Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Jesus says:
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The devil brings thoughts to us which cause us harm if we act on those thoughts.
Pam Padgett (our church group) reported the following which illustrates how God brings us help and how devil would do things (if we allow it) to steal that help from us.
Pam's dad died in January 2018.
A few days later, God gave Pam a dream with 3 very comforting points.
* In dream, her dad was a "brother". This likely shows Pam that her dad was born again.
* In dream, her dad said, "You've always been there for me." This would fight guilt she might have that maybe she should have visited more often or done other things.
* In dream, her dad told of the help her mother has, everything needed. This would help keep Pam's flesh under control, keeping her from feeling she needed to go visit her mother and see if she is okay and such. (her mother lives in another area of USA.)
I marveled in God when Pam shared the dream. Here in one dream, God gave Pam everything she needed in the situation.
A couple of weeks after the dream, a thought came to Pam saying this dream was not from God because it was not an angel that gave the information in the dream. (Matthew 1-2 ... When God gave dreams to Joseph, an angel brought information and instruction in various dreams.)
Pam says: Of course this thought was not right, but for a second it sounded reasonable and I turned to God asking about it.
Immediately I was reminded of the man of Macedonia appearing to Paul in a vision in the night. I found this in Acts 16 and read it ...
Acts 16:9-10 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Then I was reminded of the dreams Pharaoh was given, and for which Joseph the son of Jacob was given the interpretation, in which God showed the coming 7 years of plenty following by 7 years of severe famine. (Genesis 41)
In these examples God gave information and instruction in dreams, but in different ways, as HE chose to do. Sometimes there may an angel bringing information in the dream while other times this is not the case. There does not have to be an angel in a dream for the dream to be from God.
It was surprising how reasonable the thought that came to me saying the dream about my dad couldn't be from God had seemed for a second. And it did seem reasonable, briefly. That it was presented as lining up with scripture was especially deceptive. But God gave me what I needed to not be deceived.
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I John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is HE that is in you, than he that is in the world.
I Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
I Corinthians 2:12-13 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.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
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Thoughts from God lead us in the way of life ... thoughts from devil lead us in way of death and destruction.
We must hold fast to that shown us by God and resist contrary directions.
Deception is rampant today as we near the return of Jesus.
Deception comes through humans. Deception also comes through thoughts which are not of God.
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Recently I had the thought that I should go visit the grave of my favorite cousin, RB.
I don't have to go to a grave site to remember RB. I can do that from my own house.
This was a very strange deception for I never visit graves.
Why would I do that?
When my cousin's husband died she was talking about visiting Thurman's grave to take flowers.
By the Holy Spirit I said to her: Who are you trying to impress? Dead people are asleep. Thurman does not know you are standing at his grave. So who are you trying to impress?
She thought about this for a moment and then replied: Then it really doesn't matter where we are buried.
"Right," I replied.
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In all things, we, who are of God, must be led by God.
We hold fast to that which we believe God has shown us.
We resist anything contrary to that which we believe God has shown us in the matter at hand.
Deceptions come to try to pull us off from that which God has shown us.
We live in a very dangerous time as we near the coming of Jesus.
We must be diligent to examine those thoughts that come to our minds.
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
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