GOD’S ABILITY TO ALLOW OR DISALLOW
(week 03/16)
OLUBI AND SARAH JOHNSON
James 1:13-14 KJV: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: (14) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
James 1:16-17 KJV: Do not err, my beloved brethren. (17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Here the scripture tells us NOT TO ERR by saying or implying that God TEMPTS US WITH EVIL; men are tempted by the LUST OR EVIL DESIRE IN THEIR HEARTS: caused by a distortion of God’s influence on their hearts because of the wrong choice of their FREE WILL:
Romans 1:18-21 KJV: For God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative. (19) For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them. (20) For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], [Psalm 19:1-4] (21) Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened.
Now the Bible also says in
1Samuel 16:14 KJV: But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
This seems superficially contradictory since God does not tempt men with evil; so how come God allowed an evil spirit to trouble Saul?
This happened because Saul’s heart was no longer as connected to God as it used to be. Saul had become proud: no longer small in his own eyes. This disconnect had caused a distortion of God’s influence on his heart: so his heart’s desires became distorted so giving the evil spirit entrance into his heart:
1Samuel 15:10-11 NKJV: Now the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, (11) “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.
1Samuel 15:17 NKJV: So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel?
It is instructive to note that this was what also happened to Lucifer who became Satan: his heart was lifted up and he became proud thinking his wisdom and material possessions could make him independent of God! This inner attitude of pride and desire to be independent of God is the ROOT OF ALL EVIL. Created beings are INTRINSICALLY ETERNALLY DEPENDENT ON THE CREATOR! Disconnection from the Creator causes SEVERE DISTORTION OF INNER DESIRES AND WISDOM, SO CREATING LUST AND EVIL!
Ezekiel 28:11 -19 NKJV: Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, (12) “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. (13) You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. (14) “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. (15) You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. (16) “By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. (17) “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. (18) “You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you. (19) All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you; you have become a horror, And shall be no more forever.” ‘ ”
This is what will happen to ANY CREATED BEING who WILLINGLY, CONTINUALLY DISCONNECTS FROM THE CREATOR!
The good news in all this, is that IF WE STAY CONNECTED TO GOD, through the Lord Jesus Christ by the Word and prayer, by the power of the Holy Spirit, then God Who created Satan (who became (of his own free will as explained above) the waster) WILL NOT ALLOW ANY WEAPON SATAN has fashioned against you to prosper:
Isaiah 54:16-17 NKJV: “Behold, I have created the blacksmith Who blows the coals in the fire, Who brings forth an instrument for his work; And I have created the spoiler to destroy. (17) No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.
God will NOT ALLOW MEN to hurt or cheat you (Gen.31.7).
God will NOT ALLOW THE DESTROYER TO ENTER YOUR HOUSE (PHYSICAL BODY) TO SMITE YOU (EX.12.33)
God will NOT ALLOW THE ENEMY TO EXACT ON YOU, NOR THE SON OF WICKEDNESS TO AFFLICT YOU OR ALLOW HIS FAITHFULNESS TO FAIL (PS.89.22, 33).
God will NOT ALLOW YOUR FOOT TO BE MOVED (PS.121.3).
God will NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE FAMISHED (PR. 10.3).
So ATTAIN AND MAINTAIN an attitude of MEEKNESS AND LOWLINESS OF HEART: the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit (1 Pet.3.4) and God will ALLOW:
Mercy and grace to flow to you IN SUFFICIENT MEASURE (2 Cor.12.9).
WISDOM, the principal thing (Pr.4.7), in sufficient measure but which comes through meekness (Mt. 11.29, Pr. 11.2) to flow to you.
His IMMUNE SYSTEM through taking communion WORTHILY to give you STRENGTH for weakness, HEALTH for sickness and LONG LIFE for premature physical death (1 Cor.11.30)!
