With the modern the growth of the internet, there are so many good teachings, preachings, encouraging words, prophetic words, etc. out there, including this very article. Can you tell all words apart?
But what do You believe?
- Dane
Before anyone was sure, Peter was sure.
Jesus asked Peter who the people said he was, and Peter answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah.”
Then he asked Peter himself: “But who do you say I am?”
And Peter answered correctly – he was the Messiah, the son of the living God. But how did Peter know Jesus was the son of God and not just a prophet or holy man like what everyone else was saying in and around the towns?
Simple. Jesus tells us how Peter knew: “For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.”
Peter prayed. More specifically, Peter had time with the Father without Jesus, without anyone else. In his prayer time, Peter heard the truth straight from the Father – this is my son, the messiah, the Christ!
While it’s all too common to joke around about how Peter was too cavalier and prideful at times, Peter also believed purely what he heard. Like a child.
And what he heard in prayer, was more powerful than what everyone in the cities and towns were saying, even more powerful than what the teachers of the law were teaching. What Peter heard while following Jesus was confirmed by what he had already heard in prayer.
This is how Peter could stand alone with Jesus, and not with the crowds.
With the modern the growth of the internet, there are so many good teachings, preachings, encouraging words, prophetic words, etc. out there, including this very article. Can you tell all words apart?
Ask yourself: is that Instagram prophetic word truly from the Lord, or is it just something I agree with? And how could you tell the difference between advice you like to hear, and what the Lord is truly saying?
Counsel and friendship can help. If you read an post that is ‘prophetic’ or even just an encouraging word, and you find that people you respect and trust also ‘follow’ or trust this person, it can be helpful. But even this at times can be a trap.
But what may be an even bigger trap is this: remaining silent.
It’s easy to receive advice, then do a little trail and error to find out if it’s the Lord. However…
Giving advice, encouragement or prophetic words is inherently risky – and praise the Lord! When you do, your name, your reputation are on the line. And even more so, God’s reputation if you want to represent him!
I so often used to defer my opinion to every other teacher, pastor, prophetic etc. out there that I trusted. And granted, most of them gave good words! And how could I not defer to them? These men and women creating all of this great fruit, bringing many to the knowledge of the Lord and more! When I would see their fruit vs. mine, it was easy for me to say to myself, “Yes, I trust this. I trust them! I want fruit like them.” So I received, and took their words to heart.
And in humility and good intention, I received great wisdom and knowledge from these people. But at one point, I finally came to a crossroads. I came to a point where I realized I was never fully getting the fruit I desired. And sometimes even a few of the people I listened to, while bearing great fruit, also had less than exceptional character. I was completely stuck, but just for a moment.
Then just laying there, thinking about all of these people, advice, fruit, everything… I heard the Lord say this – “But what do you believe?”
I was stunned. Frozen. I sensed The Lord wanted me to simply leave everyone else’s opinion, every good bit of wisdom (for a moment). He wanted to put me back in the driver’s seat.
What do I believe…I thought. Well…
From that moment, it was game “back on”. I was returning to hearing more for myself, rather than just relying on the truly good words I was hearing from everywhere else. I was returning to my first love – the Holy Spirit.
I would hear from the Holy Spirit everyday before this, but now it was back to action. More than what the prophets were saying, more than what the townsfolk were saying, I was losing my fear of man, however good intentioned. Better said, I was losing my fear of Holy man.
I didn’t go and immediately disregard everything I had heard prior; no, but I did hit the ground running. I was back in the driver’s seat, and it was time to take some risk. It was time to trust the Father’s voice once again, and go. It was time to challenge what I was hearing, with what others would have me hear.
It was time to risk being a little ‘too much’. It was time to risk getting loud. It was time to GO.
I would dare to say most people have the opposite of my problem. Many today are very opinionated, sure of what they believe however wrong or silly it could be, without much care for consequences or what the Lord is actually saying. Maybe compared to you, I was coming from other side of the spectrum.
But nonetheless, advice is good and community is powerful, but there will be times when you will go alone with God. With God, but just with him.
I encourage you to counsel on words you do hear from the Lord in prayer. However, if you get confirmation of a word in prayer, and Jesus alone confirms it, stand. Stand like Peter. Be sure whenever one else is unsure. Or unafraid to be sure.
Remember…
When Jesus preached to hundreds, maybe even thousands of disciples, he told them that those who wanted follow him had to eat his flesh and drink his blood. With this, everyone but the 12 left. That was just too much. But just like when Jesus first asked Peter, “But who do you say I am?”, Peter answered correctly again after the offended crowds left:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Peter met with the Father in secret. Peter knew sometimes he would have to stand alone with this man, and he was ready, willing, and empowered to in the Holy Spirit.