Dealing with the “What-abouts”   

Psalm 119:89 (NKJV)
Forever, O Lord,
Your word is settled in heaven.

There is nothing more exciting than receiving revelation from God’s Word. You read a scripture you’ve read many times before, but this particular time you see something you’ve never seen. When a person gets revelation that healing, prosperity, safety and deliverance are all a part of God’s Covenant there is an excitement level that can barely be contained. The path to receiving revelation to God’s Word is not without challenge, however.  The Word tells us in Mark 4 in the parable of the sower that when the seed (the Word of God) is sown, immediately the enemy comes to steal that Word. The “What-abouts” are seeds sown by the enemy to challenge the revelation you have just received.  He wants to break your focus because he knows that the more you meditate on what you’ve just seen in the Word, the more it will become anchored in your heart.

As a result, the enemy begins planting seeds of doubt in your mind.  For instance, when the revelation concerns healing, the thought comes to you, “What about Sister Susie?  She was one of the kindest Christians you have ever known. She believed in healing and she died.”  When the revelation concerns prosperity… “What about Brother Bob?  He was a tither and his business went bankrupt during the last recession.” When the revelation is about protection… “What about Sister Jane?  She was assaulted taking a walk one evening?” Whenever you receive a revelation from the Word, you can count on the enemy baiting you with at least one “What-about” this or that. Before long the joy of the new found revelation becomes lost in the fog of doubt.

How are we to deal with the “What-abouts”?  The first thing we should do is remember that every revelation from the Word will be met with a challenge from the enemy in our soulish realm (our mind, will and emotions). Secondly, we must also make a quality decision to believe God’s Word regardless of circumstances.  Psalm 119:89 says that God’s Word is settled in heaven.  We are the ones who settle His Word on the earth. We must base our believing on His Word and not on the experiences we see around us.  “Experiential theology” is a belief system based on what we experience.  As long as our theology is based on experience we will be like a car with no steering wheel.  Our experiences will lead us all over the map.  Not only does experiential theology lead to a conflicted belief system, it is in direct opposition to God’s Word.  One well-known minister of the gospel said that we should always make sure we stay on the God-side of things. When a thought comes that challenges the Word, go back to that scripture and reread it.  The Word is alive (Hebrews 4:12) and when read, it feeds and strengthens our spirit.  (Read it; don’t just think about it.  It’s one thing to remember how delicious a steak tastes, it’s another to put a piece in your mouth and savor it!).

The perfect antidote to the “What-abouts” is found in tweaking a saying often expressed in Word-centered circles.  It goes, “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” One minor change with mega-implications will silence the nagging questions that seek to destroy the revelation God has dropped into your heart: “God said it, that settles it, I believe it!”  So determine to send the “What-abouts” packing.  Then you will be free to enjoy the increased intimacy with Father God that comes with each new revelation from His Word!

Psalm 119:89 (The Message)
What you say goes, God,
and
 stays, as permanent as the heavens.

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