It is imperative for us as God's children to hear from shepherds (pastors) whom He has placed in our lives. This does not mean that they know everything; however, as they allow God to lead them, they will pass down whatever news from Heaven is meant for your instruction. Proverbs 1:8-9 (HCSB) says, "My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck." My husband and I have a pastor and his wife who have been called by God to check on us regularly. My Pastor and his wife are very loving people who do not mind letting us know what the Word of God says about an issue, yet they will teach and guide us with the love of God. Our appreciation for their work in the kingdom of God is great, and it is awesome that they love each and every one of their spiritual children as their own natural children. When danger is around the corner or right upon any one of their sheep, a shepherd (pastor) should fight in the Spirit of God with the same tenacity and courage as David did against enemies that approached his flock. As a father or mother guides his or her child(ren), God has a spiritual shepherd in place who will love and fight to protect you as God leads.
Here is my testimony of learning when to use the wisdom that God has given to you. My family was recently delivered from a place of bondage in 2014. We faced disappointment time and time again as we searched for spiritual liberty in what should have been a place where God resides. One day, (after praying for God to lead us into liberty), God spoke clearly to me that He had released me from being in a certain position within the church. As soon as I heard it, I relayed the message to whomever needed to hear it and got out of the way. My husband was notified (as I submitted to God and then my husband) and he was more than happy for God's will to be done. I allowed God to give me the command and I followed quickly. I did not want to miss the opportunity to be released because there is nothing like missing your season and having to start all over again. After my family continued to pray, God released my husband from his position within the church. Talk about a spiritual breakthrough!!!!! During all of this, the enemy was sending all types of foolishness our way to make us feel as if we were in the wrong for what was taking place. I will tell you from the heart: he never received the victory. God was and still is with us through it all. Those who prayed with us are witness to this. When God told my husband and I to speak, we spoke. When He instructed us to be still and quiet, we did as He commanded. There was no compromising.
Now, we did not stop praying. A few weeks after God released both my husband and I from serving in leadership at church, He spoke clearly to my husband and said that it was "time to move". Let me tell you something: when God says "move", you do not have time to waste. It would be very wise to hear Him and step in line with every word He speaks. God led us to exactly where we needed to be the entire time we were elsewhere. Upon arrival to the place where He led us, the Spirit of God began to minister to our current pastor about our lives. Our pastor loved us with the love of God. He was neither harsh nor a dictator; our pastor just loved us as Christ loves the church. Even today, our pastor and his wife speak life (not death) into our hearing and they pray for us as they do every other sheep that God has sent to them. If one is broken, doing well, having the best day of their lives, or battered, our pastor and his wife consult God first about the issue then minister every word that God speaks. That is the way a shepherd is led...by God and only Him.
Remember that knowledge and wisdom are different. It is one thing for a person to have a knowledge of leading a group of people; it is another thing when someone leads a group of people with wisdom which is only given by God. That person must be led by the Spirit of God in all things in order to know when to move, where to move, how to move, why a certain thing must be done, and what to do when guiding a flock. If you do not have a pastor in your life who you can call a spiritual parent, I urge you to seek God in prayer and ask Him to guide you to finding one. Having a pastor who will speak life into your heart and soul and help lead you away from what is harmful (Proverbs 1:10-19) is awesome. In case you want to know the heart of a pastor and what to pray for, go to the verses that are listed below. Know that a pastor follows after and is led by God Who is the Chief Shepherd.
Read:
- Psalm 23: all verses
- Jeremiah 3:14-15
- Psalm 1:1-3
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