Who Told You? Unmasking the Subtle Sources of Your Beliefs

Beware the Subtle Leaven

What's up, everybody? It's Conrad from ConradRocks.net. I'm sitting here right now, checking in with you, got my hat on because, frankly, my hair is a total mess today. I'm leaning back, taking a pull from a cold can of Diet Thunder. Now, if you aren't familiar with it, Diet Thunder is what you drink when the "real" thunder is just a bit too much for you to handle. It's got fewer calories, and let's be honest, it’s cheap—about two dollars for a twelve-pack. It tastes almost exactly like Diet Dr. Pepper, but we all know the truth: it’s mostly just a can of flavored chemicals.

As I sat there looking at the label, the Holy Spirit started nudging me. It started with a word He gave me a few months ago that has been ringing in my spirit ever since: "Beware of the leaven." If you've followed my podcast or read my books like OPEN YOUR EYES MY SUPERNATURAL JOURNEY, you know I’ve been sounding the alarm on this. That season of warning is still very much alive, but lately, a new phrase has been cresting like a wave on the horizon: "Who told you?"

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded by information, opinions, and "truths." But have you ever stopped to ask where those beliefs actually came from? Most of us are walking around with a heart full of ideas that we didn't get from God, and it’s creating a massive "pain point" in our spiritual lives. We feel disconnected, powerless, and confused, wondering why the supernatural peace of Jesus seems so far away. The agitation comes from realizing that we’ve been "eating" spiritual chemicals—the leaven of the world—while thinking we were being nourished.

In this post, I want to explore how we can stop leaning on our own understanding and start inquiring at the mouth of the Lord. We're going to examine the "if" statements of the enemy, the danger of confirmation bias, and why your television might be the primary source of your spiritual "strange fire." It’s time to get back to the "It is written" lifestyle.

When you’re seeking the Lord diligently, it’s a lot like being out on a surfboard. Imagine yourself sitting there, the salt air on your skin, the board bobbing under you as you look out toward the horizon. Sometimes, God "whacks" you with a word—BAM, there it is—but other times, you have to position yourself. You see a wave coming from a long way off. You don't just sit there; you start paddling. You get into the optimum spot so that when the wave hits, you're ready to ride it. That’s how a prophetic word often feels. I’ve seen this "Who told you?" wave coming for a while, and now it’s time to catch it.

This phrase, of course, takes us right back to the Garden of Eden. After the fall, Adam tells God, "I was naked." And God’s immediate response is the core of our study today: And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? (Genesis 3:11 KJV).

If you look at the discourse between the serpent and Eve, you’ll notice that the devil is incredibly subtle. He doesn't start with a blatant lie; he starts with a rationale. He uses "if" and "hath God said?" to twist the truth. We see this same pattern when the devil confronts Jesus in the wilderness in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Three times, the devil challenges Him: "If thou be the Son of God..."

Think about that. The devil was using rationale and reasoning to try to get Jesus to move outside of the Father's will. Jesus didn't argue with "logic." He didn't try to explain His credentials. Three times, He answered with the sharpest sword in existence: It is written (Matthew 4:4 KJV).

A lot of us are walking around in the futility of our own minds because we aren't using the "It is written" defense. Our hearts, as Genesis 6 tells us, can be desperately wicked and only evil continually. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5 KJV). Because our natural hearts look for loopholes, we find ways to justify things that God has clearly spoken against.

I was talking to a guy recently about Halloween. I pointed out that we are told to Abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV) and to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them (Ephesians 5:11 KJV). I asked him how he justified celebrating a day dedicated to the "Day of the Dead" or witches. He pulled an obscure scripture from Ecclesiastes out of context, saying we are supposed to enjoy the fruit of our hands, so he was going to enjoy the holiday. I told him, "Man, you could use that same logic to justify smoking crack! You’re taking the Word out of context to serve your flesh."

Our flesh is a master at confirmation bias. We decide what we want to do first, and then we go hunting for a verse that makes it okay. But look at what happened to Nadab and Abihu. These were Aaron’s sons, priests of the Most High. They thought it would be a "cool" idea to worship God in their own way. And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not (Leviticus 10:1 KJV).

They weren't doing something "evil" in the eyes of the world—they were worshipping! But it wasn't prescribed. God hadn't told them to do it that way. The result? And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD (Leviticus 10:2 KJV). When we do things "our way" because it "feels right," we are offering strange fire. Who told you it was okay to worship God on your own terms rather than His?

Then there’s Uzzah. This story always shakes people up. David was bringing the Ark of God to Jerusalem, but they were carrying it on a new cart pulled by oxen—not the way God prescribed, which was on the shoulders of the Levites. When the oxen stumbled, Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark. To any "bozo" watching, it looked like the right thing to do. He was "saving" the Ark from falling into the mud!

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God (2 Samuel 6:7 KJV).

Uzzah acted on human rationale rather than divine instruction. He didn't inquire of the Lord; he just did what "seemed right." But the Bible warns us: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12 KJV).

I remember being in a debate once on a platform called "Blab." There was this atheist there who used to be a pastor. He claimed all miracles were fake or contrived. I asked him if he had ever heard of the great moves of God through Smith Wigglesworth, Maria Woodworth-Etter, or John G. Lake. He said he’d never even heard of them. This man was a "pastor," yet he had zero knowledge of the supernatural power of God in the last century. He was only seeking information that confirmed his bias against the miraculous. He had never "tasted" of the power, or if he had, he labeled it a counterfeit. He was listening to the voice of humanism rather than the Holy Spirit.

Personal Reflections

I remember a specific moment when the Lord dealt with me about the sources I was allowing into my life. I was in my living room, pacing back and forth, praying in the spirit. I was really getting into it, just me and the Lord. Suddenly, out of my own mouth, the Spirit spoke something that stopped me mid-stride: "Entertainment—gets your head chopped off."

I stood there for a second, confused. "Lord, what does that mean?" Then it clicked. He brought to my remembrance the story of John the Baptist. Herod was having a birthday party, and he was being entertained by the dancing of Herodias' daughter. He was so "detained" by that entertainment—so enthralled and distracted—that he made a foolish oath. The devil used that moment of entertainment to demand the head of the greatest prophet born of woman.

Entertainment, by its nature, occupies our attention—we become absorbed while messages, values, and worldviews are transmitted into our minds and hearts. We think we’re just relaxing, but what is entering our hearts? I don't watch TV anymore, but I remember seeing a rerun of Tool Time. There was the neighbor, Wilson, standing behind the fence. He started quoting Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung—two men whose philosophies are rooted in atheism and humanism. It was being presented as wise advice, wrapped in the "safe" package of a 90s sitcom.

This is the "leaven" I'm talking about. While you’re zoning out, your brainwaves enter an alpha state—the same state used in hypnosis. Your mental filters drop, and the dialogue of the world starts instilling its belief patterns into your heart. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7 KJV). If you’re filling your heart with Freud, Nietzsche, or Darwin via your television, don't be surprised when you start acting like them instead of like Jesus.

I've had to ask myself many times, "Conrad, who told you that?" Was it the Holy Spirit through the Word, or was it a seed planted by a commercial, a movie, or a "wise" friend who doesn't even know the Lord? I've learned that if I don't hide the Word of God in my heart, something else will surely take up residence there.

Biblical References

We must understand that our belief system needs a solid foundation, not the shifting sands of human reasoning. Joshua and the Israelites learned this the hard way with the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites showed up with moldy bread and old shoes, pretending to be from a far-off country so they wouldn't be destroyed.

And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD (Joshua 9:14 KJV).

Because they didn't ask God, they made a covenant that became a thorn in their side for generations. They relied on their eyes and their logic instead of the prophetic voice of God.

We are called to a different standard: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV).

If we want to see the signs and wonders promised in the Great Commission, we have to believe the source. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:17-18 KJV).

There are "if-then" preachers all over the place today who have no power in their ministry because they've rationalized these verses away. They’ve let the "leaven" of theology replace the "fire" of the Spirit. But I'm telling you, go with the Scripture. Don't darken counsel by words without knowledge, as God told Job. Go back to the Source.

Key Takeaways

• The "If" Trap: The devil uses rationale and "if" statements to create doubt about our identity and God’s commands.
• Strange Fire: Doing "good things" that aren't "God things" leads to spiritual dryness and error.
• Entertainment as Hypnosis: Television and media can bypass our mental faculties and plant worldly beliefs directly into our hearts.
• Consult the Mouth of the Lord: Failing to inquire of God leads to unholy alliances and long-term spiritual thorns.
• Confirmation Bias: We must be willing to let the Word of God challenge our preferences rather than twisting the Word to fit our desires.

Conclusion and Call to Action

Friends, we need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds—a true metamorphosis of our thought life. This only happens when we decide that the Word of God is the final authority, regardless of what seems "logical" to our flesh. If you want to dive deeper into how to recognize the prophetic voice of God and overcome the darkness trying to cloud your vision, check out my books OPEN YOUR EYES MY SUPERNATURAL JOURNEY and Overcoming Night Terror.

Stop eating the "Diet Thunder" of the world's wisdom. It’s cheap, it’s full of chemicals, and it won't sustain you when the real storm hits. Get into the Word. Hide it in your heart. And the next time a thought pops into your head that contradicts the peace or power of God, you stand up and ask, "Who told me that?"

If this message touched you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. Leave a comment below—I’d love to hear your revelations on how God is helping you examine the source of your beliefs.

Until we meet again, dig deeper and go higher!

Action Items

• Identify Your "Leaven": Spend the next week intentionally noticing when you are rationalizing a behavior that contradicts Scripture. Write down the "if" statements you're using.
• Audit Your Media: Take a "fast" from television or social media for three days. Observe how your internal dialogue changes and if you feel more "in tune" with the Spirit.
• Inquire First: Before making any major (or even minor) decisions this week, stop and say, "Lord, I am asking for counsel at Your mouth." Wait for peace or a scripture before moving.
• Scripture Saturation: Choose one of the KJV verses mentioned in this post and meditate on it day and night until it moves from your head to your heart.
• Subscribe and Connect: Head over to ConradRocks.net and subscribe to the newsletter to stay updated on new podcasts and teachings that will help you grow in the supernatural.