Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
God said to Joshua ... There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6Be strong and of a good courage: Joshua 1
As this applied to Moses and Joshua, it also applies to those of us who belong to God.
Unlike the people of this world, we pray. We ask God what HE wants us to do as we go out to purchase items. We ask God what HE wants us to do when problem arises. By asking God and depending on HIM to lead us, this puts us into the position where no man will be able to stand up against us and overcome because we are following the instructions from God.
We often have to really fight to have the faith and courage to not pull back. But if we believe it is God leading us, how can we pull back?
Many do pull back after they start. They allow that Word to be stolen away.
Mk. 4 ... And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 3Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 9And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Jesus explained this parable: Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 14The sower soweth the word. 15And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. 18And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 20And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Recently I was dealing with a secular issue. I didn't know what I should do. I prayed asking God to show me what I should do. I also asked God that if I was to purchase that item, which model did I need to buy.
The next morning, I awoke thinking about the item. I said to God: "I don't know how to get it installed."
Immediately I was reminded of a business to call to get the item installed. I called and made arrangement for installation.
Then I was going to call manufacturer and buy the item. But I kept thinking of another person to call so I called him and he could get the item for me and would give me 20% off which the manufacturer would not have done. And this man told me exactly which model I needed. It was not the model I was planning to buy.
Within 45 minutes of starting this project, all arrangements had been made for installation, purchase and delivery to my house at less money than I had planned to pay.
Then the problems really began. Humans began to tell me I didn't need to add this item. Doubts flooded my mind as to what I had done.
God also said to Joshua: Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9
Was I acting upon that which was direction from God in this matter? I prayed. I heard. I believed. I acted. I don't know any other way to deal with faith and with God. I sincerely committed the issue to God. I gave up my own desire for I didn't know what would really work for me in this matter. So the only thing I know to do is hold fast after prayer when I believe it is the Holy Spirit showing me what to do though others think I am wrong.
I sat down and listed all the things in the issue and focused on those things and how I arrived at my decision and purposed to hold fast even when others were trying to pull me off the plan. The bottom line is: Just install the item.
All this has to do with Mark 4, the parable of the sower. Holding fast to that seed, to that word which you believe to be from God.
We have to work to hold fast!
Often individuals laugh at me and make fun over me in what I have done but I know I did what I did because I prayed and was led to go that way so I just accept their rebuke.
When my cat died, I was horribly grief stricken. I had no other animals. That night (a Friday) I cried out to God. Please help me. The next morning (Saturday) I awoke knowing to get on Internet and find a Siamese cat breeder that I liked and call about a cat. I did find a web-site I thought to be professional and I called and she said she would be able to have a kitten to me by Wednesday. All grief left me immediately when I ordered that kitten and I never had another moment grief over Samantha who died.
A man at the bridge center delighted in making fun of me saying his alley was filled with free cats and I could have gotten one of those. (And I would have loved every one of those alley cats.) But what this man discounts in his puffed up wisdom is this: I prayed about what I was to do and I did what I heard to do believing I was following God.
No matter how much a man like this thinks he knows best, the truth is this man will not be able to stand before me ... nor will any other opposition ... for I have prayed asking God what to do and I have done that which I believe to be instruction from God.
There will usually be opposition to that which we believe to be from God.
Again, read parable of sower, Mk. 4.