Have You Made a Vow?

God has given me a word for His people who have been called as messengers in the Kingdom. Many are operating in ministry, and have God why their integrity with people seems to be challenged. God is saying that many are called to a rebellious house. However, others are rejected by people because integrity with God is not up to par. God has begun to expose some of the seemingly little things we are doing that are causing stumbling blocks in ministry. We cannot speak on the Father's behalf when we have driven wedges between Him and us.

Have you made a vow? Many are attempting to walk in ministry and represent the Father when He has ought against them. Vows have been made to God, but remain unfulfilled. For this, repentance is necessary. God's people must be careful to PLEASE GOD FIRST. His people must be faithful to do what we promise to our Father.

Ecc 5:1 Keep thy feet when thou goest unto a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil.

The Word of God tells us that a fool is known by his much speaking. However, one is quiet, contemplating every word before it is spoken, is counted wise. Too many of us are speaking amiss, forgetting that every idle word shall be judged. Especially in the case of prophets, we must watch very carefully over every word that utters from our mouths. When a man or woman becomes the mouthpiece of the Father, sanctification must take place. We cannot allow blessings and cursing to come from the same fountain (James 3:10). We cannot allow wisdom to mix with folly and foolish speech. The tongue MUST be tamed, and we must be very careful not to discredit God with the same mouth we are asking Him to use for His glory.

Too many are trying to use the House of God as a platform to increase popularity. Men are seeking glory, and simply using God's name to get it. The Father is calling His people back into His presence to RECEIVE. He desires to make a deposit into His elect, that His divine instruction will come forth as He commands. Too many are "learning" the right things to say. We continue to preach religion and deliver a "safe" word. Too many are preaching, but they are not speaking as instructed by the Father. He is always talking, yes, but oftentimes He requires His servants to remain quiet. For every prophetic word, there is a season of worship and impartation directly from the Father.

Ecc 5:2 Cause not thy mouth to hasten, and let not thy heart hasten to bring out a word before God, for God is in the heavens, and thou on the earth, therefore let thy words be few.

Even in our time of prayer, God is calling for His people to be cautious. We often pray for that which we believe and feel God should do. In this season, we must learn to pray God's will, just as Jesus did. Yes, our Father wants us to speak with Him and tell Him our desires. However, when we are called to be His instruments, we must learn to pray in a different realm. We must learn to become INSTRUMENTS for God's use in this earth. We must pray in the spirit and become conduits for God's will to be done on earth. With maturity in ministry, prayers become more Kingdom-centered and less personal to the believer's desires.

In reverence to God's will, our words will become few. Our spiritual ears will become open and prayer, for many, shall become a time of revelation and impartation rather than a session of petition.

Ecc 5:3 For the dream hath come by abundance of business, and the voice of a fool by abundance of words.

Faith is shown through works. Many are busy with vain works -- dead works from which the Body of Christ should be delivered. There is a difference between busyness and God's business. Those who truly hear God's voice move only when God says to move. Those who walk in a fleshly desire to feel important do things for their own glory, then gloat about it. Foolishness is then exposes through their many words.

There are some who seem still in the natural, but are pleasing unto God in the spirit realm. They have remained focused. They are busy in spiritual warfare. They have not boasted of themselves, but remain available and ready to heed God's command. They are not boggled down with "fluff" in an effort to look or feel important. They stay in their place, and therefore do not cause confusion in the Body. This is a sign of maturity unto the Father.

Ecc 5:4 When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which thou vowest--complete.
Ecc 5:5 Better that thou do not vow, than that thou dost vow and dost not complete.

Why is God bringing out attention to the words we've uttered unto Him? Because our words to the Father have caused our flesh to sin.

Ecc 5:6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger, that `it is an error,' why is God wroth because of thy voice, and hath destroyed the work of thy hands?

We, as the people of God, have made promises to Him and failed to keep them. We have lied unto God. We have spoken forth idle words into His ears with no intent to fulfill that which we've promised. Even worse, we have failed to repent. We don't realize the gravity of lying to God.

In our "selfish" prayers, many of us have made requests and vowed to serve God with contingencies.

"Lord, bless my ministry and I'll be careful to give you the praise."
"Father, heal my body and I'll tell the world my testimony."
"God, enlarge my territory and I'll feed your people with the true word of God."
"God, bless my finances and I'll sow into the work of the Kingdom."
"Father, bless me with a vehicle, and I'll dedicate it to your work."
"Save my husband, o God, and I'll be a good wife and mother."
"God, increase my knowledge and I'll teach your people the true word. I won't teach religion, but your word."

We've all heard the prayed vows. We've all made such vows, and broken at least some. The Father is calling our attention to this error. Repentance is necessary.

In the 11th chapter of Judges, the Bible tells us of a valiant man named Jephthah. Jephthah was rejected by his family, because he was the son of a harlot. However, when Israel became oppressed by Ammon, the people called on him to deliver Israel from the enemy's hand.

Jephthah prayed for God to deliver his people and made a vow in return for the favor. The vow he made was a foolish one. God delivered Israel, and Jephthah realized his mistake when his only child, his daughter, became the victim of his foolish promise unto God. Unlike many of us, Jephthah did not go back on his promise to God. Instead, he offered his daughter as a burnt sacrifice unto the Father, just as he'd promised.

The Father asked me, "Why do you feel a need to offer me something for which I never asked?". My God! So many times, we forget that God DESIRES to work on behalf of those who are living for Him. Unnecessarily, we place ourselves in difficult situations and cause ourselves to sin by offering God things He doesn't even require.

If you are truly sanctified unto Him - if you are a true worshiper unto God - if you are sanctified and set aside for His work - the Father has pleasure in delivering you.

DO NOT fall into sin by making empty promises unto God. Not only are our vows to God causing separation from our Father, but vows to one another made in His name have caused his people to sin as well. We are to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Yet, INTEGRITY has become a foreign word in the Body of Christ.

Wedding vows - for better or for worse? We've made "worse" an excuse for divorce.
Bills and legal agreements - they have become an excuse to declare "the enemy's plan against us"
Working for an employer - we fail to arrive punctual and do our work unto the Lord. When not caught, we say it's the "favor of God"

Not so. These are vows, among many others, made in the sight of God. We represent Him in this earth. God is calling His people back to ACCOUNTABILITY. We must operate in order before we can speak judgment on sinners who are out of God's order.

Have you made a vow? Seek God THIS DAY. As He leads, fulfill the vow or repent and do not enslave yourself again to the words of your mouth.