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Do not let the roar of the lion drown out your voice

Amos 3:17-18 (AMP) Surely the Lord God does nothing without revealing His secret plan [of the judgment to come] to His servants the prophets. The lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken [to the prophets]! Who can but prophesy?

Did you know that when you speak you are prophesying? There is a difference in the five fold ministry of a prophet and a born again believer being a prophetic. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.” If my words have power, then that would mean that they are prophetic. My favorite words to speak are those found in His Word.

I love the words in Ezekiel 37 when God tells him to prophesy to the dry bones. He did not just say “get up, dry bones.” He said, “dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord.”

The question regarding whether we really heard God can be like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). Although a lion roars, a true servant of God listens to the voice of God above the roar of the lion (John 10:27). If it lines up with His Word, do it, and in boldness, say it. It might look foolish to others (believe me, I battle this too). Often I will argue with God before delivering a hard word. I do not take it lightly. As a teacher of the Word, I know I will be held accountable far greater than those who are not (James 3:1). The call to follow God in obedience should be louder than the roar of defeat.

He speaks through us to others, encouraging them and affirming them, and upon occasion, giving a word of correction for them (this is the part I wrestle with). I have learned to dust off my feet after I have been obedient (Matthew 10:14). My heart is to see people grow and to be blessed. It is not my job to make sure they receive it. My job is to deliver it. May I add a little thought provoking question? If you sit through services and listen to your pastor and it does not prick you to take an evaluation of yourself, has your heart become hard? Being sweet has nothing to do with the status of your heart. Love will propel you to seek the best for others, unselfishly.

Here are some questions I ask myself. Does it line up with His Word? That is not the same as it making you feel good or stroking your spiritual ego. Does it line up with His character and nature? Not how I want Him to be. Sometimes we want God to conform to our image of Him. Finally, will it bring freedom (even if it is correction)? We are called ministers of reconciliation. If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions. Then be obedient. Do not let Sanballat’s (Nehemiah 4:1) in your life deter you from what God told you to do. Be bold and courageous. Here the voice of the Lord and go!

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Preparation for the Promise

John 7:38 (AMP) He who believes in Me (who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me), as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.'”

My husband and I have been in ministry basically since we got married. It was within six months of our marriage that he came to me and said he was called to full time ministry and he started working at the church full time. That meant I had to go to work full time as well. We tried it for a few months with us just living on a thousand dollars a month, but we started to get into some financial trouble and I had to find full time employment.

Here we are nearly twenty years later, still in ministry, but the roles are reversed. Ten years ago he had to take a job at a car manufacturing plant close by, because the church could no longer pay salaries. He has been there ten years and has been looking forward to the day he can join the church full time again. Looking at the finances it does not seem possible. Right now we do not have any salaries going out at the church. Here is what the above verse spoke to me: “If I trust in Him, out of my innermost being (my mouth) will come out rivers of living water (words that will bring life).”

I had heard Terri Savelle Foye say one time, “We release our faith with the words of our mouth. Speak life to your dreams.” She said that if we want to change the way we talk start putting “…and that’s just the way I want it” after every statement we speak over a situation, our spouses, our children and ourselves.

My husband had taught a series a few years back called “Preparing for the Promise.” He spent some time in Deuteronomy chapter 30. Verse 19 says, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that your children may live.” What a powerful statement! What power do we have to choose life or death, blessings and curses, something that can even affect my children. What is so powerful that can affect my children?

My Words! Words spoke this world into existence, read Genesis.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

James chapter 3 talks about taming the tongue. He likens it to a fire in verse 6, “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, set the whole course of one’s life on fire, and it itself set on fire by hell.”

We cannot tame our own tongue, we must be led by the Holy Spirit and we do that by knowing His Word. If you do not like what you are speaking, give your tongue over to God!

Why is what I speak important about the preparing for the promise? Why do you think Joshua told the Israelites to be silent until it was time to shout to bring the wall of Jericho down?

Why is what I speak important about the preparing for the promise?

Proverbs 18:21 (AMP) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

Right now more than ever it is important to watch what comes out of out mouths.

Luke 6:45 (AMP) The (intrinsically) good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure (stored) in his heart; and the (intrinsically) evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil (in his heart); for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.

Intrinsically means an essential or natural way. We often say that is just the way a person is when they are always negative. However 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Which means we have access to the Holy Spirit to help us control our tongues! It is a choice we get to make though.

I choose to speak life to the promises that God has given to us. I have decided to speak that there will be no lack this time around. I speak that God knows what is going on, I just simply have to keep walking (in whatever terrain I find myself in). I will keep speaking His Word only. I pray that any negative word that comes out against me or my family falls unto deaf ears and does not take root. I pray that not only for my household, but for all the households that have chosen to put their lives under the Shadow of the Lord Almighty!

I encourage you to pray Psalms 91 and make it a personal declaration!! Prepare for the promise, it is not over! Speak life!!!