Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 75
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
Preaching
through the Book of John, we recently crossed 10:1-6, and I titled the message:
“The Voice of the Shepherd.” It is very
interesting how many “competing” voices there are to: a) keep a Lost person
from ever hearing the Gospel, and b) distract and detour a born-again Believer
from hearing their Shepherd. So, today’s
writing is a beautiful picture of the dilemma facing everyone as to “who are we
really hearing?,” and HOW we can know the “who.”
Are They Really Hearing
Jesus?
Now we
have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to
us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human
wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with
spiritual words. –I Corinthians 2:12, 13
Over the years I
have had similar experiences to yours of people walking up to me to tell me
that they had a word from Jesus for me. These words have been as varied as the
people. Some have told me I was out of God’s will to be traveling to minister
and needed to return home immediately. Others have told me that the Lord was
telling me to go out. Go out or come in, which is it? All purport to be speaking on God’s behalf, so how
to know the difference? There
is no doubt that genuine words from Jesus can come through the conduit of
another believer, but His word will not be an attempt to create something in
us, but to witness to what is already there. God is a very intimate God and normally does not tell
our secrets to another; He is far too confidential for that. Therefore, someone’s telling me
I have a “hidden sin” or a “dark heart” is not received. When a word does come that could be
construed to be negative, it will--if it is truly from the Lord--lift the
spirit, for with the word will come the power and the truth to set me free.
Another problem with some so-called “words of the Lord”
is the carnal one’s use of them as a method of manipulation, invoking the
Lord’s name and our love for Him to move us in his direction.
Saying, “The Lord said . . .” really means, “Keep your distance, and no
rebuttals allowed.” A sure
sign that this is happening is that the one speaking refuses to be questioned.
The carnal person will want his to be the last word. Probably the most pertinent question
when determining if something is from God or is a judgment of man is simply,
“Why did Jesus not tell me Himself?” Normally when a child goes to a
sibling to represent the parent, something is not right. If the parent wants to
tell a child something, he simply tells him; he does not send another child to
speak for him. If God wants to
tell us something, and we know His sheep hear His voice, why would He send
someone else? (see
John 10:1-6). There are examples of His doing that in the
Old Testament, and the people knew exactly what the prophet was talking about;
it was not something vague or something that they could not see was wrong. This
brings us to one other point: the carnal makes things vague to protect himself.
It reminds me of the Asian fortuneteller standing on the corner and saying to
each person passing by, “You seem happy, but something is wrong deep inside!”
On any given day, that would apply to at least half of the people. God has no need to be vague, and
neither are His words calculated to please the flesh. “You are going to
have an expanded ministry!” “You are going to have all your riches returned to
you!” “You are going to have healing!” It is all so appealing to the flesh. I would rather hear, “You are in Him, and so being in Him,
He will bring the revelation of Christ in you, the hope of glory!” Carnal men want to give a word
that is spectacular. Always question the motive behind what is being said. The
“word” should bring neither condemnation nor exaltation; its object should be
to move you toward Jesus. I have received tremendous encouragement from
the words of believers that were not from them but from Him. Do not let the fact that there
are phony words given deter when a blessing is to be had. Simply judge what is
being said.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Just imagine over the
years how many people our dear brother Michael had come up to him and give him
a “word from God.” Wow! The ridiculous brazenness of some.
Michael gives us some
terrific criteria for judging what is being said. Let us learn and take heed to make the
necessary judgments.
One thing that always
impressed me was Michael pointing out that God is not in the business of
telling someone else something to tell me…that He could (should) speak to me
directly about. (“Why did Jesus not tell
me Himself?”). Our very intimate and
confidential God will speak to us directly.
As a pastor or counselor or discipler, sometimes God may prompt us to
tell someone something God has said THAT HE HAS ALREADY BEEN TRYING TO “TELL”
THEM, but for whatever reason they will not, or have not, listened to Him.
And one of the most
priceless victories we have in Christ is that we have been “given, and
received, the Spirit that is from God,”…so ”we may know the things freely given
to us by God.” This is huge! And what a privilege we have as a child of
God! Because right in that same passage
in 1 Corinthians 2 God tells us “the Lost (natural) Man DOES NOT RECEIVE the
things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him: NEITHER CAN HE KNOW
them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (v. 14)
Oh, brethren, let us
not forget, waste, somehow make void…whatever…the gift to “hear Jesus” each and
every time He speaks to us!
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NOTICE: a new blog on
Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the
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Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
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