12 Dec 2013 by Natasha Kim CM-
Rev Dr John Avanzini recently preached at City Harvest, Kuala Lumpur (CHCKL) on the Dec 1, 2013. The widely published author and well-known speaker has liberated thousands of believers to step into God’s plan of supernatural abundance. His teachings focus on Biblical economics, the laws of harvest, the principals of stewardship and debt-free living. John draws his knowledge from the word of God and of course his life experiences. Before he began, he shared that this would be a subject that we would remember for the rest of our lives. “I want to talk to you about the second voice,” said John.
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
(1 Corinthians 14:10)
John then began preaching and illustrating by giving examples in the Bible. In Genesis 2:17, it is cited, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” This is the first voice, and it is God talking to Adam and Eve. As observed, the second voice soon came along as cited in Genesis 3:1-5; now, this one is of satan.
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” To sum it up God told them not to eat from the forbidden tree or they will surely die, but satan however convinced them that it was okay to eat from the tree and that they will not die but will become as God.
(Genesis 3:1-5)
“Every time, God speaks into your heart, I promise you there will be a second voice and this will happen every time God speaks to you. When God tells you this, satan will tell you that when God says right, satan will say left… Whatever God says will be contradicted almost immediately in your mind,” shared John. Satan tries to break out of your will that which will bring you into the fullness of God’s purpose for your lives. John also went on to share that if we do not hear the second voice, do not be worried about the first voice because it wasn’t God! “If there is no second voice, then you should begin to question whether the first voice really was God because satan speaks against what God says every time,” he said.
This also happened when Jesus spoke to His disciples in Matthew 16:21-27. Jesus told his disciples that He was going to Jerusalem and that He must die. When Peter immediately spoke against it, Jesus identified the second voice and rebuked Peter, as satan was speaking through him to try and stop Jesus from what He needed to do. “Many times, you will think that logic has risen up in you and think that you are speaking the mind of God. Child of God please listen, it can rise up from the inside of you, or it will come from the outside. The second voice will come some way or the other. Reason has nothing to do with the wisdom of God because the wisdom of God comes in the witness of the Holy Ghost which comes in your heart,” he said. If we listen close, God’s voice will in fact be verified by the voice that tells you to do exactly the opposite!
“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
(Matthew 16:21-27)
Another instance of this event can also be seen in the story of King David. He was at a very strong position at one point due to the many battles he had won. King David was prepared to number Israel but his best man Joab told him that God did not want him to number Israel. Immediately, satan pushed his way in, as cited in 1 Chronicles 21, “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” Notice that the scripture said that satan came against Israel not David. Be very careful because when you do not listen to what God says because at the end of the day, it doesn’t just involve you alone. “If one of us suffers, we all suffer, and if one of us is honored, we’re all honored,” said John.
If you study the Bible, you will also notice that many have gained very through listening the first voice that is the voice of God. In the story of David and Goliath, Goliath slandered God and cursed the armies of God but all was not lost. When God spoke to David, telling him that he could slay that giant and David listened, that caused the miracle to happen! It was a marvelous day indeed when the David defeated the Giant. However, do not think that David had it easy, he was mocked even by his own brother. Though many people looked down on David and spoke ill of him, he stood firm and listened to the first voice. Likewise, there are giants in our lives but remember that one of our ancestors has already slayed a giant and you can slay giants too!
When Eliab, David’s oldest brother heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
29 “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” 30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before.
(1 Samuel 17:28-30)
Listen and be aware, for when the first voice speaks, the second voice will surely come with the intention to ruin your life, and to stop what God wants you to do. John went on to share that he has seen this in many situations; for example, a young lady has a crush on a young boy, and God says don’t this is the wrong guy! But she hears the second voice that says he is so cute, and because of that she lives a life of misery. “God can help you pick your man,” he said. Often times, this happens a lot during times of offering in Church as well when satan tries to stop you from giving or makes you give less. It is true in this case, that if we miss out on what God is saying to us, then there will be no 30 fold, 60 fold, or 100 fold. This will happen throughout your life. There are those that listen to that second voice time and time again, only to look back in sorrow about what could have been.
Picture References:
http://godsworkmanship.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/defending-those-who-need-help-gods-way2.jpg
I believe its 1st December not 21st November 🙂
31st November*
Thank you Dr John, this article came so timely and save me soul.
Blessed Christmas and a frutiful New Year!