GOD works

Have  you ever heard a speaker say something that doesn’t quite jive?  There in an inner check in your SPIRIT… or maybe just a bit of a “Huh?”

You hear of a lot about prophets nowadays, and we are told not to despise prophesying but to test all things (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22).  That is because the Bible says in the ‘last days’  (Acts 2:17 last days began when JESUS was raised from the grave) lots of false prophets/teachers and doctrines of demons will deceive many. 

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of GOD: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

“Now the SPIRIT speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1).

Well, how do you test a prophet or what a speaker says?

If they listen to GOD and cause people to hear GOD’s Word they are real prophets (Jeremiah 23:22).

Well how can you know if that is so? GOD said if they don’t agree with MY Word then there is no light of truth in them (Isaiah 8:20).  (Compare what is said with the Bible and make sure it is in context or the principle spoken of applies).

Elijah was a true prophet of GOD: “Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that YOU are GOD in Israel, and that I am YOUR servant, and that I have done all these things at YOUR word” (1 Kings 18:36).

GOD gave Elijah instructions and when Elijah obeyed GOD, the LORD would tell him the next step.  For example, Elijah went and told King Ahab it would not rain until he said so -1 Kings 17:1 (for 3 ½ years it didn’t rain) then GOD told Elijah to go to a specific place by a creek and that HE (the LORD) had commanded ravens to feed him (and they did) 1 Kings 17: 2-4, then when the creek dried up GOD told Elijah to go to a specific country to a widow and that HE had commanded her to provide for Elijah (and she did) 1 Kings 17:7-9.

In the same way, GOD often only leads us one step at a time.

I am pretty sure Elijah got verbal orders from GOD but what about the ravens and the widow?  How did they know what GOD wanted them to do? 

Personally I am confident that they heard the LORD like you and I do.  Let me explain.

“For it is GOD who is at work in you, enabling you both to desire and to act according to HIS chosen purpose” (Philippians 2:13).

Philippians 2:12-13 you have to “work out” what GOD “works in” you— not work to accomplish or earn “your own salvation,” but work it out so you will exhibit the evidence of a life based on a determined, unshakable faith in complete (finished) and perfect work of the LORD /Oswald Chambers.

“the LORD says, ‘I will put MY laws into their hearts (so they desire what I desire), and in their minds will I write them (so that they think like I think)” (Hebrews 10:16).

Therefore, listen to that still small voice speaking a Bible verse or nudging to you make a phone call.  It is GOD working in you to do HIS good will.

Note: as children of GOD (John 1:12), we still can disobey GOD and if we do, we will suffer consequences.  For GOD is a good FATHER and will develop righteousness in us and HE will not hesitate to discipline us when necessary (Hebrews 12:11).  GOD has declared that HE will transform us into the image of HIS SON JESUS through what comes into our lives. (Romans 8:28-29).  And what GOD says HE will do.

The LORD said, “yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it” (Isaiah 46:11).

Hugs

Sharon

How can something that looks good and seems helpful be wrong?

“Many will say to ME (JESUS) in that day, ‘LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in YOUR name? and in YOUR name have cast out devils? and in YOUR name done many wonderful works?’  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from ME, you that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23).

Wow!  How could prophesy in JESUS name be iniquity?

Thus says the LORD of hosts (armies), Hearken not (don’t pay attention to) to the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain (empty): they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord (Jeremiah 23:16). I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in MY counsel, and had caused MY people to hear MY words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings” (Jeremiah 21-22).

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy4:3-4).

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

How could doing wonderful works be iniquity?

“…for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23) and true faith is only that which comes from hearing a word from the LORD (Romans 10:17).  Therefore, doing what you think is good but not something that GOD has instructed you to do is sin.  Remember Cain’s offering that which he thought was good, that which his self-effort produced, was rejected (Genesis 4:5) just as was the strange fire not ordered by GOD brought death to the 2 Levite priests (Leviticus 10:1-2).

GOD tells us to acknowledge HIM in everything and then HE will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5).  HE warns us against leaning on our own understanding and being wise in our own eyes (Proverbs 3:6-7).

In Isaiah 50:11 it is called lighting our own fires, making our own plans without 1^st checking with the LORD concerning what HE wants done. GOD warns there will be severe consequences.

After taking Jericho the Jews decided among themselves to go out against the smaller town of Ai with just 3,000 troops but they didn’t ask the LORD and they ended up running from their enemies.  Had they consulted the LORD before going they would have learned of a problem and taken care of it so when they did go against Ai they would have GOD’s strategy and win (as they later did when following the LORD’s directions).  Read all about it in Joshua 7.

For you see GOD has prepared in advance for each and every believer in JESUS good works to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). We don’t have to figure out what to do, but we must get our marching orders from GOD.  All we have to do is ask and then go with that which we know we should do for GOD has promised to show us what to do.  And HE is more able to lead us than the demons are to deceive us.

GOD promises to direct our steps in the assignment HE gives us if we acknowledge HIM.

After asking GOD for our marching orders, we need to check out what we “inwardly know” we should do (Philippians 2:13, Deuteronomy 30:11-14, Romans 10:8, Hebrews 10:16) with GOD’s word. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  If it agrees with the Bible then do it.

Hugs

Sharon

How can you know?

Within a half hour I heard two prophesies.  The 1st one sounded right on- the 2^nd one sounded right except for one small part and I knew I had to get with the LORD and ask HIM about it.  But before I had an opportunity, (although one of the verses that follow came to mind), one of the gals in my class text me wondering about the 2^nd prophesy and wanting my opinion.  Again, that verse in Jeremiah 23 came to mind but I still wanted to check it with the LORD.

With the state of the world and especially our nation of the USA there are a lot of people saying they are prophets and speaking for GOD.  Many of those things contradict. We are warned in the WORD of GOD about this.

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of GOD: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).  That makes it extremely clear that some who say they know what is coming are lying.  And there are plenty of conflicting prophesies out there and even more so since Covid-19 and the riots hit.

But we can’t just ignore the prophesies that come our way for we are also instructed in GOD’s HOLY WORD:

“Despise not prophesyings, Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).

GOD is telling us that not all who speak of the future are lying and we are supposed to pay attention to those telling the truth for they are speaking for HIM.  But, how can we tell the difference?  How do we prove if something is true?

The persecuted Old Testament prophet Jeremiah was proven accurate and was quoted by other prophets.  In Jeremiah 23 he speaks concerning how you can tell the difference between a godly prophet and a false prophet.  Let’s look at what he was led to say by the HOLY SPIRIT (1 Peter 1:21).

False prophets -speak a vision out of their own hearts and not from the LORD (Jeremiah 23:16).

“Who has stood in the counsel of the LORD and has perceived and heard HIS Word? Who has marked HIS Word and heard it” (Jeremiah 23:18). “But if they had stood in MY counsel, and had caused MY people to hear MY words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings”,(Jeremiah 23:22).

“The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath MY Word, let him speak MY Word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not MY Word like as a fire (it will burn up the chaff or useless prophesies- showing them wrong)? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces (it will shatter lies exposing them as false)? (Jeremiah 23:28-29).

Then GOD says something very interesting. “Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal MY words (say I didn’t mean what I said in MY word) everyone from his neighbor” (Jeremiah 23:30).  This is not speaking of plagiarism!

Plagiarism is when someone steals another’s idea.  This verse speaks to when a false prophet steals the truth out of a person and supplants it with a lie.

So, the answer as to “How to tell if a prophet is speaking GOD’s word or just his own idea?” is check it out in the Word of GOD.  Don’t be fooled by those who try to add or subtract from GOD’s Word.

“To the law and to the testimony (GOD’s Word); if they speak not according to this Word, there is no light (wise understanding and truth) in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

Hugs

Sharon