DO NOT UNDULY PROBE INTO THE FUTURE
Human beings are naturally curious. The desire to know is intrinsic in us. We often develop a wonder about things that are strange and seek to understand them. While this is largely a healthy trait, it can get out of hand or become abused, thereby endangering the inquirer. You know, like when curiosity killed the cat, ha ha!
Sometimes, our probing is motivated by worry. We worry about the likely consequences of problems and mistakes from our past. We worry about our circumstances in the present. And the big one: we worry about what the future holds in store for us.
The temptation to see into the future is so great. We feel that if we know what is programmed to happen, we might be better prepared for it or we might be able to manipulate things in our favour. But the problem is that there are so many channels of looking into the future, most of which will get you into trouble sooner or later.
[bctt tweet=”The #temptation to see into the #future is so great. Here’s how to handle it.” username=”edithsmusings”]
There are traditional medicine men, white garment prophets, astrologers, priests of various religions and pastors (to mention but a few) that promise to provide peeks into the future for a fee. The traditional mass media and the Internet are also awash with self-help guides on this matter.
?
(Related: Be Patient When God Delays)
?
But whatever these folks are peddling is not for the redeemed of the Lord. The Bible warns us against defiling ourselves with such quests. In Deuteronomy, 18:10-12 the following command was given to the Israelites:
“10. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”
In Acts 16, 16-18, a girl with a divination or fortune-telling spirit followed Paul and his companions about in Philippi proclaiming that they were servants of the most high God who had come to show the people the way of salvation. You would think she would be commended by Paul. But the passage says her utterances grieved Paul and he cast the spirit out of her.
[bctt tweet=”The source of a prediction of the future matters more than its accuracy.” username=”edithsmusings”]
We can deduce from this encounter that what matters is not how accurate the prediction is but its source. As Christians, our total allegiance and dependence should be on God. When we begin to look to strange powers for help, we are drifting into idolatry and incur the wrath of God. This is what happened to King Ahaziah of Israel when he sent messengers to inquire from the god of Ekron whether he would recover from the grievous injuries he suffered in a fall.
2 Kings 1:3-4
“3. But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baal–zebub the god of Ekron? 4. Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die….”
Exposure to the dark powers that give these predictions also defile Christians whereas God demands that we be holy as He is. We see this in Leviticus 19:31.
“Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.”
1 Peter 1:15-16
“15. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
We may feel God is being a wet blanket by making these stipulations. And with these esoteric stuff becoming more popular by the day, we may be asking, “What’s the harm in getting a little foreknowledge and the power that comes from it?” The truth is, God is actually trying to protect us from the deception and eventual destruction that comes from fraternising with strange powers.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 (NLT)
“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.”
[bctt tweet=”Exposure to dark powers that predict the #future defiles #Christians.” username=”edithsmusings”]
There is nothing harmless in checking horoscopes, peering into crystal balls, palm reading, holding seances, stuff like that. In fact, you can get seriously hurt by dabbling in those kind of things. They open you up to cleverly concocted lies. They tease you with a little semblance of truth and then sell you a whammy.
?
(Related: Should Christians Listen To Secular Music?)
?
Only God knows with certainty what the future holds, so many predictions from these devious sources often fail. Those who depend on them are courting disaster. That was the case with Ahab who was given bogus assurances of victory in his war with Ramoth Gilead, only for him to be killed there (1 Kings 22:10-12, 30-35).
Besides, these attempts to read the future throw people into anxiety, rather than bring peace. You don’t need to know about every danger and trouble ahead. All you need is to trust God. He will keep your heart in peace and fight your battles.
Isaiah 26:3-4
“3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:”
Isaiah 45:2
“I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:”
Psalm 91:1-6
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.”
What you need is to walk with God in humble obedience. If there is anything you need to know about the future, He will reveal it to you and show you what to do with that information. It may be to pray to avert trouble, to stay away from the devil’s traps, to encourage your heart or someone else.
Deuteronomy 29:29
“The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are[ revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
He did it for Abraham and the saints of old.
Genesis 18:17-18
“17. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18. Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?”
He will do the same for you. Do not indulge in idle curiosity. Do not exchange the freedom that Christ bought for you for slavery to lesser powers.
[bctt tweet=”I wonder what the future holds but I won’t do just about anything to find out.” username=”edithsmusings”]
Galatians 5:1
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Do not believe you can become a god, Master of your own destiny independent of God Almighty by accessing the future. This is the lie the devil sold to Eve in the Garden of Eden that brought sin and death into the world.
Genesis 3:2-5
“2. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
Well, you know who told the truth in that case: GOD! Adam and Eve did die and human beings have been dying ever since. That is how it always turns out when you seek counsel from the enemy. He will lead you to disobey God, giving you the impression you can avert the consequences. But you know better than that, don’t you?
?
(Related: Whatever the Day Brings)
?
Whenever your heart is trembling because of the future, remember God’s promises in His word, rest in them and it shall be well with you.
[bctt tweet=”Whenever your heart is trembling about the future, rest in God’s promises.” username=”edithsmusings”]
Isaiah 41:10
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Once again, the Lord Jesus says to you: “Let not your heart be troubled:..” (John 14:1).
The Lord bless you on every side as you obey Him on this matter in Jesus’ name. Amen.
+++++++
All scriptures above are from the King James Version of the Bible except where otherwise stated.
+++++++
+++++++
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE POPULAR POSTS ON CHRISTIAN LIVING:
GRACE IN THE LIFE OF APOSTLE PAUL #2: MANIFESTATIONS OF GRACE IN HIS LIFE
OVERCOMING HARDSHIP #3: DANGERS PONZI SCHEMES POSE TO BELIEVERS
Subscribe to edithohaja.com to receive updates of new posts (inspirational, educational and entertaining articles, poems, quotes and graphics) in your mail. Subscription is free.
–
You can also like my Facebook page, Aunty Edith, follow me on Instagram, GooglePlus (1), GooglePlus (2), Twitter (1), Twitter (2), Pinterest and StumbleUpon. Plus, you can connect with me on LinkedIn. Jesus is Lord!
Amen!! to these wise words Edith. Absolutely right. Blessings to you. Xx
Thanks, Penny, and blessings to you and your family too!
More grace to u. Keep the fire burning
Amen! Thank you, Rupnina! Have a lovely weekend and remain ever blessed!
God Bless You!
Thank you for sharing Gods Blessings!
May the Peace of God abide with you for ever!
Thank you, my beloved sister! May God crown your year with His goodness in Jesus’ name.
Vanity upon vanity
Things fall into place at the right time
Igbo would say,”Ukwa ruo oge ya, o daa!”
Very true.
Dear sister i see fire for holiness in your heart. Yes Lord wants us to be holy for He is holy. God bless you.
Praise God, Brother Rao! May God sanctify us through and through and keep us free from contamination by the world in Jesus’ name. You are highly blessed, my brother.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…. By faith we believe our glorious future is in his hands
Yes, it is, praise God! Nedu, you’re highly blessed in Jesus’ name.
Amen.. May the good God grant us the grace to overcome our curiosity and anxiety in jesus name.. Bless you Ma
Amen and bless you too, Godwin, in Jesus’ name.
Very nice writing. The writing is really nice and inspirational
Thank you, Stanley You are blessed!
Mama the mama.I’m highly thrilled by this piece.It’s good to hit the nail on the head and you’ve done it. It’s high time we stopped this Serving God and Mammon thing and know that we are prophets and prophetesses. Thanks mama
Bless you, Ogechi! You’re right. The Bible says the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. We need to know God personally by receiving Jesus as Lord and Saviour, dwell richly in the word of God and seek the inner guidance of His Spirit as occasion demands, rather than running to the enemy for help. I pray peace upon the saints of God no matter how trying these times may be in Jesus’ name.
So good. We think we want to know but instead God prepares us along the way. (Because we really don’t want to know) Thank YOU!
Thank you, Lori! You are blessed!
So thankful for God’s grace and mercies. Inspiration. Blessings to you.
And to you and your family, Laura! Our God is truly matchless in His care for us. Glory to His holy name!
Interesting
Although i must confess having the urge to know how my future will look like at one point or the other.
But with Christ on my side I’ll wait
It’s common with people, my dear. You remember the scripture from the post: “The secret things belong to God…” When you really need to know something, He’ll reveal it to you by His Spirit if you are saved or through brethren, etc. but you shouldn’t consult esoteric powers. Shalom!
This is really amazing Ma.. Keep the good work going.. And God bless u.. Happy Sunday
Same to you on all counts, my dear!
Nice one Ma. One can take a good time to apply these in his/her life knowing it would help make a better person
Praise God!
future future,this urge to know what the future has in store for us has landed many of us into trouble
True! It’s a matter on which we should tread carefully.
Wanting to know the future has become the order of the day. Many families are not in peace because of what some of this white garment prophets and others told them. Our problems basically is that we don’t know the word of God. I pray that we realize it’s only God that knows the future and focus more on living a righteous life instead .God bless you Aunty for sharing this piece.
Amen and may God bless you too in Jesus’ name.
I love this piece because it is talking to me personally, for some days I have been wondering what the future will be like and the urge to inquire more was growing inside of me but now that I have read this piece and with the help of the beautiful bible verses quoted here, I have come to the understanding that God has the answer, he said before I was formed in my mother’s womb he knew me and has called me, this post has reawakened my faith and understanding , thank you MA for the encouraging words
Praise God!
Great lessons abound in this post. But I am saddened because most persons would not derive pleasure in reading such post. They rather prefer to read very long pieces on entertainment and sports. I do not disapprove of that but I would that greater attention should be payed to such eye- opening posts as this. Today, most people, particularly the youth are anxious to know what the future holds for them. As a result, they cut corners. They visit medicine men. they spend alot .And when they are told what the future holds, they accept. But after some years, they discover there are no progress made. Instead, their situation become worse than ever. This has become a huge problem. People have lost their faith in God.t hey feel He is too far away from them.
We need to place greater trust in God so that people will not take advantage of us because of our fears.
In the issue of probing into the future,I think it is common with most people & I am the number one person who does that. Thank God for this piece,it has opened my eyes
Praise God! We can trust Him for He holds the future in His hands.
Curiousity they say kills the cat. I am very guilty of this, often times i am idle thinking of what the future holds for me forgetting that whatever i do today sets the path for my future tomorrow and that i need to take one step at a time. Thank you for this piece Aunt Edith, i know now to be obedient to God’s words and follow his directions and my future will be great. Luv u ma.
Love you too. We just trust God, that’s all!
very inspirational…may the peace of the lord be with you
And also with you, my dear!
ma’am, i’m really grateful for this writeup because i was also caught up with thinking of my future but this writeup has inspired me to trust God.
Praise God! And bless you, Mercy!
Curiosity to know the future is what pushes some people to visit the future tellers, I mean soothsayers. Some visit all kinds of fortune tellers, witches. All these to know what the future will be like. But we have to remember an old Igbo adage that says: there’s no need pinching a package that will still be opened.
Abi oh!
Curiosity, they say, killed the cat. Eagerness to know what the future holds is what got some people into trouble today. Some people are suffering different afflictions, some are regretting. They wished the hands of time could be reversed. And like my brother said, there’s no need pinching a package that will still be opened. Why inquiring about the future when we will still approach the future?
Why indeed? May God protect us from idle curiosity and anxiety about the future in Jesus’ name.
lol! i was once into all these horoscope stuff but i learnt to trust in God because only him knows what tomorrow holds for us
Yes, my dear, only He alone can truly tell the future.
Patience, I believe, is one of the bullets that kills curiosity in one’s life.
You know, I think you have your daddy’s knack for coming up with wisdom nuggets. Keep it up, my dear!
This is actually the trend lately “to always inquire into the future”. the truth is that when this happens, the taste of life is gone and no one will actually bother to work hard, be careful and trust in God. trusting and hoping unto God is the ultimate in life and remedy to our problems. Everyone needs to know this.
Very true! Bless you, Chisolum!
Thank so much ma for this wonderful piece..I believe God holds the future in his hands and he has good plans for us too…
He said dnt tink of wat tomoro wil bring cos he wil mk al tins perfect in his own tym. God’s tort for us is of gud nd nt of bad so wori nt cos he is always dere
God bless you, ma! Right now, I am under a travail which has cost me sleep and peace of mind. I trust God but I was contemplating whether to see a doctor. But this word at this very hour has answered my enquiry.
Indeed, God has made me know you for this reason.
Praise God! I pray that you get the relief you need speedily in Jesus’ name.
I used to be scared of the future and I almost forgot how to live my present life but no matter what, what will be will be… Well Jesus lives I have no fear of what tomorrow brings…
I guess everyone experiences anxiety while trying to figure out what the future holds. But with God’s assurance, I’m certain the future holds great and mighty things for those who believe.
Humans are naturally curious, especially about their existence and what the future holds for them. This is why prophetic churches are flooded with curious people. They forget that what u do now affects ur future. Just believe in God and take the journey to ur future easy. God bless u ma.
why should anybody who believes in God probe into the future .
God has promised to take care of our tomorrow, so why worry, why being curious.
Thank you. I have trouble not to “check my horoscope” I don’t do that exactly but something like it. This was well written.
Thank you, Angela! God bless you!
we are always in a hurry to know what tomorrow holds, before we even go into it. i am guilty of this issue also and i pray for sufficient grace, to handle this. wonderful post ma!
Why worry about tomorrow?
live tomorrow to worry about itself.
stop probing in your future, God got Greater plans for you. When you have an intimate relationship with God, there is assurance that your tomorrow will be better
The future holds the promises of God concerning our lives, the future holds Gods plan over us,so we need not to worry because the thought he has for us is the thought of good and not of evil to give us an expected end…
Thank you so much for sharing this.We humans like peering into the future because we want to know what it holds for us and by so doing we tend to go extra miles both consciously and unconsciously..May God help us in Jesus name.
Truly, we all want to know what the future hold for us .Most especially the youth, we just sit down fantasizing on how tomorrow will be, how our spouse will look like,how loaded our account will be and the rest of it.Well its normally but does it warrant us to go and seek help from medicine men and those people that claim that they can see the future? No .The only thing we can do as Christians is to trust God and work hard to achieve a better future.
being curious to know what the future holds for us has lead many youths astray.am inspired
When we want a peak into what tomorrow holds, that is a slap to God. It shows we dont trust His leading and want to make out our destiny. I believe my day to day workings are directed by God towards achieving purpose, so i patiently wait on his time.
Impatience and hunger to hit big soon drives men to probe into the future and that’s bad i should say.
Amen.This is a lovely piece Ma,I think as Christians we Should focus on God’s guidance for the future and not on any man,we should engage the scripture also.
As children of God we should not go around looking for future takes because we have someone who holds our past, present and future in his hands and he will never forsake u until that contract is signed sealed and delivered.
Knowing the future endangers us in many ways, it could make one totally useless as it would be said “There is no need to work, afterall I know how it all ends.” We should make use of our present and believe in God for a better future.
i must confess, sometimes I get really scared of the future. I ask questions and make evaluations, is it normal for people? Nevertheless, resulting to other means should not be the way, mean what makes life interesting if you already know where yu are headed?
Hmmmm! Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path. Hmmmmm. The word of God remains the sure anchor in a world such as this. Thanks alot ma.
Let’s tomorrow think of it self. I trust the one dat owns tomorrow.
We cannot tell what the future holds for God holds the future in his hands. Great write-up ma’am
“What you need is to walk with God in humble obedience. If there is anything you need to know about the future, He will reveal it to you”.
These words are what God told Aunty Edith to tell me. I have always had this passion to study law and I still do. While applying for admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, I didn’t get law but was then given Mass Communication although I scored above the cut off mark as at 2021. This broke me into many pieces. It felt like I was watching my future slip away from my fingers. I cried on several occasions and at some point had the urge to give up. But recently, I have discovered that all things worketh together for good, to them that love God. I thank God for the course I am currently studying and I am certain that if being a lawyer is God’s will for me, then some day in the future, I will be addressed as one.
For now, if I am asked where I see myself in years to come, I reply by saying, ” I don’t know, I am just following the Lord”.
Things will fall into place at God’s appointed time
One of my favorite scriptures affirms this; Philippians 4:6 – “be anxious for nothing. But by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known”.
Luke 12:24-34
Take the carefree birds as your example. Do you ever see them worry? They neither grow their own food nor put it in a storehouse for later. Yet God takes care of every one of them, feeding each of them out of the abundance of his love and goodness. Isn’t your life more precious to God than a bird? Be carefree in the care of God!
At any point you feel like probing into the future, remember God’s promises, rest on them and it shall be well with you. God bless you so much ma for this.
Even though there’s the fleshly urge to search about the future, we must trust God, our maker for our future.
This is an insightful piece.
I believe Christians should be very intentional about trusting God and not trying to figure it out by ourselves. If we have a person who knows the future better than we do as our Father, it’s only right that we trust Him.
Secondly I believe we should take our minds off the many worries of the world which irks our minds.
God will take care of everything in his own appointed time. Therefore, don’t worry about what the future holds rather live ur present fully
Very good takeaway.
I believe we spoil the order of things when we inquire too deeply into the future. I also want to pinpoint that this write up does not insinuate that we shouldn’t think or plan for the future.
Thank you for pointing that out. God bless you!
This article is really eye opening.
Most humans have landed themselves into trouble due to consulting this false prophets who get their vision seeing from Satan.
May God open the eyes of his people to know their right of having access to God.
Thank you ma for this piece; I have been blessed and enlightened.
Thank you,❤️
Glory to God!
Thanks so much for this wonderful one.
To him who has an ear, let him hear.