Is That You, Lord?
When you are listening for God’s voice, how do you know that He is the one speaking? Are you hearing some other voice? People say, “I am asking the Lord for direction in my life, but it’s like I’m hearing two different voices. How do I know that God is the one who is speaking to me, or if Satan is telling me this? Or am I just talking to myself?”
Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me” (John 10:27). Identifying God’s voice should be the normal, natural walk of the Spirit-filled, committed believer. But the newborn lamb would not necessarily know the shepherd’s voice. A sheep that has been there for a while would know the shepherd’s voice.
As you are praying and seeking the Lord’s mind, you will know that you have heard His voice
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1. What you hear always will be consistent with the Word of God.
God would never tell you to do something or pursue a relationship that is not of Him or that is inconsistent with Scripture. Whatever you are hearing, ask yourself, “Is that what the Word of God says?” If you neglect the Word of God and don’t build the Scriptures into your life, you may be very confused about whether you are being guided by the Lord.
2. The Lord’s guidance will contradict world philosophy.
If we look at the life of Jesus, we find that His ministry often contradicted the way of the world. He taught His followers to forgive while the world teaches us to “get even.” He admonished them to go the “extra mile” even with an enemy (Matthew 16:21). But the world tells us to take all we can and worry about no one but ourselves. God exhorts us to live our lives according to His value system and not the world’s, which is anti-God and anti-faith.
3. What God teaches you will clash with your fleshly desires.
God never requires us to do something that contradicts His Word. Satan is the one who entices us to gratify the flesh. We serve a God who enjoys us and wants us to enjoy life to its fullest. His prescription for lasting fulfilment is this: “Seek first the kingdom of God and all this will be added to you.” Instantaneous gratification is nothing more than the flesh seeking to have its desires met. Jesus, instead, teaches us to gratify the Spirit and not the flesh, and then we will know true peace.
4. God speaks words of courage to our hearts.
God’s word to Joshua was, “Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). God is omniscient. He is sovereign over all things, and He will never leave us. He provides the courage and strength we need to live each day. However, we must listen as Joshua did for His encouragement. If we spend our lives running and rushing around, we will miss what God’s Spirit wants to say to us. We need to learn to be still before God. This is what King David did whenever he faced a challenge. He listened for God’s Word to him. The Lord encourages those who seek His way for their lives.
5. God’s Word causes us to consider the consequences of our sin and its effect on others.
Our actions affect others. Therefore, we have a responsibility to do what is right before God and those we love. We may think our private sin does not hurt anyone but ourselves, but in reality, it hurts the entire body of Christ.
6. What we hear contributes to our spiritual growth.
We learn by reading and studying God’s Word. We also grow spiritually through the teaching of God’s Word. The apostle Paul writes, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).
7. God’s voice builds faith and brings a calmness to our lives.
As you learn to hear the voice of God, a distinct calmness will fill your heart. Paul called it, “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension” (Philippians 4:7). You will never have God’s peace when you step outside of His will.
God speaks to us so that we may understand truth. He speaks primarily through His Word, through the Holy Spirit to our consciences, through circumstances, through other people. By applying what you hear to the truth of Scripture, you can learn to recognize His voice.
God wants to be our leverage in living, empowering us to feel better about ourselves, more excited about our future, more grateful for those we love and more enthusiastic about our faith.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God has given you His Holy Spirit to help you live life according to His perfect plan. Why not pray this simple prayer and by faith invite Him to fill you with His Spirit:
Dear Father, I need you. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you by directing my own life. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
© 1999 IN TOUCH MINISTRIES
