07Apr
Followers of Christ are familiar with the many biblical passages that promise that God will, at his discretion, guide the Believer by the Holy Spirit. But when I think God is “telling” me something, how do I know it is God and not just my ideas or inclinations?
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22reject every kind of evil. NIV) will help us to know if prophecies (ideas or inclinations) are God speaking or just our imagination. This passage contains three tests useful to confirm the source, me, or God.
Test 1: Do not “quench” (offend/disobey) the Holy Spirit by actions and attitudes forbidden in Scripture. (:19)
Test 2: Do not reject the possibility of prophecies (ideas and inclinations). Expect the Holy Spirit to, at His discretion, direct his followers. (:20)
Test 3: Test all prophecies (ideas and inclinations) and expect that some of them will not be God speaking. Navigate by the good and reject the evil (those that do not pass the tests). (:21-22)
God willing, tomorrow, I will give some examples of the tests in action.
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