HOW DO I KNOW IT’S GOD?
- Read John 10:1-6
In this passage, Jesus says in verse 2, “the sheep listen to His voice.” In verse 4, “and His sheep will follow Him because they recognize His voice.”
These are 2 very important statements. The sheep listen to His voice and the sheep recognize His voice.
Do you realize how important it is for you and I to be able to recognize God’s voice? Do you know how important it is for you and I to be able to hear God?
What kind of a relationship can you have with a person if only one of you ever speaks? Well, you can look at some marriages and answer that question for yourself. But, what kind of a relationship can you have with God if all you ever do is pray and talk to Him and never listen and are able to hear His voice.
And let’s face it. It can be tough to recognize God’s voice sometimes. There is a lot of stuff going on in our heads. Our own imaginations talk to us. The world talks to us. Friends talk to us. The Devil talks to us, and the Lord talks to us, and sometimes with all of that noise it can be difficult to discern when it is the Lord speaking and when it is something else.
> 1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
If we are not very careful, we can quickly switch from accurately hearing God and then getting distracted by the Devil and confuse the 2. Do you remember In Matthew 16 when Jesus asks His disciples who they say He is? Peter answers, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Then Jesus praises him and says, “Blessed are you Simon, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but this was revealed to you by My Father in Heaven.
Then Jesus begins to explain to His disciples how he has to go to the city and how He will suffer, and be killed and be raised on the 3rd day. Then Peter takes Him aside and begins to rebuke Jesus and Jesus turns to him and says, “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me because you do not have the concerns of God but merely human concerns.
Speaking what he has heard from God one minute and letting the Devil speak through him the next, and yet, in the midst of all of that, Jesus says, His sheep know His voice.
It’s easy to miss if you are not paying attention.
- John 7:17
If you want to know God’s will and if you want to do God’s will, He will speak to you and you can recognize His voice.
1 John 4:1 John says we are to test every spirit. How do we do that? This morning I would like to give you 7 tests for recognizing God’s voice.
I. DOES IT AGREE WITH THE BIBLE?
Does what you are hearing agree with the Bible? Is what you are hearing in alignment with what God has already said in His written word?
God does not contradict Himself.
> Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
God’s word is eternal. Truth never changes. Opinions change. Scientific discoveries change, but truth does not.
In Romans we are told to pay our taxes. Now, if you are considering skirting your taxes, is that the Lord speaking to you? No. I pay no more than I have to, and I will look for every legal way to pay as little as possible, but I’m going to pay my taxes.
In the book of Proverbs, there is a lot of instruction about how we are to treat one another in business. So, an idea comes to me about how I can skirt a little bit at work, or how I can cut a corner that will save me some money and increase my profits. Is that from God? No, because we are supposed to be honest in our dealings. We are supposed to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Sex outside of marriage. No. You might want to. You may have opportunity to, but God says No. God never said sex was ugly or nasty. It is just man who has done that. God designed it. But, He said it is to be reserved between a man and a woman in marriage. He’s not going to contradict Himself or His Word.
So, the first test of a voice or spirit, “Does it agree with the Bible?”
II. DOES THIS MAKE ME MORE LIKE JESUS?
Everything on earth is broken. It wasn’t when God made it, but man’s sin has broken everything. Look at our government. The Bible says that it was created by God for our benefit, to punish the evil and to reward the good. Much of it is not working exactly like that right now. It’s broken.
The weather is broken, with fires out west, floods in the middle and rain everyday here.
The economy is broken. Businesses are shut down and the very folks who are supposed to encourage and help business are locking them down.
> Philippians 2:5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus.
> 2 Corinthians 10:5 and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
Well what is the attitude of Christ? I believe the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians is a good place to start.
> Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Is the voice you’re hearing, leading you into more of that type of life?
- James 3:14-17 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Here we have a pretty good list of what would characteristics of Jesus’ thinking.
First we have 2 negatives. If the decision you are making is based on bitterness, or envy, you can know it’s not from God. You have idea. Someone has hurt you or done you wrong and you think, “I can do this and will make things even,” that’s not from God because that’s not the way Jesus operates.”
If you are trying to decide about buying that new car, or those new shoes or whatever, because someone else has them and you are jealous of what they have, that’s not being directed by God.
If God is leading you to do something, it will not be done out of bitterness, or envy. Now if it is from God look there, it is:
1) Pure - It’s not going to be tainted. It’s not going to be ugly.
2) Peace-loving - He is not going to give you ideas that cause division, in your marriage, among your family members, in the church.
3) Considerate - Is what you’re feeling led to do going to hurt other people? That is never a Christian’s goal. That is not our heart. Jesus said, “By this may all men know you are my disciples if you have love one to another.”
I am all against abortion. And the Lord may lead you to take a stand against abortion. I have a niece who now works at basically a crisis pregnancy center, trying to help women so they won’t go through with those things. The Lord may lead you protest outside a clinic someday, but I would be hard-pressed to see the Lord leading you to holler hateful things at the women heading into one of those clinics. How in the world is such behavior going to win someone to Christ, or to help them know of Christ’s love?
4) Submissive - Christ had a submissive spirit. He submitted to the Father’s will. “Not My will but Your’s be done.”
Submissive, teachable. You say to your spouse, to your church family, to your Christian friend, “What do you think about this?” When people are prideful and unteachable, it is a clear sign they are not listening to God.
Jim Cymbala tells of the time he was asked to speak at the Billy Graham Evangelism Center. After preaching Franklin Graham took him to Billy Graham’s house to meet him. When they got there, Franklin Graham told his dad about the message Jim had preached. Billy Graham thought that over for a minute and said, “Thank you for that. I needed to be reminded of that.”
Not, “I’ve preached on that passage many times.” Not, “Did you mention this” No, it was, “Thanks, I needed that reminder.”
5) Full of Mercy - If I’m becoming more like Jesus I’s going to make me more gracious, more forgiving. When folks are judgmental, critical, harsh & accusatory, & judging other churches & leaders, they have not heard from God.
Jesus, the Son of God, was merciful. He was merciful to the hated tax collectors. He was merciful to the prostitutes. He was merciful to the sinners. He’s been merciful to me.
If you are hearing from God, you’re going to see the pain in another.
6) Impartial and sincere - You’re not going to hear something from God that you will use to manipulate people. You’re going to be impartial and sincere in what you say and do, and want to help others with it, not try to take advantage of them.
I have an idea. I hear a voice in my head. Is this from God? The 1st test, DOES IT AGREE WITH THE BIBLE? The 2nd test, DOES THIS MAKE ME MORE LIKE JESUS?
III. DOES MY CHURCH FAMILY CONFIRM IT?
Usually, when the Lord is leading you to do something, He will give your Christian friends a peace about that idea as well.
You were meant to fellowship with other Christians.
> Ephesians 3:10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.
God put us in a church family for a reason, and one of those reasons is so we can help and encourage one another. Take what you sense the Lord might be leading you to do and share it with Christian brothers and sisters. Test the impression with other people.
> Proverbs 11:14 For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
It can save you a lot of time, pain, and embarrassment if you take what you sense the Lord may be leading you to do to a Christian brother or sister you trust and ask them to walk through it with you.
Now, you’re thinking you might want to open a business, or pursue another avenue, keep in mind number 4, the way God has shaped you.
IV. IS IT CONSISTENT WITH HOW GOD HAS SHAPED ME?
Shape is an acronym that stands for
Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experiences
Form follows function and function follows form. God has made each one of you, special and unique. He has made you for a special purpose and uniquely designed you to fulfill that purpose.
> Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Just because you like doing something, doesn’t mean you’re good at it, or that God has called or equipped you to do that.
Growing up as a child, I read about the military all the time. I read about the heroes, and the folks defending home and country. All I ever wanted to do was to go into the military. I was going to be the first 5-star general in the Marine Corp. But, due to a defective heart, they wouldn’t let me in.
I complained to my pediatric cardiologist that it wasn’t fair. He said, “Look, all I want to do is play basketball and I’m 5’6”. I have a distinct disadvantage.”
We tell our children, “you can be anything you want to be.” No, that’s not true. You can be all that God shaped you to be.
>Romans 12:6-8 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
And I know, we need to cover this point more throughly, but we will have to come back to it another time.
Recognizing God’s voice.
1. Does it agree with the Bible?
2. Does it make me more like Christ?
3. Does my church family confirm it?
4. Is it consistent with how God has shaped me?
5. Does it concern my responsibility?
V. DOES IT CONCERN MY RESPONSIBILITY?
If God wants to talk to someone else, why does He need to go through you? God will most often speak to a person directly.
Do you remember when Jesus told Peter that he was going to suffer and end up being martyred for his faith? Peter turned toward John and asked Jesus, “What about him?”
> John 21:22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”
When we start looking for a word for other people, when we start trying to be the Holy Spirit for someone else, there is a danger.
> Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Does God ever speak to me through other people? Sure He does. The part I played for Christmas in the Country several years ago, was suggested to me the previous year by a young Christian boy. A Christian friend recently suggested a possibility that I had not considered before, and it is the part I will be playing this year. Yes God speaks to us through other people, but we need to be very careful when we tell other people what God said for them, or when we listen to God speaking through them. If you believe God has given you a word for someone:
1) Be Patient and pray that God will speak to them directly.
2) God can use you to confirm what God has already said to them. - Lady confirming that we were coming to Florida to start a new church.
3) God usually uses you without you even knowing it. You will often not even know He has used you.
People tell me, “You must have tapped my telephone line, or you have been reading my mail.” No, God just used me to speak a word I wasn’t even aware of.
> Romans 14:10, 13 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
Does it concern my responsibility?
VI. IS IT CONVICTING RATHER THAN CONDEMNING?
God’s conviction corrects us. God is saying, “This needs to change.” Conviction is specific and goes away when you address it. Condemnation is from Satan. It’s there to accuses us. It attacks your value. Condemnation is continuous, vague and never goes away.
You’re worthless. I’m a jerk. Why did I do that? Condemnation brings a cloud of worthlessness.
> Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
If it is conviction from the Lord, He will bring a certain issue to your mind, a sin or whatever, you deal with that issue and the conviction goes away. If the feeling stays, then it is of the Devil.
> Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent
> Revelation 12:10
You ever notice how small the Devil can make a sin seem when he suggests we do it, and then after we have sinned, how he says, “I can’t believe you did that. What kind of a Christian could do such a thing? That’s because the Devil is an accuser.
> Revelation 12:10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
Is what you are hearing convicting or condemning?
VII. DO I SENSE GOD’S PEACE ABOUT IT?
- John 10:3
The Shepherd leads. The Devil pushes, rushes, pressures. The Shepherd leads.
> 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
You parents, when you tell your children something, you don’t want them confused about your instruction. Neither does the Lord.
The Devil wants to drive us compulsively. The Shepherd draws us compassionately.
Peter Lord used to say “90% of what God wants to tell you is encouragement, & if all you ever hear from God is negative messages, something is messed up.
> Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
When God is leading, He will give you peace.
If there is pressure, it may be because you are not doing what He told you to do.
Pressure built while we were trying to decide about coming here, but the pressure was gone as soon as the decision was made.
Do I sense a peace about it?
Now, if you have never heard from God, then I would encourage you to become a follower of Jesus Christ. You may have been in church all of your life and never heard from God. You can be a churchian without being a Christian.
> John 8:47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.
If you have never heard from God, then you need a relationship with Jesus.
If you used to hear His voice and you no longer do, then sin has gotten in the pipeline and cluttered things up. You need to deal with that sin.
