1John 4:1(NLT) tells us, “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.” One of the statements I’ve made many times over the years is regarding the importance of spiritual discernment. I believe very strongly that the greatest acumen any believer can possess is to know the difference between the truth and a lie. We are living in an hour where people are no longer interested in the truth anymore, they just want to be right at all cost. Some believers are getting bamboozled and swindled out of their inheritance because they’re believing the wrong people with the wrong message. They are not seeking the truth, but instead they are seeking to make idols out of people or even a country. The consequence for doing this will leave a person completely stripped of life’s rewards, and because so many have done it for so long, they are now wondering if God is punishing our sin.
1John 1:5 tells us, “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.” Punishment is darkness, and there is no darkness in our Heavenly Father. For generations, many believers were raised with the belief that God causes bad things to happen to those who disobey Him. If this were the case, He would have done away with Adam and Eve. It is perfectly within His power to create people who obey His every Word, but that is not how He created human beings. He gave us the gift of free-will, and this gift allows us to make our own choices and face the consequences of those choices, whether they are good or bad.
Heavenly Father allowed Adam and Eve to continue living even though their sin caused them to lose their connection to Him. The truth is that He knew they would sin long before they committed the act. God’s Redemption Plan through His Son, Jesus Christ, was always a part of His Will. Heavenly Father doesn’t need to use the devil’s tools of disease, destruction, and death to show His people the way. He used the love of Christ to do this. For many of us, the problem is that instead of choosing the love of Christ, we have made decisions and choices in the opposite direction.
Our Heavenly Father isn’t punishing us for the choices of a world gone wrong. He has allowed us to see in real time the results of letting the darkness of evil and sin persist. He has a plan for our lives, and we have a purpose within His plan for the earth. He’s a loving Father, and He’s giving us an opportunity to come to Him and seek forgiveness for the things we’ve said, thought, felt, and done that were contrary to His Word and Will.
Actions have consequences, and we are witnessing the consequences of poor decisions and wrong actions on a global scale. It is not a time for blame but one of reconciliation with God so that He can restore in a way that only He can. Some will allow this precious opportunity to slip by them, thinking they can go on business as usual, but this is flawed thinking. There will be perilous days ahead, and fear is not an option for the believer. Heavenly Father has done much to help us prepare for such a time as this. There will be a shaking as things at the top will fall to the bottom, and those things He has prepared will rise to their rightful place at the top. This is necessary for the fullness of times, and we must remain firmly anchored as He gathers together all things in Christ.
Please heed the call of God in this hour. Do not be shaken by what your physical eyes see, but let the Spirit quicken you with the power and strength of the Almighty. Again, you have been prepared for what is to come. Stay activated by continual prayer. Pray going in and pray going out. Do not make assumptions about what is right. Seek the Father and move according to the Spirit. In the coming days, more than any other time, you will need to move by the authority of Christ. Press into Heavenly Father now, so that as you are obedient to heed His prompting, He will dispatch Heaven’s armies on your request, and you will be a blessing to many. Continue to pray without ceasing. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Is God Punishing Our Sin?”, written by Reverend Fran Mack, edited by Kim Times for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2020. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.