In my study of what is called the move of God in history, I have observed that the first set of people who seek to oppose it by slandering and disclaiming it are those who lack the fruits of that “move” in their own lives.
When the likes of Charles Parham went about emphasizing speaking with tongues as evidence of being baptized with the Spirit, fellow Christians were the first to vehemently oppose it because they weren’t speaking with tongues.
Same thing was done with the healing movement. When Mother Etter began to have very weird and wild manifestations of the Spirit in her meetings, she was denounced, and even very popular men of God in her day said she was under a spirit of delusion and was yielding to Satan.
These religious zealots are often the first weapons Satan seeks to use first; they are easy tools to manipulate because they are filled with pride. They believe that if they are not seeing something happen in their lives and ministries, then it can’t be true. Funny lots!
Interestingly, when Charles Parham began emphasizing speaking with tongues, even he hadn’t started speaking. Some of his students at Stone’s Folly (His school of ministry) began speaking with tongues before him. Same for Williams Seymour; they didn’t allow the lack of that experience in their life at the time to make them disclaim it.
They knew it was the truth of God’s word, and the Spirit of God was in it! And eventually, they experienced it.
If something is lacking in your experience, resist that demonic urge to criticize and disclaim it. Humble yourself under the right hand of God.
DO YOU KNOW THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD AS DESCRIBED IN THE SCRIPTURES ISN’T REFERRING TO GOD’S LITERAL HAND, BUT IT WAS REFERRING TO YOUR PASTOR, SPIRITUAL MENTOR, OR SPIRITUAL LEADER?
When you fail to carry out their instructions the same way they gave them out, it’s not just them you are disobeying or dishonoring; it’s also God you are disobeying and dishonoring. You can’t grow further Spiritually with that same attitude of dishonor towards a Spiritual mentor; let’s see this from the scriptures below.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: -1 Peter 5:6 KJV
One of the rules of bible interpretations is that: To understand a matter in any verse of the scriptures, it’s best you read the pretext and the post text.
Continue Reading: The Mighty Hand of God: A Sermon That Will Change Your Life and Ministry For Spiritual Growth
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God doesn’t need your permission to move in a certain way in the lives of others.
The truth is, there are things that God first initiates in the lives of others because He wants you to recognize, acknowledge, and honor them first before you begin to see them in your life.
People who are always swift to criticize what God is doing in and through others are often living in dry and parched grounds, destitute of the waters of the rivers of the Spirit. That heaven is closed over your head doesn’t mean it isn’t raining elsewhere.
Get off your high horse and get under the rain.
I call you blessed! Amen!
Credit: Pastor Popoola Oluwatobi
Let’s exchange our skepticism for reverence, our doubts for devotion, and our fears for faith. Thank you for encouraging me to trust the Move of God, even when it doesn’t make sense to me in the moment.
Life-changing truth. This has awakened my spirit to the subtle yet destructive power of criticism and unbelief. Thank you for reminding me that God’s ways are higher, and His plans are perfect, even when I don’t understand. I’m choosing to silence the critic within and instead, cultivate a heart of surrender, faith, and obedience. May we, as believers, unite in trusting God’s goodness, even in the unknown. Your words have ignited a fresh fire of faith in my soul.
This message has challenged me to examine my heart and motives. Am I trusting God or trying to control His moves? Thank you for the reminder that faith requires surrender. May we, as believers, unite in trusting God’s goodness, even in the unknown.
It’s tempting to question God’s sovereignty. But this article has stirred my heart to trust in His goodness, even when His ways don’t align with mine. May we learn to silence the critic within and instead, cultivate a spirit of surrender, faith, and obedience. Let’s choose to see the divine tapestry unfolding, even in the midst of mystery. Thank you, Value Faith, for sharing; it’s a much-needed call to faith and trust.
Sometimes we allow our finite perspectives to often blind us to the bigger picture. When we criticize or question God’s move, we risk hindering the breakthroughs He wants to bring. Let’s learn to discern the divine from the human, and trust that God’s ways are higher than ours. May our faith be strengthened to believe beyond what we can see, and may our obedience be unwavering, even in uncertainty.
Amen! Such a timely reminder to trust in God’s sovereignty and not let doubt or fear hold us back from embracing His plans. It’s easy to get caught up in our own understanding and limitations, but this article encourages us to surrender to His greatness and allow Him to work mightily in our lives. Thank you for sharing this inspiring message!
Convicting and liberating, honestly, it is. This message frees us from the need to understand every detail and instead, invites us to trust in God’s character. May we exchange our skepticism for surrender, and our doubts for devotion. Thank you for sharing this powerful word; it’s exactly what I needed to hear today.
Thank you so much! This article couldn’t have come at a more opportune time! I’ve caught myself recently falling into the trap of doubting and criticizing the workings of God, thinking I knew better. But this powerful reminder has awakened my spirit to trust in His sovereignty and goodness. Let’s embrace the mystery and majesty of God’s plans, even when they don’t align with our limited understanding. May we cultivate hearts of humility, faith, and obedience, allowing God to move freely in our lives without our interference. Thank you for sharing this timely and profound message!