How Do You Know That Voice is Of God?

Grace Aggrey-Fynn · March 22

“I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go. I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule which have no understanding, but must be controlled by bit and bridle, or they will not come to you.” Psalm 32 verse 8 to 9.

The Lord God has spoken; he says he will show us the way we should go. However, we should not be as stubborn as a horse or mule that needs a bridle to control it, or it goes astray. People often say that ‘I heard the voice of God,’ or ‘God spoke to me.’ They heard a voice in their head and they believed that it was God speaking to them. Yet, how do you know that voice is of God?

We often ‘hear’ the voice of God when we are waiting for a response from him, concerning something we prayed about. After hours or days of intensive prayers, we expect God to speak to us. Sometimes, he does. Yet other times, he may not be the one speaking to us.

In Matthew chapter 4 verse 1 to 11, we learn of the temptation of our Lord Jesus Christ. It reads’ ‘Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.’

What do we see here? After Jesus had fasted and prayed for forty solid days and nights, he heard a voice. However, it was not the voice of God, but that of the devil. Satan had come to test him, to see if he was truly the son of the Almighty. If he was that trustworthy son that God was so proud of. Was he going to obey the teachings of his father, or was he was going to listen to the devil’s deception.

From Matthew chapter 4 verse 3 to 11, we see how it all went down. How satan came at him many times with his arguments. If you are the son of God, if you are indeed powerful, do this, do that. Prove to me and prove to yourself that you are indeed the son of God. In all of this, the Lord Jesus was able to fence off the devil’s deception with the word of God. In Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10 to 17, we learn of the armour of God, and the last part of the armour is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. It’s this word of God that Jesus used in fencing off satan’s attacks.

So from the story of Jesus’ temptation, we clearly see that at the end of a lengthy intensive prayer or fasting, it is not necessarily the voice of God we will be hearing. Satan knows that you are expecting an answer ASAP, thus, he will be more than willing to give you one.

Now, how can you tell that, the voice you are hearing is of God? The first thing you do, in order to hear the voice of God, is to be self-controlled and clear-minded. It says in 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 7; ‘The end of all things is near’ therefore, be self-controlled and clear-minded so that you can pray.’

What does that mean? Be self-controlled and clear-minded, so that you can pray. To pray is to communicate with the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit. Prayer is a conversation with God; you talk, he listens, and then he talks. To be self-controlled means you need to leave everything to God. You need to trust him fully, let him handle the situation. Do not be agitated and make your own decisions in your mind. Proverbs chapter 3 verse 5 to 6 says; ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him so that it will be well with you.’ It says you should LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING.

When we lean on our own understanding, it means we have thought of the problem we are facing, and we have decided on a way out. Yet, that is not how God wants us to behave. We need to trust in him, let him be the one to lead the way out of that problem. We should not take our own steps like the horse or mule which goes astray unless you put in its mouth a bit and bridle.

The second thing you ought to do in order to ‘hear’ the voice of God, is to be clear-minded. To be clear-minded, means that you should not have any set-up plans or solutions in your mind. It’s almost like being self-controlled. When you are self-controlled, you do not allow anything to stray you from waiting on the Lord. You are calm, waiting for God to make a move. You don’t do rash things. You just pray and wait for God to do his work. When you are clear-minded, it means your mind is clear. You are not thinking of anything except God. You do not have any plan set up in your mind. You are ‘free’ in your mind, free from making rash decision. Because you know that God is the best solution to your problem.

These two traits outlined in 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 7 will save you a lot of trouble if you adhere to them. Do not assume that you can make a better decision than God. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways, your ways.” That is Isaiah 55 verse 8. God lets us know that his thoughts and ways are supreme. We cannot match the thoughts and ways of God. ‘There’s no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.’ That is Proverbs chapter 21 verse 30.

When we pray, we should not have a pre-determined plan or decision in our minds. When we ask God about something, we should be self-controlled, and clear-minded. We should not make our own decisions in our minds, and then pray to God for him to confirm that our decisions are right. When we do that, it is not God who will be answering our prayers, but satan. Because he knows that we have already made a decision in our minds, he will give us the response that we are expecting. So no matter how many times you pray about the thing you have already decided on in your mind, you will forever get that response that you want to hear. And that will not be the voice of God, but of satan.

Edited March 22 by Grace Aggrey-Fynn
wrong bible verse

Santoso · March 28

Beloved ones, we heard:

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭32‬:‭8‬ KJV‬‬

How may we understand what we heard?

Let us consider what INSTRUCT thee.

The INSTRUCT or THE INSTRUCTION, that teach thee in the way which thou shalt go.

What TEACH thee in the way which thou shalt go?

THE TEACHING OF THE WAY, which thou shalt go.

How SHOULD thou GO?

That thou should GO in the INSTRUCTION OF THE WAY and THE TEACHING OF THE WAY.

For we heard: “I will guide thee with mine eye.”

He will guide thee (THE WAY) with His eye.

Thus, it is imperative for us to perceive THE WAY, that the Psalmist said.

How may we understand THE WAY, that the Psalmist said?

And this, we heard Jesus said:

“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the PSALMS, concerning ME.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭44‬ ‭KJV‬‬

That we perceive:

The psalmist is talking about Jesus.

And we also heard:

“Jesus saith unto him, I am THE WAY, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

That we perceive:

THE WAY is JESUS.

And this, we also heard:

“Howbeit when HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, is come, he will GUIDE you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

That we perceive: “I will guide thee with mine eye.” ; this “I”refer to The Spirit of Truth.

Beloved ones, let us consider again what Psalmist has spoken:

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭32‬:‭8‬ KJV‬‬

And this, we heard apostle Peter said:

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by THE HOLY GHOST.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And we also heard Jesus said:

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, which proceedeth from the Father, he SHALL TESTIFY OF ME:”

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

For we heard:

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭32‬:‭8‬ KJV‬‬

Paraphrasing for clarity:

The Spirit of Truth will INSTRUCT thee and TEACH thee in THE WAY which thou shalt GO:

The Spirit of Truth will guide thee with MINE EYE.

Paraphrasing for more clarity:

The Spirit of Truth will TESTIFY thee and ENLIGHTEN thee in JESUS which thou shalt BELIEVE:

The Spirit of Truth will guide thee with HIS SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION.

Beloved ones, the Spirit of Truth will INSTRUCT or TESTIFY us THE INSTRUCTION OF THE WAY or THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS.

Beloved ones, and the Spirit of Truth TEACH us in THE WAY or LIGHT us in THE WAY or ENLIGHTEN us in JESUS which we shalt GO or BELIEVE.

Then, we heard:

“Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: Whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭32‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Beloved ones, let us be not as THE HORSE or as THE MULE , which have no understanding or THOSE WHO HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING or THOSE WHO HAVE NO SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING.

For those who have spiritual understanding, have THE INSTRUCTION OF THE WAY or

THE TESTIMONY OF THE WAY or THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS.

This, we head apostle John said:

“If we receive the witness of men, the witness (THE TESTIMONY) of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath TESTIFIED OF his Son.

He that believeth on (THE TESTIMONY OF) the Son of God hath the witness ( THE TESTIMONY) in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Beloved ones, let us HAVE SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING, that we BELIEVE ON THE TESTIMONY OF the Son of God, HAVE THE TESTIMONY in ourselves.

For we heard: “whose MOUTH must be held in with bit (control/ power) and bridle (guidance), lest they (unrestrained and straying) come near unto thee.”

Beloved ones, let our MOUTH stay far away from UNRESTRAINEDNESS and STRAYING, but let

our MOUTH be POWERED with THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS AND GUIDED BY THE TEACHING OF JESUS, encourage we COME NEAR UNTO HIM.

For we heard:

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him COME UNTO ME, and drink.

He that BELIEVETH ON ( THE TESTIMONY OF) me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

‭‭John‬ ‭7‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And we also heard:

“But ye shall receive POWER, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And we also heard:

“And there appeared unto them CLOVEN TONGUES like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and began to SPEAK with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭33‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Beloved ones, let our mouth be powered with with THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS, that receive we THE HOLY GHOST AND GUIDED BY THE TEACHING OF JESUS BY THE HOLY GHOST, encourage we COME NEAR UNTO HIM, THE HOLY GHOST.