this key article is from Carol Dietz: if you’re going to engage in Advancing the Lord’s Kingdom during these wicked times you and I need to be able to DISCERN the difference between the “voices” surrounding us in this AGE OF DISTRACTION !!—- let me know your thoughts— jeff daly
Part 18 of Series – WITHOUT HOLINESS NO ONE WILLSEE THE LORD
Do you know the Lord’s Voice? There are three inner voices: Satan’s voice, your voice and the Holy Spirit’s voice, and all three have a will, a very strong will. It’s critical that we know who’s who, especially in the days to come. God’s will for you is in your best interest, not like the other two. The will of the Lord stretches further than your will or Satan’s will. The Lord’s will for you is flawless, blameless, industrious, rewarding and eternally fruitful.
There are other voices we can listen to and follow but your pastor’s voice, your father’s (or mother’s) voice, your husband’s (or wife’s) voice, your boss’s voice, your teacher’s voice, your friend’s voice, the voice of your nation’s president and the voice of the media – can NOT do for you what only the Lord’s voice can. The Lord’s Voice will lead you to your heavenly Father. No other words but God’s words can give you the perfect peace of mind you need, the hope you need in tribulation, the clear understanding you need, the specific vision you need, the bold confidence you need, the patient endurance you need and the timely go ahead you need.
Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30) “They will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” (John 10:5-6)
How can you tell the difference between the Lord’s voice and a stranger’s voice? If you are not the Holy Spirit’s serious student of God’s Word then you won’t be able to tell the difference. It’s as simple as that. Jesus warns us that if we refuse the Holy Spirit He won’t forgive that; He’ll forgive any sin we commit but we will not see the Lord if the Voice of His Spirit is not the one we know and obey. “See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?” (Hebrews 12:25)
God’s warnings are all for our good; we don’t need to be afraid of them no matter how strong they get, and they will get stronger. (Hebrews 12:26-29 and Revelation 8:13) Don’t turn away from His warnings; turn to the Lord with all your heart, mind and strength. We don’t need pills; we need to take in His love and promises. We don’t need to watch more television or play video games; we need to look into the Word of God and hear the Holy Spirit tell us what’s coming and how to prepare. We don’t need a vacation when life is hard; we need the peace, perspective and patience of the Lord. We don’t need any more distractions.
We are living in the time of what many call “the day of distractions.” I don’t think there was ever a time in history when there were so many kinds of distractions; things to do and with which to keep ourselves occupied; worthless things that take up our time and meditation. We need to recognize “distraction” and stand against that evil spirit because, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” Isaiah 7:9
Satan controls people through their fears and desires. Most of us don’t test our thoughts and desires for truth to prevail in our lives. Most of us don’t know what we are truly afraid of; we let “fear” dictate to us. We don’t really go to the Lord to hear from the Lord about our fears and how to overcome them because if we did – the enemy would be afraid of God’s people instead of getting his wicked will done through us.
“Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:10-18
My precious husband is always wrestling in prayer for our children. He had an experience the other night in his sleep where he was attacked three times by evil. His spirit was alert while his body slept. He knew this evil was after our grandchildren downstairs sleeping, but he also knew that it had to get through him first. Each time it came at him it got closer and as he stood against it with faith in the Lord it left. But, on the third attempt the enemy came at him with a loud roar as if to make my husband afraid enough to move aside and let evil have its way in. Again he stood firm and it left. When he woke up and got with the Lord about it this statement came to his mind: Not many Christian men are spiritually awake and alert.
I have to ask: If Christian men are spiritually asleep what does that say about the faith they profess to have in the Lord or the work they are doing for the Lord, in the Name of the Lord?
As long as I’ve known my husband (40 years) my husband has never let evil or fear knock him off his feet. He’s been tripped up a few times, but like God says in Proverbs 24:16, even a righteous will stumble and even if he takes a fall he’ll get right back up because of his faith in the Lord. We have seen the deliverance of the Lord in our lives many times and so we know that the Word of the Lord can be fully trusted.
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” James 5:7-9
Evil comes at us every day with greater force. We can’t hide from it so we’d better learn to stand our ground against it, because without holiness no one will see the Lord. The Day of the Lord is closer than we realize. Satan knows it and is why we see the rapid increase of evil on the earth. Jesus told us that hearts will melt and hearts will grow cold because of our fear of evil and our lack of faith. But didn’t Jesus also say that because He overcame the world, the flesh and the devil – that we could also; that we should take heart and finish what He started? (John 16:33)
The writer of Hebrews warns us not to do what Esau did. (Genesis 27 and Hebrews 12:16-17) Esau considered his God-give firstborn birthright of less value than the desires of his flesh. When it was time for him to receive his father’s blessing Esau begged with bitter tears for a blessing but his father had none to give him; he had given it to Jacob, the one who would carry it out faithfully. Esau and Jacob’s mother, Rebecca, knew God’s choice even though she didn’t go about it in the right way with Isaac, the boy’s father. So, may we highly value our heavenly Father’s blessing and consider all our ways that we not forfeit what our Father has set aside for faithful.
May we remember the Lord who is our only salvation. May the Lord remember you and bless you. May He grant you success and make you increase; you and your children. May you enter His gates of righteousness with thanksgiving and praise!
Though the Lord must chasten us, even severely – let the righteous rejoice! For this is the day the Lord has made! His love endures forevermore. The laws and judgments of the Lord are holy. Blessed are they who walk in the ways of the Lord and prepare for His coming. They will not have shame put on them; instead the Lord will put on them – their gold crown of righteousness, life and glory.
“Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him – all the earth….He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth….The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice….Say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns!’… Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.”
