What if you hear a discouraging word from a fellow Christian?  

How to Distinguish a word for God or Satan?

First evaluate how you feel - do you feel convicted? are you offended? are you curious if it is true?  do you need correction?

How to discern from good vs evil - walk with God for a while, ask Him, and then you will know more as you get to know Him.

My advice is this: If it is not from God, it is from the enemy. You may loudly rebuke such words you receive. Call it what it is. Satan. Tell Satan to get behind you because you are covered in the blood of Jesus. You are Justified by His blood. You have been made Righteous by His blood. 

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is biblical where ‘my negative thoughts’ are just the enemy trying to trip me. CBT is like Word of God. The Word became flesh[1]. That is Jesus. THIS IS HOW YOU DO JOY!

Satan and his demons can whisper into your ear and it could seem like your own thoughts. Satan and his demons can whisper into your friend’s ear and it could seem like their own thoughts to them. 

God can also whisper into your ear. If you are not connected to God yet, you might think that the thought was completely your own.  

How do you distinguish?[2]

If you get a ‘Word from God' that is discouraging or you are immediately deflated with little hope for the future, that is RARELY a Word from God. Especially if you are already discouraged, it is a word from Satan.[3] If this is you, repeat after me, out loud: “Get thee behind me, Satan[4].”

I’m gonna tell you all a secret. Shhh… when you are struggling in this thing called life, and another comes to criticize you or correct you or tell you all the things you should have done or done better, that is not a Word from God. 

A Word from Our Father is always always encouraging. Especially when you are struggling! 

[1] “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

[2] See Stacy’s book! 

[3] While Jesus spoke harshly about Judas and the Pharisees, his words are meant to warn others about the sins of greed and pride or to convict the sinner to repentance. However, Satan will use these same warnings to discourage you from seeking repentance. That is the difference.  Don’t be fooled. Satan knows the Word better than you…

Luke 4:9-12. “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

[4] Matthew 16:23. “But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”  Peter was repeating what he heard in his own head. Peter believed this thought was his own. He was wrong. This thought was thought whispered to Peter by Satan or one of his minions. And Peter just repeated it.

Continue to Chapter 12