Dear Ufuomaee,

I have a question ma.  If God has spoken to an individual concerning his/her choice and this person approached his/her spiritual father/mentor or guardian and this spiritual father gives a contrary opinion. Is it ideal to follow the advise of that spiritual father?

To clarify, what if you clearly heard from God and took the right step before informing the spiritual father and he gets angry at you for acting on God’s instruction,  What can you do?

Dear Reader,

Ummm… First, the question is whether or not you are sure that you have heard from God. If you are sure, why do you need the opinion of another man of God???  Do you remember the account of the prophet that God gave instruction in 1 Kings 13, but along the way, another came and convinced him that God said to do otherwise…?  The prophet disobeyed God and followed the word of another prophet to his own peril!

There is a difference between seeking godly counsel and seeking to confirm God’s word to us.  We do not need to confirm God’s word to us, if we are sure we have heard it and have trained our ear to hearing from Him.  We should walk in that light until He directs us otherwise, because our ways are not His and He will not fail us, but honours our walk of faith.

If Abraham had sought to confirm God’s word to him, he would never have left his people to go to a land he didn’t know, nor would he have gone ahead to sacrifice Isaac!  If Hosea had sought to confirm God’s word, he wouldn’t have married Gomer, the promiscuous woman.  So, if you are sure God has spoken, you do not need to hear another voice.  But if you haven’t heard from God and/or are uncertain it was God who spoke to you, then by all means, seek godly counsel (and I would strongly advise you to do so if in doubt!).

We should only seek godly counsel with a mind and heart that is ready to heed.  Otherwise, you should not have bothered.  If you go from place to place, seeking other people’s opinions, you will end up confused, you will dull your hearing, and it is quite likely God won’t answer you (Jam 1:5-8)!

Get to know how God speaks to you, and go to those whom you honour and trust.  Pray for God to speak to you through them, and pray for them too.  When they give you counsel, measure it against God’s revealed truth, and if it measures up, accept it humbly.

So if you are certain it is God, then stand on it.

You might also want to read Galatians 1:17-19.  Paul said that when he received the call of God, he didn’t go to Jerusalem to verify or confirm anything, but simply went where God had sent him.  Perhaps if he had sought their approval or confirmation, he would have been dissuaded from going to the Gentiles…because the calling on Peter and the other Apostles were to the JEWS.  Paul resisted them a lot because they were still tied up in observing the Law (Galatians 3)!

Consider 1 Samuel 3 too.  When God called Samuel and gave him a word, Eli didn’t need to confirm it, nor did he try to tell him not to believe it!  When people try to control how, when and who God speaks to, it is the Holy Ghost they are resisting.  You alone can know for sure if God has spoken to you.

Finally consider this counsel by Gamaliel: “Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God” (Acts 5:38).

I hope this helps!  May God give you grace to hear and obey, and wisdom to know and walk in His will.

Sincerely, Ufuoma.

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