by Pam Clark
But there are some days when I have more vision than I did the day before. There are some moments, especially in ministry times, when I can really see. I just have understandings and knowings at times, and have learned how to test it. You just have to, to confirm the work. Now in a corporate setting, that is not so hard. If you do miss it, someone is usually there to help you, but so often, things are confirmed right then. And after a while of getting positive confirmations, you know when the Spirit is moving. The fruit is good.
Later, some will deny what you pick up, but if you have been at it awhile, you know when they are denying the Spirit. "God is a wonderful teacher," Isaiah 28:29 - LB. There have been times when I have done ministry and God will reveal something. Then, sometimes He will give more depending on the situation. God is not interested in giving me the information so much as He is giving the other person the information. I have seen it work both ways - when some receive, God gives more, and when some deny it, God will give more, to convince them (and confirm it with you).
If the heart is hungry, He will give more and feed them bit by bit. He doesn't cram it down their throat. Now if flesh enters in (the self life), that can sometimes add to the words by presenting an agenda or giving words they think the person wants to hear. Most who are grounded in the Word survive that, but some can really be thrown off if they have put their hearts in man.
The Light that shines when God is blessing is a vision of that person "down the road" and it's a good plan! (Jeremiah 29:11) Now some things are left to individual's free choices. God has set it up so that we do make the choices to serve Him and seek Him or not -- or salvation and Jesus going to the Cross would be a big cruel joke - but it's not! When people deny man's free choice to serve God, they are in error.
Now just as a parent can plan a day for a child, so can God plan good things for His children. But does that mean it will happen exactly as planned? No, some times the child will not cooperate, the enemy can come in, but there are some areas where the parent does have control!
God wants to help His people get it right. If we would really study the fruit of the Spirit, we would see the nature of God. Galatians 5:22-23 says: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (NIV) This is the character and nature of God! The other is not of God!
Now this does not mean that God does not give judgment. He gives True Judgment, but it's based on maintaining His Character. But there is another side to this that we must see. There is an enemy who has come to test us, but he is not testing us just to see if we can pass the test, but to see if he can destroy us. His intentions are not good, they are evil.
It's interesting that Lucifer - which means Light Bearer - now the fallen and called Satan - was "perfect in the day that he was created." Ezekiel 28:15. He was active in the things of God until he went beyond his place in the things of God, but it's apparent that he operated in all the gifts of the Spirit at one time in his ministry.
The Bible says (v.18) he defiled (or wounded) his sanctuaries (or consecrated places) by the multitude of his doings (business, trafficking). In other words, he went beyond the boundaries of his activities and presumed the place of God. He was offered repentance but rejected it. God gives a choice. But the Eternal God will never give over His Sovereignty or deny His True Character.
I have been in circumstances in ministry times when God was offering repentance. God will never maliciously shame people to make them repent. Their ways may catch up with them, but He is gracious in His dealings. More than once, but one time in particular, I remember ministering to a lady and telling her God wanted to heal a weak area in her life. He really did! As I shared this (in a ministry line at a meeting with no microphone), I got a glimpse of a sin in her life. He wanted to offer forgiveness and I was full of His compassion.
I didn't say what I saw, but when the Spirit had anointed me to see that, he also anointed her to convict her and she stepped back a bit and said, "I don't know what you are talking about!" But then the scene God showed me got more vivid and I knew I could give her details, but she didn't want to go there. We both knew she was in denial and the next day she gave me trouble, but I knew what I saw. I had enough confirmations from past successes to know that I was not missing it then, but God does not embarrass people. His kindness leads to repentance, but then judgment will come!
She had put herself in a place to receive, but wasn't really ready to receive. Now I don't want that to come across like I am all-knowing and never miss! That is far from the truth. But in His Light, we see light! We see truth, we see facts in Godly wisdom, we get Spirit revelation and can see the dark areas the light exposes. But we should never go beyond our borders as Lucifer did, thinking he could now control things because he had that Light!
The enemy knows how the Spiritual gifts work. He is experienced in them. But there is a curse on his gift now. He can come across with word of knowledge, but his fruit is not good. He can have a good business plan, but it will not be blessed of God. He can reveal the unknown, but there is a curse of confusion on it. This is the beginning of wisdom: to fear the Lord.
If we put God's Word first, we will not get so far off track that we will miss it. His Spirit will confirm and reveal that Word. But if we take things into our own hands and get out of order and fail to respect authority, we will be cursed as he is.
The Word works!