Words from god that have not been words from god

This is a heartfelt thing
I think I have had so many prophecies in my life or that people have said that have not been from god
I think when I was baptised someone told me I was going to be a pastor
I have preached in a church twice and probably have studied more
And I have constant dreams from god about being a missionary in Israel

It is ironic I have been praying that I will be able to go to a sermonindex conference in the UK again as I have not been to a bible based conference in years and because of work it has been so hard

I thought it was so fitting having the previous two in the UK where revivals previously broke out , in Wales and in Scotland

The one in Scotland and it was so fitting spending time with those that experienced the Scottish revival first hand actually praying in the prayer room

I do not think I had a better prayer time ever

When I got baptised I thought I heard god's voice say I would be a missionary is Israel

As just before I got baptised I got miraclous healed in my bedroom with Jesus turning up , I thought I was going to be bedridden for the rest of my life

When you have had so many people prophecy things or words from god over you that has not come to pass

You get so sceptical with age and I want god so much to invade my heart and to strengthen my faith

I have been through three church splits then went to bridge lane in London and then left there recently and have not felt at home

I have never found a job that actually uses what I trained in as a chef and in computer science

I have had so many dreams smashed and broken

I have so wanted to preach in church but no-one has ever given me the option as I used to work in the Christian bookshop and can read 4 books in a day but nothing compared to someone like c s Lewis who literally memorised all the books in his bookshelf and was able to quote from the pages if you turned to a page

I have wanted and felt called as a missionary to Israel but to me it just seems impossible for God to do it as my dream place to get married would be looking over the mount of olives but I think that would be impossible

What touched me was most by the revivials that are true is compared to those that are false is the love of the bible

With work and age , at university all night prayer meetings but with me with my job it has been almost impossible considering the fact that I am working for less money and barely survive week by week just on prayer financially

I have been working in a hospital and it really hits home about people going to hell as seeing people whether young or old coming out dead

I have been focused on just two things biblical one is eschatology wise about the building of the third temple and the antichrist as it is relevant

I find that we can get distracted as Christians by so many different subjects

I wish so much that I could give up TV but with YouTube it has become so prevalent and there are so many good Christian videos on there

The thing that breaks my heart is I have known so many Christians been told words from god and found out that they are not true and have left the faith becuase of it as I went to a christian school and I don't know what percentage of those I know are still in the faith and also at university the christian union.

I also find it is that God would not contradict himself from the bible with another message

I scream inside for churches where they can actually go through a book of the bible as it makes it so much hard work for the preacher if they have to literally come up with a new message each week

As I find messages or sermons so shallow as sermons I find need to be bathed in both prayer and bible study

I want to leave my job but I do not know where to go as they won't let me have Christmas of and I want to resign

I know this is very personal

Hi Dominic,
I have to say their is nothing so disheartening than a word that turns out to be rubbish.Thats why I think we shouldnt give a word unless we are sure.I dont want to be used as guinea pig and I dont want anyone else to be my guinea pig either.
I find all the Churches I have had any interaction with to be alot of talk and no Pentecost,no healings,no miracles and no true prophesies,love yes,freindship yes,commitment,effort yes yes but anything to do with the Holy Spirit seems not to be there for some reason or in very small measure.
If I've heard a one sermon with the intro,the theme and the 5 steps to do with the theme I've heard a thousand.
I find Church meetings so dry its like a hot desert within a desert but I keep hoping that it God will visit in a great way because I know he can.
Then what seems to happen as an antidote to dryness is we get the hype merchants especially in Pentecostal circles who are alot of hype and no Power which makes the situation worse.
My belief in God as Lord and Saviour has nothing to do with Church thank God and I wish all of these "Pastors and Leaders" who feel called to bible College would stay at home unless they know 100% they should.I dont want to be ur Guinea Pig.
On Eschatology; its not preached on Sunday Mornings almost ever except when we say "Alleliu" which comes from the Book of Revelation as it might offend someone .The Church needs to know more than ever that Jesus is coming to get us out of here,that he is our hope and he's coming again amen.
After 30 yrs a Christian I can honestly say its been a total disappointment but I can still say Jesus is Lord and Saviour as well in my dispair as my faith in Christ has nothing to do with whether the Church funtions or not.
The Church at the moment are like the "friends of Job" well intentioned,full of concern and effort,interested in my well being but lack understanding and power to help the sick,
Job came through it and lets pray and encourage ourselves that we will too,
staff
I pray for something Good regarding your work situation as I understand how difficult these situations are.

Thanks 😁

Dominic: I can see from what you said that it is a very sincere, heartfelt thing. I know what it is like to have things that I have seen as dreams or aspirations in the kingdom of God, and then fail to see those things come to pass. I also know that there are times that a person thinks they are giving you a prophetic word from the Lord, and it turns out not to be. For some reason, as I read what you wrote, I just felt like I should encourage you in these things, and perhaps from some personal experience myself.

I have known that God has called me to be a teacher in the body for many years now. I did not know it by prophecy from another man, but rather because God placed it in my spiritual DNA so to speak and as I grew closer and closer to Him, my true identity became clear. But there was a problem. No one really wanted to hear me teach. I watched as men around me seemed to have the opportunity to step into calling thrust upon them, and I really felt a sense of disappointment. I know now that some of that disappointment was my having my identity wrapped up in a calling from God rather than in a relationship with God. I felt unimportant, and I see that now as a warning sign that all was not well with my perspective.

So, I did what I could do for God. I worked for close to 30 years to maintain and repair the buildings and grounds of a church camp I was associated with. Not a paid position, but one that cost me much time and money out of my own pocket. I still remember a camp meeting held at these camp grounds. I had put in 40 to 50 hour weeks that summer, working alone on the grounds. A group of three other men came in for a few days, reaped the fruit of my labor, and received the accolades. They were praised publicly, while I was unmentioned and unknown. I remember saying to the Lord, "God, thank you that I was able to do this work, and my payment is in the lives of people being changed. I don't need recognition." But deep in my heart, there was a sting at not being recognized, and at not being able to take part in the way that I knew I was called. I was let down in my own emotions.

Now, close to 20 years after the event, I am drawing closer to God than ever before. I am understanding intimacy with Him and experiencing personal growth in Him more than I ever have in my life. To be honest, I am totally fine if His total will for me is simply to seek to know Him. I don't need a calling or a destiny to feed my identity anymore. As a result, I am free from disappointment and from deferred expectation.

I am also now seeing myself walking into the destiny and calling that I have known for 25 years was God's will for my life. I have had more opportunities to teach in the body in the last year than in the 25 years that came before. I have been able to speak truth into the lives of believers in a way that has borne fruit in their lives. It has been so awesome, but not like it would have been before. I am excited, not because I am fulfilling a destiny, but because I am watching Him do great things in the lives of other people.

I have learned some lessons along the way.

Prophecy is important. God speaks to us primarily through the written word, and that word is the more sure word. It is a plumb-line against which we can measure all other words. God speaks to us directly in our own spirit. God also speaks to us by prophecy. Paul even admonished Timothy to take the prophetic word spoken over him and use it to war a good warfare. In other words, "Timothy, you know that was said prophetically about you. Now keep that in mind and let it serve as motivation for you to run radically after God no matter what battle you fight in the process."

People can miss it, but God never does. A pastor friend of mine was thrust into church leadership much too early in his Christian walk, and was also involved in three very ugly church splits within the first seven years of his Christian life. I ask him how it was that he did not grow bitter or get hurt. He said something very simple, "I recognized that there is a huge difference between God and people, and fixed my eyes on God instead of people." Always take a prophetic word and set it before the Lord, allowing Him to confirm it in His timing, or allowing Him to speak to you that the person giving it was all wet. It is my opinion that a prophetic word never should come as a surprise to us. It will always confirm what God has already been putting on our heart.

The word may come today, but the fulfillment may come years later.

The fulfillment of a word of prophecy is not automatic. Personal prophecy speaks to our destiny and calling. It does not tell our fortune. Just like a man could be called by God to be a pastor and run from that calling and never fulfill God's will, a person can have a prophetic word spoken that does not come to pass. I honestly think that I am just now at the place in my spiritual life that I am even capable of bearing the weight of what God called me to do.

The best way to see a prophetic word come to pass is to make drawing close to the Lord the primary objective. Preparation for the work is more important than the work itself.

God had so much work to do IN me before He could use me to do what He had called me to do. I could not necessarily see that up front, but looking back, it is all so clear.

You also mentioned the struggle to differentiate between the voice of flesh, the enemy, the carnal mind, and perhaps even God in some circumstances. I would encourage you to make seeking God for personal transformation the number one priority. I am so blessed to hear that your time with God in prayer during the SI conference was the most amazing time you could remember in a long time. But I really believe that God wants those times with us on a daily basis as we spend time in His presence. The most pivotal revelation from the throne that did the most to change my life forever came when I was all alone with the Lord.

Bless you brother. Thank you for your transparency. I hope something I said here was an encouragement.

I appreciate your sharing your testimony w/ us Travis,...
A blessing.

God bless you,
””””””””””
elizabeth

Dear brother,
Do you have a computer that you can use to work from?

If you are trained in computers (you do not say what kind of training) there are many jobs working from home for people with computer experience (IT, software, etc). If your knowledge is still pretty current, maybe this is an option for you.

One website that has positions listed is weworkremotely.com

Also, you can specifically look for remote work at indeed.com or glassdoor.com

On another note, I have a lot of education (a masters in science and a doctorate in law) and can only find work that barely supports me and my family. I have taken that to be God's purpose for me””to prune me, to teach me to be dependent on Him, to teach my children to live simply,... Many reasons. God has His reasons. Unfortunately, I do gripe about this, even though I KNOW that His will is perfect for us.

Praying for you brother.

Natalie.

I wonder if people do not put too much honor on positions that receive a lot of acclaim from others as to how much we are doing for God? If we do not have a lot of money or work in a prestigious job we feel like a failure.

We do not have a lot of money, either, nor are we involved in a prestigious work. We just get by financially. In considering our situation I have learned a lot in how God uses people.

Scripture teaches us that as being a part of the body there are parts that appear to have little significance but they are essential. Consider this in the natural realm - it was not all that long ago when surgeons opened up the abdomen they just automatically removed he appendix because it was considered a useless organ. No more. Experts have learned it is useful so they will leave it to do its work.

Now, sometimes we will feel like we are useless in God's kingdom. But the reality is God would rather have us love him then have us out there doing a great work that garners a lot of acclaim, attention. He really does not need us to do marvelous works. When we walk with Him, love him regardless where we are, He will put in our path people that we can encourage, even those we are not aware of simply because we are faithful. God will provide us with all we need to be faithful - and all we have to do is submit to Him.

In studying the Exodus I observed that God led the Israelites in one crises after another. The point was to teach them dependence on Him, Trust in Him. We are also in an "Exodus" - being changed from glory to glory - and God is leading us into one crises after another - this is the nature of an Exodus fashioned and led by God. How well do I respond to these crises? And some of these crises are scary, no doubt but when God is in charge.... I have told God already, OK, I understand what you want me to know and now hurry up and take care of this issue! Sigh. Ah...the patience of God....

Sandra

"Acquire the Holy Spirit and thousands around you will be saved." - Seraphim of Sarov (a Russian monk who lived about 200 years ago)

not every denial is the truth.

Years back I gave a brother a word from God. He straight way denied that God spoke through me, I was in the flesh and it was false... so he said.

The word was a word of warning, that if he didn't repent of his sin, repent of the path he was taking it would waste years of his life living in delusion.

He did not repent...and he has spent decades in delusion wasting his life.

This is one of the saddest words and subsequent results Ive seen happen to a brother.

Point is, just because someone says "ha, that was not from God" should not be taken for granted that their claim is truth.

As I was reading Sandra's post it reminded me of the deceptions that are packaged exactly in such a way so that we would believe a lie and hold on to it.

Over my years walking with Jesus I have met young evangelists like myself craving a big platform, frustrated that God was not doing more through them. He was disappointed in the onesy twosy salvations that occurred in his little meetings. He would go to big events, hoping to meet the big-name evangelist and somehow glean a greater anointing to win the lost.

Yet, for all that, his life was pure, his prayers were righteous, his intent was after the heart of God. His tears flavored every intercession and his knees dirty from hours spent with God...unseen and unknown. Just a young no-nothing, nobody, no platform, no name, no big ministry, guy who took Jesus words seriously.

But that young evangelist was deceived...he was deceived into thinking the man he perceived was far greater than himself, far more effective, far more knowledgeable, far more loved and desired than himself was in fact none of those things.
But as time went by the young evangelist grew up a little and came to know the big platform evangelist first hand.

Over time, after the shock wore off, reality set in, the undeniable had to be let in and accepted.

The no-name evangelist found out he could honestly say God added one or two more to his kingdom. The Big-name evangelist could not say honestly he knew for sure anyone was added.
The nobody evangelist found out he could not pray like the Big-name evangelist because it was hateful to his spirit to add any pretense or showmanship in his prayers. The Big-name evangelist grew accustom to show prayers, dramatic prayers, power prayers in order to move the crowd. The know-nothing evangelist knew he must move God, the knowledgeable evangelist knew he must move people.

The difference in character and the difference in motivations was so diverse the young evangelist had great difficulty believing that which was true about himself and that which was true about his celebrity minister.
It did not occur to the young evangelist his perception of himself was skewed...not because of pride in himself, but because of his pride in another man and his reputation.

It took years for the young evangelist to believe God was never going to answer his prayers to become like the big-name evangelist...because once he found out what that man was really like he could never want to be like him.

God's no to the platform, no to the influential name, no to the notoriety and no to mass salvations was a very very painful thing to accept. He had been trained from the earliest years of his conversion that platform ministry was the only 'true' ministry. Streets, living rooms, closets were places only 'lay' ministers ( who it is said cannot be truly considered ministers) do their evangelizing and teaching. Having a regular job was tantamount to a denial of the faith, seeing you had no faith or drive for others to support you financially.

He was taught to be low...which he found out means to be lower than others and not a servant to all, but a servant few. Big name means to be a big servant to many, a big platform with other celebrity ministers means you are no longer low, but considered low, no longer humbled but considered humble, no longer a wanna-be but the real article. The addition of a platform means you have gone from being a pretender to being the genuine article.
How crazy and upside down is this presentation to a young convert only to find out later the aforementioned paradox is a lie.

As Rod Serling would say this is a small lesson from the twilight zone.

I offer it as some lessons learned which I received taking a detour through the Christian twilight zone.