"The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region."
- Acts 13:50 NIV84
It’s interesting that it was God fearing people that the synagogue leaders incited against Paul and Barnabus. The fear of the Lord is powerful, it’s something we must all have and strive for, but it has to be in the context of personal relationship with Jesus, His leading and discernment, or we could be shifted out of “zeal” to actually persecute the very thing God is doing.
I see this spirit functioning in the world today! I see people who fear God criticizing and breaking down other people’s ministries. This calls for great discernment, and a correct use of discernment.
In Mark 2:16-17 we read an interesting story of Jesus and the Pharisees:
"When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
There are many people who are masters of pointing out the wrong that others do, that is what the Pharisees were good at, don't you know they are sinners?!!
But Jesus is the doctor sent for the sick. He doesn't sick back and criticize, he engages and brings healing. It is not that He was ignorant of their unrighteousness. The mere fact that Jesus says that the sick need a doctor shows us that He recognized that they needed what He had. But criticism was not going to solve it. Loving and bringing healing to them was.
What areas do we sit back and criticize? What areas do we get involved and bring healing? Do we carry the Spirit of Jesus or the Spirit of the Pharisees
