Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. Heb. 11
When she was called upon to do the right thing, Esther said, "If I perish, I perish." Esther 4:15
Jesus didn't rush to the cross ... He prayed: O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou will ... Mt. 26:38
Following God is really pretty simple. Don't do anything until the Spirit of God speaks and then do what you are instructed to do. (Just be fully persuaded the spirit speaking is God's spirit for we are told to "try the spirits" to see if they are of God.) There are many instructions that are not of God. Also I've seen the wrong spirit answer prayers. When we pray, we even have to evaluate those "thoughts" that come after we pray. Not every thought is from the Spirit of God after we pray.
How to "try the spirits" ...
First, I would pray asking God to show me the truth about the matter at hand.
Then I would wait until I was fully persuaded one way or another. (But I probably wouldn't just assume the first thought I receive after prayer is from the Spirit of God.)
But the minute I'm persuaded the spirit speaking to me is of God, I act upon what I hear. To wait is often deadly, allowing wrong spirit to reason away the instruction.
However I see many people who hear a word and fail to establish which spirit that word is from. They just jump up and say, "God told me to do such and such" when it is obvious God was not the spirit behind that word they received. And such people continue in a delusion. Often they have a type of pride that God spoke to them and they allow themselves to get all carried away because of this pride. They probably heard from a spirit not of God and are exalting that spirit in their pride. It is not unusual that God speaks to us when we are HIS children. If you have children, don't you speak to them? God is a better parent than we are. So why should we be surprised to hear from God? This should be a normal occurrence in our lives when we are children of God.
So you have to be willing to try the spirit before doing that "great" work ... some are not willing to try the spirit. They end up being deluded unto their own destruction which is often their own desire. Thus I see some who write books no one wants to read and books that publishers will not publish. Often they pay to publish their own books thinking it is of God. The publishers who take money to publish books are called "vanity" publishers, for good reason. Some attempt to do works they cannot afford to do thinking God told them to do these works and they end up begging for money for their works. Some purpose to go into very dangerous places to preach the gospel thinking God told them to go to these places. Many of these works are authored by a spirit that is not of God. But people get all caught up in the idea because it seems so great and basically they want to do great works "for God". Actually they want to be great. Nonsense. Jesus even explained at the day of judgment HE will turn away many who come holding forth these good works. Jesus says: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Mt. 7
In recognizing the wisdom that is from above, we are warned and instructed by James as follows:
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. James 3