"Was That You Lord???"
Let's Dig Into The Word Of God And Find Out Who's Saying What!
WHEN THE DEVIL OR EVIL SPIRITS SPEAK, THE FOLLOWING IS EVIDENT:
DOUBT, FEAR, and DISCOMFORT (II TIM. 1:7; ROM. 8:15-16)
CONFLICT, RESTLESSNESS, NO PEACE (JAS. 3:14-18)
LACK OF CLARITY, CONFUSION: “IF YOU HAVE TO “WORK IT OUT AND MAKE IT WORK, FORGET IT!” REMEMBER THAT SATAN IS THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION (JAS. 3:16; I COR. 14:33)
CONTRADICTION OF THE LORD’S COMMANDS (GEN 3:4)
CONDEMNATION, GUILT, DISCOURAGEMENT: STUFF IS BROUGHT UP THAT YOU CONFESSED AND REPENTED OF 6 MONTHS AGO. THINGS THAT YOU KNOW GOD HAS FORGIVEN YOU OF AND FORGOTTEN ABOUT. (ROM. 8:1; I JOHN 3:20-22; I JOHN 1:9; 5:14-15)
DECEPTION: THE DEVIL MAY BRING YOU INTO SOMETHING {JOB, MATE, HOUSE, ETC.} THAT IS KIND OF GOOD AND ALMOST PERFECT FOR YOU AT THAT TIME. LIKEWISE, HE CAN DECEIVE YOU INTO NOT PERUSING SOMETHING GOD HAS PROMISED YOU. REMEMBER: HE’S THE FATHER OF LIES AND HE IS A DECEIVER. (JOHN 8:44; JAMES 1:17)
WHEN YOUR FLESH SPEAKS, THE FOLLOWING IS EVIDENT:
DECEPTION: IMMATURITY IS DISPLAYED. “I GOTTA HAVE IT RIGHT NOW IN A HURRY”. BUT GOD HAS A TIME SET! (PHIL. 4:6-7; HEB. 5:12)
DOUBLE-MINDEDNESS: WANTING TWO OPPOSITE THINGS AT THE SAME TIME RESULTS IN INSTABILITY (1 KINGS 18:21; JAM, 1:8; MATT. 6:33; PHIL. 2:13) – DON’T FORGET THE JOB DESCRIPTION OF THE HOLY GHOST (JOHN 14:16.26; 16:13)
UNREGENERATE DESIRES: WHEN IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR OWN VOICE AND SPEAKS OF THE SAME OLD DESIRES YOU USE TO INDULGE IN (JAM. 1:13-16; ROM. 6:1-4)
WHEN GOD SPEAKS THE FOLLOWING IS EVIDENT:
NO CONDEMNATION, GUILT OR DISCOURAGEMENT (PHIL. 2:13 & ROM. 8:1)
AN INWARD KNOWING: SOMETIMES NOT SO COMMON WORDS - (I COR. 2:13)
PEACE COMES AND YOU ARE AT REST – REMEMBER, GOD ALWAYS ATTACHES PEACE TO HIS WORD (JOHN 14:27 & PHIL. 4:6-7)
CONFIDENCE AND ASSURANCE FOLLOWS - (ISA. 30:15)
AGREEMENT WITH THE WORD OF GOD: GOD WILL NEVER VIOLATE HIS WORD. IT WILL NOT BE A CONVENIENT WORD BUT A SURE WORD (II PETER 1:19)
HERE ARE AN EXAMPLE: THERE ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE GOD TOLD THEM THAT CERTAIN PERSONS ARE TO BE THEIR MATES. YET THEY ARE LIVING TOGETHER. THIS IS A CLEAR VIOLATION OF GOD’S WORD. THIS CANNOT BE GOD BECAUSE IT CONTRADICTS HIS WORD ON FORNICATION AND THE APPEARANCE OF EVIL.
~ IN I COR. 5:9 GOD SAYS THROUGH THE APOSTLE PAUL, DON’T KEEP COMPANY WITH FORNICATORS. AND IN VERSE 11 HE SAYS - EVEN IF THE PERSON IS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
~ THEN IN I COR. 6:9 HE SAYS, DON’T EVEN DECEIVE {FOOL} YOURSELF. NO FORNICATOR, IDOLATER, ADULTERER, COVETOR, DRUNKARD, REVILER, EXTORTIONOR SHALL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
~ AND IN VERSE 13 HE SAYS, THE BODY IS NOT FOR FORNICATION BUT FOR THE LORD AND THE LORD FOR THE BODY.
~ FINALLY, IN VERSES 18-20 GOD SAYS TO FLEE IT! WHY? BECAUSE YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST!
“SO, IF YOU ARE SHACKING, START PACKING!”
I’M DEFINITELY NOT SAYING THAT IT COULD NOT BE THE RIGHT PERSON BUT EVEN IF IT IS - IT'S DEFINITELY THE WRONG TIMING. AND AS I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, YOU CAN DO THE RIGHT THING AT THE WRONG TIME AND IT WILL BECOME THE WRONG THING.
HERE'S A FEW OTHER WAYS OF KNOWING IT'S THE VOICE OF GOD...
CONFIRMATION: HE CONFIRMS HIS WORD (II COR. 13:1)
THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS: THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL TESTIFY OF THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS.
CLARITY: HE ALWAYS SPEAKS WITH CLARITY AND IN LINE WITH HIS WORD (II COR. 1:20 & PSALM 37:24)
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:22)
Minister Rickey E. Macklin