“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105).
“The Word of the living God is not merely written, but spoken. It is God’s voice speaking to us, just as surely as if we could hear it with our ears. If we realized this, with what awe we would open God’s Word, and with what earnestness we would search its pages.”
“How do we distinguish it [God’s Voice] from the voice of a false shepherd? God reveals His will to us in His word, the Holy Scriptures. His voice is also revealed in His providential workings…”
God’s Providence is manifested daily in our lives. The impossible situation you faced was not resolved by using your own power, with love, God intervened.
[God’s Providence]…will be recognized if we do not separate our souls from Him by walking in our own ways, doing according to our own wills, and following the promptings of an unsanctified heart…”
The Consequences of Compromise
God’s Warning: “Do not be wise in your own eyes…” (Proverbs 3:7).
Self-reliance always blocks the Holy Spirit from giving us spiritual clarity. Following our thoughts not only distorts our perception, but also prevents us from receiving God’s gifts of wisdom and discernment.
Those who live according to their thoughts will always be in a state of confusion. “…the senses become so confused that eternal things are not discerned, and the voice of Satan is so disguised that it is accepted as the Voice of God.”
Practical Ways to Recognize God’s Voice
How do we know God is speaking and directing us?
“If you know that He is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.” (1 John 2:29, ESV).
Reflect on God’s Righteous Character: He is Holy. We recognize God’s Voice because His guidance always brings glory and honor to His Holy Name.
- God never blends righteousness with the worldliness of success or prosperity. Because God brings honor to himself, His blessings never exalt human beings.
- God never coerces us to make immediate decisions. If we are confronted with, “this deal is only good for today, or do it now,” then we know it is not of God. Instant gratification always reveals that Satan is involved.
- We know it is our thoughts if the outcome satisfies our innermost desires, or exalts us, instead of God.
“Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10).
Before making decisions, always pray for God’s direction. Pray and Wait! Patience is a righteous characteristic that reveals faith in God and our willingness to obey.
“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14).
Do not follow your anxious thoughts, which will only bring unwanted consequences to your life, and result in the separation of your life-sustaining relationship with Christ.
If we wait on the Lord then we can expect God to perform supernatural miracles that reveal His overwhelming Love and Sovereign Power.
From spending intentional time with Christ in personal worship, we learn to recognize God’s Voice speaking to us. The Holy Spirit conveys God’s will and plans through the Holy Scriptures and our thoughts.
“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17, NIV).
“In this verse, James gives an example of a sin of omission. When believers know the right thing to do yet fail to do it, God holds them accountable for not doing it. So, it is not only what we do that matters to God; it is also what we fail to do.”
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).
When we accept Christ as our personal Savior, our lives are not our own. With humility and surrender, we pray, ask, and acquiesce to God’s perfect plans for our lives.
Our prayers should always focus on asking God what we need to do to have a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. Placing ourselves in alignment with God requires total obedience to His will and plans.
We are living in the last days of Earth’s history, our priorities must align with God’s priorities of receiving daily spiritual growth, character transformation, and godly wisdom.
“Pray continuously.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Everyday pray, ask God to search your heart, and reveal anything that would prevent you from hearing His Voice.
The Holy Spirit guides us in our daily decisions, and keeps us on the Path of Righteousness when we consecrate ourselves to serve God through surrender and faithful obedience.
“The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ “(1 Samuel 3:10).
Bible Study: 1 Samuel 3
Lord God, teach us how to recognize Your Voice. We ask for the blessings of spiritual wisdom, discernment, and the strength to do Your will. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Worthy Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
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