Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Lk. 4 ...And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and HIM only shalt thou serve.
A woman went to bridge without make up thinking God told her to do this. She was so proud she was able to do this. I listened to her tell this story and never believed it was God speaking to her. I believe a devil was speaking to her, imitating God, and she followed and obeyed this voice.
Another woman reported that God said to her, "You're just like a whorish woman." I do not believe this is the voice of God. I believe this was a devil imitating God.
Jesus said: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Worship: means to obey ... We who are of God are to serve God.
But there are times the devil imitates the voice of God to try to get us to follow him and to make us think what we have heard is God.
When I started out in the ministry in 1979, I had an ad agency very briefly, for about 4 months. The agency planned things to promote me in the radio broadcasts in various cities. The agency was very skillful in getting people to come to meetings and in getting them to give money in support of ministry.
The problem was they told me to do things I couldn't do ... One thing I couldn't do that they told me to do was to put on my envelope's the following: "Send me your prayer requests" I did not want anyone to do thing. They should pray. They should have faith to pray. You don't come to God through a minister. You go directly to God through Jesus Christ. I did not want to take the place of Jesus and to cause humans to trust in me! So I refused to do what the agency wanted. The agent said, "Joan, you're missing a good bet on this for when they send prayer requests they usually put some money in the envelope." I did not do this. After about 4 months the agency threw me out. I thought I had failed. But then God showed the Mt. 4:5-8 and I saw that instead of failing, I had refused to worship (obey) man for personal gain. I obeyed God by doing that which HE said to do. And as a result it did cost me praise of man. But it also kept me free to serve God and set the foundation for the remaining years.
God speaks to us by thoughts. The devil speaks to us by thoughts. Our flesh wants us to serve flesh.
Whom shall we obey?
First we have to be sure it is God speaking to us before we obey that voice ...
One way to do this is by trying the spirit to see if it is from God.
I Jn. 4 ... Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
A few days ago, I heard a message to deliver to the church. I said to the spirit that brought that message to my mind, "Do you confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh." I heard: "Yes" ... so I delivered that message.
Later I wrote and exhortation and heard: "Send that to Betsy" (an acquaintance who has not the Spirit). I said to the spirit bringing that instruction, "Do you confess Jesus Christ is come in the flesh?" I heard: "No." So I did not obey that spirit.
Jesus said: 4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
...27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: Jn. 10
We, as sheep, should be able to discern the difference between the voice of Jesus (the Holy Spirit) and the voice of a strange spirit.
But certainly we can try that spirit to see if it is of God if we belong to God. We have the authority if we belong to God to do this.
The apostle John said: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits ... I Jn. 4:1
Sometimes I will have the thought: "Set her right ... tell her off ... tell her such and such ..." I know this is not the Spirit of God but another spirit. I can tell by the texture. In such cases, I just turn to God in prayer, asking HIM to help me.
Sometimes I will be excited over an exhortation and will hear to send that exhortation to an unbeliever. Certainly we want to help unbelievers. But unless it is God telling us to send it, the work will be futile and maybe even harmful. This is a good time to try that spirit telling you to send that exhortation. If you belong to God you have the authority to try the spirits.
Acts 19 ... 13Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
15And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.