We all have those times when we’re sure God is trying to tell us something. The hard part is trying to figure out if it’s really God or something else. There are a lot of voices calling out to us every day, so how are we supposed to know if it’s really God or not?
The first chapter of Matthew tells about a dream Joseph had when he found out Mary was pregnant. Naturally, he assumed she had been with another man, so he wanted to divorce her. In this dream, an angel of the Lord appeared and told him not to be afraid to keep Mary as his wife. The angel told Joseph that the Child Mary carried was from the Holy Spirit. The angel also told Joseph what to name the Child and then went on to reveal what the Child would do.
Using this as an example of how and why God speaks to us will give us some perspective when we think God may be trying to get our attention. God sent the angel as a messenger to Joseph, so if we look at what the angel said it will help us figure out if God really is trying to speak to us. The first thing I notice is that God’s Word brings comfort. Joseph was worried, concerned, and upset about Mary being pregnant, but the angel brought words of comfort to him and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife. Next, the angel reveals to Joseph what has happened and what will happen. The words of revelation gave Joseph faith, confidence, and peace that this was from God. Then the angel commanded Joseph what to name the Child and even told him why.
So, how does this relate to you and me? God may choose to speak to us in many ways. Whether through a dream, an angel, another believer, or directly to us through the Holy Spirit, we have something by which to measure to see if it may really be God or not. First, does His Word bring comfort? If not, then it may not be God talking to us. How about revelation? Does what we’re hearing give us a better understanding of God and His purpose or will? God is a God of order, not chaos. If what we’re hearing causes confusion and chaos, then we need to look and listen more closely before we conclude that God is speaking to us. God also commands or directs us through His Word. We may not know what to do, but God’s Word gives us clarity and helps us know what we should do. That’s not quite enough, though. We still need to do it, but His Word guides and directs us down the paths we should walk. Finally, the Lord may tell us why He’s doing something or why He wants us to do it. That’s not always the case, though. We will always need to walk by faith and not by sight, but sometimes He may give us a bit more insight as to why things are happening the way they are.
Every time God speaks to us, it usually fits into one of these four primary areas: comfort, revelation, command, or purpose. He also speaks to warn us about coming events, behaviors, actions, or consequences, but each one of those things really fall under comfort, revelation, command, or purpose. We are instructed to test everything against scripture to see if it stands up to the Word of God. If you’re sure God is speaking to you, apply what you hear to this test from Matthew 1. Does what you hear bring you comfort? Do you have a clearer revelation of God and His purpose or will? Is God guiding, leading, or commanding you to do something? Is God giving you clarity and peace over a situation or circumstance?
I’m not saying that these are the only tests that need to be applied before you run off and do something because God told you to do it. But, I can confidently say that if His Word has not brought you comfort, then it’s probably not His Word. If His Word has not given you a better revelation of Himself, then it’s probably not His Word. If His Word does not guide and direct you or give you clarity of His purpose and will for your life, then it’s probably not His Word. Like I said, this may not be the final confirmation of whether or not God is speaking to you, but it’s at least a good place to start.
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