"Fear of Conflict"

It seems like some are born to pick fights...

Genesis 16:12 HCSB

This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; he will live at odds with all his brothers.

We studied the beginning of this little story.

Genesis 16:6 HCSB

Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your hands; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.

Genesis 16:7 HCSB

The Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.

Genesis 16:8 HCSB

He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.”

Genesis 16:9 HCSB

Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “You must go back to your mistress and submit to her mistreatment.”

Genesis 16:10 HCSB

The Angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count.”

Genesis 16:11 HCSB

Then the Angel of the Lord said to her: You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your cry of affliction.

Genesis 16:12 HCSB

This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; he will live at odds with all his brothers.

Genesis 16:13 HCSB

So she called the Lord who spoke to her: The God Who Sees, for she said, “In this place, have I actually seen the One who sees me?”

Genesis 16:14 HCSB

That is why she named the spring, “A Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.” It is located between Kadesh and Bered.

Genesis 16:15 HCSB

So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son Hagar had.

Genesis 16:16 HCSB

Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.

It seems, doesn’t it, that a good portion of the world’s population has a bit of Ishmael’s “donkey man” DNA?

Looking at conflict from another angle...

Acts 9:10 HCSB

There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord!” he said.

Acts 9:11 HCSB

“Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there.

Acts 9:12 HCSB

In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so he can regain his sight.”

Acts 9:13 HCSB

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

Acts 9:14 HCSB

And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”

Acts 9:15 HCSB

But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to take My name to Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites.

Acts 9:16 HCSB

I will show him how much he must suffer for My name!”

Acts 9:17 HCSB

So Ananias left and entered the house. Then he placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 9:18 HCSB

At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.

Acts 9:19 HCSB

And after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some days.

Poor Ananias

Or…blessed Ananias?

What had he witnessed?

Acts 9:1 ESV

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

Acts 9:2 ESV

and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Acts 9:3 ESV

Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.

Acts 9:4 ESV

And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

Acts 9:5 ESV

And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

Acts 9:6 ESV

But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

Acts 9:7 ESV

The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

Acts 9:8 ESV

Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

Acts 9:9 ESV

And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

God tamed Saul’s “Donkey Man” spirit

Some lessons about conflict:

1. Recognize the real conflict...

Colossians 1:21–22 HCSB

Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him —

The real conflict is with God.

2. Accept that conflict is a given in this life.

3. Let Jesus fight His own battles, so realize ours is to get others on their Damascus Road.

4. Consider others better than yourselves because total surrender can take a lifetime (we all need revisits to our Damascus Road).

That’s why we visit the Damascus Road

Romans 5:6 HCSB

For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:7 HCSB

For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die.

Romans 5:8 HCSB

But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

Romans 5:9 HCSB

Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath.

Romans 5:10 HCSB

For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life!

Romans 5:11 HCSB

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this reconciliation through Him.