That Does Not Sound like Him. (God’s Voice: Part Two)

Has anybody ever related to you something that another person supposedly said, but the content of the words just really did not match up with the character of the person being spoken about? In times like this a further investigation of the actual conversation may show that the person said nothing of the sort. Even if a similar statement was made, the context of the situation indicates an entirely different meaning to the actual comment. For whatever reason, the statement, “did you hear that…” was completely incorrect. Unfortunately others who may not know this person may actually believe this wrong information and tarnish a person’s reputation.

If someone were to approach me with a statement that my husband or son supposedly made, it would be fairly easy for me to determine if the statement was feasibly true or not. I know both their attitudes and their patterns of speech pretty well. If something does not sound like a thing either of them would say, a little investigation would reveal either the actual words used or the context and true meaning of the statement. For someone that I am less familiar with this process is not as easy. Our best course of action is to try to avoid gossip at all costs. When this is not possible praying for and seeking out the truth about another is imperative. We cannot simply believe statements that may be incorrect.

We may often hear incorrect statements about Almighty God. Even in the Garden of Eden the serpent began his attempt to twist God’s words. “Now the serpent was more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And he [Satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1 AMP) Since that time man has been bombarded with lies concerning both God’s character and the content and meaning of His Word. We must be careful when accepting statements that may or may not be biblical.

Studying and knowing God’s character will help us to distinguish false statements. That’s nature is love and He cares deeply about His children. Psalm 139 tells us how well God knows us. He knows everything we do and everything we say. And this is the result, “How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” (Psalm 139:17 AMP) Thoughts or words of condemnation and worthlessness are never from this loving Father. God calls us to be holy. “For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16 AMP) Yet King David acknowledged that God also forgives every sin that we confess to Him. “Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits - Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities,” (Psalm 103:2-3 AMP) We are precious to the Lord. Self-condemnation and worthlessness are a familiar twisting of God’s statements that must not be believed but rather rejected and exposed as lies.

Our Lord is a God of hope and desires for us to be hopeful as well. This was the apostle Paul’s prayer, “May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.” (Romans 15:13 AMP) When situations are difficult we must always remember that nothing is hopeless. Our future is secure and nothing that we have done or are experiencing is so bad that God cannot bring us through. “Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39 AMP) Nothing we have done and no obstacles in our way can defeat us. “But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ's victory] …” (2 Corinthians 2:14a AMP)

 We can be confident in all circumstances because God has promised that he will always be with us. We are never alone. “Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]” (Hebrews 13:5 AMP) Any words to the contrary simply do not sound like something God would say.

 So whether it is thoughts in your mind or statements from others, double check that everything lines up with the word of God. Know the Lord and His Word and reject anything that doesn’t sound like Him.