Following Our Spirit

In Ezekiel’s time, some people spoke words they felt were genuinely inspired by God. Yet they misled themselves as well as others and were not genuine prophets. Their ideas originated in their own hearts and minds. They might have thought of themselves as brilliant or wise, but God called them “foolish.”

Regardless of their opinions, their discernment was faulty. They had “seen nothing” (v. 3) and “the Lord [had] not sent them.” They were “like foxes in the deserts,” cunning and resourceful. Regardless of how they sounded, they had not heard from God and had not made a total commitment to follow Him.

Their understanding of the future was faulty. Their motives were not pure, so they saw things that profited or benefited themselves. Deep down, they weren’t really confident, but they just hoped that their words would be confirmed.

The reality is that any of us can fall victim to tendencies like these. We need to be careful to be sensitive to God, to speak only His words, to do what He has called us to do, and to make sure our motives are pure. We need to focus on never being self-centered, but instead we need to be dedicated to God and His Kingdom.

Surrender your life anew to God. Fill your heart and mind with His Word. Seek to be more sensitive to His Spirit. Let Him guide, correct, and lead you.