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Bishop B. Manjoro Dunamis
Criticism is a tool that can either bring you down or lift you to the next level. As we have been observing in the past two weeks, it is how you handle it that matters the most. Every living human being at one point or the other will face criticism. Unless you are dead, criticism will always show up in your life once in a while, therefore the need for this special teaching on how to deal with criticism.

Let’s take a step further today. Read on.

“And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bowed together and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

“And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath Day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed and not on the Sabbath Day.

“The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath Day?

“And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.” Luke 13:11-17

If you don’t want to be criticised in life — do nothing. As long as you are doing something, some form of criticism will come your way.

The Lord Jesus did something; he healed a lady who had suffered for 18 years. His crime according to the Jewish critics was healing on a Sabbath Day!

People that are doing something will encounter criticism. Just don’t panic, give up and throw in the towel! Don’t give up on something good you will be doing due to criticism. You are doing something!

From the story I shared with you last week how the roof of our church fell while we were constructing it, it was not an easy moment. News went round. One day during that time I was walking in First Street and two men looked at me and laughed.

I said,”O Lord, look, everyone is laughing at me that the roof of the church fell!”

Friends, be careful, the voice of criticism will aim to wear you down and point out the one thing that seem to go wrong or out of course in your life.

But cheer up we have a helper when criticism rises. The Helper is the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God of whom the Word of God says he will never leave you nor forsake you! O hallelujah!

Immediately Holy Ghost said to me, “What’s wrong? Why are you feeling bad?” I said, “These men are laughing at me since the roof of the church fell down!” He said, “ah what’s wrong don’t you also have a mouth? Laugh also!”

I had never heard that or thought in that direction. It was new to me! Laughing also? When the situation was like this and people laughing?

Laughing back!

I turned back, looked in the direction of the men and joyfully laughed out.

They were surprised since they were not expecting that. They went away wondering. I was relieved and experienced much calmness, peace and joy.

From that time I have never stopped laughing and from that time on I have gained victory by exercising the joy of the Lord! The joy of the Lord is our strength! O hallelujah!

Laughter is medicine to the body. Don’t let criticism kill you. Don’t let it depress you, don’t let it take you to the grave.

Fight! You see if you have high blood pressure and you laugh a lot, it will go away.

When finally we opened the church whose roof had fallen down and had put back a new roof my friend came to me and said, “Haaa I have seen that God is with you!”

O hallelujah what if I had given up, what would the same friend have said? Are you facing criticism for something good and right that you are doing?

Cheer up mighty man, cheer up mighty woman — God is with you! Don’t worry! Don’t fear!

Now is the time for people to rise up. Now is the time for the blessing of the Lord to be revealed in the church. Christmas should come and find you at another level.

These last two months are months of breakthroughs, months of progress and the impossible. At your workplace, in your home, in your health shake yourself something good is coming your way.

For 10 months it refused, but with two months to go, it should say yes! Tell yourself, I am going somewhere.

Don’t wait for people to talk to you and begin to give negative comments like, “we see that you are stuck and going nowhere in life . . .”

When they talk like that worry not, tell them, “In the next two months you are going to see!” O I like it, I like it! It’s not over until it’s over! For with God all things are possible Mark 10:27.