The Sounds of Many Voices
by Bro. Ken

As we enter into the year 1999 we are already carrying many of the upheavals of the past. We have just come out of a bomb campaign against Iraq, The House of Representatives has just impeached the President of the United States, Russia has pulled their ambassador from the United States and has gone on high military alert. China and others have condemned the United States for their aggressive actions and we haven't even heard all the voices yet concerning the problems Y2K may pose on all of us.

With that said, I feel the greater danger is still ahead. It will present itself in the opinions of both the Christian and the secular world of voices. It not that the opinions of people are not important nor should they all be discounted. The problem lies with the truth of such opinions and whether they can be taken to help guide one through the coming storms that lie ahead. To this I say, and refer you to God's Holy Word, that following ones opinion without the truth of God is going to led one into difficult times. Jesus said, "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them in also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd." John 10:16. We as Christians need to be in prayer more than ever before, we need to be able to here God's voice and follow Him as He is our Shepherd.

When ones opinion differs from His voice we need to beware. The Apostle Paul gives to us these words of wisdom in discerning God's voice. "We have not received the spirit of this world but the Spirit who is from God, that we many understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." - I Corinthians 2:12-13. People need to be able to discern the truth of God's word (VOICE) from the many false words that will be given. People need objective signs by which to make an identification of what are true words from God and the many false words that will be given in the coming days. Here are Eight ways to make that identification: I will use the True and False Prophet as examples of True Voices that can be followed and false voices that should not be followed.

 

  1. If divination is used in any form, the Prophet is false. Read Deut. 18:9-14. God had promised that He would raise up Prophets to whom He would reveal divine revelation that could be relied on.

  2. Character of the Message: False Prophets spoke messages that catered to the delights and whims of the people. Micaiah, God's Prophet told what people did not want to here. Jeremiah said of False Prophets they will say Peace, Peace, when there is no Peace. Jeremiah 8:11; Ezekiel 13:10.

  3. Character of the Prophet: False Prophets where accused by the True Prophets of Deceiving, Lying, Drunkenness, Pretending to be what they were not, speaking for God, when God did not send them. Micah 3:11.

  4. Willingness for Self-effacement. A True Prophet of God was willing to suffer self-effacement for the sake of his message. On the contrary, a False Prophet was not. They would speak a message to appease the people and the king. Example- Micaiah a True Prophet of God and King Ahab. - I Kings 22:27,28.

  5. Harmony of the message. Look for the True Prophet of God harmonizing with the "Law of God" and with the message that the True Prophets were giving or are giving. Example- Jeremiah 26:

  6. The fulfillment of predictive prophecy. When future events were predicted, were they fulfilled in the time period predicted. If so then it most likely it is a True word from a True Prophet. But remember the eight ways of identification that we are looking at all need to be prayed about very closely. Deuteronomy 18:21,22.

  7. Authentication by the Supernatural of God. Here again beware, this sign can not stand by itself. The other marks of identification must be there as well. I Samuel 12:16 and Deut. 13:1-3.

  8. Spiritual Discernment:

This is our part in hearing and knowing what is of God and what is not: The condition of your heart will determine your ability to discern the truth of God and that which is false. If one is un-teachable they will follow around opinions of others without any understanding of God's truth. In fact they may attack the true Prophets with hate and vengeance. However the one who is teachable, seeking God, loving and kind, will know the Truth of God and will follow Him as Shepherd. It is the Shepherd (JESUS) who will protect us and lead us in the paths God has set out before us. Let us follow the Good Shepherd.