What Does God Really Think About Censorship?
Censoring others is playing God. The definition of censorship is “the suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news and so on that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable or a threat to security.” This is a very real threat to the freedom of thought and expression in the earth today.
God alone is in a position to censor others. He did it with John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, in Luke 1:18-25. God knew he could not be trusted with the miracle news of his wife, Elizabeth, giving birth to the greatest prophet of the Old Covenant. The very one sent to usher in the Messiah was fathered by someone who was not in a place to carry the Word of the Lord and therefore, so as to not impede the plan of God, the sovereign Lord struck Zechariah mute for a time. He suppressed his ability to speak or publish anything that would be against God’s plan. God can do that, because He is God.
When we try to suppress the thoughts of others, we are in a sense playing God. As recent history has shown us, the thoughts and ideals of certain news organizations and social media outlets are all too quick to suppress and even shut down dissenting voices to the narrative. I find it no surprise that 2020 is the “Year of the Mouth” on the Hebrew calendar. The enemy is trying to shut the mouth of those who oppose him. I also think it is telling that everyone in the West is walking around with masks on—covering our mouths.
These physical things all point to a principality in the spirit. We would be wise to be aware of the enemy’s schemes and to seek the Lord for solutions. We need to be those who have something helpful to say, if we are going to say anything at all. When we release the true Word of the Lord, we release the grace to accomplish His desires. “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11a).
When there are disagreements among us, we need to be those who speak the right word at the right time. We need great discernment as to not only what to say, but when to say it. I believe God is giving His church an opportunity through all of this in the year of the mouth to be those with a solution.
This well-known verse is a key: ” For the word of God is alive, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The Greek word for “two-edged” is also the word that means “double-mouthed” (see Strongs’ Concordance, Greek No. 1366).
When we say what the Father is saying, we are able to divide soul and spirit, joint and marrow, and discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. We must be those with the word of the Lord in our mouths this season and stand up against censorship of any kind. I believe grace will equip us to cut through the suppression of speech when we speak the word of the Lord.
For more of Caleb Hyers’ powerful teaching on this topic, listen to this episode of The Faith-Rest Life podcast on the Charisma Podcast Network here. {eoa}
