Who are you listening to?

[Maryanne Winder Lester]

Who are you listening to?

God’s will; I’ve written about this in the past, several times. It is the one “thing” that I never stop striving for. It’s the strongest and greatest “item” on my to-do list. It has top priority. It’s the reason I am alive at this time, in this season and in this place. But, sometimes I feel like I don’t even know what it is! Or, maybe I know and just can’t see beyond my own earthly ideas to recognize my Divine assignment. There is one part that I know without a doubt, and that is, I am to be a Disciple. This is a fact and it is ingrained in my heart, my soul, my mind and my body!

God knows me and knows how important it is for me to receive confirmation that I am doing the right thing and on the right path. I pray about it every day, several times every day. I have received glimpses from the Holy Spirit. But here is where I sometimes falter: I also receive advice from other people who are important in my life; those people who I love and respect and who I believe could only have my best interests at heart. I tend not to trust them implicitly, but I do listen. I am human.

I want to take you to the Gospel of Mark, the 8^th chapter. Jesus and Peter had a very special relationship. Jesus called Peter to be His disciple and Peter was eager. Here was this young man who had been uprooted from his lifestyle, who dropped everything to be part of the inner circle of Jesus Christ. And, Peter would have done anything for Jesus. Beginning at the 27^th verse, I would like to quote this scripture. “Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, ‘Who do men say that I am?’ So they answered ‘John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others , one of the prophets’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered and said to Him, ‘You are the Christ.’ Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him. And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’” So here was Peter, the one disciple who recognized that Jesus was the Christ. It was not Jesus, nor any other man who had told him this. It was the Spirit of God who gave this revelation to Peter. But after hearing that his beloved Jesus was going to be rejected, suffer and die, he used his close friendship with Jesus to take Him aside and rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” Matthew 16:22. The enemy chose Peter and his position as Jesus’ friend to tell Jesus He was wrong! I understand this very well.

The enemy sometimes uses those who are closest to us to “protect” us from the will of God. This is how the enemy was using Peter. And at other times, the enemy uses these same people, knowing we trust them, to attempt to discourage us and turn us down the wrong path. And even when we know that these people are in the Body of Christ, sometimes it is difficult to discern whether they are giving us good advice or bad. Why? Because, we really don’t know their intentions or where their thoughts are coming from. I have had this happen to me on many occasions. And, sometimes it has really thrown me, discouraged me and made me wonder if I was doing the right thing. This is such a horrible feeling! Paul warned of this deception many times in his letters to the churches.

So, how do we know when we receive advice from others, whether we should heed it or discard it? Because of this, the Holy Spirit was given to us by the Father after the death and resurrection of Jesus to remind us of all Jesus’ teachings. Only the Holy Spirit is to be our Guide, our Teacher and our Comforter. Listen if you want to, to the advice from your family, loved ones and other members of the Body of Christ. But don’t act on what they say without first consulting the Holy Spirit through prayer and meditation. Never act in haste or out of desperation. “To every time there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” The Holy Spirit will NEVER lead you down the wrong path. When you ask a worldly person a question, you will get a worldly answer. I don’t know about you, but I’m willing to wait until the heavenly answer is revealed!

Pray with me.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ for my salvation. Thank you also for sending The Holy Spirit to guide me. Although I may be tempted at times to listen to worldly answers, help me to know the Truth, the path and Your will for my life. Please help me, through Your Holy Spirit, to recognize words that are meant to discourage and lead me down the wrong path so that I can rebuke these thoughts.

I am Your disciple. Thank You for this assignment. Please give me the wisdom , Lord, to love like Jesus, live like Jesus and lead like Jesus.

In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus Christ,

Amen, Amen and Halleluiah!

Maryanne Winder Lester

4/17/2010

[Dr. Henry, President of the AOCI]

Rev. Lester, SIMPLY A GREAT WORD AND IN SEASON!!!!!!! you are so correct. Sometimes those closest to us are so far removed from the perfect will of God and if we listen to them we will be mis-lead. No in a sense of apostasy, but in the sense that if we listen to human beings above God, it will take longer to reach our destiny in the LORD! God bless you woman of God!