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| PentecostalTheology.com
Am I Hearing God? – Ray E Horton
Sometimes I have been asked, “how do I know if I’m hearing God,” or is it just my imagination? I sometimes use the phrase faith imagination. Imagination is a word usually reserved for that which isn’t real, but it can also be something real that we don’t see, and therefore must rely on our imagination, in faith, to see it.
It is often that way with God’s presence and communication to us. We don’t normally experience it in the natural, but do in the spiritual, if we are spirit-filled. Yes we know by His Word that He is always present and wants to communicate, which He does by His Word. But, by His Spirit, He will apply a word specifically to our hearts.
The devil is a liar and a thief and an accuser, and wants to steal our faith and confidence in our relationship with our Lord, if we let him. The accuser tells us: “You think that was God? You think He’d speak to you? Look what you’ve done! You aren’t worthy! Its all in your head – just you.”
We can and do hear from God
The simply test: It is a matter of motives. If you don’t have your own outside agenda, what you want God to say, and have been in prayer with Him, and what you hear in your heart isn’t unscriptural, and you don’t have a negative spiritual witness, you can be pretty sure it is God
But, we live by grace through faith, and no longer listen to the devils condemnation. He is a liar! We can and do hear from God, and its not a matter of our worthiness.
Here is the simply test. It is a matter of motives. If you don’t have your own outside agenda, what you want God to say, and have been in prayer with Him, and what you hear in your heart isn’t unscriptural, and you don’t have a negative spiritual witness, you then can be pretty sure it is God. He is a communicator, and wants to be speaking to His children at all times. Receive it in faith, and thank Him for speaking to you.
What you usually hear from God’s still small voice in your spirit is encouragement, exhortation and comfort. Sometimes you will feel what is called a check in your spirit after deciding on a certain direction. It is God getting your attention, so give heed. Holy Spirit is protecting you from the wrong way, through what feels like an intuitive sense.
Because of the fact that our finite minds can complicate a simple direction from God, it is often good to seek confirmation, while, at other times, we need to go through the door in faith. A word of warning: When God speaks something to your heart, it is exciting. And, it is easy for an enthusiastic believer to take the message beyond what God is saying. I did that once as a young believer, and it became a shipwreck from which it took some time to recover.
Don’t do your own thing in His name
So, be sure to stick with what Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart. If He has further direction, He can and will provide it. Don’t do your own thing in His name. I have never gone wrong that way, and I have often had clear confirmation later, after stepping out in faith first. We don’t always see the whole vision. He usually provides a step at a time, so take that step, but keep on listening.
