01/10/10

Prophetic rebuke from the Lord

Zephaniah the Prophet

There are a lot of people who prophesy or rebuke in the Name of the Lord. Sometimes it is difficult to identify if they are doing it in Spirit or are doing so in the flesh (according to their own understanding).

In my previous mails I specified that since the Word of God is complete, therefore the prophesying which we do, are basically application of the Word [promises] into our lives.

Also what is called by most as 'word of knowledge' is nothing but the prompting of the Holy Spirit. This ability is giving to every believer who is in tune with the Holy Spirit.

One thing that the Lord wants to tell us today through the book of Zephaniah is how to discern prophetic rebuke. Zephaniah was from the royal bloodline of Judah and yet he was like a junior Jeremiah. Two third of his book is full of rebukes but being a true prophetic rebuke his last chapter is full of encouragement and hope.

Corrections are very essential for growth. If you have people around you who always praise you and tell you how good you are, then pity on you. You are very likely to have a disaster in your life for will never know one day if there is a pit in front of you and you being blinded by praises will fall in it. So call yourself blessed if the Lord has put someone close to you to point out your faults. But if a person who points only to your faults is very likely doing it in the flesh. For any rebuke from the Lord comes with a purpose of growth. It will have hope, encouragement or comforting words also at the end of the rebuke.

If God can give Satan thousand years to repent, whom He knows will never do so, would not the same Lord be merciful with us?

With every challenging situation the Lord opens a window of escape and this is visible only when our eyes are focused on Him and we do not harden our hearts. Understand the Lord has created us to prosper us and if we get this written into our hearts, our faith in the Lord will increase and it will become easy to walk on His path and discern it from the paths of the world and of Satan.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You are a loving and merciful God. You made us and are aware of our weaknesses. You gave us all that we need to strengthen us in body mind and spirit. Your Word, the Sacrifice of your Son and your Spirit are all that we need to overcome sin and death. Lord, help us circumcise our hearts and direct our path unto your path so that we not only reach our purpose in You but also receive it in fullness...

This payer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
Romans 15:3-4
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Romans 16:26
26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

Ecclesiastes 7:5
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

Proverbs 9:8
8 Reprove not a scorner [boastful / arrogant], lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.



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