All Believers Speak with Authority

Recently I have been accused of speaking with authority on Facebook and the person who challenged me believed women should not do this. The Holy Spirit lives in every single believer and is commanded to speak of the Lord to anyone as the Holy Spirit leads.

The Bible was written for all born-again believers the only place God tells a woman to remain silent is in the gathering of the fellowship in which men are to lead. Even then a woman is allowed to pray and prophesy as long as her head is covered.

1 Peter 4:11

"11 Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

1 Corinthians 11:4-6 Roles in Worship

"4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.

5 And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is just as if her head were shaved.

6 If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. And if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.…"

Backsliding or Never Having Slid Forward

When we witness someone who claimed and still claim to be Christian who is reverting back to the way they were before they were a Christian we may be seeing someone who never had a born-again experience.

Often in old age, those who were pretenders throw off all the pretense because they are too old and tired to keep it up so they let everything they have always been come out without restraint.

We have seen many who do not grow in their faith over the years and are brothers and sisters but when someone regresses into nastiness without shame over it we are likely observing one who became a Christian on his own terms and never was broken over his sinful heart.

Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

It is a good thing to challenge these people to go to prayer and ask God if they are truly born-again. If they become angry you may have your answer, if they say they are sure they are and can explain why they think so in Biblical terms then perhaps they are backslidden believers who need the discipline of God to return to obedience.

It's not up to us to decide who is going to heaven or hell but God did say we know them by their fruit of the Spirit, if they have none we can challenge them, and perhaps it will cause them to go to God to make sure of their salvation.

2 Corinthians 13:5-6 " 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you— unless you actually fail the test? 6 And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test.…"

After many years of walking with Christ and growing in holiness we no longer have to examine if we are in the faith but we must examine ourselves often to see if we are in obedience to Christ Who lives in us.

Hebrews 12:6-8

"6 For whom the Lord loves He disciplines,

And He punishes every son whom He accepts.”

7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons."

The False god of Petty

The devil is the false god of petty! His goal is to make as many people as possible hypersensitive to every little thing to ruin relationships. He is a roaring lion on the prowl to devour as well as an angel of light to deceive.

1 Peter 5:8

New American Standard Bible

8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

2 Corinthians 11:14 "No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."

When we know who he is and what he does we are better equipped to battle him in prayer as well as those he uses.

No One is Elevated Above Another

1 Corinthians 4:6 "Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another."

Boasting is a Relationship Killer

When we were in elementary school we were taught to be happy with our own accomplishments, we had no need of constant praise as the children today seem to need. Remember this was more than 60 years ago when bragging and show-casing our accomplishments was not considered a good thing. Humility was taught as a virtue back then.

If a person needs continual adulation from others they lack confidence and very likely are users of others. Those who need to be praised are often irritated and even angry when someone else does not acknowledge them and they make a practice of not affirming others.

When we are confident we are satisfied with our own job well done even if no one else praises us for it. When we are confident human beings we enjoy complimenting others. We love to make another person feel happy in their sharing with us. We feel no need for over-the-top gushy praise, to us it is embarrassing.

When a child is continually praised for the smallest matters they learn to expect praise and even find it intolerable when they are without it.

When we do something too often that thing becomes an expectation and the joy of it is diminished because of its frequency.

It is human nature to enjoy compliments from time to time but in a confident person, there is no need for the compliments in order to feel joy over something that blessed them personally.

Boasting is another byproduct of a lack of confidence. The need to make sure others see what great thing we did or has happened to them becomes dominant in their hearts and reactions to life.

Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

Proverbs 16:5 “The LORD detests all the proud of heart.

Sharing our joys with a friend can be sweet as they share theirs with us too. However, in these days of lack of love and empathy for one another, many people do not share they boast, these two concepts are far different in their delivery and purpose.

Sharing is sweet and brings joy to both the person who shares and the one who hears. We do this a lot on Facebook with dear friends. We share our joys and trials as well as the truths of God and it is sweet fellowship.

Boasting is for the purpose of elevating self and has nothing to do with the other person. A braggart can go stand in front of a wall and carry on about themselves, the person in front of them is their wall.

In the world those who boast about themselves want to receive praise and care nothing about the person standing in front of them, they are supply to be used, and they are props.

Often the boasting is to demonstrate superiority over others, a sort of "see what I can do that you cannot" mentality. It has been shown to lack connection with those hearing. The person in front of the one who swaggers isn't even really needed they are a non-entity, supply for the use of the braggart.

When there is a personal loving connection with a person, we enjoy sharing everything about ourselves in honesty and we enjoy hearing from our friends both their joys and their hurts to be a support to them. This is a sweet fellowship. No one cares about being superior or using others as props for our stage production.

Narcissists only wish to hear about our life and experiences to be able to judge it and they will judge everything as worthless or foolish to diminish their target.

Not all boasters are narcissists but all narcissists are boasters.

When we feel ourselves moving into the realm of desiring the accolades of others it is time to go to prayer asking the Lord to expunge from our soul the sin of pride.

Proverbs 29:23

"One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor."

Proverbs 8:13

"The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate."

Romans 12:16

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight."

And finally:

Philippians 2:3

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

Proverbs 27:2

"Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips."

If we want to be Christlike in our walk we must desire the ways of God more than we desire the praise of men.

John 12:43

"43 for they loved the [a]approval of people rather than the approval of God."

God's approval is far more important than the praise of men.

Jewish Girl read Isaiah 53 & followed Messiah Yeshua : Lovely Testimony...