Hosea 4:12 – “My people ask counsel of their own imagination… “

Often in my daily reading, musing, praying, and pondering the Word I am reading, I hear intriguing whispers and challenges by the Holy Spirit. They are often just for me, but sometimes for others as well. Today, I heard and saw something that will captivate my thoughts for days as I attempt to unravel the incredible revelation I believe is contained within.

In Hosea 4:12 – “My people ask counsel of their own imagination…” He said that would lead to a spirit of whoredom (not sexual but spiritual) and would lead away from God.  Is the imagination bad?  Not at all, but if we focus on what we want to be the truth rather than what is truth, we will allow our imaginations to concoct scenarios and realities foreign to reality and God’s purposes for our lives. That is dangerous and can be deadly.

Hosea 10:7 reinforces that idea: “AND My people are inclined to backslide from Me; THOUGH they shall call to God, they will take counsel together, (the flesh again), AND none at all would exalt Him.”  If we make what we want to be truth and reality our guide, we will move farther and farther away from God.

The Bible speaks of calling those things that “be not” as though they were. Some seem to be attempting to call those things that are as though they are not. They have a desire, a preference, a wish, a hope (in the natural), and they allow their imaginations to create a world where what they want to be reality is reality.

In that condition, they become deceived and believe everything that supports what they want to be true. What we need to do is allow the Holy Spirit to enable us to use our imaginations to see what God says and what He is doing rather than creating a world we want that is not what He has purposed.

Imagination is good and an ability God gave us. Allowing the Holy Spirit to enable us to see God’s Purposes and Promises is valuable and rewarding. If we allow the self to create a world to satisfy our own fleshly desires or a world where what we want to be reality, then it is counterproductive and dangerous.

As believers, we have two choices—trust ourselves or trust God! We are God’s heirs and joint heirs with Jesus. He owns it all and has made us co-owners. Therefore, we can either live as if the bequeathal has transpired or as spiritual paupers. We can live in the false vision of deserving or not deserving and miss God’s incredible graciousness. Why not live as He declares, more than Conquerors?

Today, I am challenged to cease living as a beggar and try to earn God’s favor, live as an heir, and know that it is not what I deserve but His Grace and Goodness that provides for me. I Choose to Live victoriously and desire to Live with No Sense of Lack because He lacks nothing, and I am His.

May the God of Peace guard your hearts today and lead you to new places of victory!