True
Messengers,Week 38, 2013 By Rick
Joyner
When
we have more faith in people than in God, we tend to get our security
or confidence by how many people share our views. Jesus had a
different perspective, saying in Luke 6:26:
“Woe
to you when all men speak well of you, for
their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.”
It
is noteworthy that the great voices in history and those whose
perspective proved true were almost always rejected by the majority,
and often stood completely alone. We see this with the first
apostles. Even so, if we know we are sent by God and that we have
received our message from Him, then it really does not matter what
men think about us.
As
Paul said, “If
I were still seeking to please men, I would not be a bondservant of
Christ” (see Galatians 1:10). Just
the mentality of seeking our approval or encouragement from men can
be the biggest stumbling block that keeps us from being true
messengers. Paul understood this well. When his apostolic authority
was challenged, he pointed to his afflictions and persecutions as
evidence that he was indeed an apostle. How different is that from
most who claim to be apostles today?
Of
course, just because not many people listen to us does not prove that
we are right either. However, we must heed such warnings as
Matthew
24:12:
“Because
of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but
the one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (NIV).
If
we get our security from the crowd rather than from the Lord, we will
follow the crowd instead of the Lord. The Lord did not say that the
love of “some” or “many” would grow cold, but “most.” If
we are prone to follow the majority, then we will end up being
deceived just as “all Israel went astray” following Absalom and
turning on his father, King David.
How
could this thing happen in Israel? The same way it has happened so
many times since and still happens today. Like a good politician,
Absalom met with people and showed sympathy for their problems. He
gradually increased his authority with people because he was a good
politician. Then David’s sin with Bathsheba was exposed. You would
think that God would certainly depart from David after such a
diabolical sin. However, God has considerably more grace than people
do, and He did not abandon David. He disciplined David because He
loved him, but He would never leave him or forsake him.
Zadok
was High Priest during Absalom’s rebellion. At the risk of his
ministry and even his life, he picked up the Ark and followed David
into what seemed like certain defeat. Even though “all Israel”
was following Absalom, Zadok had the discernment to know that the
anointing was still on David and that the Lord was still with David.
So, he risked everything to follow the Lord. That is remarkable
spiritual discernment and faith. It is the kind that is desperately
needed in spiritual leadership in these times.
Centuries
later, one of the greatest commendations of all time was given by the
Lord to Zadok through Ezekiel the prophet. The Lord said that it
would be the “sons
of Zadok” who
would be allowed to come near to Him to minister to Him
personally (see
Ezekiel 44:15-16). So
who are the sons of Zadok today?
When
the Pharisees told Jesus that they were free because they were sons
of Abraham, Jesus replied that if they were children of Abraham, they
would do the deeds of Abraham (see John 8:39-41). Likewise, the true
sons of Zadok are those who do the deeds of Zadok—those who follow
the Lord even when they are a minority or are alone, and even when it
seems certain to cost them everything, maybe even their lives. We are
in desperate need of “sons of Zadok” today.
My Comment:
The True Messengers of God will always
point you to the Word of God.
Where you can confirm for yourself what
you believe, before God.
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