When someone talks to you, you immediately know who is talking to you. It could be a stranger, friend, family member, church member, etc. How do you know this? It is simple, you know the person and their voice. As Christians, we can also know if God or the devil is speaking to us. But how do we truly know this? In today’s discussion, we will talk about this and how we can continue to hear from God.
So how does God speak to us? God will speak to us through the Bible, prayer, or worship. Hebrews 4:12 tells us “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the throughts and intents of the heart.”
God’s Word will convict us when we need correction and will also direct us on how to live godly. Before you read your Bible, prepare your heart to receive God’s Word when He speaks to you. God desires that you come to Him with a humble and obedient heart.
Unfortunately, God is not the only one that can speak to you. The enemy can tell you lies to deceive you and make you turn away from the Lord. With this in mind, how do we know if God is speaking to us or not?
One way to know is to have a discerning spirit. A discerning spirit is when you know if a spirit is of God or not. This comes when you spend time with the Lord, and you ask for it. Having a spirit of discernment will enable you to know if God is speaking or not.
We are also advised to test the spirit. We test the spirit by comparing it to the Word of God. If God’s word does not confirm it, it is not from the Lord. 1 John 4:1 states “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” God will never tell you anything that is contradictory to His Word. If you hear a voice that is not from God, ignore it and heed only to what God tells you.
If we have a close relationship with the Lord, we will know His voice when He speaks to us. Jesus tells us in John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” If we are directed by the Holy Spirit, we will know His voice and obey Him. If we are not directed by the Holy Spirit, we will be rswayed away by other voices instead of God’s.
Suppose you are currently waiting for God to speak to you, but you are not getting an answer. God may answer right away, or He will reveal the answer in His time. If God has you waiting, there is a reason for the wait. Maybe He wants to fix something in your life before He gives the answer. If you are currently waiting, I encourage you to use this time to seek the Lord and get close to Him. The closer you are to Him; you will know His answer and will for your life.
In our Christian walk, it is vital to know if we are hearing from God or not. God can speak to us in many ways, but we can only discern His voice if we know Him. God will never contradict Himself and His voice will be different than any other voices. If you still have doubt in knowing God’s voice, it is not too late to seek and find Him! Take time to seek Him today and He will fulfill what you are needing from Him. In a world that is full of many voices, it is important to know God’s voice in the midst of it all.
Thought for the Week: Have you heard from the Lord lately? If so, how is His voice different than any other? If not, what can you do on your end for God to speak to you?