Don’t Get Fleeced!

Many Christians struggle with knowing God’s will for their lives even though Jesus said His sheep know His voice (John 10:4). One way to increase spiritual sensitivity is to be a soul winner. Sharing your faith on a regular basis will help you recognize the leading of the Lord. He’ll show you who to talk to, who not to talk to, and what to say to the people you do talk to.

Still, there are believers who seek divine direction through natural means. Recently, I talked with one who sought confirmation regarding a purchase he made by “putting out a fleece.” That concept originates from a passage in Judges 6:

36 So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said—

37 look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You

have said.”

38 And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.

39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all

the ground let there be dew.”

40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.

A modern-day example of a fleece would be someone praying, “Lord, if you want me moving to California, have someone from there call me today.” God will sometimes answer prayers like that, particularly for young believers.

In his autobiography “He Touched Me”, Benny Hinn wrote about putting out numerous fleeces to confirm it was God’s will for him to marry a woman named Suzanne. One day during a

flight to Florida where Suzanne was visiting her parents, the evangelist told the Lord, “If she really is to be my wife, have her say to me when I get back, ‘I’ve made you a cheesecake.’” That

was the most unusual test Benny could think of. When Suzanne met him at the airport, the first words out of her mouth were, “Benny, I’ve made you a cheesecake…Don't expect too much.

I’ve never made a cheesecake before!” (Unfortunately, Suzanne has now divorced Benny a second time after they had reconciled from a previous dissolution of their marriage.)

I’ve read about ministers misled by fleeces. Early in his ministry, Kenneth E. Hagin tried out for the pastorate of a church in East Texas. He prayed that if the congregation voted 100 percent for him, he would accept that as the Lord’s will and go. He got every vote and accepted the pastorate. Kenneth went on to claim, “That was the most miserable time of my life. I lost the anointing to preach. While preparing my sermons, I felt like fire was in my bones. But the minute I stepped inside the church, it was as if someone poured a bucket of cold water on me.” He was out of the will of God. That was the only time he ever missed it in taking a church.

My former pastor Mac Hammond talked about a game he used to play when driving somewhere. Whenever approaching a green traffic light down the road, Mac would say to himself, “If I can get under that light before it turns yellow or red, it’s going to be a good day.” If the light started turning yellow or red, then he’d better watch out. It was a seemingly harmless game that took on a momentum of its own.

One day Pastor Mac had an appointment at the bank. His church needed some air conditioners and he sought to borrow $70,000 to buy two 25-ton units. About two or three blocks away from the bank, Mac saw a traffic signal ahead. He said to himself, “Okay if that light will stay green until I get through, that means I’m going to get my loan.” The light turned red before he was anywhere close to it. Mac turned around at the next intersection and went back to the church. He called his banker and said, “I just can’t make it today. Something has come up.”

The banker replied, “Isn’t that a shame, Pastor Hammond? It just so happens that the president of the bank had some free time and I was going to introduce him to you today.” Mac really wanted to meet this bank president and God had set up a divine appointment. Instead, Mac got fleeced! He hadn’t followed the leading of the Lord; it was a stupid superstition.

Those who encourage putting out fleeces will also mention the apostles casting lots in Acts 1:26 to determine who would take Judas’ place. But that incident occurred just before the Day of Pentecost. Under the New Covenant, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Sometimes the Lord uses what I call “divine signs.” For example, license plates from a particular state have appeared at peculiar times when He wanted me to travel there. However, they usually confirmed direction already revealed to me. Signs follow believers but believers should not follow after signs. Because Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), he can also use signs to deceive people. One woman tried convincing me she had signs approving of her being in an adulterous relationship. The Lord will never lead anyone to do anything that violates Scripture.

Learn to recognize His voice. That way you won’t get fleeced.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” - Romans 8:14