Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
When we share the word of God given to us, we can expect thoughts to come to try to cause us to back down from that which we have shared or to be sorry. This is a persecution for the word's sake. Unless we keep a very deep root system, we can be swept away. Therefore we must work at that root system for the word's sake so we can cling fast to that word in times of temptation.
For example: I share daily on this blog. I rarely hear from any person who reads these exhortations. One could be discouraged. Thoughts would come, "It doesn't do any good to share." (This is thought from devil to try to discourage sharing.)
How would I fight discouragement and keep sharing these writings daily?
First, I would focus on that which I know God told me to do. God gave me a dream (March 2012). In this dream I was shown to go on internet and do these writings. Within 3 days we were on Internet writing these exhortations. We have written daily since that dream.
God says: Have not I commanded you to do this?
Certainly the answer is "YES" ... This is what God showed me to do.
So the answer to the devil who would discourage me, if possible, is: "God showed me to do these writings therefore I did them."
Second, there is a scripture in Hebrews which tells us to exhort one another daily, and even more as we see the day of the Lord approaching.
Heb. 3 ... 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Heb. 10 ... 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
So when the devil would try to bring thoughts to me to discourage me from writing to you on this blog, I choose to remember that dream where God showed me to go on blog and write exhortations to the church ... and I choose to remember the instruction given to exhort one another daily and so much the more as we see the Day of the Lord approaching ... (Heb. 3 & Heb. 10)
Each of us must develop an appropriate root system into the Word of God upon which we can rest, especially after we have shared the Word of God with other people.
My mother had the following dream: She said I came to visit and I had a very large white RV. I was watching over the vehicle carefully, circling it and protecting it.
I knew this was the ministry I had been given by God and I was watching, not allowing anything to hurt that ministry, keeping the assignment, protecting the assignment from outside things that could harm it.
We must not allow the things given us by God to be stolen away from us. We keep those things by focusing on that which God has shown us which is opposite to that which the devil speaks to us in thoughts. Choosing to believe what God has shown us.