a smaller or greater degree all the time. Many do not even know how to build their self-esteem in any other way than to look down upon someone else. People love gossip because discussing other people’s faults and blemishes gives them a superior feeling. It is a temporary self esteem-boost. I say temporarily because the feeling does not last which is why they have to continue the gossip to “feel good” about themselves.
Most people that use sinful ways to elevate themselves or defend themselves are blind to their behavior. There are real victims of abuse, and really bad people out there. But there is also a potentially bad person in all of us. We can all inflict damage to each other by simply going by our emotions (flesh) as a guideline for how we act.
We humans often evaluate other people in relation to our own shortcomings. What we behold is determined by where our heart is at, not necessarily where the other person’s heart is. If we feel humiliated, we perceive the other person as condescending. While it could be that we actually humiliated ourselves, and we felt violated by the other person being a bystander. If we get scared we can perceive the other person as aggressive or angry. Yet, our fears might be tied to unresolved issues inside ourselves, and have absolutely nothing to do with the other person. If we feel suspicious, we perceive the other as a suspicious person, yet there might be nothing suspicious about them at all. It could be our own prejudice based on past events.
This also goes the other way around. When we see someone being funny and we laugh, we think we are funny. Yet in reality, it was that person who was funny. Or when we hear about how Christ was charitable to others, we think we are charitable for being touched by the stories. Maybe we even shed a tear hearing it. Yet, we might never have done anything charitable in our entire life. We fool ourselves.
A selfish person calls other people selfish. A cheater presumes that other people cheat. A gullible person presumes that others are gullible. A wrongly accused might defend someone guilty, for they are projecting their own experience.

And so we project both good and bad to ourselves and others all the time. We are almost always partial when we view ourselves, reality, and other people. Partiality can cause “blindness” to right and wrong.

And this blindness is the cause of many inter-human conflicts.

A person who is afflicted by a false report is put in a situation where they have to defend and prove themselves where others do not have to. Two people can do the exact same thing and one ends up being under suspicion and the other is praised, and it is all tied to the spreading of misinformation and not always what they do.
A person who is subjected to false accusations or rumors will often change their behavior in accordance with what they have experienced and it can make them insecure, defensive, and so on. When someone shows these traits they usually come under even more suspicion, and it all spirals into a never-ending circle. Who likes a defensive person? Very few. And so, by trying to free themselves of all the false accusations they face prejudice and even more suspicion. They will suffer for a long time, possibly the rest of their lives. And the way the world is today, everyone seems to be either subdued, used, or a ‘user’. Many victims create their own victims. And many abusers can end up as a victim too. It becomes the survival of the fittest. People gain their position when pushing others down.

In the bible, the law against making a false testimony towards others is the ninth of the ten commandments. Witnessing falsely about others was such a severe and damaging sin that God pronounced a death sentence on anyone destroying someone else’s reputation with lies and gossip. It is one of the sins that Jesus had to die to redeem us from. God will not allow false testimonies of others in His kingdom. He demands, rightly, that people need to consider changing this course of action if they want to be part of a world of peace. We need to change the way we pursue our own happiness and peace. It can not be done by stepping all over other people.
“A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow” (Pro.25:18)

God is strong even when faced with false testimonies against Him. He does not allow Satan’s attack to change how He presents Himself. His behavior is consistent. Neither is He manipulated into changing His perception of right or wrong. He did not question His sanity because of Lucifer’s accusations. But that did not mean His reputation was not under attack or greatly damaged. It actually was, both angels and mankind started doubting God because of Satan’s accusations. It is hard to be a leader without trust and love. False witness toward others removes trust, and suspicion removes love and devotion. For God, the chaos that came from this distrust, the damage it did to others must be very hard to watch.
This was God’s biggest problem, that the doubt against Him was so damaging that many would not let Him lead them. Instantly removing Satan would just make people think Satan was right and that God was hiding something. God could not rid Himself of doubt by ridding Himself of Satan. That is not how combating doubt work.
In fact, it would only make the matter worse. He had no other choice but to let him live and hope that he in time would expose himself, which he actually has done. It is easier for us to judge people today, for we have experience with evil deeds and what it leads to. We are no longer naive. But when Lucifer started his sin the angels had no prior experience or reference to judge the situation with. They did not understand the effect it would have or where it would lead.
When everything is over and Satan is finally sentenced, the universe will have a reference if someone tries the same. This is why God can promise He will not allow sin to exist again like He had to this time. God knew and now angels and mankind knows. This is why the birth of sin on earth was called eating from “The tree of knowledge of good and evil”. (Gen.3)

Even when Satan exposes himself, it does not take away the doubt against God. Once someone has questioned someone else they do not become free of suspicion even if the other prove to be untrustworthy. Because, when doubt is in the heart of someone, it becomes part of “self”, our intellect. The moment doubt has made its way into the heart it becomes part of our own identity. When the one who places the doubt there is proven wrong it does not so easily remove the doubt planted there.
Even Satan proving himself a liar would not save God from suspicion.

Jesus said at one point, and I do not think we can comprehend the pain in His heart when He said it: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.» (Joh 8:44)
The pain Christ reflects concerning Satan’s lies is tied to what those lies take from us. The lies separate us from God and the gift of life. The Pharisees Christ was addressing were trying to shut Him up and kill Him for telling the truth, showing the same traits that Satan had.

Christ leaving His position in heaven, humiliating Himself, risking everything to save mankind, to the point of even giving His own life, convinced many that God could be trusted and that He did not have the character traits Satan claimed He had. When Satan fell he wanted to drag as many as possible with him. He wanted mankind to die together with him. Christ was willing to give away His glory for human flesh, humiliate Himself, die, and risk everything, to save us. Satan chose war instead of repentance to avoid personal humiliation and dragged others with him to perdition, Jesus showed greatness by tolerating humiliation for the good of others. Christ in all he did was a contrast to the path Satan took. All to remove doubt and confusion and show right and wrong in strong contrast to each other.

Why Satan was believed
The reason Satan’s words had such an impact in the first place, was that he was a cherub by God’s side. Many felt he should know God better than anyone, and if someone in his position so close to God gave such testimonies about Him, then they thought there had to be “some” truth to it. And so it is in our world as well. Mostly, family members or people that have been close to us are the ones that hurt us the most when they give false testimony about us. For people naturally think at least they would know what they are talking about, right? And so, Satan was close to God, closer than the other angels, and at the same time Satan was one of the angels, he was one of them. These two things made his deceit so powerful.

Jesus, on the other hand, was one with God and chose to become one with man, to save and restore us. He was a true bridge-builder and God was really on the other end being connected to us.
Those who say they are close to someone can cause great harm, for they are often considered trustworthy witnesses. Christ said He is one with God, that He knows Him better than anyone and that God is good and wishes us well.

Jesus reveals that in the matter of truth, family members would turn against each other and could not be trusted to be a true witness for his people:
“The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law» (Luk 12:53).
And Jesus also said: “Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved» (Mar 13:12-13) .

Jesus made it clear that if we stand on His side in the great cosmic battle between God and Lucifer, Satan will give you the exact same treatment he gave God, for that is his way of doing things. And those that let him use them, will act out these same behavioral patterns. The patterns modern terminology calls “narcissism”, “gas-lighting” and “scapegoating”.
They will see you as a villain and view themselves as the good guys when fighting you. They will question your sanity, your perception of right and wrong, and try to silence you. Just like it happened with Jesus. This is not because God wants us to suffer, it is God warning us that these «narcissist traits» usually are seen by everyone who chose to follow Satan’s lead. Jesus said: «Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also» (John. 15:20) As long as sin exists, as long as Satan and his followers are in this world, victims of the Devils abuse will be «gas-lighted» and subjected to «narcissistic treatment». For that is what he does and has done from the beginning. He is the father of it.

People are becoming more narrow-minded.
We do not know exactly how the spiritual world works. But there are communication lines between them and us. Now, try to compare it to the internet. On the internet are all kinds of information, never have people had more knowledge at their disposal. Yet many search out what suits their current thinking and in that way the individuals find what confirms what they are already thinking. Even pop-up ads are often based on our search history. The result is that many people have become more and more narrow-minded. We people do this to each other and to God as well. We search out what confirms our chosen view and reject information that does not suit us, even if it is true. In this way, we learn that it does not matter how much information is available if we do not seek the right information. It is the same with the spiritual world. If we choose to listen to fallen angels over God’s spirit we will end up believing their narrative.

How do we know what side we are on?
So why does family war against family? Why did Jesus warn that their testimony was what would harm us the most? What brought it all to that point? How can their perception of right and wrong be so different than their family members that “a war” emerges? Why do we often see the worst spiritual wars come from people claiming to belong to the same faith, even the same church? How can two stand close together, and yet see the world so completely different?

Is one side evil or are they just blind? And if so, what causes this blindness? Are all in the wrong and all in the right, or is there an absolute truth?

Trying to understand what is really happening, the Bible explains everything with its chosen term which is spiritual ‘blindness. How do we know if we are on the right side of an argument, if we are blind or if we can not see clearly? This is essential for us to know at present time, right before Christ returns and the close of probation.

Spiritual Blindness

The Bible warns us against blindness. One warning is given to the seventh and last church. Jesus advised them to: “anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see» (Rev.3,18)

Now, modern psychology likes to give people diagnoses, and they often make people think that they are what they are, they make it into that persons set identity, something that can not be changed.
God, on the other hand, when detecting a problem He also presents a possible solution. With God, however, there are always two paths you can choose. Therefore, we should not be afraid to investigate if we are completely blind, or only partly blinded.
Because of my own past experiences that caused me to always question myself, I decided to investigate if I was blind as well, to figure out what spiritual blindness is, and if I am blind, how I can be freed from it? And the answer I felt blessed with seeing is what will be the conclusion of this article.
There is hope. But there is no hope if we do not realize our own situation. Jesus said to the same church he told to anoint their eyes: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked» (Rev 3:17) Now, that is the worst situation we can be in, to be blind and not sense something is wrong. And so, it might be a good idea for any Christian to ask God: «Am I blind to something or someone? If so, show me, open my eyes for I want to see!»

In the Bible, we meet Mary Magdalene who was possessed by seven demons. Imagine how she behaved when she was under their control? Jesus completely changed her. In the bible, even the demon-possessed, although they had lost their free will, had a choice as seen in Luke 8:30. Even when all hope was lost, they still had the choice to come to Jesus. It seems God has forbidden the devil to take away that one last opportunity to call for help, even if they have welcomed the demons themselves and are to blame for their situation. As long as there is life, they can cry out for Him. We saw Paul being completely blinded by sincerely believing he was doing God a favor when persecuting and even executing Christ-followers. God changed his spiritual eyesight. Manasseh, the worst king in Judea’s history, also had treated God’s prophets badly, when he cried to God in prison God helped him change and even helped him back to his kingdom. With God, there is no one who is blind that cannot see, but He needs something from them to help them.

The bible speaks about spiritual blindness in many places. The most famous quote is probably the one from Jesus when He is speaking about a blind leading a blind:
“Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch» (Mat.15:14 ).

In this next instance Jesus calls them blind for failing to see the point behind their own customs: “Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?» (Mat 23:16-17) 

Paul talked about a “blindness in part has happened to Israel” for refusing to see that Jesus was the Messiah. And he said the gentiles were blind as well: «Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart..» (Eph.4:18)

By following Lucifer’s lead, mankind is stumbling in the dark, almost all with his tendency of a «narcissistic» response to blame. When the Holy Spirit calls upon our heart, many of us resist it and defend ourselves rather than seeking redemption.

We are now going to look at the cause of blindness and the remedy against it.

What causes blindness?
Why does one person’s sense of reality divert from the truth? There is only one answer: self. Many remember Christ speaking against self in different ways, but few understand why “self” is our enemy. Some think Christ’s words against self is Him trying to deny us the good things in life, stripping us of our personality or identity, or telling us to be a doormat.
But this is not the purpose of dying from self. In fact, God is upset with people using His people as a doormat (Isa 51:23).

Self is a threat because it is what causes our blindness. Our self blinds us and then leads us to perdition. In self lies partiality in judgment, our fear, and desires. In self lies the competitiveness, the need to be right, and in it lies pride. When any of these emotions are used to assist us with separating right from wrong, our judgment is clouded and we become either partially or fully blinded by it.

The world does actually understand this concept, and in courts where a jury is to decide the verdict, it consists of random strangers completely unrelated to the case. When they are picked out, the court makes sure none of the people in the jury have a background that can cloud their judgment in the actual case. As the world recognizes, if someone is to be given a fair trial, and unbiased judgment, the best way to get it is by having someone completely unrelated to the situation and the people involved to evaluate and make the judgment.

They see that righteousness is hard to obtain in our world any other way, as people are too blinded by themselves to think clearly. Paul said rightly: “Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world” (1.Cor.11:31-32).

If humans are given to judge themselves, they would always judge the

other party to be guilty. This is why we need God’s judgment, for ironically ours can not save us. We are not to gather an ungodly jury, but to receive God’s Spirit and allow Him to discern by God’s standard.

We are better equipped and more likely to see the truth, to hear God’s spirit, and to choose right if “self” is put away. While if we are lead by “self”, we can easily attack the innocent and acquit the guilty. We will judge in our own favor most of the time and by it rob ourselves of character development and Christ atonement.

This is exactly what happened to the people that Jesus called blind. They asked for Barabbas, a criminal to be released, and they demanded that the innocent Christ be tortured and killed. In their mind, they were in the right. They did not perceive themselves as evil.
They did not want to enter the court of Pilate because they did not want to become defiled before the Passover meal. Yet, they did not consider that murdering an innocent man made them defiled and unclean. (Isa 51:23) For us, it is easy to see the hypocrisy and the blindness, but they did not see it like that. They convinced themselves they were «saving the nation», a heroic act as the people’s shepherds. Executing someone causing, in their opinion, ‘problems’, were by them perceived as «peace». They killed «Shiloh» thinking it would give them peace. A great tragedy.

So, what part of “self” made them blind? Jesus hurt their pride, they feared they would lose control. And so, Christ’s preaching aroused their fears. They felt humiliated. Pride and fear. Although Jesus was Shiloh, peace, they personally felt no peace around him. They felt corrected and condemned. And they stood at the same crossroads that Satan once stood, having to make the same decision as he did. When exposed would they repent, or would they attack the one exposing them? They decided to attack Jesus, to question His sanity. The Pharisees, leaders, and scribes did to Jesus here on earth what Lucifer did in heaven. Rather than repenting, they pointed the finger back at Christ. «And many of them said, He hath a devil and is mad; why hear ye him?» (Joh.10:20) They created doubt by criticizing everything Christ did. Claiming that He broke the Sabbath, that He was causing confusion and delusion. They even claimed that He was working for Satan. They believed their narrative, that Jesus really was the bad guy. Jesus said: «The world cannot hate you [since you are part of it], but it does hate Me because I denounce it and testify that its deeds are evil» (John 7:7)

The two paths, repenting or attacking leads to either vision or blindness. And once we are blind we cannot discern. We only see evidence for the reality that we have created in our minds because we cannot endure the thought that we are wrong, that we are ‘the bad guys’. It becomes a defense mechanism and it ensnares us in a worldview where we only look for confirmation of our chosen path. We see evidence where there is none. We create evidence by lying to ourselves. We exaggerate and try to win people to our side, to comfort us and tell us we are right. The more people we gather the better for our self esteem, but this path changes us to the worse.

On the other hand, humbling ourselves and seeing our faults brings us to Christ, forgiveness, and an improved character. When we let «self» win, we rob ourselves of those wonderful things.

The solution
Jesus needs us to die from ourselves in order to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works according to God’s truth. If our hearts are filled with “self” God can not help us see. For our understanding is clouded and we see only what we want to see. The Holy Spirit has a most serious and important task:

«Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come» (Joh 16:13)

But what places us in danger of refusing the guidance of the Spirit is this: «And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment» (Joh 16:8)

The spirit is to reprove us of our sin. Many false Christian movements have taught people that everything that comes from God’s spirit «feels good». But being reproved of our selfish behavior and sins does not always feel good. If we receive the reproof it will have a good effect, but immediately, every time the spirit reproofs us we will be placed in the same situation Lucifer was in when he was in heaven. Two paths are placed before us. Both paths will change us. There is no path that will not change us that we can choose. For we always continue forward either one way or the other. We can receive the reproof and repent or we can dismiss and fight it. Every time we chose to dismiss it, we wage war against God in our bodies just as Lucifer warred against God in heaven. After sin, human nature naturally will cause us to defend ourselves when confronted with our wrongdoing. And so, we need to know this and understand how we think and feel.
«Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths» (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Many people are Christians but reject God’s spirit that would lead them to true salvation. When confronted by the Spirit they dismiss it as the works of Satan, they dismiss it as criticism or temptation. And if we do not silence the thought we are in the wrong, we might try getting people on our side. Many Christian do this, they choose teachers «having itching ears» to «preach lies» to them to help them silence the voice of the spirit by calling it «an unclean one» (2 Tim. 4:3, 2 Thess. 2:9-13) “Then the Jews answered and said unto Him [Jesus], “Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil?” (Joh.8:48)

Rather than receiving God’s pardon, we choose self-righteousness.

This is why we can believe ourselves to be Christians and not be in harmony with God’s spirit at the same time.

If we do not empty ourselves of «self» when approaching God we will intentionally or unintentionally fight Him. «Self» is self-defensive. When the self in us is confronted with wrongdoing, it will seek to find fault with the accuser or the one who exposes us rather than accepting and repenting.
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1Jn 1:5-10).

When we consistently push the Holy Spirit away enough times, after a while we will start manifesting what modern psychology calls «narcissistic tendencies». We view the truth-bearer in a threatening way and we will «kill it off» by questioning his character, by elevating a fault we think we see in them/it, by degrading the person that exposes us or gave the teaching that confronted our sin.
We will search for and find what we perceive as «evidence», we will lie to ourselves and others to gather support – all to make ourselves feel better and to remove that feeling of uneasiness or discomfort that we get from feeling exposed.

This is the opposite path of repenting, and it is only repenting that leads us to the real Christ. Everything else leads to false Christs and the Antichrist. And if we choose to wage war against God’s spirit and His messengers, it will eventually take us away from Christ. We might convince ourselves God is still with us, but our hearts are far from Him.

God does not say that one man is born evil and another is born good. It is all about our choices and how we respond to His call. «They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand» (Isa 44:18)

If we choose to accept responsibility for our faults when confronted and are willing to learn, God can save us and will work with us. Just by making that choice, we will spiritually enter the courts of heaven with a Savior.

The reason God’s true servants are hated.
There are many false prophets and teachers in the world that are highly esteemed and loved. Thousands gather to hear them and they rejoice in the good feelings that come from the togetherness. «But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.» (Jer.23:22)

On the other hand, the Bible tells us that God’s true messengers are rejected. Even Moses was rebelled against in his day. Zachariah was killed by the alter and: «They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains and hid in caves and holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised. God had planned something better for us so that together with us they would be made perfect» (Heb.11:37-40).

Family members have hated and despised their own. God’s true messengers have been kicked out of assemblies, persecuted, and even killed. And who has done it? Jesus said they who would do it thought they were doing God a favor (John.16:12).

The reason God’s servants are despised is the exact same reason the Holy Spirit is rejected. They preach repentance, they preach the need to turn away from all our personal idols that separate us from God. Their words expose the sinner. And every time they do, that sinner will stand with the two paths in front of them. They have to either repent or find fault with the messenger or the message. Most people choose the same path as Lucifer and will gather people to try to destroy either the messenger or the message. For that is what comes naturally to someone who want to escape the feeling of condemnation, but will not choose to find freedom by repenting and going to Jesus. They will choose war. Some will only war in their hearts, some with their mouth and some with their hands. This is the main reason God’s true people are despised and hated, even when they have done nothing towards the person hating them.
Jesus said: “If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’” (John.15:24-25)

If someone feel attacked, as many do by God’s Spirit, in order to find relief they have to attack the messenger in some way. And in that way, we blind ourselves to the truth, to Christ, to the Spirit, to righteousness, and to true love. Because in the world today, we are all the bad guys in need of repentance. Yes, some are far worse than others. But we all need Christ.

Remember in the Bible all who are described as blind were people claiming to worship God and to believe in God. People claiming to be God’s people. And so it is confirmed in the book of Revelation where the call to repentance, to anoint our eyes to escape blindness is given to people who think they already are following Christ.

The biggest problem with spiritual blindness is that it separates us from God’s Spirit. Every time we reject the Spirit we push it further away. The end result is that we can not be reached and we can not be saved.

That is why this is such an important thing to understand. Our natural flesh will always take a defensive stance when we feel accused or exposed. We can handle that in a «narcissistic» way, blame God or fellow man, and question everyone else but ourselves. Or we can apologize and turn from our way and seek a change. «Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God» (Rom.8:5-8)
Once we keep choosing the wrong path it will be easier and easier to dismiss God’s Spirit. We harden our hearts and our foreheads and will do to God what we do to each other. We see what we want to see, what suits us and not the reality. God’s stretched-out hand is seen like a hand bringing violence and God’s love is seen as selfishness. Everything God does, that those who «expose us» do is seen with suspicion and questioned. We will look for faults. When beholding God you see a monster and not a savior. Your spiritual vision is ruined. All is gathered from our own hearts. We think what we see is correct when in reality, it is not. You will distort reality to reassure your own peace.

God is upset with those who choose this path. As Jesus said, they are of their father the devil who is a liar. You have to lie to choose this path. Lie about God, lie about His people, lie about anyone who comes your way who tries to expose your lies. We have no excuse to lie to others and God to save face. For God, truth is the truth. If you choose this path you are not just a sinner, you are at war with God.

Spreading lies, harming others, distorting the truth to serve “self” is the way of the devil. It is what is causing all the sin and misery we see today. It is what caused all the doubt that has been so impossible to erase, even for God. Most people who choose doubt will die with their doubt. Doubt kills and destroys.

God was questioned, not because of something God did, but because of the self that rose in Lucifer. Because of jealousy and desire.

Most people who have suffered what psychology calls narcissism will recognize what Satan did to God and they know in part what God has had to deal with.

Although God does not want us to be a doormat to be stepped upon. Jesus saw that elevating self and living for “self” caused blindness and separation from the truth. It makes us easy targets for temptations and coaching. And so He advised His people to change their way of thinking, making it easier for us to not fall into that darkness. If we learn to humble ourselves and not always live to feed ourselves and our rights, we might be more open to something better. For God knows fighting people with these tendencies leads nowhere. It is a battle we cannot win, we have to leave it to God. Rather, if someone takes your «coat» give him your «cloak» also (Matt.5:40). Not literally, as God probably does not want you to walk around naked. But the principle is to not waste your energy and your mind with these things, but rather follow Christ instead. And if someone takes your cloak, Christ will clothe you (Matt.6:30). Our refuge is with Him. What other people steal from us He will restore to us. But if we choose to fight them for our rights instead, we will only be hurt by it. For the person who does not receive correction will use methods of war you can not use while having a conscience. For how can you reach someone who refuses to listen to their conscience, who calls right wrong and wrong right? How can you help them by being the food they strengthen themselves on?

Christ wants us to forget these worldly pursuits. Pride, recognition, and wealth. In this way, we disarm them. For these are the things they seek. Even if you have the right to the same as others, the pursue of them is where «the vultures will gather» (Matt.24:28). And Christ wants you to trust Him and follow Him instead. For in this world people will steal and destroy, but if we follow Christ He will guard us and help us. He says the meek shall inherit the earth (Psalm 37:11). Those who try to take by force what is yours will one day lose everything.

The person walking the path of «narcissism» grows and enjoys elevating over others. They depend on it for happiness. They will lie to themselves and steal to get what they want. They do a lot of damage. But you do not have to be damaged by them. Let them have it and go you and follow Christ. For if it is one thing they cannot steal from you or take from you, one person they can not «coach» against you with their lies, it is Christ. He is yours if you choose the path of repentance.

For God has lived it and He knows the truth. Jesus said: «For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?» (Luke 23:31) And He will stand by you just as you stand by Him. For He has been treated the same way. «Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord» (Rom. 8:35-37)