“If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God” or simply your own human authority, according to Jesus in John 7:17. Jesus not only declares His sheep hear and know His voice, He also tells us how to know the difference between His voice and the voice of “strangers” (John 10).
When we receive thoughts or images, our first goal is to determine whether it is from God or just our own manufactured ideas. The truth is God is much closer than most of us realize. As Paul explains in Acts 17:28, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” We are temples of the Holy Spirit and by His presence Jesus further declared that the Father and Jesus would also make their home in us.” Jesus told Pilate everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.
Since we have asked the Lord to speak, by faith choose to believe and receive it from Him. Don’t question it at this point (we will provide a means of testing it later.), but faithfully write down everything that comes to you. Yes, write it down rather than assume you will remember. Take time to let the Lord say all He wants, don’t take a small bite and run away. The real objective is to have fellowship,, a relationship where He and you can share what is on your hearts.
I repeat, write it down. God told Moses to write it down. God told Habakkuk (ch 2, v 3) to write the vision clearly on tablets so all could read it. Now you have the written message to examine its authenticity and godly instruction.
The first test, always, is does it agree with God’s Word. God does not change and will never give a message contrary to His eternal nature and direction. For example, He won’t tell you to lie, or steal, or be involved in immoral sexual behavior when His Word has clearly stated His commands.
Secondly, James 3:17 states the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Proverbs reminds us the wisdom of many counselors and this is a good time to have a wise counselor, a spiritual person who can help you determine if it meets God’s standard, especially if the spoken Word demands major changes.
The point of these past four posts is that God loves you and delights in sharing His heart with you Rather than believe the lie that “I don’t hear God,” try following these simple steps and enjoy His presence and personal messages for your heart 1) Get alone and prepare your heart with thanksgiving, praise, and praying in the Spirit, 2) Lay down your thoughts and desires, and take authority over the devil forbidding him to speak, 3) Ask the Lord to confirm His Word and speak to you as His child that wishes to do His will, 4) Receive and believe the words and thoughts that come to you are from Him by WRITING them down, and finally evaluate the message jin light of God’s Word and godly counsel.
Jesus, who loves you so much that He willingly died for you, longs to spend time with you and speak to you.
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