Wednesday's Words to Live By For April 4th - April 10th "Test the Spirits to See If They Are of God"

[Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD]

Early morning while sitting at my desk, God gave me this message and I want to share it with you. God told me to stop trying to connect with people of the world (trying to be friends with EVERYONE I meet) because the world loves its own and they know their own. I am also to stop trying to connect with “church folk” who doesn’t have God’s agenda at heart. God said just as the world knows its own, His people should know their own; we are to know (by the Holy Spirit) who really are of God and who are not. The world also knows who God’s people are. Let me give you my personal example of the world knowing who God’s people are:

Some years ago when I was really just coming to the Lord, I had an experience I will never forget. I was living in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and attending the Votech School there. When I woke up that morning, God told me to fast; He knew what I would encounter at school that evening. The previous day, the instructor had put me out her class for asking a question but I would find out the real reason why later. She told me not to come back to her class anymore. Therefore, when I stepped into her class that evening, she went into a rage and started screaming at me to get out here class. I did not know what was wrong with her (did not know anything about discernment at the time).

Finally, the instructor told me to go outside and talk with her. Oh, I forgot to mention, she brought her daughter with her and she wore jeans that day; she had planned to jump on me:). When we got outside she started screaming so loud that her daughter came out to make sure she was alright (all this time I was cool as a cucumber:) because I was fasting – God knew me and He knew if I would not have been fasting, there is NO WAY I would have been cool – I used to be a hot head and I would have went to jail if I would not have fasted:) - you will see in a minute why). I made a joke when her daughter came out to check on her, I asked her why she brought her daughter – for backup and I was smiling.

When I made that statement, the instructor slapped me so hard that my head hit the brick wall behind me that I was leaning against; she left a mark on my face. Another student was coming in late (she had never been late – God used her as a witness) and saw the instructor hit me and ran from the car to push her back from me. I started to cry, and then everyone ran out the school. They thought I was crying because she slapped me but I was crying because God had given me the victory; at that moment I knew exactly why God ask me to fast. I later found out the real reason she did not want me back in her class – she was a witch and recognized the Spirit of God in me; even though I did not know who I was in God that spirit in her did. This goes to show that the devil can recognize the God in YOU! All throughout the Gospels, the devil recognized who Jesus was also. Therefore, if the devil can recognize God’s people, God’s spirit in us should be able to recognize who other people are (and He does; it is up to us to allow the Gift of Discernment to work in our lives) whether they are in or out of the church. Don’t be fooled into thinking everybody in church is of God!! They are not! You will see what the Word say about this later!

What I am saying has nothing to do with judging anyone, this has to do with recognizing wolves in sheep’s clothing, by allowing the Holy Spirit to show you who is who; using your gift of discernment which God has given you.

What God was telling me was to allow discernment to lead me and not be led by my emotions; just because people act like they are nice or sound like they care, does not mean they are for real – there are many sociopaths out there trying to deceive people; in and out of church.

This is something people do not want to talk about and that is why there are so many hurt people in church. We cannot be so gullible to think there are not cons in the church! The reason God gave me this message is because I had been deceived by someone in the church, into thinking they were my friend; this person pursued me until I gave in (all the while the Holy Spirit was saying “No, do not get into a relationship with this person”), and agreed to start hanging out with them. After that, the bombshell fell and I was devastated! It was not overnight that I forgave them but I did, and God healed some deep wounds that I received, from being disobedient to the Holy Spirit. God is using me to warn you, so the same thing will not happen to you, and if it has happened, ask for forgiveness from God, the person if need be, and move on; chalking the experience up and learning from it so you can warn others. I had to apologize to that person and I did nothing wrong to them but God told me to apologize. I am like, “God I did nothing to them why do I have to apologize?” I should have known better to go there with God, because He always wins:) so I apologized.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:15 to be aware of false prophets who come to us in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves. 1 John 4:1 says for us not to believe every spirit but we must try the spirit to see whether it is of God or not. This is what these Scriptures say in the Message Bible:

Matthew 7:15

^15-20 “Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned” (www.biblegateway.com).

1 John 4:1

“My dear friends, don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world” (www.biblegateway.com).

If we are real born again believers, we should test the spirits by the Holy Spirit more often, then people will not be able to fool us easily with their smooth, empty words and calculating actions. God will not have us ignorant of the devil’s devices! That is why He is warning us in the above Scriptures! We must stop ignoring God’s warning about a person, thinking we know the person; God is the only One who can see a person’s heart – the pure motive.

I am not saying to be suspicious of everyone you meet, but I am saying to be watchful of people who you form close relationships with. If you are being led by the Holy Spirit, you will not be fooled! God does not want us to be entangled with everyone we meet! Show the love of God yes, but that does not mean form a relationship; we are not always compatible with everyone we meet – Amos 3:3: “Can two walk together unless they agree?” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: “Do not unequally yoked together with unbelievers...” This Scripture is not only talking about unsaved people, but people confessing Christ, but have different beliefs about God than you have.

I know for me, God does not allow me to form relationships with everyone I meet; He has a few selected people who I can interact with. And every time I try to form relationships that He does not approve of, He lets me know. I am attaching to this teaching a poem entitled, “Life Is A Theater” and it says it all about relationships and a poem entitled, “A Reason, A Season, A Lifetime.”

I know if you draw close to God and He will draw close to you and you will not be able to be deceived!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Life is a Theater — Invite Your Audience Carefully

Not everyone is spiritually healthy and mature enough to have a front row seat in our lives. There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you let go, or at least minimize your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not-going-anywhere relationships, friendships, fellowships. Observe the relationships around you. Pay attention to:

Which ones lift and which ones lean?

Which ones encourage and which ones discourage?

Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill?

When you leave certain people, do you feel better or feel worse?

Which ones always have drama or don't really understand, know and appreciate you and the gift that lies within you?

When you seek growth, peace of mind, love and truth, the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who should be moved to the balcony of your life.

You cannot change the people around you but you can change the people you are around.

Ask God for godly wisdom and discernment and choose wisely the people who sit in the front row of your life.

- Author Unknown

Taken originally from deliah.com but it is no longer on her site. But I found it on another site:

www.batterednotbroken.org

 

 

A Reason, A Season, A Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON . . . It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die.
Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our
desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you
sent up has been answered. And now it is time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON . . .
Because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount
of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. 

Author Unknown

Taken from www.yuni.com