There is a woman in our little church group who was having pride in a secular object.
I brought correction to her about her pride in this. She said to me she didn't know why this was such a problem to her.
Later she told me of a TV program that was coming on about the founder of the company where she had so much pride. She seemed excited over this program and told me the date the program would be on TV and the station airing the program. I told her I was interested and might watch it. I had planned to put the time and date on my calendar but then forgot to do so.
The next day I realized this woman would be "feeding the pride" by watching the program.
I didn't want to tell her this ... but I did.
Immediately after sending her an email about this, I heard the following: "as they that watch over their souls as they who must give account". I knew this was God confirming the work I had done in communicating this word to this woman.
After I sent that word, that by watching this show she would be feeding the pride in the subject, this woman sent me the following: "Have had similar thought...not at all sure I will watch it ."
My response to her not being at all sure she would watch it ...
"Would b e wrong to go against these instructions from Holy Spirit
You've had them .. I've had the same instructions.
Not a matter of saying your not sure you'll watc h this.
A matter of going with Holy Spirit."
Her reponse to this ...
"Thanks. Grateful I mentioned this yesterday when we talked."
My response to this:
"Would have been
better had you recognized it was the Holy Spirit warning you with those
thoughts ... and if you had turned ... then you would not have even
mentioned it to me and I would not have had to bring correction.
You don't seem to recognize the Holy Spirit is not optional ...
You don't recognize when the Holy Spirit is giving you the word of God.
You think it is your own thinking somehow and optional.
This is your downfall."
================
I was reminded of the following concerning sinning "willfully" after you have the knowledge of God ...
I believe this means when God brings you HIS thoughts and you ignore them and go ahead in your own preferences, you do a terrible sin against the blood of Jesus as follows:
Hebrews 10 ... 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.
Also I was reminded of the warning to "obey" the voice of the angel when HE speaks to you ... fearful consequences result when you ignore HIS voice. (Angels carry messages from God to us through thoughts, through ideas)
Ex. 23 ... 20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions:for my name is in him. 22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
==========
When I was born again, 1975, God used this scripture and many other scriptures to teach me to listen carefully to instructions that came into my mind ... obey ... these are not optional.
I was very strongly tested many times in this.
One very strong test ... I owned a business at that time when I was born again. A woman took me to court over a matter. I heard, "Don't testify."
I told my lawyer he might not want to represent me. God had told me, "Don't testify."
The lawyer said he would continue to represent me even if I didn't testify. But he strongly warned me ... "If I testified, there was no way we would lose the case ..."
We got to the court trial. My lawyer informed the judge I was not going to testify. The judge was shocked! Judge turned to me and said, "You're not testifying?" (I just shook my head, "No.")
The woman who worked for me and had witnessed the event upon which the trial centered, was testifying. She became angry with me saying now that I was not testifying all the pressure would be upon her. I responded, "What can I do? God has told me, DON'T TESTIFY. I can't testify."
(God didn't speak to me in an audible voice. It was a word in the form of a thought but I recognized it was from God to me and therefore was not optional.)
The man I was dating at the time became angry because I would not testify. Bob said, "Joan, you're not doing this woman any favor by not testifying." I responded, "I'm not trying to do her any favor. I'm just obeying what God has told me."
There have been several other trials over the past 30+ years ... trials to see if I would recognize the voice of God and obey, even when I would suffer loss if I obeyed ...
In most of these trials, the "voice of God" was simply in the form of a thought. Once it was an audible voice as I slept at night. Sometimes it has been in dreams. But mostly God has spoken to me in form of "thought."
It can be an angel whispering the thought to me. (it seems like normal thought, idea in my head)
It can be the Holy Spirit speaking the thought to my mind. (Holy Spirit always speaks the heart of God on the issue. Holy Spirit does not speak of HIS own ideas. Holy Spirit searches the mind of God and reveals the will of God to us.)
I Cor. 2 ... 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Jn. 14 ... 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Jn. 16 ... 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:and he will shew you things to come.
It is our job to recognize HIM and obey the instruction.