Is it ok to say "if" I heard the Lord right in our everyday walk?

This post "is not" to blast Pat Robertson and this "is not" my intentions and I hope and Pray it can stay on the original topic I am asking because I need to know for personal reasons, is it ok to say "if" I heard the Lord right in our everyday walk as we discuss what God has spoken to us personally about something? or should we be more positive and say The Lord spoke to me today and told me this and leave out the "if". This could be awful confusing especially for the non-believer, should we not be more positive in the words we speak if it's from God?

Robertson said the revelations about this year's weather came to him during his annual personal prayer retreat in January.

"If I heard the Lord right about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms," Robertson said May 8. On Wednesday, he added, "There well may be something as bad as a tsunami in the Pacific Northwest."

bro Bill
well i don't think it's a bad thing to say "if i heard the Lord right" if whatever you or i think we heard from heaven doesn't come to pass then we know who to blame. this doesn't mean that whatever was said will not come to pass necessarily. the messenger may have jumped the gun, or not heard the message from heaven. i'm kinda learning or should i say the Lord is becoming my boldness in speaking what i hear from heaven because i'm finding it is often offensive. my natural man would rather not rock the boat...

the best way though is to take such a word and present it to God and see if it indeed is from him or not.

Thanks Ironman I guess what I was looking for was before it came to pass, I think I would feel kinda weird presenting it back to God if he just told me something "but don't know" I also might feel he might say son were is your faith what did I just tell you. Hey this is some good stuff here to ponder, like I said it's really something I personally would like to know, "but there may be no real answer" really we could say "if" every time the Lord spoke to us if we wanted, but don't you think at some point we should say I am sure that the Lord spoke to me and told me this and this is what I am believing? "if" can leave doubt in our hearts and if he spoke something to us that required fast action on our part man this could be really confusing and we might not act, I don't know and this is why I posted this, because I have been personally told something that did come to pass and I did not act a while back and because I was wondering "if" it was really going to come to pass in other words I had some doubt, but what did come to pass was by no means a life or death situation but it could have just been a test of my faith and if it was I failed. You kinda see where I am coming from?
Thanks Ironman
Bro. Bill

if he spoke something to us that required fast action on our part man this could be really confusing and we might not act,

I think you express a legitimate concern, BillPro.
His words could merely instill a sense of helplessness and confusion. ... like, "So what are we supposed to do about it!"

But then, I don't know the rest of his message. Maybe it is very helpful overall.

The first thought that popped to my mind was that anyone could predict this, and quite possibily be right. It is not an outlandished guess - based on what scientists have been predicting, also our increasing eratic weather and global unheavals, and the increased fear factor.

Now, if the prophet were to speak specific words in stragegic timing, to the appropriate people, so that those at risk could take appropriate action at the appropriate time, then, the words would be helpful. ( BTW, I didn't get that thought directly from God - that's just my common sense)

I don't know the track record of this man, so I really am not in a position to add any more comments.

(Sorry, but I'm just a bit on edge about the "God-told-me's" because of the many times it seems to really mean: "I think" or "I want to think")

Adding an "if" in front of what we sense may be from God may express humility. After all, we can be wrong. And it leaves us open to further enlightenment.

But when you pronounce an "if" publically.... how helpful can that be? Better sit at the feet of Jesus for a while longer and learn from him.

Diane

dorcas and Diane Wow! I have such a peace within over the words you wrote here and I really did not have a clue is to what kind of response I would get, but these words have at least given me some sight forward, well off to work now but I sincerely appreciate your time and may you have a Blessed day matter fact may everyone on earth today have a Blessed day in Jesus name.

For some one who is in the public eye and talking about future events that concern America, I think Pat should keep quiet if he can not say, "thus sayeth the Lord".

However, I do believe it is not bad for him to say, "if I herd the Lord right" about what he said concerning America in a private conversation with a muture brother in the Lord.

Pat is in the public eye and he is a voice for christians to the world. No true Prophet of God would open his mouth unless he had a [b]sure[/b] Word of the Lord.
Yet, I have know that God's judgments are always
redemptive. There must be a message that comes with the prophacy that brings people to repentance. Otherwise the prophacy is of no use and will only point to the prophet, and not to God.

bro Bill
when i was talking about presenting the word back to God i meant if it was coming from someone else, sorry about the confusion there. Now i think that saying if at the beginning of such pronouncements when one is an infant prophet/messenger is not a bad thing, one is still learning the ropes and there is much double-mindedness and self to deal with. One is concerned with one's image in the eyes of men if the word isn't valid so it is a safety net. However When one grows closer to God and these issues are dealt with, one can speak boldly and say "thus saith the Lord" Of course not every pronouncement needs to begin thusly but the idea that the word is coming from heaven must be communicated. The Lord has brought me to a place where i am concerned with getting His word out so He is my boldness when He wants me to speak of things such as judgement, where we are wrong and need correcting (which are things i don't relish like i thought i would) So when the Lord has me say, " i heard this from heaven" then you know it's for real.

one doesn't speak the word of God boldly overnight, there is much mire and muck which must be removed and i know it to be a rather arduous process. continue to seek the Lord's counsel.

should we not be more positive in the words we speak if it's from God?

I would say positive is honesty. If you are not sure don't lie to yourself or anyone else about it.

This is a wonderful thread.

I have been so overly caught up in the wondering of whether something came from heaven or was something else as well.

I too have had times where I have told someone something that did come true, and times when I said nothing out of fear that it was false thought, and nothing happened. As well as times when I have said nothing out of that same fear, only to fail GOD and have something happen.

Sometimes when you recieve words yourself, it is so hard to discern the who, what, when, where and why's of it all. I think that once you do get closer and more in practice of course, you can speak every prophecy starting with "thus saith the Lord."

But one thing to remember about prophecy is, just how terrible a wrong prophecy is. Remember how seriously it was taken. Prophets who spoke a prophecy that did not come true, were stoned to death. So this is a very serious matter that I am very glad to see adressed in the forums.

So I do however think, in novice, saying "if I heard the Lord right," is better that saying "thus saith the Lord." But overall, if not certain, even better things are to keep your mouth shut, and seek GOD on the matter.

If HE would have you speak, YOU WILL SPEAK. Let the overflow of the Spirit and fire in your bones speak for you.

In Christ,
Scroggins

Very Good Scroggins, if you don't mind i must share this here.

Compelled by His Command

In spite of the freshness of Isaiah’s Vision and overflow of his heart and the sincerity of his offer-“Here am I. Send me!” – he couldn’t help but blurt out, as he visualized the word ahead of him: “For how long, o Lord?” (6:11).

In other words, I’m not sure I can do this. It sounds like it could be dangerous. At the least, this job will make me unpopular, and I’ll probably lose any social standing I might otherwise have had. There can’t be much money in this either, so I’ll probably be poor. But the worst is that I can’t imagine the heartache of pouring out my life to tell others about you and never having anyone respond positively or receive it personally or repent permanently. May be gifts lie In other areas, Lord. Could I try it just for a little while…?

There must have been a ringing sound of authority and finality to the Lord’s voice as He responded to Isaiah’s query, because He lelft no doubt as to how long Isaiah was to serve: “until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken (6:11-12). I believe this to mean for all eternity. Isaiah was commanded to serve until he no longer had any opportunity to do so-or until judgment came. His service was not to be some holy hobby or some short-term project…it was to be a lifestyle! Yes & Amen.

The success of Isaiah’s service would not be determined by the number of people whose lives he changed but by his faithfulness to obey his Lord. In the obedience would come the deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment and joy longed for, rewards he would find as he lived his life to serve and please the One he loved.

Isaiah obeyed. Given his assignment and condsidering his devoted obedience to it, it’s no wonder he became the greatest of the Old Testament Prophets.

What assignment has God given you? Would you ask Him? I know He has one in mind for you because He told us clearly, through the words of the apostle Paul, that “We are God’s Workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared inadvance for us to do.”

Don’t dodge your assignment because it seems to lack any chance for success. Don’t miss your assignment because it seems such an insignificant, small thing. The church in Europe was birthed when Paul spoke to handful of women on a river bank. The size and scope of the assignment are up to Him, and the effectiveness and lasting impact of your service are also His responsibility. You and I are simply to be faithfully available…and obedient.

The assignments God has given me have taken me way beyond my comfort zone. While some of them have begun small and stayed small, other have begun small and grown larger, while still others were begun large and blossomed into major tasks.

There have been times when I have argued, resisted, procrastinated, and questioned, but in the end I always give in, because He is my Lord…I have

“Seen” Him… and I love Him. I don’t serve Him because I have to. I serve Him because I want to do something for Him. And in the process of being obedient, I have to come to know Him. He has “made known to me the path of life. He has filled me with joy in His presence, with eternal pleasures at His right hand.”

With eagerness and enthusiasm, I put my feet in motion. I want to serve Him all the days of my life. I want to stay awake to His glorious vision forever. I am now on a PASSIONATE PURSUITE for more of JESUS. I embrace the Cross that shatters the stranglehold of self and enlarges my capacity to receive more. I long…

.to gaze on His visible face,

.to hear His audible voice,

.to feel His unmistakable touch,

.to become an eyewitness of His Glory.

In the meantime, I refuse to sleep one more minute. I’m awake…

With eyes opended, heart rended, and knees bent while I whisper, “YES”

…”YES, LORD!... YES SIR!” then raise my hand as I move my feet.

“I’m available for service. Send me. “I’ll go. I want to stay awake forever…”

It's important to speak when God askes us to Speak as well as to share, amen.

I believe that this too, can be applied to the thread on love, which is what God has been speaking to me about.

Amen Brother bluinos.

Bless you for sharing that bit. That was a wonderful addition and contribution to this thread.

Hi all,

It's been said that "if" is the biggest word in any language ...

Our Lord has certainly been ministering to me (making me think) via sis. D's "do what you want" thread, my "waiting room" thread, and now yours MrBillPro ...

i know when i first started "hearing" from our Lord (shortly after i got saved) "if" was not an issue with me back then, just fear to confront when i heard Him say "go and tell" ... Soon after my fear turned into anger after not being recieved as a spokesman with a word from our Lord and that's when i did my Jonah, which only intesified both my hearing and His forcing me out of my wilderness to go and tell anew ...

[b]- IF #1 -[/b] Really i didn't learn to publically say "if i've heard our Lord correctly" or preface "i believe i heard Him say to me" until coming here and sharing my walk/calling here on SI, because i've learned that the use of "if" really tones down the degree of rejection as opposed to just straight out saying "The Lord told me" ... i used to think "if" a compromise, as being double minded which scared me because scripture says such a one will recieve nothing of our Lord - and i wasn't even trying to cancel out the rewards of my diligence to put someone else at ease ... Now i see it more as being as wise as a serpent, but as gentle as a dove (besides the fact that He has me in a whole new place now) ...

[b]-IF #2 -[/b] i need also to admit that i've recently had my own personal bouts with "if" i've even heard our Lord at all because it's been so long and i've not "seen" any fruit from my labors ... i'm still "yet" neither His spokesman to His Church, let alone the nations ... i still "yet" have no ministry that will engulf a multitude ... i still "yet" see not even the slightest inkling of REVIVAL coming to the church of the pastor i believe He had me go to ... The Called is published (something that i could do) but it's promotion is something that He can only do (plus i believe i've heard Him tell me to not even attempt commercial promotion of this book) ... As i also believe He's told me that i'm to start a philanthropy in future stewardship to dispensing materially to whom He directs provision ... Now to really bring it down to the spiritual "nitty-gritty" i know the part of me that wants to adopt the use of "if" here is my 'natural man" because he's tired of "waiting" on God, but the new creature in Christ (the real me) just keeps on hanging on because i'm now hearing Him tell me to keep hanging on to my mustard-seed just a little while longer ...

In summary bro Pat has said some things that he's back peddled on, and sometimes just down right recanted ... i think "if" definitely is more soothing to the masses ... "If" also can cover the sayers butt ... But after reading this thread Holy Spirit brought to mind these words of Paul, making the using of the word "if" in ptophesying seem a lot more scriptural/spiritual ...

1Cor.13
[9] For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
[10] But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
[12] For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

i'm prepared to give bro Pat the benefit of the doubt (because he's my brother) and think that maybe he's learned something new ... That even in our diligent seeking of Him, or His calling of us to the prophetic, on this side of heaven when it comes to "prophesying" we can only know in part and prophesy in part ... it certainly does seem to me that in regards apostles, prophesying and NT prophets that these callings have waxed murkier and murkier as time moved on from the original Pentecost ...

May God please lighten up the tint on our spiritual Rabans 8-), for it seems to me that even His beloved Church is ever increasingly groping around seeing men as trees walking ... ALL OF US need to buy some eye salve from Him saints! ...

[b]-IF #3 -[/b] i also see His Church today as the 12 in the tempest tossed sea of this ultra satanically tumultious world with Christ ever coming closer toward us on this sea ... A couple of years ago our Lord addressed me from this scripture with a word to my pastor ...

Matt.14
[24] But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
[25] And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
[26] And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
[27] But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
[28] And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
[29] And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

What He said to me was that it was time for His Peters to rise up and get outside the boat ... Say what we will about bro Pat, he's not been one to stay inside the boat ... It's also good to note that "water-walkers" will sometimes find ourselves in trouble with attempting to meet our Master on His terms, but the solution is as simple as crying out "Lord save me" ... The final point i believe our Lord has shown me here is that "if" is a word used by water walkers (those foolish enough to go out on a limb in the first place), not with anyone content to stay in the boat (playing it safe) ... Lord God, please validate to your glory ALL whom You have chosen to step out by faith (on an IF) to meet You in the ugliness of this present sea of darkness ...

i've rambled enough ... i Just hope our Lord can use this post to His glory ... [b]Blessed be the name JESUS![/b]

If we are talking about the "Gift of the Spirit, prophecy" We will know for a fact it is from God Himself. For the gifts of the Spirit come with boldness to say, "thus sayeth the Lord"

The gifts are to show as a sign to the world that what you speek is from God in Jesus name.

What is the porpose of this profacy that Pat has given?

May God please lighten up the tint on our spiritual Rabans , for it seems to me that even His beloved Church is ever increasingly groping around seeing men as trees walking ... ALL OF US need to buy some eye salve from Him saints! ...

Logic you wrote;
"It is good to see men walking as trees."

Amen, as opposed to being totally blind ... But Jesus didn't stop there ... i think it far superior to see men clearly walking as men ...

i think the man Christ healed did too ... :-D