August 14, 2012
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. -- John 10: 27 (NLT)
I was asked by a friend the other day how I know that the confirmations I had heard regarding a certain matter were indeed from God. Difficult and penetrating question indeed. I am certainly not too prideful that I would not admit to have thought I had heard from God when all I really was doing was hearing from Anthony. The truth is that we can convince ourselves that anything we are doing is of God. I have seen churches allow the most corrupt and worldly practices into their churches and insist that it was God's will. I have seen and heard Christians use the "God's will" excuse defending things that could not possibly have been the will of God. So how then can we know? I believe there are certain truths we need to embrace which can help us discern if we are truly hearing from God and are receiving confirmations from God.
The first and most important rule is that God will never contradict Himself. He will never contradict His Word.
If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is. -- 2Timothy 2: 13 (NLT)
Now you may be thinking to yourself that this is too easy but you would be amazed at what we can convince ourselves is of God. I have heard someone once say that they knew another person was God's choice for them as a mate. The problem is that both parties were already married and not to each other! God is not going to give a revelation that contradicts His Word. We can get so fleshly though in our walk. We can have our own desires and wants and then go search for confirmation -- it doesn't work like that! If you go searching for confirmation I am sure you will find it. I had friends who once desired to move to another state and they sought confirmation. They didn't seek the Lord -- they sought confirmation. Suddenly the car ahead of them on the highway had license plates from that state -- hallelujah! The Lord has spoken! Ehh, no, that just meant that the car ahead of you had license plates from that state. Yet they moved anyway, fell away from the church for several years and took awhile to get back to square one.
Secondly, God will always confirm multiple times. He does not expect us to reach a conclusion based solely upon one voice:
This is the third time I am coming to visit you (and as the Scriptures say, "The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses"). -- 2Corinthians 13: 1 (NLT)
Did you ever have someone tell you the Lord gave them a message for you? Isn't that always a bit unsettling -- I mean why didn't the Lord just give it to me directly? Now, there is always the chance that we are not listening to that still small voice inside of us and God certainly can use others to impart something to us but it will never be just one. The Lord realizes that some people like to pretend they hear from God for other people instead of for themselves. The Bible refers to such people as "busybodies." If something is of God, He will confirm it more than once. Also, be wary of who is saying they heard from the Lord. Make sure their walk is secure. Never forget that we live in a spiritual world and there are other spirits than the one of God.
Thirdly, we need not wait for direction on matters He has already decided within His Word. This is somewhat similar to number one but this deals instead with the lazy and complacent side of Christianity we see sometimes. "Well, I am just waiting on the Lord -- I haven't heard from Him yet"" Then when you dig a little deeper you realize that they are waiting on something God has already decreed in His Word. You do not need to fast and pray about whether God wants you to move in with your boyfriend -- His Word already said no.
Lastly, does God get the glory from the choice? It may not be the more popular decision either. Remember that broad is the path that leads to destruction. Too often we have a course that we want to undertake and we seek the approval of God for that course. Instead, we should try coming to God with no preconceived course and allow Him to speak into our lives. What does Scripture teach us:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. -- Proverbs 3: 5-6 (NLT)
These verses are the key to understanding what is the will of God versus our own flesh. The first command is to trust God and not our own understanding. God's ways are infinitely higher than ours. His thoughts are infinitely higher than ours. He has the plan. He is the potter. A lot of times we can dismiss the will of God because it doesn't line up with our own understanding. But note here we have to trust God with all of our heart. Why? Because the human heart is wickedly deceitful above all things according to the Bible. While our feelings will betray us beloved -- God never will. The easier decision is not usually the right one. The path that may seem harder, less forgiving and more isolated might just be the right path. The spirit is everything the flesh profits nothing!
The next portion here is that we need to be seeking His will in all we do -- not just what we need confirmation or clarity on. This is where we make so many mistakes. We are not supposed to use God but allow God to use us. Our whole lives need to be laid bare before Him. It is so much more difficult to go to Him for clarity when you haven't fostered a relationship with Him. The key verses today clearly state that as His sheep -- we know His voice! That is how we will know when something is of God and when it is not- because we have heard His voice before! Have you ever noticed that when you first meet someone you are not familiar with their voice, especially over the phone? The only way to overcome that is to continue to speak with them. To become familiar with the voice. Many people sadly do not know the voice of the Spirit of God within them very well -- especially when they have their own agenda they want confirmed. God is not mute and He desires a real relationship with us. Not just one based upon reaction. He wants a proactive relationship with us. Then we can more easily discern His voice during the harder times. Then He will show us which path to take.
The key verses remind us of three very simple precepts regarding God and our relationship with Him. First, is that we listen to His voice. Even if it confirms the opposite of what we want. We listen because we realize that God is the potter and we are but the clay. Secondly, the promise is that He knows us beloved! He knows you! He knows exactly what you need even if it disagrees with what you want. When you cannot see His hand you can always trust His heart. Lastly, we are supposed to be following the Shepherd. Not occasionally checking in with Him. When we listen to Him, trust that He knows us, and follow Him with our lives -- then discerning what is of God becomes so much easier. Can we still make mistakes? Absolutely because the flesh is still involved. Always check everything against His Word. Make sure there is more than one confirmation to any serious decision that has to be made. Ensure that we are not avoiding something God has already ruled on in His Word and make sure that the glory is indeed going to God. It is not always an easy process but the closer we get to Him, the clearer His voice will become.
Rev. Anthony
