Fear is a powerful weapon. It can lead to compromise and defeat. When David, Israel’s divinely appointed King, wrote this Psalm, he was on the run from his traitorous son, Absalom, who tried to usurp his throne. From a human standpoint, the scheming plans of Absalom seemed certain to succeed. David faced many disloyal and cunning men who tried to fill him with dread. Yet, in spite of those circumstances, David was absolutely confident that Jehovah God would protect him. He did not lie awake at night worrying about the numerous enemies he faced. He was confident that he would awake free of harm. His complete confidence in Jehovah removed any fear of his enemies. That confidence was rewarded when David was returned to the throne. Jehovah never disappoints his people.

Like David, those who trust in Jehovah never need yield to fear of men. Regardless of what wicked persons might do, Jehovah will not forsake his people, and permit their being effaced from the earth. He hears our prayers and will answer. Therefore, when we are the target of unkind words or actions we have no need to retaliate. “Be agitated, but do not sin. Have your say in your heart upon your bed and keep silent.” -Psalm 4:4. Be confident that Jehovah is fully aware of our situation and will not forget us. Jehovah never disappoints his people.

May we also, therefore, take courage. Continue ascribing salvation to the Most High, who never disappoints. Trust in Jehovah.

That illustration aptly describes the nature of injustice. Experiencing injustice, prejudice and oppression can trigger anger, crush one’s spirit, and bring great emotional pain. As one Bible writer observed: “Look! the tears of those being oppressed, but they had no comforter.” (Ecclesiastes 4:1) When injustice is rampant and comfort is scarce, unhealthy anger can easily well up in one’s heart.

Any who experience organized psychological attacks and bullying know well the potential this has for triggering anger in those targeted by it.  ”An anger trigger can be something that frustrates or annoys someone. These triggers often result from injustice or unfairness. They can occur when we feel slighted, such as through insult or disrespect. An imagined threat to our authority or reputation can also stir up feelings of anger.” The wise person understands that we must not allow such anger triggers to provoke us.  How can we gain mastery of our feelings and win the battle against anger triggers?

A well-written and practical aid can be found in the Awake magazine of March 2012, with the cover theme “Why Are People So Angry?” The article, “Why So Much Anger” helps us to understand “anger triggers” and their dangerous potential. “Keeping Anger Under Control” provides practical suggestions on controlling anger and reducing or eliminating its intensity. Awake is published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, and distributed by Jehovah’s Witnesses, and can be downloaded in .pdf format (click here) from http://jw.org.

As for those hating me without cause, let them not wink the eye.

For it is not peace that they speak; But against the quiet ones of the earth

Things of deception they keep scheming . . . -Psalm  35:19,20

What if you suffered a great injustice, and were given the opportunity to plead your case before the most powerful authority in existence? Not just any authority, but one with an impeccable reputation for defending the poor, the unprotected and the oppressed? The Bible was written to assure us that we have the ear of just an authority. Please read Psalm 35 in your Bible (follow this link to read online).

David asks God: “As for those hating me without cause, let them not wink the eye.” The winking of the eye would indicate that David’s enemies were gloating over the success of their evil schemes against him. David was requesting of God that his enemies might have no reason to rejoice or exult. We can ask the same of God through prayer. Be confident that all those who call on God with a sincere heart will be heard.

David faced injustices that are similar to what many of us presently undergo. He pleaded his case before Jehovah God, the ultimate authority. Jehovah listened, and came to David’s defense. May the words of this account provide assurance that God listens to our pleas, knows our trials, and will not allow them to continue much longer. Draw strength and comfort from Psalm 35.

“Do conduct my case, O Jehovah, against my opponents . . .” -Psalm 35:1

I have been drawn to the life story of David in the Bible, and the qualities he manifested under adversity. Here is the man who courageously took on the Philistine warrior Goliath as a teenager while all of Isreal’s army cowered in fear.  Yet, he was not a one-dimensional macho-minded video game soldier with a hair-trigger temper. His courage came from love of God, not from aggressive tendencies. An incident that took place shortly before his encounter with Goliath reveals David’s beautiful qualities of humility and mildness.

David, too young to be a soldier, was given the assignment of bringing food to the camp where his older brother was stationed. While at the camp, David hears Goliath from the battle lines of the Philistines taunting the God of the Israelites. David inquired: “What will be done to the man that strikes down that Philistine over there and actually turns away reproach from Israel?” Eliab his older brother, overhears him, get very angry and begins to taunt and slander his younger brother in front of everyone. Not only are his words cruel, and his accusations false, they also catch David by surprise. This is how fights start! Yet, how does young David respond? - 1 Samuel 17: 23-28

“To this David said: “What have I done now? Was it not just a word?  With that he turned about from beside him toward someone else . . .” -1 Samuel 17: 29. What an even-tempered response! Even as a teenager, David demonstrated a mature level of mildness and self-control. There was not a hint of pettiness, anger or vindictiveness in his response. Here was a young man who possessed extraordinary courage, and, the ability to rise above petty insults and humiliation. Can we see why he was chosen by God as a young man to be King over Israel?

What can we learn from David? David trusted completely in Jehovah God. As a result, he had the courage needed to accomplish tasks that left other men frozen in fear. Yet, he had the self-control and mildness needed to deftly handle insults and provocation without anger or pettiness.  David would need those qualities to face distressing challenges as King of Isreal. We need the very same qualities to face our adversities.  Studying the life course of David in the Bible can help us to cultivate and value these essential qualities.

Can you see why I consider the Bible so essential to my success in meeting adversity?

Our minds are much like an empty field. Undergoing relentless reviling and covert psychological attacks can quickly fill our minds with negative thoughts, anxieties and despair. Those negative thoughts can quickly take root and overwhelm our thinking, destroying self-esteem, and robbing life of meaning and hope. When others seek to crowd our minds with negative, self-destructive thoughts, do we see such thoughts as weeds that must be uprooted and discarded? How much thought do you give to their weedlike words? Why allow your mind to become a self-destructive field full of thistles?

Filling the mind with cheerful thoughts requires persistent effort. Break through negative feelings by acting the way you want to feel. Do things that make you happy! I find that singing a favorite song or dancing around at home is a great mood lifter that clears out the “weeds” of negative, depressing thoughts. Engage in some positive activity that is sure to bring a smile to your lips. Just don’t be halfhearted about it, set your mind to it!

The Bible provides practical encouragement in this regard: “Finally brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue there is and whatever praiseworthy thing there is, continue considering these things.” -Phillipians 4:8

Filling the mind with beauty and positive purpose requires a determined and sustained exercise of willpower, much like cultivating a field of roses. However, doing so can motivate us to positive action, and contributes to personal growth even as we weather adversity. It takes effort and discipline! But look at the beauty that results! Weeding out negative thoughts and daily cultivating a pattern of noble, upbuilding goals and actions allows you to make the best of any adversity. It can spell the difference between success and failure.

If you feel that your life has meaning, you will be energized to respond to that and seek to fulfill it. This is shown in Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning. He discusses this relative to prisoners he witnessed in Nazi Germany’s concentration camps. Those who had no sense of purpose in their lives succumbed to loneliness and lost the will to live. He observed that “the consciousness of one’s inner value is anchored in higher, more spiritual things, and cannot be shaken by camp life . . . Suffering ceases to be suffering in some way at the moment it finds meaning . . . Man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain, but rather to see a meaning in his life.”

A truly spiritual outlook comes from knowing God and his Word, the Bible. Faith in God and prayer can give life genuine meaning. Thus, even if human relationships lead to disappointment, we are not alone, not condemned to loneliness.  Filling our minds with the knowledge of God provides the most beautiful, comforting and strengthening thoughts of all, and can dispel any sense of isolation or distress caused by psychological attacks.

The poet said it best: Where You Tend A Rose, A Thistle Cannot Grow . . .

When targeted by daily no-touch torture routines that are designed to destroy self-esteem and instill unwarranted feelings of guilt and fear, it can become quite easy to “flee when there is no pursuer.” In response to a constant pattern of covert psychological “torture,” a climate of fear and self-doubt begins to overwhelm your thoughts. You may be cowed into withdrawing from relationships. and robbed of the strength needed to accomplish goals and take needed initiatives. You begin to believe that you are somehow less worthy than others to pursue a rich and meaningful life. You have convinced yourself to give up and withdraw. However, observers do not see your covert “pursuer,” the psychological and electronic abuse that you are subjected to. They only see your response, and may take this as evidence that you just might be the person that the slander and lies heaped on you says you are. After all, don’t “the wicked flee when there is no pursuer?”

Please keep this in mind: Your withdrawal, or “fleeing,” is the intended result of the psychological pressure that confronts you! Your antagonists want you to give the appearance of guilt by your response. Rather than allow a negative self-image to cause you to mimic “the wicked” and create the wrong impression in the mind of others, what should you do? Take note of the second part of Proverbs 28:1:

“. . . the righteous are like a young lion that is confident.” The book, “Big cats: Kingdom of Might” by Tom Brakefield, makes this observation regarding lions: “Watching a lion walk the savanna, it seems to have an air of confidence and grace in its almost undisputed place in the hierarchy of animals around it . . . To many, it seems a lion has absolute control over its ‘kingdom’ through its strength and grace . . . Even other predators such as cheetahs and leopards will flee lions or give up their kills when challenged”

The point is this: If we have no valid reason “to flee,” emotionally, then don’t! Fight the tendency to withdraw and isolate yourself. Walk through your daily affairs like a “young lion that is confident.” Do not let self-doubt rob you of the strength needed to live life as fully as possible and accomplish necessary goals.

Even as I write this, I am reminded of ways that I must to apply this to myself. There are areas of my life where I have withdrawn and lost confidence. There are goals I have allowed to fall by the wayside due to shaken self-esteem. I must put that behind me. Now is the time to for me to “walk like a young lion that is confident.” To do so, I call on my Heavenly Father for the needed strength in prayer. He will help me. The same one that gives a young lion its strength, can also provide me with “power beyond what is normal.” -2 Corinthians 4:7. He can help you too.

There is no better counselor or adviser than Jehovah. Indeed, no matter what challenge we face, no matter what persecution, traps, and distresses may be fashioned against us, they cannot outwit the ultimate Lawgiver, Judge, Counselor and Loving Heavenly Father. I am sitting here after witnessing yet another in an endless parade of psychological traps carefully designed to manipulate  my emotions and provoke a self-destructive response. I won’t bother to go into the details. I don’t want them to overshadow my prime purpose in writing today’s post. This is about Jehovah. It is his wisdom that allowed me to see the motives behind the incident that played before me, and gave me the appropriate response. Words cannot fully convey how thankful I am to know Jehovah. I owe my happiness, my very life to the wisdom of Jehovah. As never before, I appreciate that “keeping my eyes constantly toward Jehovah,” as the Psalmist exhorts, is fundamental to life itself. It is as elemental to my existence as the air I breathe.

Keeping our eyes “constantly towards Jehovah’ means to seek his guidance in all areas of life, as found in his inspired Word, the Bible. Through distresses and persecution, we strive to do things his way, rather than follow our own inclination. When we do so, we find that he brings our “feet out of the net.” Yes, we avoid the traps and pitfalls that are laid not only by our antagonists, but also our by own imperfect judgement. I invite, indeed I beg of you, pray to Jehovah for his guidance when facing distressing circumstances. All that pray with a sincere heart can be assured that “if YOU search for him, he will let himself be found by YOU” -2 Chronicles 15:1

Only then will you know the joy that brightens my heart through any and all adversity.

Addendum:
Some prefer that I speak less about my religious beliefs in telling my story. I can understand their position.  However, this is my personal account. My belief system has played a crucial role in my survival of these injustices for more than thirteen years. I cannot separate the two. I honestly wonder how any whose viewpoint is purely secular could survive this utter betrayal by the very system they have made their confidence. The fact that these programs are being tested and developed is quite likely because the majority of people they target do self-destruct. My survival is no accident, nor is it a result of my own capabilities. My relationship with my Heavenly Father is my bulwark. It would be dishonest of me to hide that as I tell this story.

I was sitting in a local shop that I stop in for fried fish once a week or so in downtown Newark. I usually take a seat near the window and gaze out as I eat. The individuals engaging in the no-touch torture harassment skits are plentiful today. They run the gamut from young to old. For some, it is clearly apparent that they operate at the lowest levels, and exist near poverty. Others are working poor. A select group are well trained and organized for more elaborate ’speaking roles” in these psychological attacks. They arrive in vans, mini-buses or SUVs as groups. Yet, there is a common trait in them all. There is a certain wretchedness you detect in each one, to a man.

Their guidance by the officials and psychologists that create these programs of psychological violence does not elevate their lives beyond any financial compensation they receive. In truth, their most unpleasant traits and behaviors are cultivated, exploited and put on daily display, making for a culture of wretchedness. In this sense, they are to be pitied, for their poverty is greater than mine.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word ‘wretched’ in part as “of a poor or mean character . . . The Merriam Webster Dicitonary: “being or appearing mean, miserable, or contemptible.”

What makes a person wretched is not so much a poverty of circumstance, but rather, a poverty of character. We, to a large degree, choose the content of our character. “Mean character” is cultivated, and glorified by these participants in psychological violence, overwhelming what good they possess. For some, it is openly vulgar and overt. For others, it hides, like a dagger, under a thin veneer of insincere charm. However they choose to manifest it, this persistent wretchedness becomes the defining element of their personality.

I make a daily protest against this wretchedness. Not in word, but in how I choose to treat my fellowman. I must do so. Merely by being in the company of such people for months, years on end, you can easily become like them, adopting this poverty of the heart and mind. Far  more than any any physical suffering I may yet undergo, I see this wretchedness of the mind as the worst of all outcomes. It is the most deadly of diseases, and must be fought against.

Not All Are Overcome by Wretchedness
There have been moments when a ray of courage or an act of kindness breaks through the darkness, demonstrating that not all of those employed in the attacks against me are overcome by wretchedness. The psychological attacks against me are part of a systemic form of oppression that has not thoroughly indoctrinated all whom it manipulates.  In hindsight, some have tried to warn me or prepare me as best they could without revealing anything that could put them in danger. It is only now that I understand fully what they were trying to do and the risks they took. I greatly appreciate their efforts.

On one occasion, I was the target of a carefully orchestrated event that was designed to humiliate me to the point that I would respond in anger. It was a well rehearsed public event that could have put me in harms’ way, had I responded improperly. I restrained my emotions and walked away without a hint of vindictiveness. One of the individuals playing a role in this attack silently mouthed the words “thank you.” He did so a second time, looking me straight in the eye to make sure that I got the message. I did. It was his way of letting me know that he was relieved that I was not baited by this attack. I was greatly encouraged by that. Even among those swept up by the system into these macabre programs, there are men and women of conscience.

Equipped to Conquer Wretchedness
“All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them.” (Matthew 7:12) That simple command, given by Jesus Christ helps me to rise above wretchedness. Treating others with respect, dignity, and kindness encourages them to treat you the same way. Of course, not all will respond in kind. Yet, making the personal choice to follow this command, come what may, is a powerful defense against this world’s wretchedness.

Writing this post is a personal reminder for me to continue this fight against wretchedness. The price paid by defeat is too high.  I am confident that my Heavenly Father is delighted when he sees me follow his commands, albeit imperfectly, despite hardship. He will grant me certain victory.

When we are a witness to, or experience the depths of evil committed by modern men, we are moved to seek answers to those questions. Please view the satisfying and encouraging answers that  God’s Word the Bible provides by reading “Who Really Rules The World,” a Bible based discussion provided by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Here is a true life account from the 2011 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, from the country of Suriname. In this South American country, when someone is accused of sorcery (witchcraft), they are subject to beatings, theft and isolation. False accusations are quite common.

Pasensi was a former village head in Surinam, and a close friend of chieftain of the entire river area in his district. He had always opposed Jehovah’s Witnesses in his area, thinking they were a threat to village traditions.

In time, a local young man claimed to have the ability to identify villagers who practiced sorcery. He gained many followers who accompanied the young man along the river in canoes, beating the accused and taking all that belonged to them. Large sums of money had to be paid over to “cleanse” the accused of the evil spirit they were said to possess. Among the many innocent victims was Pasensi, who was beaten and left for dead. Even his friend, the chieftain, could not help him, afraid that his own life and reputation would be at stake if he helped someone accused of sorcery. Friends and relatives were forbidden to give any help. However, Pasensi’s son-in-law mustered up courage and took him to a village inhabited mostly by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Witnesses discussed the matter and, knowing the risk to themselves, decided to help. They arranged for Pasensi to be taken by canoe to a nearby village where a fellow Witness works as the station manager at an airstrip. From there, this former opposer was flown to a city for medical treatment.

Pasensi, who recovered from his wounds, was moved by the love shown him by the people he once opposed. He began to study the Bible and was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in December 2009. Pasensi, though he is 80 years old, is now a zealous minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“By this all will know that you are my (Jesus Christ’s) disciples, if you have love among yourselves . . .” - John 13:35 

As the cruelty and vicious attitudes of people in the world around us become more critical, we must work harder to exercise love. Why? Because love is essential to our mental and physical well being. It is the course of wisdom. Above all, it pleases God. The inspired Bible writer John knew that his fellow Christians would find it challenging to exercise love in a world that was becoming increasingly cruel. Therefore, he provided a timely reminder of an “old” commandment they were given decades earlier by The Christ.  That obligation, to “love one another” unselfishly, was laid upon all followers of Christ by Jesus himself (see John 13: 34, 35). However, John stated that this commandment to love one another was also “new.” In what sense was this command to love both old and new?

This command was “new” in the sense that the disciples of Christ were now facing new challenges and dangers, and needed to show love in new and fuller ways to meet them successfully. They could not allow changed circumstances to erode their love for one another. Indeed, it had to grow and expand to meet the difficult times they now faced. Love was essential to their survival.

What about us? Can we benefit from the principles contained in this inspired writing? New, more difficult circumstances in life may mean that the opportunities we have to show love may also be changed. Are we determined to find “new” ways to show love?  If we are surrounded by hatred, the worst thing we can do is imitate it. Doing so is self-destructive.We must find new ways to cultivate and strengthen our love for others. Like the Christians in John’s day, we also must view love as our “new” commandment.

Over the past thirteen years I’ve endured torture by covert microwave weapons, sleep deprivation, food contamination, intimidation, constant surveillance, and psychological battering. I’ve suffered financial reversal, isolation, betrayal and the slander of my good name. I’ve weathered it all by sticking to the Bible’s advice to meet my challenges with love. How grateful I am for that wise guidance! Without it, many people in a similar situation strike out in retaliation or self-destruct. Pushed to their limits, they act out of utter despair. If only they met their challenges with love!

How Love Is A Protection
One of the insidious messages constantly sent by our persecutors is that we are worthless and unlovable. They want us to become so convinced of that lie that we even consider taking our own lives. Meet this challenge with love! When you make the effort to do good for others, it can protect you in two ways:

First, it reminds you that the lives of others have value. The more you practice loving others, the more loving you become. You focus on the good you do for others, not the bad done to you.  You are much less likely to retaliate or act out of anger if you are focused on doing good. Not all may respond appreciatively, but you will greatly appreciate the few that do. Besides, the act of doing good is in itself a source of joy.

Secondly, doing good for others reminds you of your own worth. Your life has value (see You Are Worth More Than Many Sparrows . . .). A simple act of kindness done in the best interests of a stranger is one of the most noble gestures you can make.  Those kindnesses you express, however small, are sorely needed in this loveless world! Remind yourself of that. Get up in the morning thinking of the good you can do for others that day. There is no better cure for low self-esteem.

Meet your challenges with love! Look past the hatred that confronts you and find opportunities to do good for others. Work at it. If one door of opportunity closes, open another. Seek out opportunities to express love, to increase love. When we meet our adversities by finding new ways to show love, our lives continue to be meaningful and fulfilling. We are protected from the destructive effects of bitterness and despair.  It may well be the key to our survival.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” -John 13: 34, 35 (New International Version)