Worship

“Waiting” by Healing Place Worship

Scripture

“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, ‘We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.’

So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, ‘This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.’

All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” -Acts 6:8-15

Gossip: The Enemy’s Favorite Weapon

In order to set a trap for Stephen’s feet—since they could not stand up to his wisdom and the Spirit in him—they decided to speak in secret against Stephen. He was drawing more people to God than the religious people were able to do. (Once you experience the grace and mercy of Jesus, there’s no going back!) They needed something to destroy him, so they incited the people against him through gossip. Gossip was the catalyst to ultimately put Stephen to death. That is how powerful this partnership with the demonic strategy of the evil one is!

In the words of Olivia Davis, gossip is “willful engagement in evil—it is using words to harm another person, which is evil. When we gossip, we come against God, his people, and his purposes, allying ourselves with the adversary, who seeks not only God’s destruction but ours as well.” It is used to partner with the enemy to destroy the reputation, integrity, or character of another person. It partners with the “accuser of our brethren (Revelation 12:10, KJV)” to bring forth the traps of the enemy to destroy people. It is a means by which evil can be spoken about another person in secret, causing the ultimate destruction and death of another person. It is an abomination to God and a means to usher in a spirit of offense. Gossip sets traps for your feet and the feet of other people.

“Gossip is destroying what God loves by partnering with what He hates.” -Landon Schott

“Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.” -Proverbs 11:13, ESV

“A perverse man spreads strife, And one who gossips separates intimate friends.” -Proverbs 16:28, AMP

“The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” -Proverbs 18:8, KJV

“They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips … .” -Romans 1:29

Words: Seeds of Destruction or Life

The complexity of sin in gossip, based on the Scriptures we just read, is rooted in the schemes of the enemy for the destruction of God’s people. I think this is what hit me so deeply: Do my words agree and bring forth the plans of the enemy or the purposes of God? We see how gossip incited people against Stephen, bringing forth his martyrdom. A righteous man, faithful in serving God’s people, preaching the gospel, moving in signs and wonders, and false words spoken about him destroyed his life and ended it. That is the power of gossip in partnership with every demonic spirit. This is a sobering truth we must look at seriously.

Stephen didn’t need to defend himself; Jesus was standing to do so on his behalf. However, the secret persuasion, false witnesses, inciting of the people based on lies, and changing Stephen’s words came from the plan of the enemy through the tongue of a human. Gossip is so very serious, and we as believers fall right into the trap. Everything from social media to prayer groups to meetings in HR about coworkers can create opportunities for slander, gossip, and defamation of character from one believer to another. And when we open that door of our hearts and lips, the enemy is invited in to wreak havoc and destroy unity and relationships. We cannot permit speaking or listening to this tool of the enemy to steal, kill, and destroy. Stephen, however, was immovable and full of peace—so much so that his face revealed it.

A Call to Purity in Speech

Church, may we part ways with the schemes of the enemy to cause death to other people. Let’s commit our tongues to the Lord and seek to not speak or listen to gossip about others, knowing it opens the door to the demonic and grieves the heart of God. Stephen’s story is a primary example we need to process and take hold of as we navigate our relationships with one another where gossip platforms surround us.

Jesus, sanctify our tongues so that we speak the words of the Lord that bring life, blessing, and healing to others. May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to You, Lord.