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Comments by Joan Boney:
When God, by the Holy Spirit, shows us to do something, the devil often tries to make us doubt that it was God speaking these words to us.
The serpent came to Eve saying: "Hath God said?" (Gen. 3:1)
Also persecution comes "for the Word's sake", to try to make us back off from doing that word.
These "persecutions" can come by another person who questions what we are doing: "I can't understand how you can do that." "I can't believe you are doing that." "You can't do that for if you do that, this might happen to you."
The only issue for us to decide is this: Did God tell me to do this?
When we are sure it was God showing us to do that thing, that is all we need upon which to focus.
If the devil cannot get us to discard the word, he will try to get us to "alter" the instruction slightly.
In Eve's case, she added her own idea to the word God had given them. Eve probably thought it made the instruction even stronger.
Eve said to the devil.
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
If we look at exactly what God said to Adam, we see Eve added to God's word.
Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
If we add to the Word or take away part of the Word given by God, we will likely not be able to stand on that word for inwardly we will know only part of the Word was from God. We weaken the Word and mishandle the Word if we add or take away from the exact Word.
Concerning mishandling the Word from God:
29 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself (by that WORD), and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die).
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Many times through the years God has given me a word by HIS Spirit and I have kept that Word before me day and night to enable me to do that Word.
(For much interference can come when we set ourselves to do a Word from God.)
* 1982: God gave me a dream showing me I would be in great danger if I continued to go out and have meetings with the radio audience. And at the end of the dream, God said: "Don't go until you see Exodus 15." That same morning I cancelled all meetings scheduled for 1982. A woman in our church group said, "You can't do this. You must go out. If you go out they will give money. If you don't go out you will lose money." I replied, "God told me not to go out. I'm not going out." And I didn't. We lost money as a result but we had plenty of money anyway.
* 1976: Concerning a court case a woman filed against me when I had my business. God said to me by HIS Spirit in the form of a thought: "Don't testify." Immediately I told my lawyer I would not be testifying. A woman who worked for me witnessed the incident and when she found I would not be testifying she became very angry with me and said, "Now all the burden will be on me." I replied, "God told me not to testify. I can't testify." The man I was dating thought I was wrong and he said, "You're not doing this girl any favor by not testifying." I replied, "I'm not trying to do her any favor. I'm just trying to do what I believe God has told me to do." My lawyer said Flo's testimony didn't go as well as he had hoped but if I would testify we would win this case. I prayed and heard again, "Don't testify." I did not testify and we won the case.
* 2018: I fell at my house in Texas and broke hip and left wrist. As ambulance workers rolled me past the front door of my house, I heard a word from the Holy Spirit in the form of a thought: "You'll never see this house again." I put the house up for sale. A woman in our church group said, "I don't see how you can do this." I replied, "God told me I would never see this house again."
* 2020: I was considering having new upholstery put on seats of my 25 year old car. God, by HIS Spirit, brought the following to my mind: "Or you could just buy a new car." (I had never thought of that, although I had just sold my house in Texas and had plenty of money to pay cash and buy a car.) That same night God gave me a dream showing me I bought a new car. The day after that dream, I bought a car. Immediately problems began with the new car. Circumstances of life often come to steal the word we have heard from God and to cause us to question what we have done. One by one we worked through each problem with the car dealer. Later, when everything was resolved, we went out after a mild snow to enjoy the scenery. I mentioned to Pam that I didn't recall our going out the previous year to see the snow. Pam said, "You weren't able to ride in the old cars." I realized then how God wanted me to get to enjoy this snow and how HE made it all possible for me by leading me to get the new car which I can ride in with relatively little physical pain. (God does all good things for us!)
John 10:10 Jesus says: 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.
Know this: We enter into the blessings by overcoming each problem along the way by praying and by doing that which we believe God told us to do.
We go in the way we believe God has told us to go.
We do not allow people or circumstances to pull us off the road which we believe is set there for us by God.
Pray at each problem and do what you believe God shows you to do.
Hold Fast to that which God says to you.
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