Faith

Thus Says The Lord!

A few years back, whilst I was in my third year, I met with some fraudsters. They didn’t come as fraudsters of course. It was a very annoying episode. I don’t even like talking about it, but I’d share it still. It may be of help to you or someone you know.

I was on the way to meet up with some friends at the staff quarters when I met this man driving. He said he was lost and was looking for an xyz clinic where he wanted to administer healing to one of his members blah blah blah blah.

The moment he got my attention, he started talking about how that I had stepped on some charm that wasn’t meant for me and now according to what he had seen in the ‘spirit realm’, I had just seven days to live.

Before you start wondering how I even stayed to listen to them, note that he had someone come along as we were talking. He told the man some things that were true and according to Mr. Actor (the one who came along), no one else knew about those facts. They were personal.

It was a bit convincing but what had me the most was the fact that he was a ‘Man of God’ so I just believed him. He told me to kneel on the road so he could pray for me and I really didn’t mind the prayers. Only that it was around 3pm, along one road in a university! How ridiculous would I have looked? He offered to drop me by my friend’s place and pray on the way. I got in. And then my spirit started ministering to me. Seriously? Would God have brought me all to way only to march one juju and die in year 3?! It wasn’t until he told me to write down my prayer points on a paper so he could take them somewhere and blah blah… that my brain had a reset.

Even if the juju gist was true, can’t I pray by myself? The car was at this time parked in front of my friends’ house. I bolted out as the man was explaining some prayers I’d have to do with him and never looked back even as the man kept calling at me. I was so scared afterwards that I thought of seeing one of my pastors who lived close by. I had heard of these fraudsters but this one was a ‘man of God’ so I just believed him. I couldn’t get my pastor that evening and I just was forced to settle the matter else I wouldn’t have been able to sleep well that night. I opened my bible and started reassuring myself of the promises of God. I saw how that God’s plans for me were for good and not evil.

By the third day, I was more than convinced that no weapon fashioned against me shall prosper. I knew this… I was so sure of it. By the seventh day, I was no longer counting. I had totally forgotten and I am still alive today to the glory of God.

It was during this period that I learned some of the most important lessons in life. I’d share them as I go on…

I see a lot of people do some really ridiculous things all in the name of obeying a ‘Man of God’. Some other sisters go into mini-panic attack because a brother said to her, “God says you are my wife” and I really just marvel at those cases.

Now, before I go further, I’d like to say that I honour the men of God in my life so much because you can’t receive from someone/something you don’t honour. So, I am not disputing the place obedience and honour in ministry.

Again don’t see it as being about your pastor and whether he is hearing well. In fact, I personally am not in the habit of judging people and their actions. Like I love to say, their cane is not in my hand, meaning it’s not mine to judge. What is in my hand is my heart, my growth, my walk with God. I am personally responsible for that and I should guard what goes in.

1 John 4:1a…”Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God…”

From false doctrines to other unscriptural practices, false prophets abound everywhere. Some don’t look like it but they are nevertheless. Honestly, some men of God don’t know when they are going overboard. So, the onus is on you to filter everything that you allow into your heart – instructions, doctrines and all.

Hence, whether it seems to be good or not, whether it seems true of not, you should pass everything through the fire of the Word of God. That is how you know what is truly of God. God would never contradict Himself. That is why it is key that a believer is firmly grounded in the Word of God for him/herself. The bible say, so many false prophets have gone out into the world. Know God for yourself.

God would never contradict himself. Click To Tweet

Let’s take a look at a few accounts: The Berean Christians, Acts 17:11. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so.. (Please take a look at the whole portion when you can).

Now those guys were being taught by the apostles gangan themselves yet they searched the scriptures daily to see if the things they were told were true. What do you do with your church notes? It’s for you to daily search out and crosscheck what’s been taught in the church from the scriptures. I like to see it as you personally allowing the Word you have heard find proper rooting.

Someone might ask, what if my pastor sees ill ahead and warns me?

The truth is this: As people of the new covenant, God no longer has to go through prophets to reach us. The prophets may have a Word from God for us but it should be to confirm what God has already told us. It also must align with the Word.

As people of the new covenant, God no longer has to go through prophets to reach us. Click To Tweet

Let’s take a look at another example, King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20. So the king was sick and a prophet went to visit him. He had a message from the Lord that spelt doom as it were. The message was that he wouldn’t recover from the ailment. Guess what the king did? He turned his face to the wall and pled his case WITH God!

Even if you get an instruction or a warning, never replace God with your pastor. Notice the king didn’t even start to negotiate with the Prophet. He really had no business with the one who delivered the message, He had business with God. At the end, God gave him a testimony.

King David also when he got a news from prophet Nathan about how God intended to punish him for his acts of wickedness with the family of Uriah. He knew he was wrong but he pled his case with God, not through an intermediary. Even though the son still died, it was a case of him and God.

It all boils down to your relationship with God. Do you hear God for yourself? Do you know how to seek God for yourself or are you in the habit of paying someone to fast for you or consult God on your behalf?

No matter how you try to procrastinate, a time would definitely come when you would need to hear God for yourself on an issue. And if you haven’t been hearing from God on the little issues, you could be stranded when it gets to the big things. If you wait for major decisions like marriage or career path before you hear from God, then there is a high likelihood that you would get it wrong.

Learn to hear God in the small decisions, as little as what elective to opt for in school or whether you should go for a party. Then even in the big ones too, it would not be strange.

God is a loving father that is passionately in love with you. He is always ready to commune with you, so the issue isn’t with him. The issue is: are you listening?

It’s like a radio that is on all day long, all night long. If you don’t tune it to a particular station, you won’t have access to that station regardless. That don’t mean that the radio station is not airing.

We have direct access to the Father. We don’t need any intermediary. Jesus has made a way to the Father and that’s all the link you’d ever need or connect as my warri friend calls it. This means that you don’t exactly need anyone to hear from God for you because you have a seamless connection. If things are working as they should, why do you think God would by-pass you and go and tell someone else something important to you? You should be able to say boldly, “I spoke to God this morning  and He didn’t mention this but I’d check with Him and then decide on what to do” You should be able to say that without doubt that God would speak.

If things are working as they should, why do you think God would by-pass you and go and tell someone else something important to you? You should be able to say boldly, “I spoke to God this morning and He didn’t mention this but I’d check with Him and then decide on what to do“. You should be able to say that without doubt that God would speak.

It's God's word over any person or experience anytime any day. That’s the final authority. Click To Tweet

Because again, God doesn’t and would never contradict His Word. The next time someone says to you: “Thus saith the Lord…”, be sure to check with God on your inside. And never forget to double check ALWAYS with the Word of God. It’s God’s word over any person or experience anytime any day. That’s the final authority.

Peace.

About author

Articles

Tolulope Oludapo is a young Christian who lends his voice through the media by sharing practical wisdom for everyday living in the most experiential and simplified fashion. This has fetched him the direct followership of over 30,000 users on his blog, lifegiva.com. A blog he founded. He loves to write on varying subjects that affect life, faith, relationship...everyday living.
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