What if I were to tell you, that God’s word declares, that Believers CAN receive TORMENT? And receive it from God’s Hand!
Torment meaning, “to undergo great mental anguish… to be agitated or upset greatly… to be intensely and repeatedly annoyed, pestered, or harassed…. to be deeply grieved or regretting…to even be physically affected by repeated emotional stress…restless, sleepless…enduring circular thoughts and guilty conscience… no peace!”
Hmmm…. what an awful dilemma!!
Surely, you and I will opt to NOT RECEIVE such a judgment, from our Lord…for I am here to tell you that it does not NEED to BE in your life or mine, IF we take warning, and our own actions prevent such an outcome from occurring.
Let’s now read the scripture passage Isaiah 50:10-11:
“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of His Servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God.
But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from My Hand: You will lie down in torment.“
Clearly, we see, from looking at the bolded areas, the following truth:
This passage is addressing Believers…Christians…Those who fear the Lord God and obey the words of Jesus, His Servant….and that yes, we will receive torment… from choosing to go our own way …or not waiting upon the Lord to lead us.
If we, like Saul of the Old Testament, take matters “into our own hands”, leaving God out of it, there is this very firm warning regarding this!
Clearly, torment can be a “consequence” of one’s own actions, and we can surely prevent this…and undo this…
Let me tell you, now, what I believe this scripture passage is telling us, as believers:
Sometimes we are going to find ourselves “in the dark” as far as “light” upon our path. We may not have yet received enough information from the Spirit of God and his Word, to go forward confidently into the decision we know is before us. We have yet to discover God’s perspective and will in the matter. We have yet to have that “knowing” that comes within, when we are walking in His Light.
When we find ourselves “in the dark” — not yet aware of God’s will in a matter, or even recognition that we “are in” a situation where a decision “must be made” to bring resolution to a current dilemma– WE MUST TRUST IN WHO OUR LORD IS and RELY ON OUR GOD. Surely The Lord is never LATE. His timings are perfect.
He will bring “LIGHT” and bring to you “clarity of His Will” in any decision that looms on the horizon. If He hasn’t yet, then it is wise to Be Still… and Wait on the Lord. The whole thing may resolve without action on your part, for perhaps He is taking action on His Part! Or, as patience has taught me, some things just work themselves out when we do not act in haste.
What causes us to GO FORWARD without God’s LIGHT? and to create our own light?
Answer: Fear!
Fear causes us to panic:
Maybe if I don’t act, I’ll lose that promotion.
Maybe if I don’t act, I’ll lose that woman, or man, as a potential mate.
Maybe if I don’t act, we won’t get that house we’ve been eyeing, etc.
What causes us to act in haste, without inquiring of God or finding out His Will in a matter, is FEAR. Fear we are going to lose out. Fear we are going to fail. Fear of so many things. The lie of the Enemy comes that we just can’t depend on God in “this particular matter” … we must “take matters into our own hands”.
Fear is opposite of FAITH, which says we CAN DEPEND ON GOD, and we will leave it in HIS HANDS.
Do you know that the other scripture in the Word that talks of TORMENT has to do with FEAR? I’m going to sidetrack you here for a moment to share it… It is I John 4:18…
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out all fear. Because FEAR HAS TORMENT! He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
Do you think if you just stood on the fact that your Lord LOVES YOU… that you would be able to stay trusting and relying upon Him? Waiting for His Light?
Okay, back to our Isaiah 50:10-11 verse.
Verse 11 is a VERY STRONG WARNING to you and me. It is basically saying, that IF YOU GO FORWARD and provide yourself with your own light (disregarding God’s input into your future direction or the decisions life brings) …Hmm, go ahead and WALK in those choices…but be sure of this: THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES!
We can’t disregard the Lord’s input…and expect a good result! Look back at verse 11. Do you see all the words about “you” and “your”?? This is self-ruling behavior… isn’t it.
Do you know that even doing “pros and cons” can be lighting your own path? The true sons of God are LED by the Spirit. If you are leaving Inquiry of God out of your decision-making process, you’d better get ready for torment.
The Lord once told me to tell His People, “Ask not, ‘Is my agenda God’s; But ask, ‘Is God’s Agenda mine?” They are not the same! Look at that quote again. It is a matter of perspective, isn’t it? …What is the source of our LIGHT? Self or God?
Do you know that you cannot say “No, Lord” to Jesus if he truly is Your Lord? Lord means absolute rule and sway, so it would always have to be spoken “Yes, Lord”, wouldn’t it? If you said “No, Lord”, He would cease being your Lord. Though He of course always remains THE Lord, in his Being.
So, the consequence… Or you could say “the judgment”, as set forth in this scripture passage…is that if you or I go our OWN WAY… being LORD of our OWN PATH AND DECISIONS… WE will indeed LIE DOWN IN TORMENT.
If fear has torment, it stands also to reason, that when we are on a path not of God, but of our own making, we will not have the peace or confidence that comes from being obedient to God’s leading. We are “in fear”, for in our heart-of-hearts we know we are in “our own way”. This fear then brings torment. We may have opened up a “can of worms”, as the saying goes. One wrong decision could lead to another, could lead to another… and soon we find that we are in TORMENT due to the WEB we have woven, of our own making. And all because we didn’t TRUST and RELY on GOD during a time where we didn’t have “enough information” yet revealed to us. Or, heaven forbid, we just chose to disobey and go our way!!
James 1:5-6a says:
“If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith nothing wavering.
We can clearly note, that if we lack wisdom (or are in the dark) that WE ARE TO ASK GOD FOR IT! And that God will give it! It says any and all in this verse too, so this promise includes you!
He will give it in his perfect timing and give enough LIGHT to take A STEP. Certainly, we won’t see our entire pathway lit up or there would be no need for faith. Yet we are to stop, and wait, during those times when we don’t even have enough light to take that a step.
Waiting upon the Lord is never wasted time…and Trusting your Lord God is never going to be a mistake.
While we wait, we inquire, and we seek answers in His Word, and we go when the LIGHT makes a step we are to take clear, or a decision is to be made with clarity. A “knowing” is usually given, which brings agreement between your heart and mind.
Let me encourage you with the great promise of Psalm 32:8…
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
With this great and awesome promise… with the Word available to us, and the Spirit of God within us…knowing His love casts out our fear… WE ARE ABLE TO TRUST AND RELY ON HIM, Our Lord… until He GIVES US….LIGHT… for any particular decision to be made.
Take a look at Psalm 36:9…
“For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.”
It is IN HIS LIGHT that we see light upon our path. This is why we need to seek Him and be in His Word too, if facing a decision. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to AVOID TORMENT. And instead enjoy the righteousness, peace, and joy of the Holy Spirit which IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD! Romans 14:17 Amen?! (smile)
As I am concluding this blog, I am being told by the Spirit, that some of you are already IN THE TORMENT promised from going your own way, without God really leading you into some choices you’ve made…which have deeply impacted your life. You are restless, agitated, having difficulty sleeping, experiencing revolving thoughts of “justification”, hiding, possibly in shame, etc. (You will know if I’m describing you.)
So, what to do?
Answer: Repent… our greatest privilege as believers!
Within yourself cry out, “I want to reverse this thing!” … “I want to turn around and go toward Christ in my mindset and heart’s desires” … “I want out of the torment! and the trap that my own decisions have put me into!” … “Jesus, Help Me Please!” “I make the choice to turn right now!”
Those who repent are ALWAYS met with mercy. The Lord will then instruct you and teach you how to get out of the mess your decision(s) put you into and enable you to go forward in HIS LIGHT.
He is a good shepherd… and knows sheep wander away…so He has made a lasting way…to come back into his loving care. Just receive grace and forgiveness through the blood of Christ, which cleanses of all sin. Christ is, the Light of Life! So, focus attention on Him and follow His Light.
Still in the dark? Still, have no Light? then trust, wait, ask and it shall be given, seek and you will find, knock, and the door will be open. (Matthew 7:7) It’s a promise, for He is with you…and is Your Light! You may have to do some “inquiring” of Him and His Word… and Waiting upon Him for clarity… But do it! (smile)
Psalm 36:9b says “In Your Light We See Light.” It’s a promise. No longer provide your own light upon your path… let Him provide HIS LIGHT… You’ll be way happier! and blessed!
When you stop to think of it, it is a “Great Grace” to receive this awareness when we have departed from walking in His Light and have gone forward in our own light. For this enables us to “course correct” and “get our lives back on track” as soon as we become aware that we are indeed lying down in torment rather than in the peace that is offered God’s children in Psalm 4:8, “In peace, I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
Our true safety is indeed being right in the center of His Will. And when we abide there, we will know peace.
Colossians 3:15 says: “Let the peace of God RULE in your hearts!” So, watch when you’re in peace, and watch when you’re in torment… it is The Lord letting you know if you’ve gone astray. He loves you enough to reveal it and bring you back! Isn’t that awesome?! (smile)