A certain amount of opposition is a great help to man. Kites rise against and not with the wind. Even a head wind is better than none. No man ever worked his passage anywhere in a dead calm. Let no man wax pale, therefore, because of opposition." - John Neal, 1800's.
 
What do we do when false rumors and stories are circulated about us? It is human nature to want to lash out and prove our innocence of whatever lie is being told. But is that what we are to do?
 
How we react to persecution and our treatment of those who persecute us is a subject we feel is of extreme importance. Especially now...
 
Down through the ages, those who have done the LORD's work have had to endure heavy trials and persecutions. Many have paid for their faith and obedience to Him with their lives. From the very beginning of this earth's history, there was fierce opposition between "good" and "evil":
 

In yielding to temptation, Adam exalted himself above GOD by thinking himself wise enough to make his own decision, EVEN though it opposed the will of GOD. In doing so, he gained a knowledge of evil, and because of his disloyalty to GOD, he opened the "door" which flooded the earth with unspeakable woe. Satan thus obtained temporary rulership of this planet:
 

There is no "middle ground"- every human being is either "of GOD" or "of satan":
 

[This piece taken from anchorstone.com, https://www.anchorstone.com/number16a.html, composed by Mary Nell Wyatt. GOD directed a few CCCInc. additions to the original, to amplify His meaning, all places marked with * .]
 

Those who love Christ with all their heart and soul and seek to be like Him are the great enemies of satan. They, like Abraham, are temporarily "strangers in a land that is not theirs." Though they must dwell on this earth for now, they have not given their allegiance to its temporary "prince"- they have instead pledged their obedience to the True King:
 

[CCCInc. Note: Eph2:19 is qualifying saints in Christ, truly living now in Him, see v6,13,21,22; it does not qualify those outside Christ, sinners and ungodly Ps1:5 1Pet4:18. See: saints or hagios; outside Christ. Eph2:13 qualifies "in Christ...by the blood" explaining-qualifying 1Jn1:7 to be holy and blameless, Eph5:1,26,27.]
 
These are those whom "the prince of this world" hates the most, and are those whom he has sought to destroy from the very beginning. His greatest desire is to extinguish the faith of the saints, that they will lose their eternal life and be ultimately destroyed along with him and his fallen angels; but if he sees that he cannot do that, he does all within his power to physically destroy them and hinder their work of spreading the Gospel of Salvation.
 
Those who are Christ's are NOT to expect a life of ease, abundance and freedom from care. In fact, we are told by Christ, Himself, it will be just the opposite:
 

Christ didn't say, "they MAY persecute you", He said "THEY WILL". And especially today, as we near the return of Christ, satan is full of "great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (Rev. 12:12). There remains the finishing of GOD's work before He comes again, and we MUST be aware of the work of the evil one. We must understand what is going on around us.
 
I am reminded of the words of one faithful worker who, over 100 years ago, wrote, "I should doubt whether I were a child of GOD, if the world, or even all professed Christians, spoke well of me. Those who are in earnest to win the crown of eternal life need not be surprised or disheartened because at every step toward the heavenly Canaan they meet with obstacles and encounter trials. The opposition which Christ received came from his own nation..."
 
Because satan knows GOD's Truth carries its own power, he and his evil angels use unconsecrated minds to bring attacks against the messengers of GOD's Truth. "If you can't discredit the message, discredit the messenger:"
 

There are many people who present the appearance of "good" in their speech and the "gospel" they profess; but in reality it is the "prince of darkness" who is behind their facade of "righteousness". The enemy who wears his true uniform is easy to spot- but the enemy who looks and professes to be "one of us" is the most insidious and dangerous:
 

These "ministers of righteousness" are foremost among the ones who point to those doing GOD's work and proclaim it to be lies, while claiming that THEY are GOD's true workers- "Listen to me!" Especially when the Truth cannot be repudiated do they formulate false accusations and repeat slanderous remarks. This will not change while we live on this present earth.
 
But how is the Christian to react when faced with blatantly false accusations and severe persecution? Look at the life of Joseph, who was sold as a slave by his own brothers, then falsely accused by Potiphar's wife of a terrible deed and imprisoned. Even under these horrendous circumstances, he forgave his brothers. While in prison, Joseph's virtue and righteousness was so apparent that he came into such great favor with, first, the "keeper of the prison" and then, the king of Egypt, that the pharaoh declared unto Joseph:
 

Satan knows how to cleverly design the lies and accusations against the saints. In Joseph's case, he had no way to prove his innocence. It was his word against that of Potiphar's wife. And who would Potiphar believe- his wife, or Joseph? Human nature leads men to take the word of those in "high positions" over the word of the lowly, common man. And Joseph was a slave.
 
Joseph's life was a lesson for mankind all through the ages- he placed his reputation in the hands of the only Judge Who can truly know the heart. And for a season, it must have seemed bleak for him, locked up in that prison. But he never wavered in his faith and because of his righteous character, GOD was able to use him to provide a temporary safe haven for the nation of Israel to grow and thrive in. They were given the "best of the land, the land of Rameses", or "the land of Goshen" (Gen46:6,11) all because of the favor given Joseph by the Pharaoh.
 
But our ultimate example is always Christ. Harsh words and thoughts of revenge against those who malign us bear no likeness to the character of Christ.
 

Slander against one's character is seldom vindicated by indignant words and protestations of innocence. It is overcome by simple Truth. No one ever suffered as much contempt, slander and abuse as did our Saviour; yet in the face of all of this, we have no record in the Scriptures of His protests of innocence. He instead preached the Words of Life, not allowing anything to distract Him from that work. His life, His example overcame all the lies and slander. Let us read of His words when He was crucified:
 

On the edge of death, in excruciating pain, His thoughts were toward those who were lost- the very ones who were killing Him-, that they would still come to a knowledge of the Truth. And we have on record several who did exactly that:
 

Sometimes, it is the example of a person's life and character that wins a soul to Christ as much as it is the hearing of words:
 

For many Christians, this may be the most difficult test they will ever face. For the last 1 1/2 years we have had to sit back and watch helplessly as someone we love dearly was falsely accused of a terrible crime he did not commit; a crime which evidence has proven he did not commit but which evidence was not allowed to be heard in court. Forsaken by his church and friends, he now is in prison facing a long sentence. But through this horrible ordeal, he has continued to manifest his faith in his Saviour and has won many souls to Christ behind those bleak prison walls. During our many conversations with him, not once have we heard him speak vicious remarks about the one who set him up and arranged evidence to make him appear guilty. I dare say that he will have many stars in his crown; many souls will be saved that may have never gotten a chance to hear the Words of Life if he had not suffered so greatly - and remained faithful in spite of the persecution he has faced.
 
Christ made sure His disciples didn't think the opposition would one day cease. In fact, He made it clear that our greatest enemies would many times be those closest to us:
 

Satan is constantly working to discredit GOD's Truth in whatever manner he can.
 

But Truth carries a power with it and it will prevail. Maybe not in our "timing", but in GOD's perfect timing. For a while, Joseph suffered greatly from the false accusations made against him. But he was vindicated and his innocence made evident.
 

Many, many will oppose the Truth and speak out vehemently against it. But the more the arguments against it, the more Truth shines. Some who may never have taken an interest in it before, have their curiosity aroused when they hear the controversy; they decide to investigate this subject which is causing such a turmoil. Those who have a sincere desire to know what is Truth, will know and understand. For others, no amount of evidence will suffice to change their minds, which brings to mind another consideration.

While in exile, Nehemiah, the cupbearer of the Persian king, heard that his people in Jerusalem were in great distress. Like Moses and all those before him, he was overwhelmed with sorrow for the plight of his people, and wept, fasted and prayed on their behalf. When he was granted the king's permission to go to Jerusalem to organize the people and rebuild the wall, their heathen neighbors (who hated and mocked the Jews) were full of wrath. In their great hatred and jealousy of the Jews, they set out to put a stop to the work:
 

But Nehemiah, knowing of the plot to attack Jerusalem, set watchmen on the unfinished walls, along with the workmen:
 

They went about the work GOD had given them to do, even when faced with the prospect of open attack. Nehemiah knew that the Supreme GOD would strengthen them and he was not afraid of the opposition they faced. Satan has hoped to intimidate Nehemiah and the Jews; he hoped to put a stop to GOD's work by using "fear." But they refused to stop working on the wall- they knew their GOD was able to protect and preserve them:
 

As the work progressed and the heathen neighbors saw that the work was almost finished (except for the doors of the gates), they resorted to a different method of attack. They sent messages to Nehemiah that all the surrounding nations believed the reason they were rebuilding the wall was so they could rebel against Persia and set up their own king. They threatened to go to the king of Persia with this accusation of revolt- a threat that could have caused serious consequences if carried out:
 

The threat was a means to get Nehemiah to stop work and come meet with them, which was really a pretext to get him alone where they would kill him. But again, Nehemiah placed his faith in GOD and would not be intimidated nor distracted from the task at hand:
 

When threatened openly by Sanballat that they would report them to the Persian king as traitors about to revolt, Nehemiah replied:
 

Nehemiah never once shrank from the work; threats, open persecution and false accusations were met not with protestations but with the simple statement of fact and the refusal to stop work and go discuss it with them or anyone else. His total dependence on the GOD of his fathers was his only reliance:
 

Again, the Bible gives us plain instruction on how to handle opposition. In this case, Nehemiah faced treacherous dangers- had he been a man of weak faith who was intimidated into meeting with the heathen enemies, he would have surely been killed.
 
When threatened with being reported to the Persian king as a traitor, he knew the punishment was certain death. But he knew that GOD would protect them and strengthen them to finish the work as long as they were faithful to Him and put their complete reliance in Him. He never condescended to expend any precious time and energy in counsel or debate with the opposition. And the result? They finished the wall.
 
If we allow the opposition to intimidate us - stop us from the work we have been given to do - in order to meet false accusations and try to work things out, we will lose the battle.
 

We must go forward and have confidence that He can overcome all difficulties. We must learn to reflect the character of His Son when faced with persecution and false accusations, and not react with indignation.
 

      IF GOD has called you to be really like Jesus He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. GOD's call will put such demands of obedience on you that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians. At times, He will let other people do things which He will not let you do.
      Other Christians who seem very religious will push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans. You cannot, and if you attempt it, you will meet with failure and rebuke from the LORD.
      Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you to despise yourself and all your good works.
      Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely GOD will keep you poor. GOD wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may demonstrate His faithful love for you in supplying your needs day by day.
      GOD may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity in order to produce some fragrant fruit for his coming glory which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it now. The reward for your work is held in the hands of Jesus, and you will not see it until He comes.
      The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you with a jealous love. He will rebuke you for the little words and feelings or for wasting your time. So make up your mind that GOD is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He does not owe you an explanation of these mysteries. But if you give yourself to be His child, He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and give you the precious blessings for those who belong, heart and soul, to Him.
      Settle it forever, then, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit. It is His option to tie your tongue, or chain your hand, or close your eyes in ways that He does not seem to use with others. And when you are so possessed by the living GOD that your heart delights over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.
 

Thursday, October 24, 2002
Dear Mrs. Wyatt,
 
GOD had us link our homepage to the Anchorstone.com Newsletter index some months back due to the enormous amount of edifying material posted there. It seems that over time, GOD will use the Anchorstone site, and others like it, to edify and exhort many other believers through the documented discoveries.
 
While it is certainly not our desire to minimize the great good and glory GOD receives from Ron's many Spirit-led discoveries and extensive research follow-up and insights, the Spirit of GOD at present cannot fully use the Anchorstone site for hard, gospel truth unless some errors are first corrected. Because of this, it has become our concern to list some of these things that are inconsistent with Scripture, and hope and ask that you will:
 
- receive the below in the spirit of love with which it is sent (1Tim4);
- prayerfully review the material provided;
- make the necessary corrections, for the sake of GOD's holy truth and teaching, Eph4:15.
 
As in all our correspondences, we thank you. It is our sincere prayer that you will prayerfully review these things as from the LORD, hoping for unity of faith Eph4:5,13a, long before He reveals the ark to the world in 2017. May GOD bless you as you seek His input.
 
Sincerely, and in love,
 
Cory Sellers

[The following was excerpted from CLS daily summaries, 9/16/02, and has since been confirmed by GOD as true:]
 
   I felt like the LORD would have me to pass this on to Robert. It is an excerpt from https://www.anchorstone.com/babel6.html [last section, entitled "Babylon is Fallen, is Fallen!"], and I found myself very excited in spirit as I read, mainly because what is written here is very similar to what GOD has been showing us lately. It's not exactly new or revelatory, but the fact that it is almost entirely correct, though not taught in most churches, was the exciting part.
 
   As I read this yesterday (Sun, 9-15-02), I had a thought which I am not sure was from GOD, but I think that it possibly was. I am waiting for His confirmation of yes or no, but after reading the below, I began to suspect that Ron's death was a result of judgement for beginning to teach doctrine in his newsletters rather than simply sharing what GOD had done through him. This would be similar to Branham's error, when GOD never called him to teach a thing, Jam3:1. Again, I cannot be sure whether or not this thought was from GOD. He has given me no proof either way yet. I'm simply stating it for the record in case it was from GOD and He wants to expand on it. The below ['babel6' excerpt] was composed in '96, 3 years prior to Ron's death, and appears to be the last major exploration he embarked on. This makes me think that GOD is saying (and it seems a pretty firm notion in my spirit, as if from Him), that somehow, during this general time period (around '96), something he did or didn't do was related to the judgement that led to his death.
 
[see Branham's fate]