Grace: One Step at a Time, Part 4
It can be difficult to discern whether a notion has come from God or from our flesh, warns Pastor Chuck Smith. Although there is no foolproof way of being certain we are hearing from God, He hasn’t left us in a confusing fog—He has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within our hearts to guide us. Learn more in this installment of our series based on his book, Why Grace Changes Everything.
Who’s in the Lead?
Walking assumes movement. When we walk, we move from one place to another. We start out in one location and end up someplace else. Our destination depends upon the direction we take. In a similar way, walking in the Spirit moves us from one spiritual place to another. We move from one level of maturity to the next as we listen to the Spirit and walk in the direction He instructs us to move—yet this is where we sometimes run into trouble.
When a thought or an inclination comes to our conscience, how can we discern whether the notion is from God? The Scriptures tell us that God writes His law on the fleshly tables of our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3). God will plant an idea within my spirit, and my spirit will communicate it to my intellect. This is usually perceived as an idea, a thought, or as a sudden moment of inspiration. God will give us a desire as a means of communicating His will for our lives.
Unfortunately, I also have desires that come from my own fallen nature. My flesh has a way of injecting very strong thoughts and inclinations into my mind. At times it is difficult to discern whether a notion has come from God or from my flesh.
Some time ago I was faced with this dilemma as I was driving to a speaking engagement in Ventura, CA. It was a spectacular day, and the thought crossed my mind to take a detour off the more direct route and enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Coast Highway. Watching the surf and feeling the cool sea breeze is such a treat that I suspected the desire was of my own flesh, but I decided to indulge myself anyway.
As circumstances worked out, I realized that God had planned for me to take the Coast Highway. As I neared Malibu, I saw two hitchhikers standing by the road and felt a strong inclination to pull over and give them a ride. As our trip north progressed, I had the opportunity to share Christ with this twosome.
The pair stayed in Ventura and the following night attended the church where I was speaking. That evening they made a public confession of faith in Christ and have since become strongly established in that local fellowship. After the whole experience unfolded, I was able to look back and think, Wow! That was beautiful. God directed me. The desire I had in my heart to take the Coast Highway had come from Him.
Still, it is often difficult to determine when the Lord is speaking to our hearts. We often mistakenly think that God can lead us only in mystical or dramatic ways. Surely if God speaks to me, we think, the place is going to shake, the lights will go dim, and my hair is going to stand on end. God has never spoken to me in that way. When God speaks to me, He speaks to my spirit, which in turn communicates the message to my consciousness in such a natural way that it is tough to immediately discern whether it is truly God's voice.
I wish I could provide a formula or a simple three-point test to identify God's voice, but if such a procedure exists, I haven't discovered it. I struggle in distinguishing the voice of the Spirit from that of my flesh just as you do. I wish I could recommend some foolproof way of being certain we are hearing from God; but unfortunately, that is beyond my ability.
And yet God hasn't left us in a confusing fog. He has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within our hearts not only to guide us in particular circumstances, but also to lead us into an understanding of the revealed truth of His Word. He will never lead us contrary to anything He has already declared in the Scriptures
In our next installment, Pastor Chuck discusses how we can enjoy depth and consistency in our fellowship with God.
Follow the series, “Grace: One Step at a Time” at Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
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