Dutch Sheets: Beware of These Fake Friends Who Lead You Astray

Both Proverbs 11:14 and 15:22 talk about a multitude of counselors providing safety as we plan our lives. Be careful with casual friends as your counselors. Nine times out of ten, my “friends” tell me what I want to hear, whether it is right or not. The best of my friends will give me wise counsel, even when it’s not what I want to hear. Chuck Pierce is one of them. In these passages, the Lord says “multitude of counselors.” Don’t just get one or two, especially when you are getting conflicting opinions. If I had only listened to my dad and my brother, I would never have gone to Colorado Springs, which was a key place for what God was working out for my future.

If you can’t get hold of the Lord’s leading yourself, and there are conflicting voices, get wise counselors. If you find wise counselors, you need to trust them. However, if any of them give you counsel that violates God’s Word or moves you away from intimacy with Him or causes you to lose your pace or causes confusion, you need to reject their counsel. At the very least, you need to back up. I have had times in my life where I have received very conflicting advice from counselors I trust. What do I do? I put the brakes on. I say, “Lord, I’m not going to move now until You do something to break this open to show me overwhelmingly what I am supposed to do.” This is how I make my life decisions. When in doubt, don’t.

“Without counsel, purposes are disappointed, but in the multitude of counselors they are established” (Prov. 15:22).

Give Him 15 Minutes in Prayer

• Tell the Lord you are going to stop and do nothing until you hear clearly from Him how to move forward. That is not unbelief. It is a wise decision and God will honor it.
• Rest until you feel faith arise in you, then press in to hear Him.
• Ask God who of your very best and most trusted friends can provide you with wise counsel. Talk with only those about your situation and see what they say.
• Once you know He has said it, do whatever He says in faith.
• Pray that those who govern us will be provided with wise counselors. Pray this for President Trump and each of his Cabinet members who are constantly challenged by those that oppose them. They are embroiled in controversy, grilled by other government leaders, often misrepresented by the media and judged in the court of public opinion. They need wisdom to know what to say and what to do.

A Prayer You Can Pray

God, I’m not going to move in confusion, and I’m not going to guess what I should be doing right now. You’re big enough to show me what to do. I’m confused, and I’m getting to that emotional place. I’m getting conflicting reports. So, I’m just going to stop here and not do anything until You show me clearly what I’m supposed to do.

Thank you for sending me wise counselors, those mature friends of mine who know You well and hear You clearly. Let them help me hear You in this current situation I face. President Trump needs wise, godly counselors around him as well. Provide the very best of them, even if he doesn’t even know them right now. Make a way for them to connect. Do the same for his Cabinet members. It seems like they are all under a severe attack. That has to be so hard emotionally, when they are questioned, doubted and under duress every day over every single decision they make. They are embroiled in controversy, grilled by other government leaders, often misrepresented by the media and judged in the court of public opinion. They need wisdom to know what to say and what to do.

Send prophets of God and God-fearing, mature and trusted men and women their way to help them know how to navigate their way through the emotional minefields, Jesus. Amen.

Today’s Decree:

Let the wise counselors arise, and help those who lead and govern us hear the Spirit of the Lord! {eoa}

Dutch Sheets is an internationally recognized author, teacher and conference speaker. He travels extensively, empowering believers for passionate prayer and societal transformation. Dutch has pastored, taught in several colleges and seminaries and served on the board of directors for numerous organizations. Dutch’s greatest passion is to see America experience a sweeping revival and return to its godly heritage. He burns to see people find God’s “dream” for them and tap into their destiny. Dutch is a messenger of hope for America, encouraging believers to contend for awakening in our day and reformation in our lifetime. Dutch has written over 20 books, many of which have been translated into over 30 languages. His international best-seller, Intercessory Prayer, has sold nearly 1 million copies worldwide.

This article originally appeared at dutchsheets.org.

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