Are You Listening…Really?
Have you ever wondered if you were truly hearing from God? Is He speaking to you? And if He is, are you listening to Him? Or are you blowing Him off and rendering His Word as cutting or hurtful? Such profound questions.
When I speak to groups I often expound on the fact that many times we don’t readily hear God so He will send us a messenger to bring His Word to us. Then, there are those who take it upon themselves to give us a “word” from God when in all honesty it isn’t a word at all, but that person’s opinion. Having said that, how can we know that what we are hearing is truly from God?
Throughout the years, I questioned the validity of things I was hearing. However, being intimidated by everyone I came in contact with it was difficult to discern whether or not I should listen. The pastor on Sunday, sure. He was a man of God. Of course his messages were from the Most High. My husband, of course I would listen to him. But what about people who come up to you and say, “God told me to tell you this?”What then? I have discovered three simple truths on how to discern if something truly is from God.
First: Is it positive? If something comes from God, it will always be positive. God doesn’t give negative messages. He also doesn’t give us a word that will confuse us. Sometimes we may misunderstand them as being negative or confusing. Especially when we are hurting or not walking the path God wants for us. God’s Word always brings you into the light. But there are also those who will claim to “know” what God wants for you and it is completely negative. That my lovelies, is not from God. Always look for the positive.
For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. ~2 Corinthians 1:20 (emphasis added)
Second: Is it helpful? When God has a message for his kids, it will always be helpful. It may not be what we wanted to hear, but if we are going in the wrong direction, He lets us know. Sometimes, we just want someone to agree with us, right or wrong. We want to be justified in our actions. We get complacent. We get caught up in what we want and therefore we can’t see the forest for the trees.
Instead, we look for enablers to tell us, “You’re so right!” But when we hear, “God’s Word says…” we blow it off. Some people even go as far as getting offended by hearing God’s Word and take it as an insult to injury, saying we are being hurtful. However, if the messenger is truly sent by God, and is inspired to give you that message, whatever you do please receive it in the grace and love that it is given.
May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem. ~Psalm 20:2
Third: Is it godly? The thief comes to seek, kill and destroy (John 10:10). So of course there will be people who come and tell you, “What do you want to do that for?” or “I don’t think God is calling you to do that.” This usually happens when you are actually following your calling, or walking in your anointing. Sometimes it happens when you are waiting for a word from God, and you absolutely know that you are on the right track, and someone comes along and tells you something totally opposite of what you know is right. That’s when you need to run!
Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. ~1 John 4:1
Even so, when you do receive a word from someone, go to the Bible and check for yourself!
You may have all three of these things, you may not. But rest assured that if you have prayed about it and are truly seeking God’s direction in your life, He will give you an answer. Also, you have to be willing to receive the message. If you aren’t, anything that is said whether it is from a godly messenger or not, you will be hurt and offended by the message.
Before I was healed, I was swimming in a sea of intimidation and depression. I couldn’t discern a good word from a bad word. The night God healed me though, He sent a messenger to me; someone I completely trusted and knew had the anointing to give a God-inspired message. How do I know? It was positive, it was helpful, and it was godly. And I received it.
Lovelies, when someone who has an anointing, a God-given gift, speaks to you and says, “This just popped in my mind…” and gives you something from God’s Word, my advice to you is, LISTEN…and receive it with an open heart and mind. You may just be given the gift you’ve been waiting for.
