Hearing God's Voice: The Standard
Although conversations with God are awesome, blessed, enjoyable, enlightening, encouraging, strengthening, instructive and directive there is a standard required.
Since there are so many voices out there that would want to have preeminence in your life and would desire that they be your god, a standard is required.
Since there are times when things happen to us that impact us emotionally and hearing God's voice can get clouded by what we want to hear, there is a standard required.
For me the standard is the Word of God, the Bible. For me it holds higher authority than any thing, word or impression that I might receive as I endeavor to hear the voice of God.
I spend much time reading the word of God. I have spent countless hours at church listening to excellent preaching and teaching from the scriptures. I've listened to tons of teaching tapes of various teachers expounding on the Bible. Getting to know the word of God has helped to put a filter in place in my mind and heart. (Another part of the filter is peace. If what I hear does not bring peace then it is not from God. James 3:17, Philippians 4:7)
When listening for God to speak, I know that He will never say something to me that does not line up with the Word of God. I believe the Bible is the Word of God. (2Timothy 3:16) It has proven faithful in my life more times than I can count.
So I hold to the standard, the Word of God. If something doesn't line up with it I reject it.
So as you endeavor to listen to the Lord make sure you have His filter in place. If you don't have the filter in place then I don't recommend you try hearing Him speak. You're safer to not even pursue it.
What this is really all about is pursuing Him. God the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth and my good friend the Holy Spirit. If you seek Him, you will find Him.
God bless you
I hope this is helping
Joe
Since there are so many voices out there that would want to have preeminence in your life and would desire that they be your god, a standard is required.
Since there are times when things happen to us that impact us emotionally and hearing God's voice can get clouded by what we want to hear, there is a standard required.
For me the standard is the Word of God, the Bible. For me it holds higher authority than any thing, word or impression that I might receive as I endeavor to hear the voice of God.
I spend much time reading the word of God. I have spent countless hours at church listening to excellent preaching and teaching from the scriptures. I've listened to tons of teaching tapes of various teachers expounding on the Bible. Getting to know the word of God has helped to put a filter in place in my mind and heart. (Another part of the filter is peace. If what I hear does not bring peace then it is not from God. James 3:17, Philippians 4:7)
When listening for God to speak, I know that He will never say something to me that does not line up with the Word of God. I believe the Bible is the Word of God. (2Timothy 3:16) It has proven faithful in my life more times than I can count.
So I hold to the standard, the Word of God. If something doesn't line up with it I reject it.
So as you endeavor to listen to the Lord make sure you have His filter in place. If you don't have the filter in place then I don't recommend you try hearing Him speak. You're safer to not even pursue it.
What this is really all about is pursuing Him. God the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth and my good friend the Holy Spirit. If you seek Him, you will find Him.
God bless you
I hope this is helping
Joe