The great commission

Can anyone think of a scripture or scriptures where Jesus told someone NOT to go forth and witness about Him, that their time had not come or they were being 'held in reserve'?

Daniel was told not to share a vision he had, Jesus was not arrested at one point because His time had not come, but I can't think of any instance where someone was told NOT to go forth and testify of Him.

And yet that is EXACTLY the message I and someone else appear to be receiving from God. 99% of the time when a chance appears to do that very thing, the brick wall goes up and puts an IMMEDIATE stop to it. And every time I question it the answer is, your time has not come.

Is that Biblical?

Looking forward to the responses. Great question, if you ask me.

This is the closest I can come to it:
and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’
Luke24:47-49

If you are discussing Daniel chapter 12, even though Daniel was ordered to forget a certain aspect of the revelation given to him, I believe God just erased that part away from his memory so he would not have been tempted to write it down somewhere.

When Daniel wrote things down, he had no idea it would become a Book of the Canon. The prophets wrote things down as God dealt with them like we would write in a journal or diary. These were private matters. So, Daniel would have written it down for himself, because he never would believe his writings would become part of the Word of God.

Therefore, since he did not write it down, but did remember God instructing him to not remember it, I believe God just erased it from his memory to begin with.

That was in reference to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, if I remember correctly. which happened in Acts 2. I have been filled, altho I have to admit the lamp goes dim on occasion. Perhaps that might also now apply to the promised outpouring to come in the end times?

My personal opinion is that Daniel took advantage of being lifted into the heavens to look down upon the things John was later meant to write as the book of Revelations. Meaning what Daniel saw and was told to keep quiet is what God meant for John to see and disclose? And again, could that then apply to certain gifts and acts the Holy Spirit may be holding in reserve for the end times?

It just frustrates me. I have seen, and been part of, God performing some incredible miracles - literal mountains-into-the-sea kind of stuff. And I know they are of Him because they bring glory to Christ. Yet that is the exception and not the norm. For every time God steps up and intercedes on behalf of someone, there's 100 - nay 1,000 - more who God leaves to languish and drown in the cesspool. And it's not always for the lack of someone to step in and be part of a miracle delivery. I just have to wonder why God would go to the great lengths He has to gift me with knowledge and experience in the spiritual realm, when He apparently has absolutely no intention of letting me use such gifts more than once in a blue moon. Especially when He, on a regular basis, puts me in a position to watch people suffer and die, but leaves me powerless to do anything about it. I just don't get it. He wishes that NONE will perish, and yet a whole lot more people will be consigned to everlasting hell than will enter His eternal kingdom. All because it is easier and more reliable to see and follow sin than to see and follow Him. I just don't get it.

Focus the message rather the miracle

Even simple messages get shot down.

Hi I’ve coped this in the NLT as I think it gives more clarity.

Daniel 10:11-14 NLT
[11] And the man said to me, "Daniel, you are very precious to God,
so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I
have been sent to you." When he said this to me, I stood up, still
trembling.

[12] Then he said, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you
began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before
your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come
in answer to your prayer. [13] But for twenty-one days the spirit
prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael,
one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there
with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.

[14] Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people
in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come."

This came to mind because it’s not always God who causes the block.
It can be Satan or it can be that the person themself is so far gone that
they are beyond saving. Maybe they have heard the message time and time
again an hardened their heart, like pharaoh.

There is another saying about not casting pearls before swine.

It could also be the timing is just bad and they will not be open at that
moment in time, but maybe later they will etc.

Ricky ask God to show you what is causing the obstickles and if there is anything
you can do if it’s within your control.

That very well could have been what did actually happen. I find no reason to not accept that as a possible scenario in chapter 12. But let's for a moment conclude that is what did take place. God knowing all things, would have still done as we read in chapter 12, instructing Daniel to forget it. But I believe that was a two-fold command. (1) to forget it, and (2) God removed the specifics from Daniel's memory so he would forget it. Either way, I believe we did find out what Daniel saw/heard through John, as you mentioned.

These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans

I would like to also add.....I really believe that the 1st premonition is of the Lord and if we second guess it we will miss the mark.....I have found in my own life that when I go with the first premonition or prompting that it always seens to work out for the best, but when I second guess it, it seems to always falter or an issue arrises....just sayin

Hello RickyZ and dcontroversal;

Good posts to this topic.

I'd like to add that in Acts 16:6-10, during Paul and his companion's second missionary, after praying, was on their way to Asia and Bithynia, but Jesus, or the Spirit of Jesus, or the Holy Spirit would not allow them to go forth and witness about Him, it wasn't time yet. Instead, in a vision Paul was led on to Troas and Macedonia.

Later in Acts 19:10 Paul would go later to Asia during their third mission and spread the Gospel.

dcontroversal, your "just sayin" is right, well said and agree with you! I feel we all as believers have experienced when we pray fervently to the Lord for His instructions we may discern one way but the Lord has instructed us His way. I have also experienced many times my second guessing would look good along the way, but seemed to fall short. Praise God for His lessons which helps us grow with when our Spirit receives the first premonition.

God bless you, RickyZ and your family.

Mark 7 : 31 - 37
Jesus took the man who needed healing aside to heal him, despite there being a crowd there... Jesus moved the man away from the crowd... I wonder why.

Seems from some of the healing stories Jesus tells some people to go and tell people to witness, and sometimes tells people to not tell people but to go to an elder, or priest and witness to them instead. But I don’t think that’s what you meant exactly. Sorry if that’s not helpful.

There is this:

The Macedonian Call - from Acts 16
6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in [a]Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the [b]Spirit did not permit them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Maybe God is showing you things in the waiting period that you’ll need to know later...

Keep on seeking His guidance in The Word, Prayer & Faith. He is faithful towards you. His timing has wisdom.
Proverbs 3:6
God bless you

In the book of Revelation the apostle John was told not to record what the 7 Thunders said.

I thought about that one for a day ... perhaps I use the word miracle too freely. But, the message IS a miracle!

You don't know how appropriate that was. Thank you.

Thank you, there's a lot of truth there and these are things I consider. But the sticking point is, I do ask God, and the answer I get back is "it's not your time yet'. But I can't find a solid Biblical grounds for that.