(Key To Developing Faith And A Robust Self Image In Life And Ministry)
– Pastor Bimbo Animashaun
The devil is not the one to tell you that you’re powerful; you’re beautiful; you’re handsome; you’re a great man or woman of God or that you carry Grace upon your life.
You should know that in the Word and the Word should inspire faith and confidence in your heart.
You see friend, oftentimes WHAT IS BEING SAID is not wrong but there’s a question mark on WHO’S SAYING IT.
This is one of the key lessons you’re gonna learn in spiritual operations.
The danger of banking on Satan’s affirmation or testimony about your call is that tomorrow, if he tells you otherwise, you will be weighed down.
That’s why to God, “WHO IS SAYING SOMETHING” is more important than “WHAT IS BEING SAID”.
You will recall that the problem of the human race started the moment Eve entered into communication with the devil – Gen.3:1-5, and when herself and her husband fell and discovered that they were naked, the first question God asked them was, “WHO TOLD THEE…?” – Gen.3:11.
If you always follow Satan’s suggestions about you, you will eventually end up in confusion and discouragement.
Today he tells you that you’re a powerful man of God and you yell, “Whaooo. Glory to God. That’s who I am”, and then tomorrow he tells you that you have committed the unpardonable sin or that your ministry is not making any progress, and you bow your head in despondency and discouragement.
Now that’s the trick of the devil. Don’t ever listen to him. Listen to the Spirit of God and follow what the Word says about you.
I give one example here. Imagine someone who isn’t your husband always telling you, “Oh, Sweetheart. You’re beautiful. I love you.
Honey. You’re my pearl of inestimable value. You always adorn my heart with your alluring comeliness. What a queen you are!!! Beauty within and without. I love you sweetly and endlessly…” and so on and so forth.
You may be forced to think that man has a mental problem because he knows you’re married.
Now let me dissect that. Are those words not sweet? Of course they are. Are they “right words”? Yes. Now what makes the whole thing wrong? THE PERSON SAYING THEM!!!
You get the logic dear friend? Actually those words are nice, kind and right words but THE PERSON saying them is wrong.
Your husband should be the one saying those words to you because he’s the one with whom you share marital love and covenant.
Therefore WHO IS SAYING SOMETHING is of greater importance than WHAT IS BEING SAID, especially in the realm of the Spirit.
Jesus, during His earthly ministry, did not permit demons to talk – Mk.1:34, Lk.4:41; He cast them out.
In the wilderness of temptation, He replied the devil with Scriptures until He issued a word of command, “Get thee behind me, Satan…” – Lk.4:8.
You can’t rely on Satan’s testimony about your life and ministry.
Remember the young demon-possessed girl calling Paul and Silas great men of God by the spirit of divination.
How did Paul respond to that situation?
ACTS 16:16-18
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, THESE MEN ARE THE SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, WHICH SHEW UNTO US THE WAY OF SALVATION.
18 And this did she many days. BUT PAUL, BEING GRIEVED, TURNED AND SAID TO THE SPIRIT, I COMMAND THEE IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST TO COME OUT OF HER. And he came out the same hour.
Now WHAT SHE SAID was correct but WHO SAID IT was wrong.
You know why you can’t rely on Satan’s testimony about your life and ministry?
He is so inconsistent, and that’s for the purpose of confusing you.
I show you two scriptures here. In one breath, demons confessed that Jesus truly was the Son of God.
MARK 3:11
And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, THOU ART THE SON OF GOD.
Yet in another breath, Satan himself tried to create doubt in Jesus’ mind about His Sonship status with God.
LUKE 4:3
And the devil said unto him, IF THOU BE THE SON OF GOD, command this stone that it be made bread.
You can see the kind of enemy we’re dealing with? It is a rookie believer or minister that takes pride in “the nice things” that Satan or demons say about him and allows that to become the basis of his confidence.
Such person will lose his confidence and sense of security in the long run.
Therefore NEVER ACCEPT THE TESTIMONY OF SATAN ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND MINISTRY.
DON’T LISTEN TO THE DEVIL – that’s the message!!! The Word of God is your final Reality. Glory to God!!!
It’s not Satan that will tell you that you’re doing well in ministry; or that you’re handsome or beautiful; or that you’re a great man or woman of God.
No, the Word already tells you that. Build your confidence on the Word; not on what the devil says or on what any human being says. Glory to God!!!
I don’t have time to enter into communication with the devil. No way; my time is very precious – there are so much to do for the Lord and His Kingdom.
I don’t have time for people who rate me in ministry according to their own parameters.
No, I measure my progress and success by what the Word says and by the specific assignment God has committed into my hands.
I don’t have time for people who form their own opinions about my life and ministry. Bless their darling hearts. But I follow the Word continually.
You see, when you begin to respond this way, inferiority complex, low self-esteem, fear of the unknown, and insecurity will be gone forever and you will be in high spirit and high morale to pursue and fulfil your destiny.
You definitely cannot fulfil destiny with a low self-esteem. Therefore like Smith Wigglesworth of old, always say, “I’m not moved by what I see. I’m not moved by what I feel. I’m only moved by what I believe”.
Glory toGod!!!
I hope this is a blessing Sirs and Mas?
Shalom!!!
Aphorism CITY 