Learning To Read The Signs
Submitted by Clay Sikes

God’s heat, also known to humans as adversity, will either do one of two things when (His) heat is applied: It will destroy or purify. Those things that are of Him will be purified, the dross separated from the gold, and yet the same fire will destroy those things that are not of Him. The Christian landscape is littered with closed churches, Christian schools, Christian bookstores, unfinished buildings, failed ministries, failed Christian businesses, etc,

As God continues to expand His vast methods of speaking to and communicating with His people, He has lately reminded me that I should not limit the ways in which He chooses to communicate – He can speak through a donkey if He so chooses! I have been guilty of putting God in a box and only allowing Him to speak in ways that are familiar to me. His heat is often a form of communication pointing us to the fact that we must learn to hear what God is saying through our adverse circumstances.

Of late, God has revealed to me, as well as others in the prophetic community, that He often desires to speak to us through signs. This year - 2002 is an important time to learn how to read His often-articulate communication through signs. Please understand that I am not talking about physical signs per se, but rather spiritual meaning from certain events in the physical. Not every physical event is a sign from God; in fact, most are not, but physical events in our lives and in the earth can and sometimes do have spiritual meaning.

It is of great importance to understand, through these spiritually discerned events, exactly what God is saying. Events will often reveal patterns that we should either latch on to or outright reject, depending upon the author of the pattern. God does everything by a pattern based upon a design. Satan, the original ‘unoriginal,’ does the same thing. Satan’s patterns are often discernable in that they are always designed to oppress, hinder, block, impede or outright stop God’s intended blessing. His pattern is always destructive and always produces death. God’s pattern will always produce spiritual life, which almost always leads to an enhanced life in the physical. Even Satan’s attacks will eventually be used for our good if we are wise enough to recognize and learn from it, and consequently NOT REPEAT IT!

I used the example of adversity in the first paragraph: God’s heat enhances or destroys things in our lives. Discernment will advance our knowledge of what God is doing. If indeed He is destroying something, we are enabled, through His wisdom, to dismantle or separate the things in our lives that He is separating us from. The process of separation, through the advanced knowledge, is thus made easier. God, no doubt, prepared Abraham of Ishmael’s departure by witnessing Ishmael’s continual taunts of Isaac – “the child of the flesh cannot remain with the child of the promise.” Biblically, we can find many examples of men and women who were able discern spiritual meaning through physical events. Ruth comes to mind, as does the prostitute at Jericho who knew of the exploits of Joshua and read the signs correctly; hence her ability to accurately interpret what she heard and thus save her family.

As stated, adversity is an excellent source in learning to read the signs. Our past Charismatic theology would not allow us to accept any adversity as being from God, the consequences of which kept us from receiving what God was saying through the event. Some of us have had to repeat the same adverse circumstance twice (or more) simply because we missed the point the first time around – ask me how I know?

If you are in the fire in a particular matter, ask God to give you discernment as to whether you should simply resist the devil, or submit to something God is trying to do in you – discernment will provide the difference.

2002 will be a year of learning to read the signs of certain physical evidences and events: In fact, it will be imperative to truly understand what God is doing and saying in this critical hour in which we live. Learn this important element of communication in order to avoid repeating past painful lessons. Pray that our nation’s leaders also learn this important lesson. Ask for discernment and understanding as to certain physical evidences and events in your life – TO UNDERSTAND GOD'S PURPOSE IN THESE EVENTS IS TO GAIN A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT ONLY COMES IN KNOWING THE WILL OF THE FATHER.

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