FORBIDDEN

FORBIDDEN

A while back I wrote about people having been COMMANDED of God to do certain things. I mentioned that the people involved were not always aware of the command, but were forced to do it anyway.

Now, I would like to "flip the coin" and look at what it means to be "forbidden" of the Lord to do certain things.

I am not talking about being forbidden by the Bible (Logos), but forbidden by the Word (Rhema) of God, spoken into your life as an individual child of God. The Logos is the general Word of God which applies to ALL PEOPLE. The Rhema applies to INDIVIDUAL people or circumstances at a specific time.

Sometimes, if we walk closely enough to the Lord, we can "hear" Him telling us what not to do, such as Paul and his companion in Acts 16:6 --, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,.

It is wonderful, and exciting to "hear" the Voice of the Lord, even if it is a "forbidding" voice. IT IS GOD!.

I am told that a Godly woman in San Antonio once told Gordon Lindsey to NOT TURN RIGHT when he got off the plane in San Francisco. The Lord was forbidding him to get on the plane he would have taken if he had turned to the right. That plane perished in the Pacific. Gordon was NOT ON IT.

Sometimes God forges a "chain of circumstances" around us to force us to refrain from doing what He has "forbidden" us to do. II Pet 2:16 --rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

I have never had a donkey talk to me, but there have been times when I probably deserved it. I have had the restraining hand of the Lord upon me many times. Sometimes I have kicked and squalled like an undisciplined child-- especially when I was younger.

I had "tussle" with resentment shortly after graduating from high school. My buddy and I applied for a job of mapping the fields of farmers subscribing to the Soil Conservation Act. My qualifications exceeded those of my buddy, so I considered myself a "shoo in". But--- my application was lost-- never was found again. Somebody else worked with my buddy that whole summer. In the Fall, he was hunting pheasants while I was topping beets. He hunted in the orchard adjoining the beet field. (Salt in the wounds). I have never been able to explain it, but I know now that I was "forbidden" of the Lord to work with Art.

Gradually-- oh so gradually, I am learning to accept the restraints of the Lord-- even if I can't "see the sense to it." I am slowly learning that He cares enough for me to stop me from what would not be in my best interest.

Now, I ask Him nearly every day to "forbid" me to do what is not beneficial, and "command" me to do what would benefit me. Either way, I would be forced to do what He decrees I should do.

Hey! I AM ASKING HIM TO DO THIS for me. I do not begrudge Him that right. I WANT HIM TO DO IT.

Also, in my times of intercession for others, I am asking Him to "Command" and "Forbid" those whom I love-- knowing that He is capable of doing it.

I WILL NOT-- IT WOULD BE WRONG-- for me to ask God to command or forbid according to my desires or understanding. That is the essence of witchcraft. But I ask Him to command or forbid according to His Will for their lives. I readily admit that I do not know what His Will would be for them. But I want His best for them, whether I understand what is taking place or not. There is safety in praying this way.