How does Job 26:4 challenge us to discern the source of our counsel? Setting the Scene: Job’s Gentle Rebuke “To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit came from you?” (Job 26:4) Job looks at his friend’s well-intended but misguided counsel and pointedly asks two questions: • Who are you really talking to? • Who is really talking through you? Those questions still ring in our ears whenever we give or receive advice. Key Observation: Every Word Carries a Spirit • Counsel is never neutral; it is energized either by the Spirit of God or by another spirit (1 John 4:1). • The source shapes the substance. Truth sourced in God liberates (John 8:32); error sourced elsewhere misleads (Genesis 3:4–5). • Job’s challenge calls us to trace any counsel back to its wellspring before we let it shape our lives. Why Counsel Must Be Tested • Psalm 1:1 warns that walking in “the counsel of the wicked” sets a ruinous trajectory. • Proverbs 13:20 shows the ripple effect: “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools will suffer harm”. • Isaiah 8:19 reminds Israel that trusting voices other than God’s leads to darkness. • New-covenant believers still face deceptive spirits and must “examine the spirits” (1 John 4:1). Scripture assumes that false counsel will sound persuasive; therefore, discernment is a duty. Practical Ways to Discern the Source 1. Compare the message with the written Word. God never contradicts Himself (2 Timothy 3:16). 2. Look at the fruit. Counsel birthed by the Spirit produces “love, joy, peace…” (Galatians 5:22-23). 3. Consider the character of the counselor. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit” (Matthew 7:18). 4. Seek multiple godly voices. “With many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22). 5. Pray for illumination. The Spirit guides into all truth (John 16:13). Consequences of Ignoring Discernment • Rehoboam listened to reckless peers and split a kingdom (1 Kings 12:8-19). • Eve trusted a serpent’s half-truths and plunged humanity into sin (Genesis 3:1-6). • New-Testament believers who heeded false teachers “shipwrecked their faith” (1 Timothy 1:19). Walking in Godly Counsel Today • Immerse your mind in Scripture daily so counterfeit ideas stand out (Acts 17:11). • Cultivate relationships with mature believers whose lives display obedience. • Weigh every podcast, book, or friendly suggestion against the clear voice of God’s Word. • When unsure, wait. The Spirit’s counsel is never hurried or manipulative. Job’s piercing question still helps us sift voices: If the counsel originates with God, it will echo His Word, reflect His character, and bear His fruit. Everything else, however polished, must be set aside. |
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