I have discovered 5 simple principles that can help determine if it is the Holy Spirit speaking to you. The issue of hearing from God is expanded in more detail in my book Five Movements: Winning the Battle for Your Prophetic Gift.
1. Word comes with a strong presence of God
Unless
a word or thought comes with a strong presence of God you shouldn’t accept or
share it straight away. Instead, pray over it until you are sure that it is
from God. Often, God will reveal you more. I have spent a month or two seeking
God before sharing a major prophecy to church leaders. But if the word or
thought is accompanied with strong anointing to share it and the person it is
meant for is present you can often share it immediately.
2. Word should never contradict the Bible
A
prophecy should never contradict the Bible but it can challenge your Bible
interpretation. God often speaks to you to illuminate a biblical truth you
might not be aware of. If a revelatory word challenges your Bible
interpretation but you discover through your Bible study that it is in fact
consistent with the Bible truth, the chances are that God is dealing with your
imperfect understanding of the Word. After all, God is the chief theologian of
the universe.
3. God’s words are always enveloped in His presence
The
Holy Spirit never speaks a word that doesn’t come enveloped in His presence.
The devil can camouflage as an angel of light but he can’t fake God’s presence.
Words
spoken by the enemy are either full of poison, or when he masquerades as the
angel of light, like empty shells, devoid of life. They have a presence of
restlessness about them.
The
enemy might recite the Bible, as he did to Jesus when He was tempted, but he
can never manufacture the unique mix of peace and energy that accompanies the
presence of God. Jesus said,
Most
assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but
climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters
by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the
sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow
him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but
will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. (John 10:1-5)
The
enemy often tries to conceal his venomous presence behind false sense of
triumphalism, as if it were the Holy Spirit promising you victory. This is
designed to appeal to your pride.
2
Samuel 24:1 says,
Again
the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against
them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
The
events are seen from a different perspective in 1 Chronicles 21:1.
Now
Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.
God
tests His people by letting the enemy whisper in their ear. If your heart is
right with God you don’t listen to the enemy. God had given the kingdom to
David but now his heart was puffed up and he thought that he owned God’s
people. Joab was aware that the Law of Moses advised against counting people and
tried to stop David. Exodus 30:12 says,
When
you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man
shall give a ransom for himself to the Lord, when you number them, that there
may be no plague among them when you number them.
There
is no indication that every man gave a ransom for himself as part of this
census, and God cursed Israel with a plague.
It
seems that David genuinely failed to distinguish between God and Satan’s voice.
If your heart is proud, the enemy’s voice can sound indistinguishable from the
Lord’s. There are deceiving spirits who know how to appeal to your desire for
significance.
4. God will give you enough time to test a prophecy
God
has already factored in the time it will take for you to discover whether a
prophecy is from Him or not. He will never ask you to proclaim or act on a
prophecy you aren’t 100% sure about.
5. God’s focus is on your relationship with Him
Sometimes
discerning whether a word really came from God takes a lot of time. I have
spent months in seeking clarity regarding certain prophecies with the Holy
Spirit never answering to me clearly but drawing me deeper into His presence.
This is God’s way of luring you to spend more time with Him!
You can connect with Marko on Twitter @markojoensuu and on Facebook at facebook.com/marko.joensuu or by visiting markojoensuu.com.
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