SILENCING THE VOICES THAT SPEAK IN OUR LIVES
Pr. James
Victor Lubwama
Matthew 4:5-11 (NIV)
‘Then
the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point
of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said,
“throw yourself down. For it is written:“He
will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their
hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” 7 Jesus
answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the
test.” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and
showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All
this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus
said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the
Lord your God, and serve him only.” 11 Then the devil left
him, and angels came and attended him.’
There are silent destructive voices that speak in
our lives which usually discourage our hope and inhibit our faith. They even sometimes masquerade as the voice of God (2 Corinthians 11:14). These voices are from
the devil, they always oppose, reject and contradict the word of God - they are so on point that they will point to the facts of life. Whereas
God speaks through His Word; logos - the written word and and Rhema - the
Living Word or prophesies, the devil works by imposing fear, pointing you to
difficulties, past failures and creating negativity in one’s mind.
These voices can only be
silenced by the word of God. Amidst challenges, worries and fears, speak the word of God, and
eventually the voices will cease. In the scripture above, Jesus taught us an important lesson about the
secret and the power in the word of God; for He always responded to the devil with the
word of God (not with any other quotations). The problem with some believers is
that when the devil whispers negativities and fear, they turn to motivational
books or instead of the truth – Word of God. If God has spoken, He will bring
it to pass (Isaiah46:11). What makes you think that He has forgotten you? He is
watching you in all situations.
Genesis 21:13-21 (NKJV)
"Yet I will also
make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”14 So Abraham rose early in the
morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he
gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered
in the Wilderness of Beersheba. 15
And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the
shrubs. 16 Then she went and sat
down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself,
“Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her
voice and wept. 17 And God heard the
voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said
to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad
where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the
lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she
saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the
lad a drink. 20 So God was with the
lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer."
In Genesis 21
above, we see God speaking to Abraham about Ishmael's future. But later on,
faced with a difficult situation – lack of water, Hagar gave up her child
to die, until she cried unto the Lord and He opened her eyes and she saw a well
(provision)
Sometimes we think that God doesn’t
hear us when we cry out unto Him or see what we go through in our businesses or
projects, but He hears and listens to it all (Hagar's child - business or work of
your hands). When your venture is hit by financial thirst, call upon the Lord
and He will send rain. Don’t let go, don't give up; for whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). Hagar was in a hopeless
situation, but God had mercy because of the spoken word or covenant He had made with Abraham. The bible says in Genesis 17:19-22 (NIV) that says;
‘Then
God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call
him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting
covenant for his descendants after him. 20 And as for
Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful
and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve
rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But
my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to
you by this time next year.” 22 When he had finished
speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.’
Be hopeful, have faith; cling unto the Rhema Word and at the right time, God will
open your eyes and you will see a well of water.
Always
respond to the silent negative voices with the word of God
Believing is seeing..thnx pastor for the teachings. .Amen.
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