For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Tim 1:7 NKJV
Fear is at the root of the rational, unsaved mind because we honestly don’t know ‘what’s out there.’ Even if you were ‘out there’ ten minutes beforehand, in the mean time circumstances could have changed. I used to illustrate this to my live classes by pointing at a wall and saying, Osama bin Ladin could be behind that wall with an AK-47 right now, ready to blow you away. Then, my illustration had to change because the SEALS blew him away, bless God forever (Romans 13:4). So, fear, due to a rational awareness of ignorance is the default setting of unsaved, unrenewed minds.
Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19-20 NKJV
There is so much nonsense in Christian theology especially because we have not understood the gifts of the Spirit among other things that I have always sought to vindicate God. The Lord who is righteous in all His ways and perfect in all His works needs no vindication except in light of bad theology. You cannot build your faith on the foundation of your experiences…you must build it on the Word. Not a one of us has experienced eternal life but we all say we believe in it. So, why do we deny God’s will for healing everyone all the time because we have suffered? Or not prospered? Or something else?
FOREKNOWLEDGE
Don’t think that just because you are not a prophet or ‘big guy or gal’ that God can’t give you foreknowledge. The Lord does not see you as you may perceive yourself. He sees you in light of Himself, that you are a blood bought prince or princess in the royal family of God. As we will see, a deep personal awareness of the presence of God in you is key to receiving this type of revelation because perhaps the primary way God speaks to us is through the inward witness.
…and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13 NKJV
As simple example of foreknowledge is that you and I have never had a disaster, accident, etc. without having been forewarned of the Lord.
Last time I remember this happened was when I was driving in Louisiana. I was ‘Holy Ghost High’ because I had just ministered healing to a woman. I was driving 69mph in a 55mph zone which generally you can get away with in Oregon. In my spirit I saw by a vision a cop pulling up in back of me with his lights on! In my joy I blew it off. Five minutes later a very real police car with very real lights was pulling me over. $200 to the local parrish had me repenting of my Oregon driving standards!
We will see in our examples that God can give foreknowledge of seemingly small, daily things as well as big, earthshaking things. Had we heeded the warning, we could have avoided the problem. Yes, I do keep my angels busy. I’m thankful I’m still alive!
SAMUEL
Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying…1 Sam 9:15 NKJV
JOSEPH
The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: Gen 41:25-26 NKJV
AGABUS
Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Acts 11:28 NKJV
Agabus was a ‘prepper’…don’t laugh about ‘preppers.’
ELISHA
Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.'” 2 Kings 7:1 NKJV
Can you say ‘stock market’? Elisha knew that prices were going to drop like a rock…tomorrow. So, he prepared today! This could be a day, week, month, six months, year, ten years in advance. What if you knew in detail what the stock market was going to do for the next ten years? Only religious people think that God doesn’t give revelation about such mundane things.
THE LORD JESUS
Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” John 11:7-11 NKJV
This is so cool because here was a situation that the disciples were afraid of – why? Fear is the default setting of the rational, unsaved mind. Jesus said, If you walk by the Spirit, in light of God’s day by day, inward witness revelation, then you need not fear the threats that are out there. Are you getting this? You can do this!
ELISHA AGAIN
I left this one for last because I wanted to analyze it with you a little bit. This one is juicy!
And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover.’ However the Lord has shown me that he will really die.” Then he set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed; and the man of God wept. And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: Their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you will dash their children, and rip open their women with child.” So Hazael said, “But what is your servant — a dog, that he should do this gross thing?” And Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will become king over Syria.” 2 Kings 8:10-13 NKJV
And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover.’ However the Lord has shown me that he will really die.”
– Some times the right thing to say is the wrong thing. Everyone who has ever been married for any length of time knows what I’m talking about!
Then he set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed (Heb. BOSH: became pale); and the man of God wept.
– The thousand-yard stare – I’ve seen it on many others, and I’m sure people have seen it on me, in situations where we are looking to the Lord for revelation. Well, he got it right then, which is what made him go pale, and begin to weep. He sees by revelation what will happen under Hazael’s kingship.
And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?”
– Hazael appears to be meek to Elisha here. He calls Elisha ‘my lord’…
He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: Their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you will dash their children, and rip open their women with child.”
One great thing I love about God, His Word and revelation is that it is all just so honest. No religious baloney, no white wash, no cute sidesteps or valueless humor. I suspect that there a lot of contemporary pulpits that Elisha would not be allowed to preach in!
So Hazael said, “But what is your servant — a dog, that he should do this gross thing?” And Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will become king over Syria.”
Why did Elisha prophesy this to Hazael? What you must understand is that the future is not set in stone. A few things are – the coming of the Lord and the end of man’s lease on the earth come to mind. But so many things, like what was prophesied to Hazael, could be changed if we did the right thing. Suppose Hazael had repented and knelt down and asked the Lord to help him avoid those disastrous, evil things? Hazael dropped the ball here! This could have been avoided…
Suppose you get a revelation that the stock market will collapse next week! Should you pull your money out, or intercede so that no one loses their money? (Or maybe you should ‘tweet’ about it so that you can write a book later on – just kidding!) Get a word of wisdom with your foreknowledge so that you know how to use that information wisely.
You say, Lord, You showed me this information. Now I’m going to wait on You to show me what to do with it! Sometimes, many times, you will know instantly. Other times, you will need to sleep on it. Generally speaking, I actually make much better decisions when I have had to sleep on it then when I’m in the moment and under pressure. But other people are different…
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14:23-24 NKJV
The key to this kind of revelation is a quiet spirit and a deep intimacy with the Lord. Avoid things that unnecessarily rile your spirit. Your ‘inward witness’ is always ‘on.’ Check in regularly with your spirit man because therein dwells the Godhead. Ask Him about your concerns for yourself and others, then listen with rapt attention. Get that foreknowledge dear one – remember that God will talk to you about virtually anything important in your life – overcome fear, and live a more abundant life. Love you!
Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…