Intimidation

 

    While I was writing Inside Story, I had more than one doubt about my ability to do this.  It was a daily question in my head,  “Who are you to hear from God?  You don’t have a MDiv,  you only took sixteen hours of Bible in college.  You don’t really know the Bible.  You always want to be the center of attention,  Pride,  that’s your sin.  You don’t ‘hear’ from God.  It’s serious business to say you heard from God,  people die from claiming that”  and on and on.   Intimidation was a daily battle. 

    Intimidation is of the enemy.  Intimidation is the nagging feeling that stops you from doing something. Even something God has called you to.    Intimidation is rampant in our world today.   Coming mostly in the form of verbal assault but also in some very real threats.  Losing your job, losing the  ability to eat in a restaurant, or travel.  Intimidation is tangible and it has been a tool of Satan throughout history. 

   In his book, Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby put intimidation into perspective for me.  “Don’t let anyone intimidate you about hearing from God”.   If I believe the Word of God, then,   “His sheep know His voice, He gives wisdom to those who ask,  He guides and directs when we acknowledge Him.”  It follows that I am capable of hearing from God.   Satan doesn’t care if I hear from God as long as I don’t act on anything he tells me. Personally or in ministry.  

   Intimidation is only successful to the self-centered life.  Remember Moses,  when God called him to free the Israelites from captivity?  His first response was “ME?”  And then he listed a litany of reasons he was not the man for the job.  He gave into intimidation.   None of us would suggest that Moses  from God had not heard from God in that situation,  yet we give into those same lies. 

   I don’t want to minimize the responsibility of claiming to hear from God.  It’s a dangerous thing and one must be absolutely positive that they have heard from God.  Which begs the question, “how do we know for sure”. 

   I’m going to continue exploring that prayerfully and through scripture, but I am sure of one thing:  it only happens within a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

  Do you need settle step one before we move on?   Connect with me at TonyaAnn.com