Dear Fellow Laborers for Jesus Christ:

Is it possible for you to really know God’s will for your life? Can you be sure that a given “leading” is from God and not a decoy of Satan to get you off the track? Is it possible that if you are urgently seeking God and feel sure you know His will but are facing opposition from fellow ministers and you desperately ask for His direction and that every effort of Satan to mislead you be blocked, can Satan give you a false miracle to throw you off the track? Would that not be the equivalent of asking God for bread and receiving a stone or a fish and receiving a snake? Is it possible to be self-deceived when you are urgently and sincerely praying to know God’s will whatever that may be? Is it probable that a minister who lives a worldly lifestyle would be correct in accusing one whose daily life closely follows the Bible standard of being deceived by Satan, or would the reverse be more likely? Who does the Bible say is the “…accuser of the brethren…”?

All the above are questions I have had to wrestle with during the past several months. Since I know most ministers are under attack by Satan in every way, and perhaps YOU have also faced some of these same questions, so let me encourage you in the Lord.

Is it possible for you to really know God’s will for your life?  Yes, you CAN know God’s will for your life. First, it will be something that will glorify and honor God. Second, when all hell seems to break loose around you and persecution starts, even from your fellow brethren in the ministry, if it is of God, He will keep reassuring you with scriptures like, “Be still and know that I am God,”(Psalms 46:10).  Or “No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly,” (Psalms 84:11). “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give the the desires of thine heart.” (Psalms 37:4). “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose,” (Romans 8:28). If you know that your purpose is to glorify God, that the thing you are doing is right by all scripture in the context it is written and that God will in fact be glorified through the thing you are believing Him for, then tie a knot in the rope of your faith and hang on. Storms may blow and persecutions arise. The thing may seem increasingly IMPOSSIBLE and you may even cry for God to release you from the vision ? if it be His will, that is ? and He keeps saying, “With God, nothing shall be impossible!” (See Matthew 17:20; 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37; 18:27). When that happens, think of Abraham and the birth of Isaac (See Genesis 18:9-14; 21:1-5). Think of Moses with a stiff-necked and skeptical people following him, mountains to the right and left, the Red Sea in front, and the army of Pharoah behind (See Exodus 12:40-41; 14:1-31). Think of Joshua and the Jordan River and the walls of Jericho (See Joshua 3:1? 4:11 and 6:1-20). Think of how a woman of Israel, Jael by name, killed a heathen general with a tent peg (See Judges 4:17-21). Think of little David with his sling (See 1 Samuel 17:4-52). Think of Peter walking on the water (Matthew 14:24-32). Think of Jairus’ daughter (SeeMark 5:22-24 & 35-43; Luke 8:41,42 & 49-56), Lazarus (John 11:1-17), and the widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:11-16) whom Jesus raised from the dead, as well as Jesus’ own resurrection. Then look at your circumstance. It doesn’t seem so totally impossible any more does it?

Can you be sure that a given “leading” is from God and not a decoy of Satan to get you off the track?  I recently heard a minister preach from the platform that it was possible for Satan to paint a stop sign orange. Amen! After several more true statements, he threw in one which is not likely to be correct.  He said that Satan can even give you a dream of being a missionary in Africa to decoy you away from God’s real plan for your life. Technically, that is possible, but runs exactly opposite to what Jesus taught. Jesus said that a house divided against itself cannot stand and that if Satan cast out Satan, his house will fall! (See Matthew 12:24-28).  In fact Jesus even went so far as to say on one occasion that anyone who was not against Him was for Him, (See Mark 9:38-40; Lk. 9:49-50). This same minister also asserted that Satan might even show a false dream or vision of someone operating under the power and anointing of the Holy Ghost casting him out in Jesus’ name!!! How utterly ridiculous and unscriptural (See Matthew 12:24-28; Lk. 11:14-20.) and how contrary to clear Bible teaching!

 If you are urgently seeking God and … desperately ask for His direction and that every effort of Satan to mislead you be blocked, can Satan give you a false miracle to throw you off the track? Satan IS very clever and wiley and one scripture indicates he would, through false prophets and false Christs show signs and lying wonders which, “? if it were possible, they shall deceive even the very elect!”  (Matthew 24:24). Many people fail to read those four words “? if it were possible!” They feel that Satan can deceive the very elect. But if that were true, then none of us could be sure of our salvation nor the leading of God, because Satan has so much power he can cut in on the heavenly telephone line and so skilfully mimick God’s voice that God’s sons cannot tell the difference. If you believe that, you are of all men most miserable and really do not know the God I serve! My God is able to deliver Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace, Daniel from the lion’s den and you from deception by Satan if you really want to know GOD’s will!

Would that not be the equivalent of asking God for bread and receiving a stone or a fish and receiving a snake?  When Jesus spoke of the earthly father (See Matthew 7:7-11.) who knew how to give good gifts and to not give a stone for bread and a serpent for a fish, He was not speaking only of natural bread and fish, but of spiritual gifts, knowledge of His will, and any other real need of one of His children. If you asked God for guidance and really wanted to know His will, He certainly would grant your worthy and scriptural desire. A miracle would not be a miracle if it did not seem to be naturally impossible. 

Is it possible to be self-deceived when you are urgently and sincerely praying to know God’s will whatever that may be?  Again, it might seem to be possible but the key lies in whether you are sincere in your desire to know God’s will. If there is something that you really want, you might possibly be less sincere in your prayers than you realize and might try to set up situations in which it would seem God was saying, “Yes,” when it was really your own will. But if you set up an impossible sign that has nothing to do with the issue about which you are praying for God's direction in much on the order of Gideon’s fleece (See Judges 6:11-21 & 36-40) and over which outcome you cannot possibly have control, God will see your sincerity and clearly show you HIS will. When He does, you need no other proof than that the thing is totally correct according to the scriptures, so long as it will bring honor and glory to God. Be forewarned, though, it may require that you crucify your own fleshly desires.

Is it probable that a minister who lives a worldly lifestyle would be correct in accusing one whose daily life closely follows the Bible standard of being deceived by Satan, or would the reverse be more likely?  It is possible, but not very likely. There have been instances in the Bible in which even an outright sinner, or in one case, a donkey was used by God to bring a message of rebuke, but most of the time, God speaks through those who are attuned to His voice.

Who does the Bible say is the “…accuser of the brethren…”?  Satan and by implication, any of his imps or servants. (See Revelation 12:10.)

So brethren, I encourage you, Yes, you CAN know God’s will for your life, so “…Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might,” (Ephesians 6:10).  Yes, you CAN live a victorious life in Jesus Christ!

Yours for Jesus’ sake,

Bro. Sam