1 Chronicles 17:2-4 (NIV) Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.” But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.’”

David loved the Lord with all his heart and being grateful for all that the Lord had done, he wanted to build a temple worthy of His name. He told the Prophet Nathan what he had in mind to do and Nathan spoke up for God, telling him to do it because the Lord was with David. This must have seemed an easy one for Nathan since it was obvious that God was with David, giving him success in whatever he did and with David being a man after God’s own heart. But when Nathan went home that night, God told him what He actually wanted to say to David. It was not at all what Nathan had spoken so confidently to him. It must have been embarrassing for Nathan to go back to the king to say, “Err...king, actually God says for you not to build Him a house.”

We must be very careful when we are speaking for God. There’s nothing wrong with speaking for God when He has instructed you to speak for Him and when He has given you the words that He wants you to say. But we must guard ourselves from thinking that every thought that pops into our heads is God speaking a word for someone. We must speak only what the Lord speaks and then confirms what He wants us to say. The Word of God does tell us that if we do speak, we should speak as one who speaks the very words of God (1 Peter 4:11). In this context, the Word is referring to when we are speaking to people on behalf of God (preaching, teaching, etc.). But we should only speak what God has spoken. For prophets in the Old Testament, God spoke directly to them the words that He wanted the people hear. But being in that environment can make you think that you already know what the Lord will say, especially when it seems so obvious. In this case, how could the Lord say no to the idea of David building a temple to honor Him? But no is what He said and Nathan got it wrong.

When I speak for the Lord, I am careful to speak what the Lord has already spoken through His Word. The Word of God is a living book and it speaks into situations and circumstances of today as well as it spoke a few thousand years ago. It is relevant for today and will be relevant for evermore because it is what God has spoken and what God speaks is truth that lasts for all time. When I feel a prompting in my heart to speak something that is not directly from scripture but something related to the scriptures and the Lord’s precepts, I am careful to say that to the best that I can discern, I feel impressed in my heart that the Lord is saying “this and so.” In other words, I am telling people that this is an impression in my heart that I have and not “thus says the Lord,” in case it is more me than Him. I will never go outside of what scripture intends or worse yet, something that contradicts what He has already spoken. I am very careful because I must answer to the Lord for every word that comes out of my mouth. Having said all of that, be very circumspect with what you say that the Lord is saying and speak only what He is speaking. He will help you and speak to you and through you as you remain faithful.

Pastor Joey Vazquez