When God gives me an assignment, He is firm. In fact, most times when God is speaking with me, He doesn’t feed my ego or even carefully sidestep my weaknesses. So, why is it that people want me to act differently than God when I’m lovingly trying to help someone through bringing a word of warning, caution or rebuke?

Sure, God can be a sweet talker when He is showing affection, but He never comes across as insincere or soft when He is correcting me or giving me direction. It seems that some want me to wrap the warning words in some kind of soft manipulation so that it can be more easily accepted. But that doesn’t work. It just makes the warning seem weak and inauthentic as well as half-hearted.

When Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers in the temple courts, He didn’t deliver that with sweet words or grace. He formed a whip and went after them. They hated Him. They plotted against Him and crucified His flesh and blood body. Should He have been softer? Would the message have been correctly received if He had first sweet-talked them into submission?

When David went up against Goliath, did he sweet talk the big guy? No, he told him that he would cut off his head and feed him to the birds of the air.

As God’s prophet, I’m going to deliver God’s words exactly as He tells me to. I can feel His heart in the words He shares. I know when He is angry or when He is giving a first warning that He expects to be received without resistance. What I don’t get to know about in great detail is how the receiver approached God for resolution. I can only understand when God specifically tells me that the person came to Him humbly or if the person ignored God’s warning.

This I do know. God has been pushing me to be MORE FORCEFUL in the words He delivers through me, more than even one year ago. He is wanting me to be less careful with the receivers’ little feelings and more determined to speak change resolutely. I do know that if He continues with this stronger, bolder, stance, I’m not going to be well liked or even liked at all. But I will NOT refuse God. I’d much rather have the hearer’s anger than God’s wrath for my refusal to obey Him.

And let me tell you this too. In deliverance ministry, you cannot just make suggestions. You have to be firm about how the person will be set free. If you don’t tell them exactly where they are wrong, you will leave them hostage to the devil’s schemes. Would you want someone who tiptoed around while you are in captivity or would you want someone bold enough to help rescue you? I’m not going to make gentle suggestions when you need deliverance. I’m going to be straightforward and deliver exactly God’s instructions. If you can’t respect that, too bad. I know my assignments. I get them directly from God. He’s not playing games and neither am I.

So, in conclusion … buckle up!