Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Several years ago Pam lost her job. When she prayed, asking God how she should handle expenses until she could begin earning a pay check from her new job, she was reminded of gold coins which she had purchased. She could sell one of the coins and pay expenses until salary was paid to her. Then in mail, she received letter from one of her close friends. That friend had said God led her to send this money to tide Pam over. Pam took the money and didn't have to sell the coin. It seemed a blessing but was it?
When I heard this story, I was troubled. If we pray and are impressed to do something, are we denying the plan of God if we go another way?
When Pam and I talked about this, Pam was reminded of the following scripture:
And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. 8And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: 9For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. 10So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
11Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father. 12And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. 13And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, 14And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. 15Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 16And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: 17For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. 18He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. 19So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
20And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: 21And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, 22But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
23And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase. 25And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. 26And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him. I Kings 13
Concerning this, I was reminded of Gal. 1 ...The apostle Paul said ...I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Gal. 1
"Gospel" means "God's story" ... What is "God's story to you" on the issue at hand?
Pam was very young Christian when this happened and she did what she did in ignorance.
If we have problem and pray and are reminded of something that is the solution to that problem, it is very possible the solution was given us by the Holy Spirit...And if it is from the Holy Spirit then that is the will of God for us in that specific issue.
If we have any question, then we can pray, asking God to confirm the instruction.
If another person comes along with another solution other than the one we think to be from God, we can turn to God asking HIM to show us which way is God's way so we can choose God's way.
Pam just didn't know all these things at the time this happened.
It can be very tricky. But God can make HIS way and HIS will clear to us when we turn to HIM.