Prayer: Father, You know my heart and man does not. That does not mean I am righteous of myself. However, what You declare righteous, is righteous. Amen.
Reading: Job 4 key: vs. 12-16
12 Now a word was secretly brought to me,
and my ear caught a whisper of it.
13 Amid unsettling visions in the night,
when a deep sleep falls on men,
14 dread and trembling seized me,
and made my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit brushed over my face,
and the hair of my flesh stood on end.
16 It stood still,
but I could not recognize its appearance,
A form was before my eyes
and I heard a murmur, a voice:
Attention: Have you ever been accused of something which was not true? I had an experience as a teenager by a well-meaning Christian. She was an elderly woman from the mid-west part of the U.S.A. Her husband was a retired pastor. She had two sons. I changed my hairstyle because it was required of me by the athletic policy of the school district, from a combed back Elvis look to a short, barely on the forehead, off the collar, over the ear with a part look. One of her sons, older than me by about 10 years, had the same hairstyle as myself, only shorter.
The change in hairstyle did not sit right with her. Hairstyle to her projected a spiritual persona. Combed back was spiritual, my style was not. She told me straight up, “You are going to hell!” I thanked her for her concern and brushed it off.
Understand, that even in your spiritual walk with God, well meaning people are going to volunteer their unsolicited opinion whose source might be an accusing spirit. I have experienced it more than once. Why? Only God knows your heart. Notice that God twice told The Satan of Job, “There is no one like him on the earth—a blameless and upright man, who fears God and spurns evil” (Job 1:8 & 2:3). Was Job sinless? No, but God declares him “blameless and upright,” a man “who fears God and spurns evil.” No one knows our heart but God (1 Samuel 16:7).
Scripture also tells us to test all spirits to see if they are from God (1 John 4:1). If you are counseling a friend or someone who has sought your counsel because they trust you, be prayerful about what you share with them. Is your counsel from scripture and from the Holy Spirit, or is an accusing spirit influencing you? Job’s friend admits he was troubled, and that deep sleep was alluding him. Even the accusing spirit, “brushed over my face, and made the hair of my flesh stand (stood) on end.”
Have you ever experienced confirming Holy Spirit chill bumps? You can tell the difference. One is affirming and the other is accusing and critical. Job’s friend chose to believe he was being caring by being critical. I encourage you to be discerning. All encounters with spirits, is of God.
Action: I will test the spirit according to 1 John 4:1.
Yield: I will yield to the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit.
Engage: I will engage with the Spirit of God every day in the discernment of spirits.
Relationship: I am thankful that God knows my heart.
Prayer: Father, there is no one like You. You are above all gods. I praise you today! Help me to have great discernment about spirits, every day. Amen.
Memory Verse: 1 John 4:1
Loved ones, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Music Video: Lenny LeBlanc—There is None Like You
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”