Don’t Intimidate, and Don’t Be Intimidated

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

One of the most famous intimidators in the Bible was Goliath. He boasted, ‘Come… and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!’ (1 Samuel 17:44). But David didn’t have ‘a spirit of … timidity,’ so he replied, ‘This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head’ (v. 46). Intimidators count on you to wilt in the face of verbal attack. That’s why you must let them know you refuse to give in, and that you have the God-given strength to resist their tactics. God never intended anyone to oppress or dominate another person. So stand up for yourself today in His strength! And if you are the intimidator, ask yourself why you feel the need to gain power and control over others. Indeed, you may need the help of a seasoned counsellor to help you work through it. Intimidators often grow up in a chaotic or negative environment in which they feel powerless to change their circumstances. As a result they vow never to allow their lives to be out of control again, so they seek control instead. But their so-called strength just masks their insecurities and fears. Whatever the cause, intimidators can never hope to have a meaningful relationship with anyone they force into submission. And since the spirit of intimidation doesn’t come from God, there’s only one other source – Satan. Understand this: God is in control of every aspect of your life, so you’ve no need to control, or be controlled by, the behavior of others.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, keep me from being one that intimidates others and protect me from being intimidated. In Jesus’ Name, Amen