Psalms 81:15 The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto Him: but their time should have endured forever.
August 30, 2020
We hear the term hater everywhere these days. It’s generally referred to as a slang term defining people who have a strong dislike for someone or something and they express that dislike in a variety of negative ways. But did you know that the term hater was first mentioned in the Bible and therefore has been on the scene for thousands of years?
As I was studying my Bible the other day, I came across the word haters. I’m sure I have come across it before as well, but it really stood out to me this time. Perhaps because the term is so frequently used now, and/or maybe it’s because the older I get, the more haters I have encountered. Like my Mom used to say when I would experience something distressing- Just keep on living… And man o man was she right! I did a devotional last week, called If Only I Would Have Known…. Well if only I would have known about the haters that I would encounter in my life… Now that’s a message.
Although the word hate is mentioned numerous times in the Bible, eighty-seven times to be exact, the word hater is only mentioned twice. And interestingly, the word hater was first used in reference to those who hate the Lord. Psalms 81:15 The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto Him: but their time should have endured forever.
The second and only other time that the word hater is mentioned in the Bible is in speaking of the characteristics of unrighteous and ungodly persons. Among other things, they are described in Romans 1:30 as backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents.
So what exactly is a hater of the Lord? A real hater, since the term originated in the Bible in reference to the Lord, is someone who does not submit his or her will unto God. They may reject God altogether, or they may reject any part of the Godhead, the Trinity- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For example, people who claim to love God, but denounce that Jesus is God and say that He is just a prophet, as any of the other prophets, is a hater of God. John 3:18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Jesus said it very plainly and simply in John 10:30-I and my Father are one.
A person who does not live for the Lord, but instead lives for the world, is also a hater to the Lord and therefore is basically an enemy of God. Matthew 6:24- No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (man).
What are some of the characteristics of a hater? Jealously, pride, and covetousness are three common characteristics of a hater. Remember it was jealousy, pride, and covetousness that caused Satan to want to be God. Lying is another characteristic of a hater. In fact, the greatest lies that have ever been told are that God is not real and Satan doesn’t exist. Satan is the father of lies. God is the Father of Truth.
Other characteristics of haters are that they are thieves, murderers, and demolitionists. In other words, haters as enemies of God and of the children of God, only come to steal, kill, and to destroy. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Haters want to steal your joy, kill your dreams, your vibe, your purpose, literally your life. A hater’s mission is to destroy your relationships, your marriage, your hopes, your mind, your life, you. Basically, the real mission of a hater is to distract you from your real mission in fulfilling the purpose that God has for your life, by any means necessary.
Now, anyone that’s a hater to God will also be a hater to you. John 15:18 If the world hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you. And I don’t know about you but I’ve come across plenty of haters in my life. I’ve had so called friends, coworkers, and teachers who were haters. I had hater professors who were determined to try and prevent me from getting my degree. But what they didn’t know is that what God has for me is for me and all the devils in hell can’t stop it.
I have haters who are family members. I’ve even had some hater spouses in my first and second marriage. And sometimes, because of the intimate nature of the relationship in a marriage, hater spouses are the main haters to watch. A hater spouse is just like any other hater, but they are hating on their spouse. That’s another message.
I’ve encountered little child haters. We call them bullies nowadays, but yes children can be haters too, because a hater is not only about the person, but the spirit or spirits that’s inside of the person. And for the record, spirits are ageless and genderless. Spirits don’t care who they inhabit; like a virus, a spirit just needs a host. That’s why it’s so important to pray for, with, and over your children.
I recall being 9 years old and encountering a little child hater at church. The kids were told that if they could recite all 66 books of the Bible by the following Sunday that they would receive a brand new Bible. I was so excited; I went straight home and got to work. That next Sunday, I recited all 66 books of the Bible and received my brand new Bible. At that particular church, it seemed that there was always some sort of prize to be rewarded for completing a spiritually related task and I was just so eager to learn about the Lord, that I usually received the reward. In fact, I accepted the Lord as my personal Savior at that church when I was 9 years old and made a commitment to live for Him the rest of my life.
Well after I received my Bible, I recall a scowled faced little child hater, about 11 or 12 years old who came up to me and made a snide remark about how mad it made her that I always received the rewards. Before I could say anything, she hocked and spit directly in and on my face. For those of you who don’t know what it means to hock and spit, it means to forcefully spit out something, usually phlegm, which was the case. I know gross, right? You see that was a little child hater. A spirit of jealousy was in her and, even at that age the spirit in her, was at war with God’s spirit within me.
So as you can see, a hater is not just a colloquial term, but also a person with an evil spirit or evil spirits, originating with the first sin against God. A real hater is an enemy of God and therefore an enemy of anyone that is a child of God. But, if you are a child of God there are at least 5 things that you can bank on when it comes to haters:
1. You are always protected: Isaiah 54:17- No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper- Too may people throw this scripture around loosely and claim it falsely. No weapon formed against a child of God shall prosper because God has His children protected. But people who choose not to submit their lives and will to the Lord are an open target for haters, including their mind, heart, body, and soul.
2. God will give you the strength to defeat your haters: Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
3. Haters will flee from you when you submit to God and resist them -James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
4. God will take the evil that your haters meant for you and use it as good, all for His purpose and His plans. Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
5. God has a plan for Haters: Psalms 37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. Psalms 37:2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
Prayer:
Dear Father God,
Thank You Lord for protecting me from the haters that have come against me. I know from Your word Lord that they hated You before they hated me, and that my strength is in You alone. Lord, help me to recognize the haters in my life and those that surround me. Give me a discerning eye Lord to recognize the enemy that comes only to steal, kill, and to destroy. Shield me from all weapons that haters of You and therefore haters of me try to use to harm me. Help me to stand on your word when dealing with those that have devised evil against me. Lord, Help me to have a heart like You towards my haters. Help me to have a heart that forgives. Help me to have a heart that seeks to understand. Help me to have a heart of compassion, mercy, and grace. Help me to pray for my haters and bless them in Your name. In dealing with my haters, Lord, just help me to be more like You. I give You all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise. I love You Lord.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen
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