HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TO US?

WEEK 3 OF 3

GOD’S VOICE VS SATAN’S VOICE

INTRO

We’re finishing our series this week on How Does God Speak to us?

One of the biggest and most common questions is this:

How do I tell the difference between God’s voice and Satan’s voice?

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me

This is true, but that doesn’t mean people don’t struggle with this.

Many people struggle with this because they haven’t learned HOW to discern God’s voice yet.

It’s important to learn and know how because for every truth that God offers, Satan offers a counterfeit statement.

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character for he is a liar and the father of lies.

If you don’t know HOW discern God’s voice, I want you to know that you’re not alone.

Tonight, we’ll walk through some things together.

Here’s SIX WAYS TO KNOW GOD’S VOICE VS SATAN’S VOICE

Point 1: GOD WILL NEVER LIE

God is full of truth. He only speaks truth.

Really, He is the CREATOR of truth.

And when it comes to us, He only speaks truth to us.

Numbers 23:19 “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not full it?”

There are many people who would speak false things to us for multiple reasons.

Maybe they’re uninformed

Maybe they have an agenda

Maybe they haven’t fully researched what they’re saying

Maybe they just don’t know but think they do

With that, we end up being cautious of what people tell us.

I spoke with a young lady about God and salvation recently. In the end, she wanted to make a decision but basically said that there’s too many people spreading false statements that she’s not sure who to trust or where to go to get truthful information.

When it comes to God, you never have to worry.

Hebrews 6:18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the ope that lies before us”

It’s literally outside of God’s nature to lie. He can’t lie.

When you read GOd’s word, you never have to worry if He’s lying to you. He’s not like us, he’s not human, so there’s no sinful desire to lie and he has no reason to hide the truth from us.

Point 2: GOD WILL NEVER TEMPT YOU TO SIN

James 1:13 “let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God’ for GOd cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one.”

God may test us. But he doesn’t tempt us.

There are moments throughout the Bible where God allows people to express free will to show if they truly have faith in him or not.

But again, he does not TEMPT.

Here’s the difference:

to be tempted is to be enticed by ungodly sources/motivation that puts distance between us and God.

to be tested is to prove that our faith is real by showing the fruit of our faith in our choice.

We see this prove out in Job.

Job 1:8 God asks Satan “Hav you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

God allowed Satan to tempt Job. Satan tried his hardest for Job lost everything except for his life….but in the end Job stayed faithful.

When you read that story, it’s a tough one to see how anyone could still have faith, but it’s a reminder that we may be tempted by the enemy, but God always provides a way out.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

SO with all that, we can clearly tell that God would let Satan to tempt us, but he himself never tempts us. He does test us, but not tempt.

Point 3: GOD VOICE WILL NEVER BRING CONFUSION

God will not give us a vague sense of hopelessness or confusion.

If Gold convicts us, it will be conviction of a specific sin.

His communication will not be cloudy.

1 Corinthians 14:33a “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace”

Confusion means unrest, disorder, or instability. None of which are God.

Satan’s voice will bring confusion and will lead you away from God.

Satan brings chaos. God brings order.

God’s Word brings clarity when we are confused.

Point 4: GOD’S VOICE WILL NEVER TEAR YOU DOWN

One of the Mose important things you need to know is that God’s purpose is not to shame you.

He speaks truth over you.

He won’t tell you that you’re perfect, because you aren’t.

But he will tell you how to know him, how to live according to his purpose, and how to find fulfillment in HIm.

Satan does the opposite.

Satan wants you to think that you’re worthless; that you have no value. He want you to believe that your past mistakes define you and that you don’t have a hopeful future or a place in the Kingdom.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly

Satan’s purpose is to destroy.

God’s purpose is to bring life and reconciliation.

Satan wants you depressed

God wants you uplifted

Satan wants you weak

God wants you encouraged

Satan wants you isolated with fear

God wants you united with strength

Point 5: GOD’S VOICE WILL NEVER CONTRADICT SCRIPTURE

If you ever feel like you think that God is telling you to do something that is contrary to Scripture, you ought to know that is a lie.

God will never tell you something that contradicts what He has already stated in His word.

1 John 14:1-6 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test teh spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the spirit of God; every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. THis is the spirit of the antichrist, little children, you are form God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

John gives us an encouragement to discern between the Spirit of God and the spirit of the enemy.

If something is leading you to go against GOd’s word, it isn’t of God.

But you need to know God’s word to check if the message your’e receiving is right or wrong.

Point 6: GOD WILL NEVER CHANGE

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”

We can trust GOd’ word because we know that He never changes. You can cash in on God’s word.

We live in a world where everything changes. Nothing stays the same. Especially people, so it’s hard for us to see this and realize what this even looks like.

God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He has no reason to change. And because He doesn’t change, that means his consistency is something we can lean on to stabilize ourselves.

APPLICATION

That’s a lot of information we just went through, and a lot of scripture.

I hope you can remember these when you’re in the midst of a tough season.

Just remember that you can trust the voice of God.

When you’re unsure of a message that you’re receiving, test it against what we talked about tonight.

Ask yourself “Is this pushing me toward God or away from Him?”

The enemy will tell you that you’re hopeless, that you don’t have a purpose, that no one cares about you, and that you’re alone and that you should give up.

He will try to convince you that you’re a failure, that you’re damaged goods.

God will remind you that he loves you, that he is with you, that you are never alone, and that he has a plan for you.

He’ll remind you that you can trust him and you are wise to place your faith in HIm.

And if you ever get stuck and you don’t know who to listen to. Ask any of us that are here. Seek advice from trustworthy people who base their life off of the Bible and being a God follower.

Remember we said before that God reveals himself to us through the influence of other people….this is why it’s so important to surround yourself with the right people.

We’ve given you all of the tools necessary to discern between God’s voice and Satan’s. You will mess up, but remember that God is someone that you can always go to, even after you mess up.

We’ve given you all of the tools in understanding how God speaks to us.

Now, it’s on you.

It’s your decision whether you want to acknowledge that God is speaking to you and your choice on whether you want to listen or not.

I believe there are some of you here tonight whom God has been speaking to for quite a while. But you’ve either been trying to ignore him, or you’ve been hesitant to trust that it is him.

If God is calling you, whispering to you to make a decision tonight, then do it.

Because not only is God talking to you, but He’s got plans for you.

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”

And trust me, there is a future waiting for you. If you would just listen to Him.

Is God speaking to you? Yes He’s speaking to you

Is God waiting on you? Yes He’s waiting on you

Does God have plans for you? Yes He’s got great plans for you.

The Bible right here says He’s got plenty of plans for you

He’s got plans to love you

He’s got plans to guide you

He’s got plans to comfort you

He’s got plans to strengthen you

He’s got plans to lift you up

God’s speaking to you…are you listening?