How to Handle Your Haters

Introduction:

Hey, y’all! Before we dive in, turn to your neighbor and say, “I’m not fazed by haters!” Because listen, when God starts to elevate you, when He starts to pull you up, trust me—there will be people who won’t like it. Some folks just can’t stand to see you blessed. But here’s what I need you to understand: haters are often a sign that God is doing something in your life!

Let’s go to the Word—1 Samuel 10:20-27. This is the moment when Saul is chosen by God to be king. But even in this huge, God-ordained moment, haters are trolling. Saul’s story gives us the blueprint of how to handle our haters when God is elevating us. Let’s read:

1 Samuel 10:20-27 NKJV

“So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen, and Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, ‘Has the man come here yet?’ And the Lord answered, ‘There he is, hidden among the equipment.’

So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people, ‘Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?’ So all the people shouted and said, ‘Long live the king!’

But some rebels said, ‘How can this man save us?’ So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.”

Let us pray…

This morning, I want to talk about haters. The first thing we have to do is to get a proper understanding of what a hater is: it is someone who dislikes you because they are jealous of you, envious of you because you have something they want, or you are something they want to be. They spend their time trying to make you look small so they can look tall.

When you pass that test, make that “A,” get the promotion, buy that new house, buy that new car, or step out on faith and walk in the purpose that God has for you, you will always attract some haters. That’s why you have to be careful who you share your blessings and your dreams with because some folk can’t handle seeing you being blessed!

Even as Christians, we are going to have haters, the Bible tells us about it. Psalm 23:5 tells us, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; (haters). And then if we flip of to Matthew 5:44, Jesus tells us, “…love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”.

But how do you handle your haters so that you won’t miss the blessings that God has for your life?

Point 1: God’s Elevation Will Expose You to Haters

Saul was chosen by God, y’all! But did you catch what happened? The minute he was publicly elevated, people started to despise him. And let me tell you, the same thing will happen when God starts to move in your life. Not everyone is going to celebrate your elevation. Some people will question it, criticize it, and try to undermine it. But don’t let their hate shake you!

You see, the tribe of Benjamin, where Saul came from, wasn’t the biggest or most important tribe. So, people were like, “Saul? Him? How can he lead us?” Some people can’t handle God choosing someone they think is unqualified, and that’s exactly why they hate.

Some of y’all need to stop worrying about why certain people don’t like you and start realizing that their issue isn’t with you—it’s with what God is doing through you!

We have to also be careful not to become a hater. The people of Israel wanted a king because all of the nations around them had one. God who had led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, through the wilderness, and into the promised land wasn’t enough because they wanted what everyone around them had.

When you want what others have, you limit God! What I’m saying here is that to want what somebody else has is to assume that what they have is the best that God’s got. Now, you can miss something better God has for you because you are concentrating on what somebody else has.

Point 2: Your Confidence Can’t Come from People

Notice something in this story: when Saul was chosen, some people cheered for him, and some people despised him. If Saul had based his identity on what others thought, he would’ve been messed up from the jump.

Here’s the truth: if you rely on people's approval to confirm your calling, then you’ll need their approval to keep going in your calling. And that’s a dangerous place to be.

When God elevates you, your confidence needs to come from Him, not from the applause of people. Saul didn’t chase after his haters, trying to prove his worth. Verse 27 says, “But he held his peace.” He didn’t have to defend himself because his validation came from God. Let me tell you when God appoints you, no hater can stop what He’s about to do!

Point 3: Let God Handle the Haters

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “But Uncle pastor Phil, how do I handle these haters?” Here’s the answer: You don’t have to. Let God handle them. The Bible says, in (Romans 12:19), “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord, You don’t have to fight every battle. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is hold your peace and let God take care of the rest.

Look at how Saul handled it. He didn’t confront the haters who questioned him. He didn’t try to win them over. He just stayed focused on the assignment that God had given him. And what happened? Later on, God proved Saul’s calling through his victories as king.

Sometimes, the best way to respond to hate is to keep walking in the purpose that God has set before you. Don’t waste your time trying to convince people who aren’t meant to see your vision. Haters are going to hate, but you’ve got to keep moving forward!

Closing:

Family, the reality is, that when God starts to elevate you, it’s going to attract some haters. But their hate is often a sign that you’re on the right track! Don’t let their negativity shake you. Remember, your identity and confidence come from God, not from people. And most importantly, you don’t have to fight every battle. Sometimes, the best response to your haters is to keep moving in your God-given assignment and let Him handle the rest.

So, next time someone throws shade at you, just smile and say, “I’m not fazed. God’s got this!”