Queens' Monthly Mentoring
Stop Listening to Evil Reports
Today, we are living in a generation that are more inclined to listen to and receive an evil report than they are to listen to the truth of God’s Word. The news and media are full of evil reports and things that come against the truth of God’s Word. We must be careful not to listen to or receive evil reports. When what someone speaks contradicts or comes against the Word that God has spoken to us, we must be willing to stand on God’s Word and keep walking by faith.
Proverbs 1:33 BSB
“But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
Jeremiah 6:10 BSB
“To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.”
Isaiah 30:10 CEV
“and have said to his messengers and prophets: Don't tell us what God has shown you and don't preach the truth. Just say what we want to hear, even if it's false.”
John 8:47 CSB
“The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”
Here are some examples of what happens when you listen to evil reports:
Numbers 13:27-33 NLT
“This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley.”
But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”
There is nothing wrong with stating facts as long as those facts do not contradict God’s Word. Facts that contradict God’s word are natural lies and they are subject to change.
Numbers 14:36-38 BSB
“So the men Moses had sent to spy out the land, who had returned and made the whole congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report about the land— those men who had brought out the bad report about the land—were struck down by a plague before the LORD. Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive.”
Judgement comes when you speak or listen to/receive an evil report.
Joshua 14:8 BSB
“Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God.”
When God has spoken a word regarding something, it is so. When we speak anything against or speak the opposite of what God has said, we are speaking an evil report.
Deuteronomy 20:8 ESV
“And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.’”
Numbers 14:24 BLB & HCSB
“And My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has fully followed Me, I will bring into the land that he went into, and his seed shall inherit it.”
“But since My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me completely, I will bring him into the land where he has gone, and his descendants will inherit it.”
Deuteronomy 1:36 BSB
“except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.”
Numbers 32:12 AMP
“except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the LORD completely.’”
Hebrews 4:1-2 NIV
“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.”
There are times when a strong word of warning about something comes from God. It may be something that we do not want to hear, but if it is from God, we must listen. Words from God are not evil. We must use discernment when listening to prophecy that is spoken to us. Everything that is prophesied is not always from God.
Nehemiah 6:12-13 NKJV & NHEB
“Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.”
“I discerned, and look, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an unfavorable report, that they might taunt me.”
Deuteronomy 1:28 NLT
“Where can we go? Our brothers have demoralized us with their report. They tell us, “The people of the land are taller and more powerful than we are, and their towns are large, with walls rising high into the sky! We even saw giants there—the descendants of Anak!”’”
Matthew 13:19-23 GWT
“Someone hears the word about the kingdom but doesn't understand it. The evil one comes at once and snatches away what was planted in him. This is what the seed planted along the road illustrates. The seed planted on rocky ground [is the person who] hears the word and accepts it at once with joy. Since he doesn't have any root, he lasts only a little while. When suffering or persecution comes along because of the word, he immediately falls [from faith]. The seed planted among thornbushes [is another person who] hears the word. But the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of riches choke the word so that it can't produce anything. But the seed planted on good ground [is the person who] hears and understands the word. This type produces crops. They produce one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted."
Romans 10:16-18 NKJV
“But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “ LORD, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.””
Just like faith comes from hearing God’s Word, fear comes from hearing the enemy’s word. You will either believe God or the enemy.
There are times where you will have to stand on God’s Word even though you are facing an evil report. What you say and do will determine whether or not the truth of God’s Word will manifest in your situation. Don’t speak in line with the evil report no matter what you see. Speak God’s Word only!!!
2 Kings 4:26-37 ESV
“Run at once to meet her and say to her, ‘Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?’” And she answered, “All is well.” And when she came to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’” He said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child.” Then the mother of the child said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, “The child has not awakened.”
When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. Then he summoned Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.
3 John 1:2 KJV
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
Philippians 4:8 KJV
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
2 Kings 4:29 AMP
“Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins (prepare now!) and take my staff in your hand, and go [to the woman’s house]; if you meet any man [along the way], do not greet him and if a man greets you, do not [stop to] answer him; and lay my staff on the face of the boy [as soon as you reach the house].”
No matter what you are experiencing, once God gives you instructions through His Word, don’t allow any other word to cause you to disobey God’s Word.
Proverbs 1:33 BSB
“But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
Jeremiah 6:10 BSB
“To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.”
Isaiah 30:10 CEV
“and have said to his messengers and prophets: Don't tell us what God has shown you and don't preach the truth. Just say what we want to hear, even if it's false.”
John 8:47 CSB
“The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”
Here are some examples of what happens when you listen to evil reports:
Numbers 13:27-33 NLT
“This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley.”
But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”
There is nothing wrong with stating facts as long as those facts do not contradict God’s Word. Facts that contradict God’s word are natural lies and they are subject to change.
Numbers 14:36-38 BSB
“So the men Moses had sent to spy out the land, who had returned and made the whole congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report about the land— those men who had brought out the bad report about the land—were struck down by a plague before the LORD. Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive.”
Judgement comes when you speak or listen to/receive an evil report.
Joshua 14:8 BSB
“Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God.”
When God has spoken a word regarding something, it is so. When we speak anything against or speak the opposite of what God has said, we are speaking an evil report.
Deuteronomy 20:8 ESV
“And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.’”
Numbers 14:24 BLB & HCSB
“And My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has fully followed Me, I will bring into the land that he went into, and his seed shall inherit it.”
“But since My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me completely, I will bring him into the land where he has gone, and his descendants will inherit it.”
Deuteronomy 1:36 BSB
“except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land on which he has set foot, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.”
Numbers 32:12 AMP
“except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the LORD completely.’”
Hebrews 4:1-2 NIV
“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.”
There are times when a strong word of warning about something comes from God. It may be something that we do not want to hear, but if it is from God, we must listen. Words from God are not evil. We must use discernment when listening to prophecy that is spoken to us. Everything that is prophesied is not always from God.
Nehemiah 6:12-13 NKJV & NHEB
“Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.”
“I discerned, and look, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an unfavorable report, that they might taunt me.”
Deuteronomy 1:28 NLT
“Where can we go? Our brothers have demoralized us with their report. They tell us, “The people of the land are taller and more powerful than we are, and their towns are large, with walls rising high into the sky! We even saw giants there—the descendants of Anak!”’”
Matthew 13:19-23 GWT
“Someone hears the word about the kingdom but doesn't understand it. The evil one comes at once and snatches away what was planted in him. This is what the seed planted along the road illustrates. The seed planted on rocky ground [is the person who] hears the word and accepts it at once with joy. Since he doesn't have any root, he lasts only a little while. When suffering or persecution comes along because of the word, he immediately falls [from faith]. The seed planted among thornbushes [is another person who] hears the word. But the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of riches choke the word so that it can't produce anything. But the seed planted on good ground [is the person who] hears and understands the word. This type produces crops. They produce one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted."
Romans 10:16-18 NKJV
“But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “ LORD, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.””
Just like faith comes from hearing God’s Word, fear comes from hearing the enemy’s word. You will either believe God or the enemy.
There are times where you will have to stand on God’s Word even though you are facing an evil report. What you say and do will determine whether or not the truth of God’s Word will manifest in your situation. Don’t speak in line with the evil report no matter what you see. Speak God’s Word only!!!
2 Kings 4:26-37 ESV
“Run at once to meet her and say to her, ‘Is all well with you? Is all well with your husband? Is all well with the child?’” And she answered, “All is well.” And when she came to the mountain to the man of God, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’” He said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not reply. And lay my staff on the face of the child.” Then the mother of the child said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, “The child has not awakened.”
When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. Then he summoned Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.
3 John 1:2 KJV
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
Philippians 4:8 KJV
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
2 Kings 4:29 AMP
“Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins (prepare now!) and take my staff in your hand, and go [to the woman’s house]; if you meet any man [along the way], do not greet him and if a man greets you, do not [stop to] answer him; and lay my staff on the face of the boy [as soon as you reach the house].”
No matter what you are experiencing, once God gives you instructions through His Word, don’t allow any other word to cause you to disobey God’s Word.