The Spirit Bully

"A bully is a person who uses strength and power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker than them."

The Ant Bully, an animated movie, depicts a story of a young boy who, because he was ridiculed by other children in school, took his anger and frustration out of innocent worker ants. As his oppressors oppressed him for being smaller and different than they, so did he do the same to the ants in his back yard, who were smaller than him.  Fighting fire with fire only causes an inextinguishable inferno. One tiny seed of evil can blossom into napalm, obliterating one's spirit.  That seed will dig its roots deep, sprouting bitterness, leading to antagonism, implacability, prideful ambition, rage, and hatred; all of which can lead to spiritual death (Job 21:25).

Bullies are like the mafia with Satan at the helm as the Godfather; barking out orders to harm those who don't obey.  Studies have shown that bullies are weak and insecure and use smaller, weaker people to build themselves up, knowing their victims are too afraid to stand up to them.  Satan is weak against God, so he uses the weaknesses of people, causing faith to waiver, and spirits to doubt.   He creeps into the thoughts and minds of those in turmoil, lying to them,  telling them that they don't need God. He isn't called the Father of Lies for no reason (John 8:42).  He is weak against God, so he preys on the weak in faith. Satan will try to tempt anyone to advance his plans. He's so arrogant that he thought he could break Jesus, and he failed, a miserable (yet successful) defeat (Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4).   The only way to defeat the father of hate is with the spirit of love.   

Satan digs his heels in deeper in us the more obedient we become to God, using our sin against us in an attempt to make us feel useless in the eyes of God.  But what we forget to realize is, that it is because of our sins that He sent down his love to destroy them on the cross; and because of the cross, our sins are forgotten in the eyes of God upon salvation (Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:12). God's love was revealed through an act of hate (John 1:29); quenching Satan's eradicating fire with living water (John 7:38).   Fires eventually go out, but the enemy always seems to find a way to reignite them.  When it comes to those we care about, we are the most vulnerable; especially when they are being held hostage, and their ransom is being paid with our joy.  One family disagreement has the ability sew seeds of bitterness, resentment, and sometimes banishment.  Jesus felt this when he was turned away by his people and his family (Mark 6:4), but he defeated the enemy by standing firm in truth and in love. Satan longs to steal one's  joy, like a bully longs to steal one's dignity.


The only way to defend ourselves against our adversaries is to call the enemy out on his lies.  But be warned that he is as persistent as a car salesman, coming back at you with a sweeter, cheaper deal every time he goes out back to "talk to his manager."  The last thing we need is a payment we can't afford to part with--our souls.   Jesus commands us to stand strong and firm in our faith, and in doing so, He will fight our battles for us (Luke 21:12-19), giving us the right words, His knowledge and wisdom to fight off THE bully and his evil minions (the world and it's temptations).  Bullies may seem big and ferocious, but they are nothing more than a spec of dust compared to God;  and if we have God living in us, then we are greater than the bully that is against us (1 John 4:4).  

Love defeated hate on the cross, so that we could live in victory.  The enemy does his best to steal the peace and joy that Jesus left us by feeding us lies and filling our heads with insecurities.  But we have the power to overcome these stories using joy as our swords of truth.  The Apostle Paul and Silas were in chains for the cross, but they sang triumphantly, for Christ gave them victory even under persecution (Acts 15).  The spirit of hate is no match for the power of the spirits of joy, peace, and love.  The happier we are, the weaker the enemy becomes. The more we give into temptation the weaker we become, and the deeper Satan digs his grubby, mud slinging, spirit defying hands into us.

So the next time you go to shake your fist and swear at the guy who just cut you off, smile at him instead, and wish him well.  The next time you go to give that clerk who gave you a hard time a piece of your mind for making a holiday gift return, smile and tell them to have a nice day.  Smile, smile, and smile some more.  Smile until it hurts. Smile until the hurt turns into joy. Smile at your enemy and he will turn away.  Be still and know that God is the one who is exalted, not the devil (Psalm 46:10), and since we are one with him (Galatians 3:28), we have victory over hate through Jesus' death (1 Corinthians 15:54).  The bigger your smile, the smaller the bully.  Take that, Satan!