I can't count the number of times people have done this to me! The example that always stands out in my mind, is that a group of WoFers told me I was healed, and to confess it. I did confess, and believed for healing. It didn't come, which left me feeling depressed. I felt like I was shamed, because I didn't have "enough" faith. And they told me that over and over, because God had told them, and I was not receiving it!
I think it is arrogant to set yourself up as a prophet and tell people what to do. We have their own relationship with God, and he can speak to us, not through a mediator or third party.
It took me a long time and lot of pain to see that God is in control, and suffering is part of this life. About a week ago, an old friend told me I just needed to confess that the pain was gone, and it would be gone. I just cut him short and said I didn't want to listen to heresy. I wouldn't have done that a few years ago, because I thought he had an understanding of the Bible.
But he hangs around people who say "God told me."
I personally know God has spoken to me in an audible voice, and I was not crazy! Everything that God spoke came to pass. Nor was what God said for other people - only for me. God speaks to me every day in amazing ways. He comforts and cares for me. He guides and leads through the Holy Spirit. He chastizes and rebukes me. He forgives me, and always lets me know he is real.
I preached in our church on Sunday morning and I agonized over the sermon. It was a very difficult subject, and I didn't want to be controversial my first time preaching in this church. I prayed for months, and always got the same answer. That this was the topic and direction I was to go. I even tried to cut out a section, but I knew God's will was for me to say it, even though it was a long quote, and not from the Bible.
After the service, an elder got up and spoke. She had an announcement, and she was crying. Because the message which God gave me, was exactly the answer to prayer in her announcement, and I had opened the doors to healing, love and support.
If you are really following Christ, you will know his voice.
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27
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Angela,
your witness was very moving, thank you for sharing...we love your total honesty about how you
balked before God for so long,,,this is like Moses, 'Oh Lord, I am slow of tongue and cannot speak',
You've picked the wrong guy....we have to laugh, because we can totally identify, we just can't
count the times that we have fallen short and doubted what our Father was telling/showing us..
one-on-one communication from our Lord is His precious way, but oh how mulish we can be
before we learn how to submit and trust....oh the times we have fretted and worried NEEDLESSLY,
only to be shown how His grace is manifested in the wonderful works of our lives...
this part of our learning and growing surely does take a-while, but He is always Faithful, and
will not ever forsake us, because He truly is our Best Friend.....
of course, at some point we come to realize that false teachers, preachers, and prophets abound,
for it is written, 'many shall come in My name saying I am Christ, (Jesus is Lord), and shall
deceive many.'
may we all keep on hearing and doing what our Saviour requires of us,
as it is written, Hear Oh Israel, the Lord our God is One.' and again, I and My Father are One.'
