Unmasking the Domestic Abuser in the Church

Psalm 73 – Are the Wicked Prospering?

It looks like evil, wicked people are getting away with it. 

Probably most of us have thought this at one time or another, especially when we as victims consider our abusers.  It can be easy to get discouraged when we see the wicked continuing to prosper, but Psalm 73 provides us with a reminder of what their reality truly is, and also a caution not to envy them.
Pastor Crippen recently preached a sermon on Psalm 73, and we are providing a link here to that sermon for your encouragement.
Are the Wicked Prospering? (link to the audio, video, and PDF of the sermon)
Additionally you can find more thoughts by Pastor Crippen on Psalm 73 at our Scriptures tab found on the top menu bar.  In additional to Psalm 73 there are 12 other Psalms to reflect on.
Encouragement from the Psalms
 

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12 Comments

  1. Z

    Pastor,
    I can’t encourage your readers enough to read your sermon about “Are the Wicked (Really) Prospering?” based on Psalm 73. Of all the many sermons and blogs you have written that have kept me from “going under”, this sermon is the one I keep going back to. And Psalm 73 is a reading staple almost daily to encourage myself in God’s Word. It perfectly addresses what we victims see happening with the wicked who abused us, how our faith might get shaken, how “untouched” the wicked seem to be by life’s problems…BUT!!
    The writer of Psalm 73 went to meet with God and “discerned their end”. And he understood.
    Then he also discerned that for the righteous victims of the wicked, “God will receive us into glory”!!! THAT is OUR END!!
    Come quickly, Lord Jesus!!

  2. Change Agent

    We are reminded again and again that He will give justice to his people and have compassion (Ps. 135). He helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads (Ps. 145). The hardship of injustice is not as destructive when we reorient ourselves and rehearse the Truth of his word and the truth of our experience. God cares, period.

    • Stormy

      This post from Pastor Crippen came at just the right time. I have attended churches where the fake Christians masqueraded as true Christians. I witnessed their evil deeds and knew something was off but I couldn’t articulate it.
      With Pastor Crippens help I now recognize them as false Christians. I would see them treat people badly, side with bullies etc. eventually I was treated poorly by them too. All the while attending bible studies and putting on the facade of a true believer. This was so confusing to me.
      I would voice my frustration to god just like the psalm—these women are rich, don’t worry about providing for themselves at all, are arrogant, spew out venom to others yet sit back and live a life of leisure.
      They don’t worry about paying their bills or struggle with abusive co workers or bosses. Their days are filled with leisure. Yet they continue being shallow and evil to others.
      Their only care is “Do they fit in with the right ladies group in the neighborhood?” They will do anything to cater to the popular, beautiful people! And they post praises to those they want to pander to on social media. It’s truly disgusting!
      The frustrating thing is these phonies are still getting accolades from others as if they are true Christians they attend church, go to bible studies and somehow have the respect of other women in church and the neighborhood.
      It sickens me I can barely stomach it when I see them at the store. Never mind them seeing me they can’t seem to remember who I am?? Funny I’ve orbited in their circles for years. Yet —I’m completely disregarded. (Blessing in disguise)
      So good to hear pastors reminder from the sermon that I’ve listened to twice. Don’t envy the wicked. These women are on a slippery slope. They are not Christians regardless of their confusing, two faced, award winning Christian performances.
      It will always be hard to see the wicked live a life of ease while I’m going to work each day concerned about bills etc. but with this reminder from the psalms it makes it much easier to tolerate their arrogant glances and obnoxious faces when I see them out and about.
      Them not being true Christians is really the only explanation for their horrible behavior towards me and others. Thanks Pastor Crippen

      • Z

        So sorry this is your reality with “church actors” who portray “christians” nonstop. It is stomach-turning for sure. Imagine if you could never escape them? That was my reality. They included my entire family and extended family as well as lifelong family friends. I call it a cult. With false wolf teachers and my abusers as their “leaders”. They sell their souls for gain from my abusers who are also “church actors” who portray “nice, decent, christian people” to all outsiders. But those insiders-relatives and friends KNOW ALL ABOUT THE ABUSE. They WITNESSED IT! And STILL they side with and cozy up to the abusers. I now have No Contact in place with ALL of them. Neutrality, silence, enabling, covering up..of KNOWN abuse and also disclosed abuse equals>Complicity in evil. We real Christians have no business consorting with their darkness, so No Contact is an easy decision too make. But I’ll admit, in practice, the isolation and loneliness can be very hard to adapt to. It’s unnatural. It’s unnatural not to have ANY family. That why it took me so long to completely cut off their access to me. But it HAD to be done. For my physical safety and mental well-being. God approves and I believe He actually orchestrated the “final act” which sealed that No Contact necessity for MY GOOD!
        We are children of God. We have His Light living in us! And their darkness hates us for it.
        I’m finally coming to a place of acceptance of this.

  3. Stormy

    Love you so much Z —I appreciate all your posts. I’m so sorry that you have had to endure such hardship. May God himself comfort you and give you a million times more peace joy and comfort than what you lost. Peace, happiness, comfort, true family and true friends is my prayer for you. God bless you real good❤️

    • Z

      Thank you my dear sister! I appreciate all your comments as well. They move me. Yes, God WILL RESTORE AND REDEEM FOR GOOD ALL THAT THE ENEMY STOLE AND MEANT FOR HARM! For both of us. These are promises we can rely on and repeat over and over for comfort from God’s Word. God bless you and keep you and give you peace.

  4. Stormy

    I love you So much Z your comforting words for me are a balm to my soul. I look forward to giving you a big hug when we meet in heaven.

    • Z

      I love you right back my sister!
      ❤️😇
      I believe we will recognize one another in heaven! I’ll be looking for you!
      I’ll be in the section where the animals are! Lol. My “personal request” I make to the Lord>to be reunited with all the animals He’s gifted and entrusted to me on earth and that I’ve loved with all my heart! They gave me unconditional love in return. Something the humans in my life-except for my husband-did not come close to giving me. Harm, trauma and more harm and trauma…is what they gave me. Probably why “heaven” to me would be Jesus, face-to-face and would have to include animals for all eternity!
      Praying for you.🙏🏽 Stay strong my sister. We’re in this together!

      • Stormy

        Z—
        I love animals too —I’ve prayed for the same thing. To be reunited with my animals.
        My latest prayer request regarding my animals is for God to give me a cat similar to my childhood cat Fluffy. She was kidnapped by an evil neighbor and taken to the pound.
        I ve gone to shelters and searched online for a female fluffy mane coon that’s grey and white. No luck yet but God’s timing is perfect.
        Thanks for all your encouragement it means so much my friend❤️

  5. GypsyAngel

    I know a personal stumbling block for myself is the desire to see justice for the abuser here on earth. Though I also daily pray for him to find Jesus and have a real relationship with God. That’s probably very unrealistic of me. But I need desperately for justice where my children are concerned. I believe God gave me a promise, that they would be restored to me, but its been 17 years. My heart is so broken. I can’t seem to dispell the grief I live in on a daily basis.
    I also need to know that living in extreme physical pain from health issues, which the abuser caused in part, isn’t part of Gods plan for my life. Because honestly, I can’t deal with it much longer. I’ve been believing for healing for over a decade with very little medical care and no pain help. Is that really Gods plan for my life while the abuser is physically whole and hale, and can support himself? Am I really to die alone, homeless, and in pain while he has seemingly everything? I’m so very tired. YES God picks me up Every Day. He fills my heart with Hope and Strength. But Oh My Gosh I am just SO tired.

    • Stormy

      Gypsy Angel— I had no idea the depth of your struggle. Your posts are such an encouragement to me. I’m so sorry for your pain but I can truly understand your frustration.
      I really struggle with wanting justice in this world too. I’ve seen some reaping what he has sown but somehow it’s not real justice.
      Seems there’s so many wicked people who have crossed my path and caused damage.
      I pray daily for justice for many of the situations where I really did suffer and I’ve not seen real justice yet.
      It would provide much comfort to see biblical visible justice and traumatic repentance but they will never repent.
      Please God help is all to feel peace and give us joy in place of sorrow and pain. Help us we really need you to help. In Jesus name amen.

  6. Susan

    I’ve come to the place I only “feel” a kind of “terror” FOR the abusers who inflict untold pain in the lives of others. THEY should feel the terror, but they apparently don’t. Psalm 73 outlines their end so plainly. Knowing I have been forgiven and don’t face that horrible judgment for MY sins gives me such a sense of peace …no matter what comes. Thinking about abusers (and the judgment they deserve) keeps us from experiencing all the joy the Lord has for us here and now! “Vengeance is Mine saith the Lord…I will repay!”

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