Can we be real...Has anyone had a really hard time with the messenger (sermon)?

[Monilove122]

Okay, so I know that we are supposed to pay attention to the message and not the messenger but I know through reading this forum and in speaking with friends we all at some point have had a "problem" with WHO a message (sermon) comes from. Last night I really struggled through a message that seemed to be very "flesh-filled" that came from a young lady I really thought would give an awesome message because I've seen her singing and worshipping and her singing has brought me to tears. Now don't get me wrong, I know that just cause someone can "saaaang" and is a minister does NOT mean they are going to be able to preach but, I just had high hopes.

Now, I don't know about y'all but I ALWAYS pray before I get to church for the man or woman of God. I pray that the atmosphere will be set to make teaching and preaching easy and that they will decrease so God will increase and His word will get to his people just the way He wants and needs us to hear it. So, my mind was right, not pre-judging, nothing. Well, she walks in and hmmmm..... IMMEDIATELY I could feel her spirit and it won't right y'all. But I kept asking God to remove these feelings and thoughts from me cause I wanted to receive. But still.... So she gets up to preach and these young people had just sang from the bottom of their hearts and the atmosphere was awesome. Then she sings a song and the atmosphere changed . I'm still trying to get with her, she reads the scripture and y'all it was downhill from there. Her message was so from the flesh, she spent half the time talking about all of her accomplishments and accolades then the other half about how she is "SO holy and has kept her body pure for God unlike some other women who have babies out of wedlock". She went on to say that "hip-hop/rap music is of the devil, boys with their pants hanging down are nasty (and she made the face ), and girls that wear their skirts too short are not ladies"...Did I mention she is the head of the youth department at her church and this was for our Youth Conference so she was speaking directly TO the youth. I was just baffled at her message and although I'm not a minister/evangelist/etc. I don't remember the last time I saw one who didn't have something written down if nothing else than to help them "flow" to deliver what God gave to them in a way that makes sense and again flows. She was just coming from the top of her head and you could tell she was searching for what to say. Many times there was a weird silence while she got her thoughts together.

I was just so disappointed and I did something I've never done before...I walked out before she finished preaching . I must say that I have heard messages from folks that ain't right before but never have I not been able to look past their flesh to get to the message before last night (even if it took a while to do it). So I decide to keep this to myself cause I'm feeling bad and thinking it's me. I get a call from my cousin who is an awesome Minister and truly a woman who is all about God's business and she felt the SAME exact way.

Oh, let me also add that she had this arrogance about her that was a turn off. I don't know if this would be considered a vent or a question but, has this ever happened to any of you?

 

[PaperClip]

Wow, Moni.... All I can say is that there's a FINE LINE between discernment and judgement....

What was the response/reaction of others in the audience?

 

[Shimmie]

Moni....now why are you being so hard on yourself? It's not your fault that the 'word' did not come forth to edify your soul.

I have to say that many (not all) that can 'saannnnng' are very much of 'themselves' (in the flesh). I've witnessed this too many times. they are used to the spotlight and when they get there outside of their 'gift' / call / annointing, it fails to bear good fruit.

Sweetheart, you are growing more in the Lord and this will not be the last time that you will experience this discomfort, especially now in the age in which we live. For we are called to be very sensitive in the Spirit to discern who are sheep and who are not. Too many are being swayed to and fro with every wind and doctrine (many doctrines false / compromised) which are of non-effect as the Word of God should be.

Conitinue in the faith and continue in your prayers. All God did was show you something that your prayers exposed; and that's what prayer is supposed to do...'open our eyes'....

For you:

 

[Monilove122]

Wow, Moni.... All I can say is that there's a FINE LINE between discernment and judgement....

What was the response/reaction of others in the audience?

Do you think I had on judgemental eyes? I'm still trying to figure out what was going on with me because I really don't know her to judge her so I was like COULD I be judging? I mean I've never been a judgemental person just because that's not what was instilled in me as a child and I always give people the benefit of the doubt even if others are talking about them. I just really couldn't figure myself out.

But...

There wasn't much response from the congregation and as a church body we WILL get behind somebody if nothing else to encourage them. The night before the speaker was losing her voice and was just about whispering and the whole church got up, put their hand forth and prayed for her. So it was strange that there wasn't much response and the people that did respond were doing it out of...kindness. Does that make sense? Not because they could identify with her but just because they didn't want to sit down on her. I mean my spiritual sense is getting stronger and stronger and I just spoke to my Pastor this morning about other things and he told me that he sees that in me. I say all that to say that I can feel things and I didn't feel like she came to win souls, she came to be a celebrity.

 

[Monilove122]

Moni....now why are you being so hard on yourself? It's not your fault that the 'word' did not come forth to edify your soul.

I have to say that many (not all) that can 'saannnnng' are very much of 'themselves' (in the flesh). I've witnessed this too many times. they are used to the spotlight and when they get there outside of their 'gift' / call / annointing, it fails to bear good fruit.

Sweetheart, you are growing more in the Lord and this will not be the last time that you will experience this discomfort, especially now in the age in which we live. For we are called to be very sensitive in the Spirit to discern who are sheep and who are not. Too many are being swayed to and fro with every wind and doctrine (many doctrines false / compromised) which are of non-effect as the Word of God should be.

Conitinue in the faith and continue in your prayers. All God did was show you something that your prayers exposed; and that's what prayer is supposed to do...'open our eyes'....

For you:

Thanks girl!! I really needed that because I just felt bad. My cousin said the same thing, she was like God is SUPPOSED to show you when folks ain't real when you are in tune with your spiritual senses. She said your spiritual senses are COMPLETELY different (of course) from your natural senses and if I wasn't in tune I wouldn't have sensed it at all. I mean before I went to bed last night I prayed for her and would NEVER judge her character... I mean other than seeing her ocassionally and hearing her sing I couldn't tell you one other thing about her and even if I did know things, I wouldn't allow that to deter me from hearing a God sent message from her.

 

[PaperClip]

Do you think I had on judgemental eyes? I'm still trying to figure out what was going on with me because I really don't know her to judge her so I was like COULD I be judging? I mean I've never been a judgemental person just because that's not what was instilled in me as a child and I always give people the benefit of the doubt even if others are talking about them. I just really couldn't figure myself out.

But...

There wasn't much response from the congregation and as a church body we WILL get behind somebody if nothing else to encourage them. The night before the speaker was losing her voice and was just about whispering and the whole church got up, put their hand forth and prayed for her. So it was strange that there wasn't much response and the people that did respond were doing it out of...kindness. Does that make sense? Not because they could identify with her but just because they didn't want to sit down on her. I mean my spiritual sense is getting stronger and stronger and I just spoke to my Pastor this morning about other things and he told me that he sees that in me. I say all that to say that I can feel things and I didn't feel like she came to win souls, she came to be a celebrity.

Actually, I was putting out there that maybe your discernment was kicking in in this situation.

The judging versus discernment phrase was something I recall somebody saying to me recently in terms of how to differentiate between the two....

I was on the side of discernment because from what you said, it didn't seem that you had any preconceived notions about this person prior to her singing.... And I think it's good to have positive expectations about the speaker/message. We're supposed to support each other and pray that the Word comes forth in power and purity (purity meaning without distraction, not the person being pure, per se)....

 

[Shimmie]

Thanks girl!! I really needed that because I just felt bad. My cousin said the same thing, she was like God is SUPPOSED to show you when folks ain't real when you are in tune with your spiritual senses. She said your spiritual senses are COMPLETELY different (of course) from your natural senses and if I wasn't in tune I wouldn't have sensed it at all. I mean before I went to bed last night I prayed for her and would NEVER judge her character... I mean other than seeing her ocassionally and hearing her sing I couldn't tell you one other thing about her and even if I did know things, I wouldn't allow that to deter me from hearing a God sent message from her.

You know what? It's time that we stop lving in denial. Meaning, too much is coming out about 'Ministers' whom were thought to be upright and we find out in the news -- first-- that they have been in sin or whatever scandal that the enemy is having a hayday with.

We have to have our spiritual eyes open. So many times, I've 'looked away' or denied a hint of something which turned out to be true. And then it would come out in the open. *sigh*

God says that He would not have us ignorant. That we are to be wise as serpents. We have to be vigilant; on guard.

The moment we sense something is wrong, we have to allow the Holy Spirit to 'bring it on...reveal to us what behind the veil of deception. We should not be the 'last' ones to know. We've been caught off guard far too long and too many have been hurt in the 'faith' because of it.

I don't want to judge. But I am weary of say, "HUH"...He/She did what? And then the roll begins.....down the mountain with all of the details of what they 'did' by the 'world'.

 

[deola]

Monilove, don't feel bad! You are just obeying your Father! The bible talks about testing all 'spirits' and proving that which is 'right'. Now testing could be translated to mean 'judge'- no?
Though 'judge' could also mean 'finding out', 'searching against a reference'. As we grow older, closer and more intimate in/with God, I believe our discernment becomes sharpened, afterall you can not walk with someone long enough without being influenced to a great extent by them. It is the same for christians, as our walk with God gets 'tighter', our discernment gets stronger. I have also met/seen people who profess to be ministers 'minister' out of the flesh and needless to say I made up my mind about them. You know the kind of people who we should really be wary of? Not so much the unbeliever but those who call themselves bros/sisters in Christ but are really 'wolf in sheep's clothing' as Paul the apostle calls them.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[GodsPromises]

To answer your question, yes many times. I have prayed when I know that certain people are bringing the work that the Lord allows me to receive what he will have me receive and not look at the person. People who I know is only there for there gain not God. Those who have the " See Me" spirit. As you stated those who are holler, smarter, more saved than the rest of us. It is very hard for me to receive for people like that and God is still working on me with this.

 

[Monilove122]

Hey Ladies,

I'm so happy to hear that others have had the same experience and that I wasn't being judgemental but rather being very discerning in how I felt. I was talking to a friend today and she brought this up, her spirt was telling her the same thing about this minister. That was just confirmation that I was on point. As I said, my sense of discernment is STRONG and it really makes me see my growth in my spiritual walk.