Correction By Delegated Authority - Living a Supernatural Life

This is a two part blog post, although the second part could be appropriately connected to many topics.

Part 1.
The question came up in one of the groups I'm in:
How do you deal with a response to a "concerned and loving confrontation" that says in essence, "Who are you to tell me I'm doing the wrong thing?"

Well, OK, if I'm taking it upon myself to correct a person, then that person has every right to blow me away.  But if I have been delegated by a higher authority to deliver a warning message to someone, then whether he or she recognizes that authority or not, I know I have not spoken out of turn.

So, that person who is confronted should properly ask, "By what authority are you telling me this?"  Yes, I know, this is not a likely response.  But YOU can respond this way (gently, lovingly) if ever you are confronted, unless it is immediately obvious who the higher authority is.

Are there some Biblical guidelines?
Well, I can think of two:

Proverbs 9:7-9
7 He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself.
8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,
Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

Matthew 18:15-17
15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 

As I'm reading this, it looks to me like verses 16 and 17 address the confrontation of a scoffer, which shows that scoffers do have to be confronted, too.  Just be aware that you will most likely be insulted for it - or worse.

OK, now if the higher authority is the Lord God Himself, then all the better - even better than a police badge (which is itself an example of delegated authority).

This leads to:
Part 2.
Hearing the voice of the Lord
Or more generally:
Living a supernatural life

Where to start here?  Well, ask the Lord to bring you to a place where you can, in fact, hear or sense or recognize the word of the Lord inside you. What does that mean?  A voice?  Not likely.  It's just a knowing. "How do you know that?", someone might ask.  "I just know" is all you can say.  It's a sanctified gut feeling. (Oh, but you might be wrong when you start out.  That's correct, so start out in a community with more mature believers.)

OK, do you know you are baptized in the Holy Spirit?  Make sure of it.

And being baptized in water is a statement to the community and to the world that you are really serious about your relationship with the Lord God.  At baptisms, we often sing, "...I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back..."

Do you know that you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength?  Sort of?
(Well, I want to.)  OK, that's a good start.  Ask the Lord for a fresh revelation of His (exceedingly good) goodness.  And ask Him to show you how much He loves you.  It's overwhelming.

Larry Carroll