By BRANDON YOUNG

I would like to begin this column with a simple fictional story that makes a powerful spiritual illustration. As you arrive at work, you find out the executives are in the boardroom meeting about you and your future with the company. These individuals have the power to hire, fire, reassign your job, relocate you, and impact your salary. You have no idea what this meeting could be about, and you are very concerned since you are the topic of discussion. You notice an individual that does not like you and has done everything in the past to hurt you standing at the door of the boardroom. Immediately your heart begins to race, and you feel this person knows exactly what is being discussed inside the room.
The individual makes eye contact and says to you, “Your days with this company are over, and they no longer need your services! You should begin looking for a new job!” You do not want to believe this information, but it does seem to make sense. You can feel your anxiety level begin to rise, and you are fully convinced termination is coming. Once the boardroom doors swing open, you realize your best friend was in the boardroom with the other executives. He heard everything discussed, and he has permission to share this first-hand information with you. You, however, have already rushed to your office ready to pack your things. Before your best friend has the opportunity to speak, you have already determined the outcome.
Would you be more inclined to listen to the one standing outside the room, or your best friend who was in the board room during the discussion? I think all of us could agree that it would make much more sense to listen to the friend who has first-hand information from the meeting. Now let’s apply this story spiritually. The boardroom is the throne room of Heaven. God the Father and God the Son are meeting about you. Satan stands on the outside lying to you about what is being said in the meeting because he seeks to steal your peace, kill your joy, and destroy you mentally, emotionally, and spiritually with his lies and deception. The Holy Ghost is the Friend and Comforter that is in the meeting. Listen to what John 16:13 says, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” The Spirit reveals to you what is heard from the meeting; words of truth!
Unfortunately, we listen to Satan as he stands outside the board room spewing out his lies and deceit. We often listen to the one on the outside of the room because it is much quicker information, but we must see the need to wait upon a word from the Spirit of God. We must not let our feelings, thoughts, or Satan’s lies dictate what we believe. God’s word is truer than anything we feel, think or see. Satan tries to cloud our thinking, tries to make us think that God is depriving us of something, or that God is against us, but it is God who created us and loved us enough to die for us, and works all things out for our good. We must hear the voice of Truth again, and stop listening to the lies of Satan. Satan wants us to live a defeated and discouraged life while playing the victim. We are not victims, but rather victors through Christ!
Have you ever heard Satan say things like, “You will never make it. You can’t pay that bill. You will lose everything. This cancer is a death sentence. No one cares about you. God is against you. Nothing ever goes your way. God will fail you.” The list could go on and on, but let me be clear, the one saying these things stands on the outside of the throne room of God, and has no idea what is really going to happen nor what was discussed and planned. Satan just wants to rob you by convincing you to believe his words. The Holy Ghost is called the Comforter for a reason. When he speaks the words of truth, you will feel encouraged by the hope and peace he brings. Let’s decide to turn a deaf ear to the lies of Satan, and hear from our best friend that was in the board room. Even when we do not understand God’s plan, we must trust God because he is faithful. Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Now back to the fictional story. As the employee packs his belongings to leave, his best friend enters to tell him that he will be promoted and will receive a pay increase because of his exceptional work ethic. All of the stress, worry, and anxiety he felt could have been avoided if only he had dismissed the one who spoke from outside the board room!
(The Solution Column is provided by Pastor Brandon Young of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church, Hampton, and his associate, Hunter Greene.)