WHO TOLD YOU?

Tuesday 15 October

And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat? Genesis 3:11 (NKJV)

Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Isaiah 53:1 (NIV)

When we live in a world that values infotainment over information, it is more important than ever to discern between deception and reality. Trolling people for likes and views on social media at the expense of the truth is fast becoming the norm in society. The causation of such actions stems back to the garden of Eden.

The knowledge of good and evil that was introduced into mankind through sin, meant something other than God’s desired outcome could now take place. We see this when God said to Adam, ‘Where are you?’ Adam replies, ‘I hid because I was naked’. God said ‘who told you, you were naked?’

What transpired? Fear and shame had entered into the human condition because of ‘the fall’ of man. There was now an alternative to good; it was called evil. This was something new that God never created. Everything God created was good and very good (Genesis 1). Man as the creator of sin and by default Satan, had become the architect of evil.

Before Adam committed high treason what did the serpent say to Eve? ‘Did God really say that if you eat the fruit (of this particular tree) you will surely die?’ It wasn’t the presence of different information that was the issue here, as much as that Adam partook of it. This was intentional disobedience against what God said.

He was most likely eavesdropping on the conversation between Eve and the serpent because after the serpent gave his deceptive monologue and she ate, immediately Eve involved Adam and purposely disobeyed God. He should have put Lucifer in his place. He had the authority as master but he chose to listen and act upon the wrong words.

Isaiah by the Spirit of prophecy declares ‘who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’ He then goes on to describe Jesus Christ as God’s answer to the messengers or prophets that God sent to proclaim the Messiah. The report or message was that this Messiah was coming to bring salvation and deliverance to God’s people. As a nation they were supposed to be waiting for a Saviour. When He came they ended up crucifying Him. Guessed they believed the wrong report!

Another issue Jesus encountered was familiarity. When He went to Judea to minister some of them knew Jesus and essentially said ‘aren’t you Joseph and Mary’s son?’ Their unbelief of his spiritual identity, limited the Son of God to only healing a few small ailments but Jesus Christ could do no mighty work such as open blind eyes or deaf ears because of their unbelief. The unbelief of your own identity in Christ can limit His work in your life in the same way.

Today as believers we face the same decision. Do we listen to the wrong information, message or voices or do we believe what God has said that He has done in Christ. For example, God has told you that you were healed, who told you that you were sick? God has told you that you are a king, who told you that you are a slave? God has told you that you are accepted, who told you that you are rejected? Who told you, you were useless, hopeless, sinful, a failure etc. It certainly was not God.

You are loved, accepted, healthy, prosperous, joyful, blessed, sanctified, justified, glorified, more than a conqueror, a new creation, born of God, victorious, sound, strong courageous, wise etc. Who told you?

God the creator of all things good did. The one whose word stands forever. Now tell me, whose report will you believe?

APPLICATION

Make an intentional choice to always believe what God has said about your life and reject every other voice that is speaking contrary to the scriptures and the revelation of the scriptures in the New Testament.