Oceans in the Desert

by Kathi Pelton

There are three words that the enemy has not stopped using to abort God’s purposes, tempt God’s people and undermine God’s truth since as far back as the Garden of Eden,

“Has God said?”

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” Genesis 3:1

These three words brought doubt and that doubt brought unbelief and the unbelief brought forth disobedience. These three words changed mankind and introduced sin to what had been pure. I can quite honestly say that I have been tempted on many occasions to make a wrong decision based on the battle that comes when the enemy speaks these words.

My husband and I are currently in one of the biggest transitions of our lives. It is our conviction that the Lord has asked us to do something that will change so much in our lives (we will announce it soon) but the moment that the decision to obey the Lord was made, the enemy came like a serpent in the garden with those three words, “Has God said?”

The problem is that those three words are just the opening of a flood of other words and accusations that make you wonder if you truly have heard. It is the doorway to fears, doubts and anxious thoughts. “Has God truly said?”

But we can put our confidence in these words from our precious Saviour,

“My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27

The voice that questions God’s people saying, “Has God said.” Immediately brings confusion, anxiety, doubt and turmoil. Yet, when God speaks, even to correct or adjust, it brings peace, freedom, stability and resolve.

In our personal transition we have had people come and say, “Are you sure?” Or, even provide an altered interpretation for what we are hearing. These are good and spiritual people who love us but it has been a test for our souls to see if we will hear and obey by standing firm and following Him. We listen to counsel, advice, the voices of friends and family but we the weigh and discern it to the voice of our beloved Shepherd.

His voice brings a deep conviction of “Yes” but the “Has God said?” voice seeks to shatter your conviction and alter your path and actions.

I was telling a friend today that the moment we made our final decision to obey this radical change that we are transitioning into, those three dreadful words came like a wet blanket or bucket of ice water in our face. I literally wanted to scream like a woman in the midst of the most intense part of birth, “MISSION ABORT!” (not abort a baby but abort our decision!) I entertained the “Has God Said?” voice just long enough to make me want to run the other direction and choose the familiar, the easy and the known over this unfamiliar, hard and strange new land.

I’m only sharing our current story because your story may be similar. My mistake was allowing my thoughts to take the bait of “Has God Said?” and actually doubt my ability to hear His voice which brought me into an entire day of emotional turmoil and questioning.

Don’t take the bait! God will speak to you and He will be sure to “keep you from falling.” You will hear, make your plans and it is God who then will order your steps. When the enemy comes to question you so that you doubt what you’ve heard, panic and fear enters in; you can be assured that this is not the voice of your God.

So, the one thing that I can assure you that God IS NOT saying is, “Has God said?”

There is great wisdom in the counsel of trusted friends and leaders! We have been walking with many during our journey and it is an amazing safety net. Yet, you may get different opinions even in the midst of trusted spiritual counsel. In the end you must follow His voice and put your confidence in the fact that YOU KNOW HIS VOICE!

There has not been one big transition in our lives where we did not face the enemy asking us this dreaded question. It should be our sure sign that God has said! Don’t compromise your conviction or your “yes” even though the offer to taste the fruit the serpent is tempting you with looks appealing. Especially when what God is asking has great personal sacrifice attached to it. The temptation to abort the mission or change your answer can seem very appealing in the moment.

To wrap this up; if you are hearing, “Has God said?” and it brings doubt, fear, rationalization and temptation to compromise then you can know that is not the voice of God. His voice will lead so that you can follow. He brings peace, a deep knowing and forward movement that is almost involuntary because it comes from your yielded and surrendered heart. It feels involuntary but it truly is not because you voluntarily said, “Not my will, but Your will be done.”

“God, right now I pray for all of those who are in transition and I pray for all who are stepping out in faith in response to the sound of your voice. I decree peace over their hearts and minds; the peace of Christ. I pray and decree an unprecedented favor over them as they follow you. I pray for the comfort of the Holy Spirit to rest upon them and upon all who are affected by their transition. I silence the voice of the serpent that questions their ability to hear their Shepherd. The Lord rebuke you, Satan. I pray for their ears to hear and for the crooked paths to be straight, the valleys to be raised up and the mountains to be lowered before them. God, I pray that you would increase their faith, their trust and their wisdom. Thank you for your faithfulness to speak and to lead your sheep. You don’t let your sheep go astray! Your Shepherd’s rod comforts your people as we know that you will use it to keep your flock on the right path. Lord, by your power break the confusion and turmoil off of those who heard the question, ‘Has God said?’ and it robbed their peace and their joy in the journey. Break off the doubt, fear and unbelief that was attached to the question and has now affected their souls. Restore to them the joy, peace and intimacy with you in every step of their journey. In the name above every name, Jesus Christ. Amen”

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We will be announcing our news next week. This transition will be quite costly financially. If you would like to sow into our “Yes” go to: https://www.inscribeministries.com/ and press the DONATE button.

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