"Words of the Lord"
Thinking back over my life in the Lord, reviewing true "Words of the Lord" which have been delivered to me by people, I have discovered many things concerning them. They have been spoken to me one-on-one, without fanfare, with no one but myself to hear them. I haven't been "called out" from a crowd, and been noticed by being given a "word" which has elevated me with a prophecy of fame, material gain, or a big following, which would draw attention to both the deliverer of the prophecy and the receiver. Also, the true "words" I have received have been one's that have been tailor-made for just me, and not ones that could be applied to just anyone. In fact, whenever I have received a true "word, the person through who the word is spoken, has no idea as to the significance of that word to me. Only I, and the Lord know that. In fact, overtime, He keeps adding to the meaning of those words, as if the depths of them are still being applied to me today in new and different ways.
Isn't that true of who Jesus is anyway? He is Life to us on a continual basis, and so His "words of Life" are that also. They are personal, rich, freeing, true, life-giving, lie-dispelling, cleansing, ever-revealing, and sure. They continue to work in us somehow, as they fulfill the purpose which He intended for His glory!!!! Sometimes He brings them to our minds again, whenever He has completed some work in us possibly to say that, "yes, this was a true word from my heart to yours," and to "confirm His word with signs following." What better sign than the evidence of His work in us!!!!
For example, once I was given a simple word. It was, "The Lord loves you so much. I know you don't know that right now, but you will." The life giving elements were , not only of the truth that I didn't know His love at that time, but also in the hopeful prophecy that I would know it in the future.
Recently, I have been struggling to know His love, fighting against the lies of the enemy I've believed for a long time, which has blocked me knowing this, and reaching for the truth that He does love me. He had done a work in me, evidenced by the hope that was put in me by that former word. The fact that I was reaching to know that love showed that I had received that word which had been implanted in my heart about 4 years ago, and now it was coming to life in me. Because He had prepared the soil of my heart to receive that word, He was now beginning to bring it to pass, and He "rewarded" me in showing to me a very small, but very impacting, glimpse of that love, and by "causing" me to be able to receive it as truth. Oh, the ways of God!!! They are wonderfully mysterious.
One of the points to be made concerning "words of the Lord" which have been delivered to you, is that they aren't ego-swelling and flesh pleasing words, which ultimately bring death, but they are Life-giving for your soul and growth of the Lord in you. They usually require a tearing-down process by the Lord's hand on the inside of you, which can be very, very painful to your flesh, in order for this Life to be resurrected on the inside of you. "Unless a seed falls into the ground and dies................" As we abide in the Vine (Jesus, in us) this process will be repeated over and over again, springing forth the new life of Himself and of the true "words" He has given to someone to speak to us. He is afterall called the Word. We must be careful to judge the words spoken to us, as "words of prophecy" or "words of the Lord", to see which spirit they are from. If they are flesh-pleasing, they are from another spirit. If they are soul-nourishing and true Life-giving, they are from the Spirit of God.
We must rely on the discernment of His Spirit to tell us in the very deceptive times we are in, which words are false and which are true, as many are from another source, which is not of God. If we are wanting words of the flesh, the enemy will be more than happy to deliver them to us. The deception comes in by us believing them as "words from the Lord." I know people who have put their faith in these words, desperately wanting them to be true, and fall further and further into deception.
If, by the Spirit of God, we sincerely love the truth, He will deliver them to us. His written Word is truth, and the "words" delivered by a person, which He has given to them by this gift of the Spirit of God. Question is "do we have itching ears" or "ears to hear what the Spirit says."?
P.S.-Sorry if this article seems to go all over the place. I pray the Lord would unscramble it, if it's hard to understand. I trust the Spirit of God within you to do that.
Also, although I have shared a "word" which was given to me which, by our definition was "good and encouraging" I want to add that many of the "true words of the Lord" are not perceived this way. Some are, what we would say, "bad" or "discouraging," but that is only because we are judging them by our carnal minds and not by the Spirit. All true words are "good" according to God, and they will produce His desired effect in us, as He is conforming us to His image. That's why we need to hear with His ears to determine the source.
Isn't that true of who Jesus is anyway? He is Life to us on a continual basis, and so His "words of Life" are that also. They are personal, rich, freeing, true, life-giving, lie-dispelling, cleansing, ever-revealing, and sure. They continue to work in us somehow, as they fulfill the purpose which He intended for His glory!!!! Sometimes He brings them to our minds again, whenever He has completed some work in us possibly to say that, "yes, this was a true word from my heart to yours," and to "confirm His word with signs following." What better sign than the evidence of His work in us!!!!
For example, once I was given a simple word. It was, "The Lord loves you so much. I know you don't know that right now, but you will." The life giving elements were , not only of the truth that I didn't know His love at that time, but also in the hopeful prophecy that I would know it in the future.
Recently, I have been struggling to know His love, fighting against the lies of the enemy I've believed for a long time, which has blocked me knowing this, and reaching for the truth that He does love me. He had done a work in me, evidenced by the hope that was put in me by that former word. The fact that I was reaching to know that love showed that I had received that word which had been implanted in my heart about 4 years ago, and now it was coming to life in me. Because He had prepared the soil of my heart to receive that word, He was now beginning to bring it to pass, and He "rewarded" me in showing to me a very small, but very impacting, glimpse of that love, and by "causing" me to be able to receive it as truth. Oh, the ways of God!!! They are wonderfully mysterious.
One of the points to be made concerning "words of the Lord" which have been delivered to you, is that they aren't ego-swelling and flesh pleasing words, which ultimately bring death, but they are Life-giving for your soul and growth of the Lord in you. They usually require a tearing-down process by the Lord's hand on the inside of you, which can be very, very painful to your flesh, in order for this Life to be resurrected on the inside of you. "Unless a seed falls into the ground and dies................" As we abide in the Vine (Jesus, in us) this process will be repeated over and over again, springing forth the new life of Himself and of the true "words" He has given to someone to speak to us. He is afterall called the Word. We must be careful to judge the words spoken to us, as "words of prophecy" or "words of the Lord", to see which spirit they are from. If they are flesh-pleasing, they are from another spirit. If they are soul-nourishing and true Life-giving, they are from the Spirit of God.
We must rely on the discernment of His Spirit to tell us in the very deceptive times we are in, which words are false and which are true, as many are from another source, which is not of God. If we are wanting words of the flesh, the enemy will be more than happy to deliver them to us. The deception comes in by us believing them as "words from the Lord." I know people who have put their faith in these words, desperately wanting them to be true, and fall further and further into deception.
If, by the Spirit of God, we sincerely love the truth, He will deliver them to us. His written Word is truth, and the "words" delivered by a person, which He has given to them by this gift of the Spirit of God. Question is "do we have itching ears" or "ears to hear what the Spirit says."?
P.S.-Sorry if this article seems to go all over the place. I pray the Lord would unscramble it, if it's hard to understand. I trust the Spirit of God within you to do that.
Also, although I have shared a "word" which was given to me which, by our definition was "good and encouraging" I want to add that many of the "true words of the Lord" are not perceived this way. Some are, what we would say, "bad" or "discouraging," but that is only because we are judging them by our carnal minds and not by the Spirit. All true words are "good" according to God, and they will produce His desired effect in us, as He is conforming us to His image. That's why we need to hear with His ears to determine the source.
posted by Patti Blount @ 9:39 AM
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