The Works of Mark EdgemonTHE ACTIVIST BELIEVER’S HANDBOOK
The Works of Mark Edgemon from All-Creatures.org

Mark Edgemon has been writing for 30 years. He writes and publishes short stories, articles, poetry and scripts, as well as, produces audio comedy productions for over 700 radio stations nationwide.

Contact Mark through his website, Creator and the Catalyst.

THE ACTIVIST BELIEVER’S HANDBOOK

The believer should not approach changing things in this world in the same way other activists do. We have powerful help in God to make real and lasting change.

The non-believers use carnal means such as bribery, manipulation, and fear tactics to achieve their goals.

However, the believer of God must work under the direction of the Spirit of God, otherwise the work accomplished will not last.

To create a sense of urgency, an activist will often use the most extreme language to convey not only their point, but to evoke action from the person they are targeting.

Language designed to shock the prospective convert or make them feel bad, because they currently do not share the view of the activist will achieve it's objective. It will shock the targeted person and will likely make them feel bad...right before they tune the activist out and try to get away from them as quickly as possible.

The activist's intent will direct their language, so it is the intent that must be addressed during the activist's preparation. God will not approve a person's intent to manipulate others.

This form of manipulation rarely works for the following reasons;

People today are more self-centered. The casual observer will tune out extreme language, so they won’t be bothered with anything unpleasant.

Because of the self-centered nature of most people today, there is an increasing growth of apathy. People barely have enough will to get through life, much less to call or write someone about a cause or purpose that has just been introduced to them.

If the language offends the person who is being targeted, the last thing they will want to do is help the person offending them.

Most of the time, when an activist is using extreme language, they are venting their own anger and frustrations. This is good and necessary, but not in an evangelical type purpose, when you want to convert other people to your purpose or cause.

The activist comes off extreme and scares people away, instead of approaching them in a more caring and loving way.

It is important for the activist to have outlets of self-expression to vent the negative emotion, which builds up inside them. But it must be in a way other than the evangelical work of making converts to the activist's cause.

There are ways for the activist believer to accomplish their goals, which are more productive for the activist, as well as for those who are brought into their work.

No natural cause will matter, if the activist is not in the center of God’s Will. It’s not enough to believe that the activist’s cause is of God. The activist must be seeking and living the Will of God, not only for the activist’s overall well being, but most importantly, to have God’s guidance and empowerment.

Pull aside and prepare. The battle ahead is hard on the nerves. The activist needs to be prepared for problems and resistance before it comes, because it will come. There are obstacles and resistance built into life. Preparation will give the activist strength when they need it the most.

Build a support structure. Locate people and organizations that believe as the activist does. Create a contact list of names, phone numbers and e-mails of individuals, who the activist can share their successes and failures with. This will help the activist not feel so alone during the hard times and encourage them to celebrate the victories, when objectives have been achieved. Do not discount even the smallest of victories. This will reaffirm the activist’s purpose, which is necessary for their mental, emotional and spiritual inner strength.

Pray over everything. Every appointment, every phone call, every letter, not from the position of asking God’s blessing on it, but to ask for the Mind of God and discover what He wants to do. The hardest battles the activist will face will be on their knees.

Live as an example of your cause. Show others the joy you experience living the cause you promote.

The work that is built well is built over time. Using manipulations to get an immediate response will be momentary success at best. It will take real time to convert someone to your way of thinking. Even if someone pledges immediate support and show willingness to follow the activist’s cause, they will be tested through their life and may have more problems than they originally expected.

Provide support to new converts as they fail from time to time, so they will feel as the activist does…supported, which will make them all the more strengthened for future trials.

Refresh yourself and keep yourself refreshed. Follow your joy as an indicator of how to do this.

The body of believers are those who seek and follow after The Will of God. The religious are those who seek their own will and pretend to have God’s approval.

If activist believers truly belong to God, then God will direct and empower them to succeed not only in the natural, but also where it matters the most…in God’s Eyes.

Copyright © 2007 Mark Edgemon

 

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