Why do people complain?
… I mean, what are some of the prerequisites of the complaining spirit?
– Staying away from God and His word
– Letting the enemy get in your ear
– Believing anything (lies) more than God (The Truth)
– Not monitoring faith and trust levels
What does the bible show are some of the consequences of complaining?
1. Consider the angels. Satan complained, rebelled and then got himself kicked out of heaven. Later many angels listened to satan and became dissatisfied with heaven and were kicked out. Can you imagine being kicked out of a ‘good place’ (to say the least) like heaven?
2. Consider Adam and Eve. They listened to one of the fallen angels, distrusted God, and disobeyed God. Although they did not formally complain, they showed their dislike and distrust of His word. They got kicked out of the Garden of Eden.
3. Consider the Children of Israel. Murmuring and complaining, they wondered in the wilderness for 40 years because of their thinking and their words.
4. Consider Ananias and Sapphira they rebelled against God and did not follow the standard that was set for them. Moreover, they lied about it and were killed.
(I’ve noticed that many complainers are ‘In the House’. Those who are outside don’t complain because they don’t care to or because they don’t understand ‘who they should complain to’. Notice that each of the points above were individuals or groups who were connected with closely connected to God or know someone who is closely connected with God.)
5. Complaining spreads unbelief.
a. Satan complained, rebelled and then got himself kicked out of heaven.
b. Satan was disgruntled and then spread his doubt of God and His word onto Adam and Eve.
c. Adam and Eve’s son, Cain was displeased with life and rebelled against God’s standard for offerings. Cain killed His brother, Abel (Genesis 4:1-8).
d. Notice that when when the group was asked to survey Canaan, when they returned, most of them complained. Only a two said, ‘we can do it’ (Numbers 13: 30-31).
Numbers 13:3-16 clearly states that 12 men surveyed.
Only two of the 12 believed: Caleb and Joshua hath faith and believed that they could take the land.
With this lopsided ratio, the complaining took prevalence, and as a result, many others were disgruntled and complained, although they did not actually see the land for themselves, they still murmured and complained, the bible says:
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt (Numbers 14:1-4).
The familiar adage is true: One bad apple can spoil the whole bag!
What are some of the things that you can do to help yourself stop complaining?
1. Stay in the Word. Read the word, meditate on the word, this reinforces the promises of the Lord. Make sure that you think of His promises than on the situation you are facing.
2. Encourage yourself. Speak life over yourself and avoid people who say things to discourage themselves, you, or other people. Remember that life and death is in the power of your words: Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18:21).
3. Encourage others. When you encourage others, you inadvertently encourage yourself.
4. In faith, speak those things that are not as though they are. When given an opportunity, rather than being overwhelmed and full of gloom or doom, be faithful and trust God, saying, ‘Yes, with the Lord, I can!’
5. As the Lord to reveal your team to you:
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (II King 6:15-17).
Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1).
Consider Preventive Measures
The only way that I can think to explain this clearly is to do so in terms of my life. Today, I have many things that I want God to do. My salvation is important. I ask God to keep my mind everyday. I want to walk upright. I want every one in my family to be healthy, saved, and prosperous. I have business loans that I want to push through, I want businesses deals to close, various applications that I want to be approved quickly- overall, I want my businesses to grow and flourish. I’m asking God for an abundance in my personal life so that I will be able to seed into the lives of people. I also ask for a long life, so that I may live to see my seeds grow. I need Him in all of these ways!
I refuse to complain, or develop the mindset of a complainer because I need God.
I will not be ungrateful. I will not. I don’t want to live beneath the level of prosperity that God has for me and get ‘kicked out’ of my life’s garden. I don’t want it to take longer than necessary to get what God has for me. I don’t want to die prematurely.
Because I don’t want to exist in the same manner of the the fallen angels, Children of Israel, Adam and Eve, and others that I can’t let myself worry, doubt, live faithless, stop trusting God, or complain. Simply put, complaining would poison my life.
Finally, complaining is contrary to giving God glory. Every time we complain, we have missed an opportunity to give God praise, honor, and glory. SMH!!
Prayer
Lord, deal with me when I begin to allow myself to slip away from your word. Deal with me when my faith is challenged. Keep me in your word so that I may I never begin to complain. Develop trust in you, deep and wide. Let me never spread distrust in You. Deal with me about all of these things.
In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.
Closer 