God or Satan

I have wondered that myself at times. I think the most important thing to do is to really remain in prayer. We are told that God will never leave or forsake us. If it is truly something He has called you to do, He will provide a way. It may not be the easiest way, but there will be a way. And rest assured, Satan will try to block your attempts at every turn. But if you stay in tune with God, He will provide direction. I know that is easier said than done!

Hope that helps!

I'm trying to figure that out right now.

Anyone have any Biblical answers or examples?

I would have to say check your heart motives are you doing it for, you, other people or Jesus. If you can truely say Jesus and you have a peace in your spirit about it. Then it is of God.
I have found when my heart motives have been doing something for me, others and not for Jesus. I have fallen flat on my face and learn't my lesson the hard way.When you make a move with your heart motives not in line with God . Beware you may have a outer peace.
Im talking about a true inner man peace. Sometimes we have road blocks because it is not God's timing . He arranges times, places, etc. And you won't miss them.
If you are having blocks put in your way. Forgive those and bless those involved. Pray it through. And God will clear the way for you he is in control.
Remember though our hearts are deceitful wicked above all else. So ask God if there are any hidden motives.

Proverbs 19v21. Many plans are in a man's mind. but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand. Job 23v13 , Ps 33v10, 11 Isa 14v26, acts 5v39, heb 6v17

Carmen,

Your answer is interesting, but almost not at all true in real life.

What if you are "doing it for Jesus" and have peace about it and have prayed and prayed and prayed, but still keep getting knocked back without making any progress at all? Does that mean that even though your motives are good and you've jumped through all the hoops, it is not God's will for you and you should abandon that path?

Are all roadblocks from satan, or does God sometimes block our progress to divert us from doing something that isn't his best will for us?

Is everything we do "for Jesus" with prayer and peace necessarily His will for us, or His best will for us? What about all the people who have affairs and think they are doing it with God's blessing because they have prayed and found peace about it?

Not all roadblocks are caused by other people, so there is not always someone to forgive and bless.

I agree that "A man plans his path, but the Lord directs his steps." Doesn't that mean that sometimes the roadblocks are sent from Him to say, "No, not that way"?

Check the post I made titled "satan hinders our labors". There may be a suggestion or two in there.

I think the reason it is difficult to know is because we, in our minds give satan power he does not have. he can do nothing without permission. Nothing at all. The perfect example is Job.

So ir it God or is it satan? I believe the Biblical answer is it is God using satan to teach us something or lead us in a different direction.

This is a good question, and not one that's easily answered. But if God wants you to go down that road he will make it clear, but only in his time. For some reason I'm reminded also about Balaams donkey.

Yes I, agree Gerry. Lambs Love. Your question on someone having a affair and having a peace about it. Would have been a counterfit peace by satan. Every thing must line up with the word of God to be God. God never changes.
If you have a peace about something and have prayed it through and checked your motives. Continue to press into God. You could be just in the waiting stage till God arranges circumstances, timing, people etc. Or if its anything to do with ministering he may not of finish training yet.
But Know also anything of God is going to be oppose. Like Jerry said knowing our rights as a child of God is a must to making a stand against the devil.
Using a word picture if you have a real dollar note and a false one. It is hard to tell them apart. Bank tellers are trained to know true and false. Like wise if you have known the false, counterfit to Gods true peace and everything being confirmed by the word of God. You will know which is of God and which is not.

The word saids The mature are able to discern Good for evil. Maturing in the word helps us know what is and not of God. My words shall be a lamp unto your feet.

Da. 10:12-14 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first
day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to
humble yourself before your God, your words were heard,
and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your
people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”

as i was reading this post this scripture came to mind..
in this daniel is praying...but his answer is held up by a spirtual strugle.

But failure is different from struggle or delay, isn't it?

Daniel's prayer was answered with a delay, but he didn't try to do something and kept failing.

Balaam's problems on the road are more on track with this problem. But even so, God was going to destroy Balaam, not just make him keep failing.

What, if anything, does it mean when you just can't get off the ground?

Lambslove don't know why but I am crying for you. All I can think about is Jesus when he failed to do any miracles in his own home town . He might of failed. But he didn't except that he was a failure, defeat, he sweeped of that dust of unbelief. Took that giant step of faith and tried again and thats when his biggest miracles happened. Hope and faith whatever you do dont sit down in your failures . People that have the biggest amount of failures also have the biggest wins.

Over the last ten years I can now look at my failures as being like ruth gleamings that have been given to me . teachings, althoughs failures were to prepare me for what God is doing in my life. And I am so thankful for them.

Originally posted by carmen
Lambslove don't know why but I am crying for you. All I can think about is Jesus when he failed to do any miracles in his own home town . He might of failed. But he didn't except that he was a failure, defeat, he sweeped of that dust of unbelief. Took that giant step of faith and tried again and thats when his biggest miracles happened. Hope and faith whatever you do dont sit down in your failures . People that have the biggest amount of failures also have the biggest wins.

Over the last ten years I can now look at my failures as being like ruth gleamings that have been given to me . teachings, althoughs failures were to prepare me for what God is doing in my life. And I am so thankful for them.

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Oh sweetie, don't cry for me. I'm fine. And I don't really look at this as failure, but as redirection. A long time ago a wise person taught me that a person who has never failed has never reached beyond himself. To never fail is much sadder than having many failures.

But, I haven't failed, I have merely readjusted my path to be in line with God's will.

Originally posted by jayemcintyre
Thnk you so much guys, you have given me a lot to think about, you may have guessed but I have been struggling recently because I thought God wanted me to be a nurse, I thought it was my calling, but every time I tried I was stopped dead in my tracks.

God's calling is now becoming clear, I am working in Christian youth work, but the last year has been very hard for me because I thought I was fighting Satan at every turn but now when I look back I think I have been fighting God cause this is where I was meant to be not in nursing at all.

This can really mess with your head!!

God bless you all and remain with you always.

Jay

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Ahh! Jacob wrestling with God! Remember in Genesis where Jacob wrestles in the night with the angel, who is really God? He wrestled against God because God wanted him to cross the river and go home, but Jacob didn't want to--he was afraid of being rejected or even killed. So He had a knock-down-drag-out with God. God couldn't make Jacob do His will. that's how strong the human will is!

Well, I'm not going to be like Jacob on this anymore! God wins, I surrender!

Lamb's Love,

This is a question I'm still struggling with, too. Gerry had a good point about Satan not being able to move without permission. I also recall that, according to a passage from Acts, the Holy Spirit prevented Paul from going into Asia Minor on at least one occasion. And Moses failed in his initial quest to help his people - he had to spend a few decades tending sheep until he was ready to do it God's way and in God's timing. I suppose sometimes what seems to be failure might actually be delay and redirection. Also, you may not be realizing the importance of whatever you're doing right now, in God's economy.

I hope that helps at least a little.

Blessings,
cm

sigh. Thanks.

Not bumming over not getting my own way, though. Not failure, redirection.

I have been reading some interesting books lately about hearing God. And one of the statements that stuck out at me was... when you are a parent trying to get your child off the couch to go mow the yard. But the child is resting watching TV. So you call for him (let's say a son). But he doesn't hear you right off. Do you just give up on having the yard done, or do you call a bit louder until he hears you? Well God as out heavenly Father does the same. If He really wants you to do something, He will call you out to do it and you will be sure He wants you to. If He doesn't He'll tell you... but until that time, just keep trying and asking Him to show you. When He wants you to know, He'll find a way to tell you.

Originally posted by countrymouse
Lamb's Love,

This is a question I'm still struggling with, too. Gerry had a good point about Satan not being able to move without permission. I also recall that, according to a passage from Acts, the Holy Spirit prevented Paul from going into Asia Minor on at least one occasion. And Moses failed in his initial quest to help his people - he had to spend a few decades tending sheep until he was ready to do it God's way and in God's timing. I suppose sometimes what seems to be failure might actually be delay and redirection. Also, you may not be realizing the importance of whatever you're doing right now, in God's economy.

I hope that helps at least a little.

Blessings,
cm

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Good points. Just the conclusions that I have come to! Thanks!

Originally posted by jayemcintyre
If you felt called to do something and you kept getting knocked back, how do you know whether it is God saying no or Satan trying to stop you from doing God's work?

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This is a very good question and I often have to answer this in counseling.

First you have to look what is knocking you off. By the way you are knocked off you will know what force is behind it.


Are you getting knock off by TEMPTATION

Temptations are coming though our senses most of the time. We see and we desire. We hear and we want to follow the wrong way. Make therefore sure that your calling is not your own desire but are really from God.
Bob Mumfort preaches about the Christian have to wait on God for three lights to come in line with his/her calling before moving into the direction of the calling. The lights are:
1) Scripture – you can get as many conformations as you want to but it will count as one.
2) Vision, dream or prophetic word, again you can get as many as you want but will count as one.
3) Circumstances must be in line with the Word and the Spirit

When these three lights are in line with your calling its time for you to move.

Don’t confused temptations with tests and blame God for temptations in your lives. Scripture is very clear that God does “TEST” or put his people through trials (Gen. 22:1). But, this scripture positively declare that God never tempts His people
James 1:13 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:
God never entices people to SIN or desires that they fall into all kinds of inequities.

Are you getting knock off by trials?

Trials are from God because God do test us.

The word trial means test, examination, experiment or audition.
Christians have to face many trials. Poverty and persecution appear to have been the biggest trials faced by Christians, but in all kinds of difficulties that can create threats to our faith in God—sickness, the death of loved ones, a rebellious child, a hated job.

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,(test you) as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Trials, which test us as fire refines or, lead to a more settled, stable Christian character; and as we continue taking a Christian viewpoint on trials, this perseverance will be able to finish its work of producing strong, mature, unshakable believers. Christians must take a typically Christian perspective on life. Wisdom in the Bible is a practical, down-to-earth virtue that provides its possessor with insight into the WILL and WAYS of God.
The reason for trials is to test our faith and God is testing us. We can pass all tests by rejoicing and knowing that the glory of God is resting upon us.

Knocking off by Tribulation?

Tribulations come from people (under the influence of Satan) and circumstances,

2 Corinthians 7:4b I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
Its totally un-understandable how can someone be exceeding joyful in tribulations but its with the eye’s fixed on the fruit of the spirit that we can be.
Remember:
In trials we persevere because it’s strengthens our faith.
In Temptations we count it all joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

In Tribulation we glory because it helps us to be patient.

Some situations don't fall under this though.

Sometimes setbacks don't come from temptations, trials or tribulations. Sometimes they don't seem to come from anywhere. St Paul's inabilbity to get to Rome when he first wanted to is an example of that.