Discerning God’s Voice vs. the Enemy’s

The tricky thing about hearing God’s voice is it’s always an act of faith to obey what we hear. We can easily second guess our hearing…

Was that God or the enemy? When the heart of it is good and gracious, it just might be God’s heart for us. When there’s condemnation or shame laced on the thought, that’s usually the enemy.

When I hear thoughts that don’t sound like my own, but I can’t decide who they’re from, I will just ask, “Lord is that you?” Sometimes, we don’t know just because we forget we can ask. Follow up questions are welcomed by the Lord.

When I was first practicing hearing and obeying God’s voice, sometimes I would ask if it was God and then I would hear swearing back at me. Well, I knew God doesn’t talk like that to His kids so I quickly discovered that wasn’t His voice.

Thankfully, over the years, I have silenced that swearing voice in the authority of Jesus Christ. I’ve been delivered from who knows what was tormenting me all those years. But I definitely had to do as we are instructed which is “resist the devil and stand firm and he will flee from you.” It took persistence, fasting, and praying with others.

But mostly, it took recognizing the voice of my Shepherd. We are promised that His sheep do hear His Voice. And the more we spend time in His word, in His presence, in His pastures secured by the boundary lines of his law and grace, then the easier it is to recognize His still, small voice.

So the next time you can’t discern whether something you heard was from God or another source, just ask, “Lord Jesus, is this you talking to me?” When you’re assured it’s Him, then listen! But if you discover it’s not the Lord, take up authority and in Jesus name command all other voices to be silent and to flee.