Getting a word from the Lord is one of the most incredible experiences in the life of a believer. It can be a word of comfort or a word of correction, and either way, it is always coming from His loving heart that beats in heaven.
If you’re led by the Holy Spirit, then the path you’re on will show it. “If you go the wrong way—to the right or to the left—you will hear a voice behind you. It will say, ‘This is the right way. You should go this way.’” (Isaiah 30:21 ICB).
A word from the Lord can change the direction of your entire life. It can create the offramp from something that will end or the onramp to something entirely new. If you would only ask the Lord for which way to go and then be willing to do all that He tells you.
You can be inspired by the words of men, but a word from the Lord changes the course of your life. “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years’” (Isaiah 38:5 NKJV).
A word from the Lord can save you or someone you love. The Lord can tell you exactly what is going on and what to do. There is nothing that God does not know, and there is nothing too hard for Him to help you with at just the right time.
Never doubt what God can do, and trust Him with His timing. “Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You” (Jeremiah 32:17 NKJV).
Discerning if it is a word from the Lord is a critical requirement before acting upon anything that you might hear. Many people have been deceived into following a word that was not from the Lord, and the deception is never in their best interest.
Beware of directional words, or in claiming you have a “thus saith the Lord,” that you might be deceived and pour out a wrong word that was never meant for another. “…This is the word of the Lord… Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6 KJV).
I had a young man referred to me so I could mentor him. Right off, he told me the Lord had said he would someday speak in front of thousands, tens of thousands. Everything he said to me proved he was seeking glory only for himself, and I am most sure the Lord had nothing to do with that. Beware what the spirit of pride would tell you.
Your desire to be seen higher keeps God from taking you higher. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time” (1 Peter 5:6 AMP).
A word from the Lord can hurt when you are being corrected over something you have done. Learn to be open to the correction of the Lord, and you will surely come to learn the way in which you should go. Let the Lord be your teacher, and be attentive to all He teaches you.
Learn to let His chastening do its work in you today so you won’t have to be chastened tomorrow. “…whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives” (Hebrews 12:6 NKJV).
A word from the Lord can humble you to become lower in yourself before others and before the Lord. Let the Lord correct your attitude, and you will find that your life will be pleasing to Him. He loves you as you are but also loves you so much He wants to make you better.
You’d be shocked at how much God can change you once you let Him. “Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and you will show yourself to be a prophet with them; and you will be turned into another man” (1 Samuel 10:6 AMPC).
You cannot put a word in the mouth of God and think you have heard a word from Him. Don’t tell Him what you want him to say, but only ask Him what you need to hear. Beware when you hear a word that agrees with your flesh, for that will often be a deception.
When God is silent, so it must be for the prophet. The LORD said, “I have not sent these prophets, yet they run around claiming to speak for me. I have given them no message, yet they go on prophesying. If they had stood before me and listened to me, they would have spoken my words, and they would have turned my people from their evil ways and deeds” (Jeremiah 23:21-22 NLT).
A word from the Lord can inspire you for all that He would have you do. It may be very small with what He is asking you to do, but by the measure of heaven, when God is your boss, every task is a benefit to His kingdom.
The more you’re inspired by God, the more you’ll inspire others to do the same. “God speaks in different ways, and we don’t always recognize his voice” (Job 33:14 CEV).
A word from the Lord can calm your nerves and soothe your anxieties. If you are on God’s side, then there is nothing you need to fear. When God gives you a word, you can count on Him that His words are forever effective.
Whenever there is a “thus saith the Lord,” there is always a conclusion. Man may fail you, but the Lord never will. “…not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed” (Joshua 23:14 NKJV).
Blessings to you,
Paul Balius