Joe Torosian
Senior Pastor
Burbank Faith Nazarene

By Joe Torosian

“We hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”—2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Do you change the temperature in the room or do you just become part of the climate of the room?

Walking in and around somewhere do you just acclimate yourself to the atmosphere and seek to fit in, or does your presence cause something to change?

And this isn’t a case of you entering a room and making a big splash. It’s not a case of you entering and announcing your presence with authority. It’s not a case of you being so beautiful, so well dressed, and immaculately groomed that mouths drop at the sight of you.

The question is when you go into a room or enter a situation does the existing climate change because of you or do you change to fit the existing climate?

Of course, this question is for believers. I’m not talking to the world, I’m talking to believers, I’m talking to Christians—people who claim to be Christian and a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

In regards to those outside of the faith, I really don’t care. There are some who are always going to lay low and stay under the radar. There are some who will always engage and be polite but never go beyond their comfort level. And, then, there are those who have to let everyone on the planet know they’ve arrived.

I don’t care. 

What I am curious about is what happens when you, a believer in Christ, enters a room or situation? 

And I don’t expect you, as a believer, to be anything but humble, joyful, and helpful…But what happens when you arrive? What happens to those who come into a room after you? Are they aware of you?

“So Joe T. wants to know if we are changing the climate of the room without saying, doing, or demonstrating anything?”

Yes.

As believers, living the life we’ve been called to live, we should have the ability to change the climate everywhere we go. Everywhere. I’m not saying the room will turn into hallowed ground or an evil situation will be transformed into something beautiful…But as believers, the world should always know we are there. The world should always have to reckon with us. Not agree with us. Not fight with us (nor we with them). But the world should take into account that we are there. They might want to mock us, consider us, appreciate us, or even question us…but they should know we are there.

For people that know us—family and friends—we absolutely better have an effect when we come into a room or situation. If it’s a place full of strangers and a strange situation, we should be dictating to the climate and not letting the climate dictate to us.

When there is no hope, we should be the ones bringing hope.

When there is no peace, we should be the ones bringing peace.

When there is no truth, we should be the ones bringing truth.

And when we are asked where we find hope, peace, and truth in an impossible situation, in an impossible climate, we should share who we are and who we belong to.

A statement alone might not change a life (it could), but it will be a case of you dictating to the climate. And not the climate dictating to you and placing you in a corner.

“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.”—2 Corinthians 4:10-11

As believers, whether we want to acknowledge it or not, we fight a spiritual battle every moment of every day. Every day. And it shouldn’t always be taxing, it shouldn’t always be draining, and we shouldn’t sit down at the dinner table every night with the family and say; “I’ve been fighting Satan’s demons all day, and I’m just exhausted. How was your day, honey?”

As believers, always aware of our faith, we shouldn’t be crushed, lost to despair, feel abandoned, nor destroyed. By living the life, we’ve been called to live we are revealing Jesus in our mortal body…And as long as we keep revealing Jesus in our mortal body, we will be in conflict with this world…

And here is the great part; because of Jesus, we will always be victorious over this world.

When we walk into a room or come into a situation, something should happen. It may or may not be noticeable to our friends, family, or even strangers. But the enemy sees it. And that enemy (see scripture at bottom of column for reference) is thrilled when we have no effect on a room or situation. The enemy is delighted when we adjust to the climate and cease to shine.

So the question begs again, do you change the temperature in the room or do you just become part of the climate of the room?

We are agents of the Lord’s love to those that are around us…and we are the fear of the Lord to those spiritual entities that seek to destroy and silence God’s creation, His love for this creation, and the grace He’s shed for this creation.

Without a physical sword, a hostile word, or a cruel disposition—created in the image of God, revealing Christ in our mortal bodies—we are the danger to all darkness…And the bringers of climate change.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”—Ephesians 6:12