Over the last few decades, the need for an opinion is almost expected. This cultural revolution reviews food service, teachings, and purchases. We share opinions on movies, games, and our favorite social media influencers.
The problem is not our ability to form an opinion but to do so without first getting the facts or aligning our thoughts with the Word of God. When a thought becomes entrenched enough to become an opinion, it can produce error if the belief is faulty. Romans 12:16 says we are not to be wise in our own opinions.
Unfortunately, this wave of souped-up points of view has infiltrated areas where opinions serve to divide and oppose the truth. When a view differs from God’s, a root of pride manifests under the covering of an “opinion.” 2 Corinthians 10:5
What does an opinion have to do with deliverance?
What a person believes will determine if they will be free or not. Articles, books, movies, and a tremendous amount of money have been used to share the opinion that God no longer heals, sets the captive free, or does miracles.
Preaching a powerless God is in direct opposition to the view of the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:5 A powerless Gospel is no gospel at all. If God does not set the captive free, then what Jesus declared in Luke 4:18 was a short-lived declaration that basically died with his death and did not transfer over to the resurrection.
The opinion of Who God is will determine how we share the gospel, how we live, and what we receive from Him.
How do we form an opinion that is faulty?
Our senses take in an amazing amount of information. As we process this intel, we form opinions or resist what we are feeling. Some of the things that add to how we come into agreement with an idea could be:
- Influence of our environment
- A result of the voices/sounds that influence us
- Experience
- Our Core Belief System
- Our Moral Compass
- Not connected with God
- Through information we have available
- Pride, greed, and strongholds can skew our view and influence opinions
Choosing the wrong opinion is deadly
The slippery slope of error carries opinions that are in opposition to truth. Two of the greatest men who ever lived delivered a message to God’s people that they must choose whom they will believe and who they would serve. That message is still very much relevant for today!
Elijah
And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
1 Kings 18:32 NKJV
Joshua
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15 NKJV
Truth and error influence opinion
As someone who prays for people to be free from bondages, sin, and healing from trauma, my faith determines how I pray. Faith put to work with a true opinion of God works with the power of the Gospel to produce marvelous results. In order to have the kind of faith that is explosive, we must align our opinions and view to God’s heart.
We can see an example of the varying views that produced two different results in Mark 12:41-44
41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury;
44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
Mark 12:41-44 NKJV
What the scribes and people saw:
- The popular and wealthy doing great deeds by putting large sums of money into the “bucket.”
- An example of how and what prestigious people give
- An example of how the poor only give a little and it does not appear to be important
What Jesus saw:
- The scribes who would receive a GREATER condemnation.
- Pride, flaunting, and mockery
- He saw a widow woman giving from the love of her heart
- Two mites totaled more than the wealth given by the rich
Jesus had opinions not shared by the famous and influential. His view and truth is what is needed to stay out of error and form a healthy and proper opinion! An interesting study for those interested would be on:
- How Jesus saw children compared to the disciples.
- How Jesus saw women.
- How Jesus saw the death of Lazarus compared to the mourners.
- How God saw David before he became famous
- How God saw Rahab.
The surprising reveal of two opinions
We cannot afford to get tangled up arguing with those who oppose us or the gospel of Christ Jesus. There is a woman whom I’ll call Sherry who regularly opposes a friend whom I’ll call Darla. Sherry and Darla both go to church, read their Bibles, and pray for people. They do, however, have a differing view on the ministry of deliverance and on submission to authority.
Sherry seems to misunderstand everything Darla says, and Darla cannot seem to reconcile how a woman with Sherry’s hunger for God could take everything said out of context. The two have gone to battle in prayer, asking God to reveal which one of them is right. Neither want to be in error, so they are in pursuit of the truth.
There are more than two sides
Their error has been compounded by the fact that they believe there are only two sides. They feel like God must put His stamp of approval on one of their opinions and let the record show the victor. Joshua 5:13-14 makes it clear that to form an opinion and seek God to take a side is not the wisest course of action:
“When Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up, and behold, a Man stood near him with His drawn sword in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, Are you for us or for our adversaries?
14 And He said, No [neither], but as Prince of the Lord’s host have I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, What says my Lord to His servant?”
Joshua 5:13-14 AMPC
Joshua was a mighty man of valor. He was focused on obeying God and moving into the land of promise. When the angelic leader showed up, he likely wanted to know if he should attack or make friends with an ally. The Prince of the Lord’s host let Joshua know he was on no side but the side of the Lord. I would have thought Joshua’s side was God’s side. To avoid error, we must keep in mind our allegiance isn’t with a thought, opinion, or side of man. Our loyalty is with the King of Kings.
An opinion outside of seeking God and desiring to be on His side is a dangerous place for a believer if we are to remain error-free. If we are going to embrace the truth, we must line up our thoughts with Christ. We can error-guard ourselves by:
- Refusing to speak an opinion until it is filtered through the truth
- Listening to the Holy Spirit when we are hearing the opinions of others
- Being aware when considering a view that we may not see the whole picture and there may be other options to consider
- Refusing to see people as the enemy, but know that the father of lies is the instigator and he alone is our adversary
