How do I know when God is speaking to me through someone else
James 3:12-18
12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. (NIV)
Ø I shouldn’t listen to everyone.
o What if they are quoting the Bible or if they say “The Lord said”? Do I have to listen? Matt.4:6 even the devil quotes scripture, but is there TRUTH in him? 2Cor.11:13-15 He and his servants can disguise themselves as servants of God, but…
Ø Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it…
o Fruit are not only words.
o Wisdom from below – (lower level of wisdom) natural, unspiritual (soulish – your mind your will and your emotions) and of the devil (give to you from demons).
§ ***There is wisdom being offered by the Devil that seems good, but is still rebellion. Eve was not tempted in the garden by the bad side of the tree, but the good. (she saw that it was good…) She was using natural wisdom directly from the devil but was intended to lead to REBELLION! She was not tempted to be like satan, but to be like God!
o Wisdom that is from heaven – pure (clean); peace-loving (not wanting to contend or argue), considerate (gentle, patient), submissive (easily obedient, doesn’t have to be argued into obedience), full of mercy (not only overlooks but seeks to help) and good fruit (deeds, character), impartial (treats everyone the same) and sincere (not faking anything).
Matt 7:15-23
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (NIV)
Matt 12:33 "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. (NIV)
Titus 1:16 they claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him… (Confession without fruit)
Gal 5:22-25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Ø There is a difference between what you think is wrong and what God thinks is wrong.
Things that YOU don’t like or your opinions of how things should be done do not make them bad fruit.
o Matt 21:23-27 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?" 24 Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John's baptism-- where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?" They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 26 But if we say, 'From men'-- we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet." 27 So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. (NIV)
§ When we read these passages we forget that Jesus was wearing an earth suit at the time. People could see him. His clothes, his hair, his origin, his brothers and sisters and his humanness (READ Matt.13:54-58), Familiarity can make you think someone is wrong when really the problem is in your heart.
§ We think that Jesus had authority because of his perfection. The only problem with that is if the religious people couldn’t find fault in him, they made it up.
o What God says is bad fruit is bad fruit. Gal.5:19-20
Eph 5:1-11
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-- such a man is an idolater-- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. (NIV)
Ø I have to look at the fruit of someone’s life before I listen to what he is saying.
o He is giving me more than words. (Jam.3:15 such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.)
o If I give a person empty words, I am telling him that empty words are OK. I do not have to listen to people that have no fruit because I will be partaking of their deceptions. Eph.5:6-7
I Jn 4:2-6
2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (has required a total obedience to the will of God in the earth) is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. (NIV)
Ø If you are fault finding it could be so that you find reasons not to like, follow or obey someone.
o If you are carrying offenses in your heart you will be an easy target for false words.
Additional scripture 1Pet.4:1-11,