Hearing the Voice of God

[Karl Peters]

How can you test the spirits if you believe they are all demons?

Who would think that they are all demons?????????

If you are testing the spirits it is because you know that they are not all demons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If they were thought to be all demons then why would anyone test them - they wouldn't!!

In fact this thinking that any voice is a demon is and has been a major reason that people don't seek the Lord Jesus Christ!!!!!!!!!

That should be obvious, but to state the obvious; if a person thinks all spirits are demons they will not even seek the Lord via His Holy Spirit simply because they believe any spirit is evil!! It is for that reason that people wind up just trying to lean on their own understanding instead of seeking the Lord our God Jesus Christ!!!!!!!!! And you see that a lot!!!

A lawyer in court might try to make a person on the opposition seem crazy by trying to point out that they hear voices in their head. In the same way the Pharisees tried to make Jesus out to have a demon, but He had to explain to them that it was not Him who had a demon, but rather their father was the devil. We read that in the Bible, right??

So the Pharisees had be lead to believe that anything spiritual was evil, and thus rejected Jesus Christ, despite all the miracles He performed!!

Therefore Cassandra is testing the spirits because she is looking for Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit that brings His words to us!! Even check again the test in 1 John 4: 1-3 - it shows that the purpose is to find the Holy Spirit!!

1 Jn 4:1-3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because 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, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

You can read the "By this you know the Spirit of God" - so don't you understand that is the purpose for testing the spirits????

We discern good from evil because we are really looking for God who alone is good!!!

Amazingly this would be understood by anyone taking the time to test the spirits - but would not be understood by someone not testing the spirits!!

And this would be understood by someone who believed in Jesus Christ and was using their spiritual ears to hear Him, but would not be understood by those just seeking the Bible, and who were saying in their hearts the Jesus Christ is either still dead or in some far off place called heaven. But that is not the Word of God we are preaching!! (See Romand 10)

 

[ChristisGod]

Who would think that they are all demons?????????

If you are testing the spirits it is because you know that they are not all demons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If they were thought to be all demons then why would anyone test them - they wouldn't!!

In fact this thinking that any voice is a demon is and has been a major reason that people don't seek the Lord Jesus Christ!!!!!!!!!

That should be obvious, but to state the obvious; if a person thinks all spirits are demons they will not even seek the Lord via His Holy Spirit simply because they believe any spirit is evil!! It is for that reason that people wind up just trying to lean on their own understanding instead of seeking the Lord our God Jesus Christ!!!!!!!!! And you see that a lot!!!

A lawyer in court might try to make a person on the opposition seem crazy by trying to point out that they hear voices in their head. In the same way the Pharisees tried to make Jesus out to have a demon, but He had to explain to them that it was not Him who had a demon, but rather their father was the devil. We read that in the Bible, right??

So the Pharisees had be lead to believe that anything spiritual was evil, and thus rejected Jesus Christ, despite all the miracles He performed!!

Therefore Cassandra is testing the spirits because she is looking for Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit that brings His words to us!! Even check again the test in 1 John 4: 1-3 - it shows that the purpose is to find the Holy Spirit!!

1 Jn 4:1-3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because 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, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

You can read the "By this you know the Spirit of God" - so don't you understand that is the purpose for testing the spirits????

We discern good from evil because we are really looking for God who alone is good!!!

Amazingly this would be understood by anyone taking the time to test the spirits - but would not be understood by someone not testing the spirits!!

And this would be understood by someone who believed in Jesus Christ and was using their spiritual ears to hear Him, but would not be understood by those just seeking the Bible, and who were saying in their hearts the Jesus Christ is either still dead or in some far off place called heaven. But that is not the Word of God we are preaching!! (See Romand 10)

The number one test to distinguish truth for error and the Spirit of God from that of the spirit of antichrist is the confession of our divine Lord Jesus Christ. Every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. There is one thing the spirit of antichrist will deny and that is they will deny He is God in the flesh- that He is fully God and fully man. They will deny God in human flesh. They will always deny the Incarnation which was permanent. When a person affirms that Jesus Christ is God in flesh that equates to divine truth. Every spirit that confesses meaning to continually confess or agrees with saying the same thing as John declares in his writings is from God. This is the person who is taught by the Spirit of God according to John. The first test that you want to have for any teacher is their Christology, check out what they say about Christ. This becomes a litmus test that is very easy to spot among the false teachers. If you have somebody who denies the deity of Christ you have a clear indication they are of the spirit of antichrist.

If we go back to the beginning of 1 John, we read that which we he beheld, and actually touched concerning the Word of life. That is a term expressing the very deity of Christ. Christ emanates from God as His living Word. He was with the Father in the beginning in 1:2. Jesus was One with the Father sharing the same essence with the Father in heaven with Him before the foundation of the world. John says He was manifested to us. John's language then starts out with the fact that Jesus Christ emanates from God as the very living Word of God. Jesus is the living Word of God,the One John says that was from the beginning that we heard, we saw and we touched. Jesus the Word of life was the eternal One who was with the Father prior to His Incarnation and was then manifested to us in the flesh that we could see and hear and touch according to John. Therefore, we can clearly see Jesus is the very Word of God Incarnate. He is the eternal life who became flesh. The Word who was with God, the Word who was God, was the One who John says was manifested to us. This is how we can tell the spirit of truth from the spirit of antichrist.

Can you confess Jesus is God Incarnate?
Can you confess Jesus is still a man in the flesh ?
Can you confess Jesus is still human ?

If not one is denying the very central/heart of the gospel. The bodily Resurrection/Ascension of Christ which comes from the very spirit of antichrist.

1 John 4:2
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;

2 John 7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Erchomenon the present participle in 2 John 7

Below these Greek Scholars/Theologians confirm the above !


Alford- the present tense is timeless(pg 274 RNTC on 2 John)

Brooke- the Incarnation is not only an event in history, it is an abiding truth(pg 274 RNTC on 2 John)

Stott- the two natures manhood and Godhood were united already at His birth, never to be divided. In 1 John 4:2 and here in 2 John 7 emphasizes this permanent union of the natures in the One Person ( TNTC pages 209-210) He who denies the Incarnation is not just a deceiver and an antichrist but “the deceiver and the antichrist”. There is in this heresy a double affront: it opposes Christ and deceives men.(stott TNCT page 210)

Marshall- the use of the present and perfect tenses becomes significant if the point is that Jesus Christ had come and still existed “in flesh”. For him(John) it was axiomatic that there had been a true Incarnation, that the word became flesh and remained flesh. It is a point that receives much stress in 1 John 2:18-28;4:1-6;5:5-8. (NICNT pages 70-71)

Smalley- the present tense emphasizes the permanent union of the human and Divine natures in Jesus. Gods self disclosure in Jesus took place at a particular moment in history , but it has continuing effects in the present and into the future(Word Biblical Commentary page 317)

Nicoll- the continuous manifestation of the Incarnate Christ(Expositors Greek Testament Volume 5 page 202)

Akin- Much has been made of the fact that John uses the present tense in this Christological confession. Literally the verse reads, “Jesus Christ coming in flesh.” “Coming” is a present active participle. This stands out in remarkable contrast to the affirmation of 1 John 4:2, where the text states that “Jesus Christ has [emphasis mine] come in the flesh.” There the perfect active participle is used. The key, it seems, is to discover what John is affirming. Here in 2 John the emphasis falls on the abiding reality of the incarnation. First John 4:2 teaches that the Christ, the Father’s Son (v. 3), has come in the flesh. Second John affirms that the wedding of deity and humanity has an abiding reality (cf. 1 Tim 2:5). The ontological and essential nature of the incarnation that would receive eloquent expression one thousand years later in the writing of St. Anselm (1033–1109) in his classic Cur Deus Homo is already present in seed form in the tiny and neglected letter of 2 John.

Lenski- In 1 John 4:2 we have ἐν σαρκὶ ἐληλυθότα, the perfect participle, “as having come in flesh” (incarnate, John 1:14); here we have ἐρχόμενον ἐν σαρκί, “as coming in flesh,” although the participle is present in form it is really timeless.of Christ as "still being manifested." See the note at 1 John 3:5. In 1 John 4:2 we have the manifestation treated as a past fact by the perfect tense, ‎eleeluthota ‎"has come

hope this helps !!!

 

[Karl Peters]

The number one test to distinguish truth for error and the Spirit of God from that of the spirit of antichrist is the confession of our divine Lord Jesus Christ. Every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. There is one thing the spirit of antichrist will deny and that is they will deny He is God in the flesh- that He is fully God and fully man. They will deny God in human flesh. They will always deny the Incarnation which was permanent. When a person affirms that Jesus Christ is God in flesh that equates to divine truth. Every spirit that confesses meaning to continually confess or agrees with saying the same thing as John declares in his writings is from God. This is the person who is taught by the Spirit of God according to John. The first test that you want to have for any teacher is their Christology, check out what they say about Christ. This becomes a litmus test that is very easy to spot among the false teachers. If you have somebody who denies the deity of Christ you have a clear indication they are of the spirit of antichrist.

If we go back to the beginning of 1 John, we read that which we he beheld, and actually touched concerning the Word of life. That is a term expressing the very deity of Christ. Christ emanates from God as His living Word. He was with the Father in the beginning in 1:2. Jesus was One with the Father sharing the same essence with the Father in heaven with Him before the foundation of the world. John says He was manifested to us. John's language then starts out with the fact that Jesus Christ emanates from God as the very living Word of God. Jesus is the living Word of God,the One John says that was from the beginning that we heard, we saw and we touched. Jesus the Word of life was the eternal One who was with the Father prior to His Incarnation and was then manifested to us in the flesh that we could see and hear and touch according to John. Therefore, we can clearly see Jesus is the very Word of God Incarnate. He is the eternal life who became flesh. The Word who was with God, the Word who was God, was the One who John says was manifested to us. This is how we can tell the spirit of truth from the spirit of antichrist.

Can you confess Jesus is God Incarnate?
Can you confess Jesus is still a man in the flesh ?
Can you confess Jesus is still human ?

If not one is denying the very central/heart of the gospel. The bodily Resurrection/Ascension of Christ which comes from the very spirit of antichrist.

1 John 4:2
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;

2 John 7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Erchomenon the present participle in 2 John 7

Below these Greek Scholars/Theologians confirm the above !


Alford- the present tense is timeless(pg 274 RNTC on 2 John)

Brooke- the Incarnation is not only an event in history, it is an abiding truth(pg 274 RNTC on 2 John)

Stott- the two natures manhood and Godhood were united already at His birth, never to be divided. In 1 John 4:2 and here in 2 John 7 emphasizes this permanent union of the natures in the One Person ( TNTC pages 209-210) He who denies the Incarnation is not just a deceiver and an antichrist but “the deceiver and the antichrist”. There is in this heresy a double affront: it opposes Christ and deceives men.(stott TNCT page 210)

Marshall- the use of the present and perfect tenses becomes significant if the point is that Jesus Christ had come and still existed “in flesh”. For him(John) it was axiomatic that there had been a true Incarnation, that the word became flesh and remained flesh. It is a point that receives much stress in 1 John 2:18-28;4:1-6;5:5-8. (NICNT pages 70-71)

Smalley- the present tense emphasizes the permanent union of the human and Divine natures in Jesus. Gods self disclosure in Jesus took place at a particular moment in history , but it has continuing effects in the present and into the future(Word Biblical Commentary page 317)

Nicoll- the continuous manifestation of the Incarnate Christ(Expositors Greek Testament Volume 5 page 202)

Akin- Much has been made of the fact that John uses the present tense in this Christological confession. Literally the verse reads, “Jesus Christ coming in flesh.” “Coming” is a present active participle. This stands out in remarkable contrast to the affirmation of 1 John 4:2, where the text states that “Jesus Christ has [emphasis mine] come in the flesh.” There the perfect active participle is used. The key, it seems, is to discover what John is affirming. Here in 2 John the emphasis falls on the abiding reality of the incarnation. First John 4:2 teaches that the Christ, the Father’s Son (v. 3), has come in the flesh. Second John affirms that the wedding of deity and humanity has an abiding reality (cf. 1 Tim 2:5). The ontological and essential nature of the incarnation that would receive eloquent expression one thousand years later in the writing of St. Anselm (1033–1109) in his classic Cur Deus Homo is already present in seed form in the tiny and neglected letter of 2 John.

Lenski- In 1 John 4:2 we have ἐν σαρκὶ ἐληλυθότα, the perfect participle, “as having come in flesh” (incarnate, John 1:14); here we have ἐρχόμενον ἐν σαρκί, “as coming in flesh,” although the participle is present in form it is really timeless.of Christ as "still being manifested." See the note at 1 John 3:5. In 1 John 4:2 we have the manifestation treated as a past fact by the perfect tense, ‎eleeluthota ‎"has come

hope this helps !!!

The above post is not so far off - but there is one interesting thing to note and that is that Jesus, nor anyone writings the Scriptures based on what the Word of God (Jesus Christ) told them ever wrote like that! And I never hear Him talk like that.

So how did someone get to talking/writing like that?

The Lord, when He talks to me, tends to make the complicated things simple to understand.

1 Jn 4:1-3 reads - "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because 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, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

Of course someone translated it from the Greek to English, which is good because we speak and write in English, and you know what, the Lord speaks to me personally in my language! That is to say the Holy Spirit speaks to my spirit, the words our Lord Jesus Christ has to say to me! In other words, the Holy Spirit translates what we need to know into our language!!

Acts 2: And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.

So we can listen to the translator, the Holy Spirit who comes with the words or God, or not!!

2 Peter 1: 20.21 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

It is good to study the Scriptures, and even like seen in the above post, but to know the interpretation you have to have the Holy Spirit who brings you the words of God to your spirit, personally!! It is not so hard to hear from Him, nor is it so hard to read the Scriptures, and listen to Him for the explanation. In fact He often just causes you to focus on the little aspects of the Scriptures - like how 1 Jn 4:1-3 is a search for the Holy Spirit - "By this you know the Spirit of God" - yet someone thought it was a search for demons! It is not! It is making sure you search for the Holy Spirit has resulted in you actually finding the Holy Spirit! And it is test of spirits!!! So it is not a test of Jesus Christ in the flesh!!! But rather it is a test of spirit to make sure you found the Holy Spirit!!

The point is: This is a practical test that can and needs to be used by us believers who are seeking the words of God which come from Jesus Christ to us via the Holy Spirit!!

It is not that complicated!!!

You hear a small spiritual voice speaking to you, then you test that spirit to make sure it is the Holy Spirit and not some evil spirit!!!! And that is done exactly as explain!!

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;

So are we making sure the spirit we hear from confesses that Jesus Christ "HAS COME" in the flesh, or not??

 

[ChristisGod]

The above post is not so far off - but there is one interesting thing to note and that is that Jesus, nor anyone writings the Scriptures based on what the Word of God (Jesus Christ) told them ever wrote like that! And I never hear Him talk like that.

So how did someone get to talking/writing like that?

The Lord, when He talks to me, tends to make the complicated things simple to understand.

1 Jn 4:1-3 reads - "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because 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, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

Of course someone translated it from the Greek to English, which is good because we speak and write in English, and you know what, the Lord speaks to me personally in my language! That is to say the Holy Spirit speaks to my spirit, the words our Lord Jesus Christ has to say to me! In other words, the Holy Spirit translates what we need to know into our language!!

Acts 2: And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.

So we can listen to the translator, the Holy Spirit who comes with the words or God, or not!!

2 Peter 1: 20.21 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

It is good to study the Scriptures, and even like seen in the above post, but to know the interpretation you have to have the Holy Spirit who brings you the words of God to your spirit, personally!! It is not so hard to hear from Him, nor is it so hard to read the Scriptures, and listen to Him for the explanation. In fact He often just causes you to focus on the little aspects of the Scriptures - like how 1 Jn 4:1-3 is a search for the Holy Spirit - "By this you know the Spirit of God" - yet someone thought it was a search for demons! It is not! It is making sure you search for the Holy Spirit has resulted in you actually finding the Holy Spirit! And it is test of spirits!!! So it is not a test of Jesus Christ in the flesh!!! But rather it is a test of spirit to make sure you found the Holy Spirit!!

The point is: This is a practical test that can and needs to be used by us believers who are seeking the words of God which come from Jesus Christ to us via the Holy Spirit!!

It is not that complicated!!!

You hear a small spiritual voice speaking to you, then you test that spirit to make sure it is the Holy Spirit and not some evil spirit!!!! And that is done exactly as explain!!

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;

So are we making sure the spirit we hear from confesses that Jesus Christ "HAS COME" in the flesh, or not??

Jesus said :

John 8:24- unless you believe I AM ( YHWH the divine name) you will die in your sins.

Below they tried stoning Him for claiming to be God. They tried to kill Him several times for claiming to be God.

John 8:58-59
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I Am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

 

[Cassandra]

If you are so afraid of the devil, why not just become born of God and keep yourself pure. Then He can't trick you as you are so afraid he will do to you.

1 John 5:18
18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

My mind is always on God, and I'm not afraid of anything.

I never said that. The Bible is clear that that Satan and his angels are working overtime.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

I never said that. The Bible is clear that that Satan and his angels are working overtime.

You can dwell on him if you want, but I'm too busy listening for God's voice to worry about him.

 

[Karl Peters]

Jesus said :

John 8:24- unless you believe I AM ( YHWH the divine name) you will die in your sins.

Below they tried stoning Him for claiming to be God. They tried to kill Him several times for claiming to be God.

John 8:58-59
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I Am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

Yes - It is very important to understand that He is the great "I AM"!!

He was and IS there for us to talk to. He talked to Abram!

Gen 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying,
“Do not fear, Abram,
I am a shield to you;
our reward shall be very great.”

He talked to Moses!

Exo 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.'”

Also He talked to Isaac and Jacob;

Ex 3:6 He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

And He talked to all those who wrote the Bible!!

Still the Good News is that He, the Lord our God whose name is called the Word of God because He speaks to us via His Holy spirit with the words of God - and He is just standing there hoping we will open up to Him!!

Rev 3:20 ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

That is incredible - that He being God, even the Word of God, will talk to us - but that is what He really wants to do!! He even left us a book - the Bible to make sure we would know that He wants to talk to us!!

Ps 81:8 “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you;
O Israel, if you would listen to Me!

Ps 81:14 “Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!
“I would quickly subdue their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries.

But do we listen to Him???

Ps 81:11 “But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me.

I know that I listen to Him, but not like I should!! He is always with me and I usually only hear Him a dozen times a day. I get busy, side tracked, and sometimes I just don't want to hear from Him. Yet He comes back and I turn back to Him and listen again - usually about a dozen times a day!

So the OP is how it is supposed to be, and covers what it sounds like to hear Him - not big fancy words but helpful easy to understand words, whether He is giving you instructions, or giving you teachings, or giving you a parable or saying, or whether He is just telling you "I love you" which He does tell you when you get to know Him. He likes to guide your steps. If you listen He will even tell you when to turn to the left of the right if needed even at the next stop sign or signal when driving your car.

Of course, we want to make sure it is Him, so we have a test or two in the Bible to use to make sure we are hearing from His Holy Spirit who brings us His words.

If everyone, or even His people (Christians), were taking time, even a dozen times a day though that is not very good considering God is always with us as the Great I AM, it would change the world!!!

He would quickly subdue our enemies!

 

[thelord's_pearl]

I feel I hear the voice of God in my life too. it's this impression and other times you hear the voice of God by knowing the Word of God/the bible. it can be a struggle to hear the voice of God but we should always remember that it's for good.

 

[Rockerduck]

The Holy Spirit speaks in a clear voice that's male and not your voice. What ever He tells me is in the old Testament. Every word He speaks comes true . Halleluiah Jesus is coming soon.

John 16:13 - However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

 

[Karl Peters]

I feel I hear the voice of God in my life too. it's this impression and other times you hear the voice of God by knowing the Word of God/the bible. it can be a struggle to hear the voice of God but we should always remember that it's for good.

OK - I know what you are saying is correct - yet there is a reason/reasons for picking Him up as impressions as opposed to hearing that small voice which comes in words to your spirit!

Now I don't mean to offended, but rather to help people understand so they can get closer to the Lord and get them hearing Him better. So many Christians I talk to tell me the same thing - that is they pick up the Lord talking to them as an impression, unction, or something like that - and they also feel certain that He sometimes talks to them while reading their Bible. They are not wrong in saying that, but there are some problems with picking Him up like that!!

Let me go over a few verses which cover this issue.

Heb 5: 11-14 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

Mat 3: 15 (also Acts 28:27) For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'

The problem is that if we don't regularly, as in practicing using our spirit senses, to seek our Lord Jesus Christ via His Holy Spirit, then we become and stay dull of hearing!!!!

And if you are dull of hearing you don't receive all the instructions and teachings the Lord wants to give you. Also, if you are dull of hearing because of lack of practice, you are not as able to determine if what you are getting is form the Lord or from the devil!! Note: That to test the spirits as discussed in the thread (using 1 Jn 4:1-3, or even 1 Cor 12:3) you have to be able to hear the words the spirit you are testing is saying to you!! And even the teachings the Lord gives you personally, will come in words!

Therefore the verse we read above our correct - like "because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil."

Now if I am actually seeking the Lord everyday called "Today" and expecting to hear by faith the words that come from Him whose name is called "THE WORD OF GOD", then I will wind up hearing Him in words (the small voice of His) because according to you faith it will be done for you!!!

Now certainly a newer Christian would be expected to be "dull of hearing", and if a Chrisitan church is not making this clear to the congregation, then we might expect this problem of not practicing using your spiritual senses would be a problem. And we know that all seven churches in Revelation had that problem! They were all told:

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Rev 2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, and 3:22

So if ever church written to in Revelation had the problem of 'NOT' letting those with ears not hear what the Spirit has to say, then you can be pretty sure that is happening at your church also!!!!!

And quess what - If you have physical ears God also gave you spiritual ears, but perhaps the Lord has not opened them up for you?? Or perhaps not enough that you are hearing the words of His that give us life?

Jn 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Now it is not mine to say who get's into heaven or not, but if "The Word" that He speaks to us via the Holy Spirit are what gives us life, then we should expect to hear Him in words, right??? So if we are not actually hearing the 'words' He says to us, but instead get an impression and pick them up like an unction, do we not need to be seeking Him more and that to be able to hear Him in "words"???

Again, I know a lot of Christians pick the Lord up that way, but if the Scriptures are to be thought to be correct - then it seems that we need to be looking and expecting to hear from the Lord is words!! Even to be able to test the spirits as instructed in the Bible, but also to get the teachings, instructions He has for us clearer!! That might take some practice seeking and hearing from Him everyday called "Today" - but that seems to be what He expects!!!

Heb 3:7 - Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,

Also Heb 4:7 He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying [fn]through David after so long a time just as has been said before,
“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.”

And what does this verse mean? Heb 4:2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

Plainly we should be hearing the "word" by faith - and the word of God we preach is found in our hearts and mouth, not written in ink on pages! That is the Book/Bible/Scriptures/ Sacred Text, that the Word of God uses to teach us with! It is not the word of God we are preaching. The word of faith we are preaching comes from the Holy Spirit directly to our spirit, who got those words from Him (Jesus Christ) for us personally!

Romans 10: 8 But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,

Maybe I am beating this point a little hard, but is this a matter of life or death? If not, it is still a matter of discernment between good and evil and also a matter of a closer relationship with Jesus Christ!! So it seems better to say a lot on this - just as written " Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing."

 

[Behold]

He sometimes talks to them while reading their Bible.

The very best way to hear from God is through His word.
As this way you can check what you are hearing by His word.

 

[Karl Peters]

The very best way to hear from God is through His word.
As this way you can check what you are hearing by His word.

I again, but may not? Do you understand that Jesus Christ is the Word of God????????

The Scriptures, in Greek, all called Graphe and Graphe is not called the word in your Bible - you know that right??

I only ask because I have seen way too many people calling the orderly lines of text they read a litte here and there the word! Of course it was explained in the Bible that happens because they don't listen to the Lord, and that causes them to go falling backwards and being taking captive! You know that, right? You did read that in your Bible, right?

Well Just in case, let me get you a bit of information on this:

Is 28: 12,13He who said to them, “Here is rest, give rest to the weary,”
And, “Here is repose,” but they would not listen.
So the word of the LORD to them will be,
“Order on order, order on order,
Line on line, line on line,
A little here, a little there,”
That they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snared and taken captive.

Jn 1:1,2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

Rev 19:13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

Gal 3:23 But the Scripture (Graphe in Greek) has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.

So we find that not everyone has the revelation of faith in Jesus Christ, which causes us to seek Him by faith - as the Bible explains!

So you are right to write:

The very best way to hear from God is through His word.
As this way you can check what you are hearing by His word.

But only if you understand that Jesus Christ is the Word of God so it means:

The very best way to hear from God is through Jesus Christ
As this way you can check what you are hearing by Jesus Christ!

Of course that must be what you mean, because you also must have read that Paul was taking all thoughts to Jesus Christ, right?

2 Cor 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

I probably didn't need to write any of this, because a person who has studied the Bible must know all this already, but too often I find those people who don't listen to Him, so the word of God to them is the orderly lines of text in the Bible that read a little hear and there, as opposed to regularly turning back to Jesus Christ and taking their thoughts to Him for and explanation.

 

[Behold]

I again, but may not? Do you understand that Jesus Christ is the Word of God????????

John 1 "the Word was God".

John 1:14..."the WORD became FLESH".

Thomas said.......>"My Lord and my God"

John 1:10..... .Jesus made the World

Jesus said..."If you've seen me, you've seen the Father".

 

[Behold]

2 Cor 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

That verse means that when you have self righteous thoughts that tell you that you have to work to stay saved, .. you are to deny that thought in favor of Jesus as your Savior who always keeps you saved, because of His Obedience to His Father's will = to go to the Cross to make you acceptable to God and keep you that way, always. based only on The Cross which is the Blood Atonement.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

Who would think that they are all demons?????????

If you are testing the spirits it is because you know that they are not all demons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If they were thought to be all demons then why would anyone test them - they wouldn't!!

In fact this thinking that any voice is a demon is and has been a major reason that people don't seek the Lord Jesus Christ!!!!!!!!!

That should be obvious, but to state the obvious; if a person thinks all spirits are demons they will not even seek the Lord via His Holy Spirit simply because they believe any spirit is evil!! It is for that reason that people wind up just trying to lean on their own understanding instead of seeking the Lord our God Jesus Christ!!!!!!!!! And you see that a lot!!!

A lawyer in court might try to make a person on the opposition seem crazy by trying to point out that they hear voices in their head. In the same way the Pharisees tried to make Jesus out to have a demon, but He had to explain to them that it was not Him who had a demon, but rather their father was the devil. We read that in the Bible, right??

So the Pharisees had be lead to believe that anything spiritual was evil, and thus rejected Jesus Christ, despite all the miracles He performed!!

Therefore Cassandra is testing the spirits because she is looking for Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit that brings His words to us!! Even check again the test in 1 John 4: 1-3 - it shows that the purpose is to find the Holy Spirit!!

1 Jn 4:1-3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because 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, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

You can read the "By this you know the Spirit of God" - so don't you understand that is the purpose for testing the spirits????

We discern good from evil because we are really looking for God who alone is good!!!

Amazingly this would be understood by anyone taking the time to test the spirits - but would not be understood by someone not testing the spirits!!

And this would be understood by someone who believed in Jesus Christ and was using their spiritual ears to hear Him, but would not be understood by those just seeking the Bible, and who were saying in their hearts the Jesus Christ is either still dead or in some far off place called heaven. But that is not the Word of God we are preaching!! (See Romand 10)

If she believes it is the devil when it is God, and the devil when it is the devil, she always thinks its the devil. That's unbelief in God, and tunnel vision.

 

[Karl Peters]

John 1 "the Word was God".

John 1:14..."the WORD became FLESH".

Thomas said.......>"My Lord and my God"

John 1:10..... .Jesus made the World

Jesus said..."If you've seen me, you've seen the Father".

Yes - So if we are wanting to know the Word of God we are trying to know a person, and that person stands at the door and knocks so that what we have to do is let Him into our lives. He is not a book, but a person. And He sends His Holy Spirit to come into us and communicate with us who are also in the flesh, but not of this world.

So if we talk about:

The very best way to hear from God is through His word.
As this way you can check what you are hearing by His word.

We are saying that the best way to hear from God is through Jesus Christ, and by this way you can check what your are hearing by Jesus Christ.

And I fully agree with that!!!!

He is our Teacher - and as such we hear from Him and Him teaching us!

It is not surprising the a teacher asked His students/disciples, to read His book! So The Teacher (Jesus Christ) of course asks us to read our Bible, and points out valuable lessons and teachings from the Bible, but it is not knowing the Book/Bible but knowing The Teacher which is important. People (apparently not you), "but many Christians" do not understand this. So they replace knowing the Book/Bible with knowing our Lord Jesus Christ personally. When that happens the Bible becomes the "Word of God" to them instead of The Teacher. And I run across them often! I even run across those being blow back and forth in this world - which happens to all of us sometimes.

So I even find those who know Jesus Christ and call Him the Word of God like written in the Bible, and then at other times they call the Bible the Word of God because sometimes it is about believing in the Bible and other times it is about believing in Jesus Christ!

John the Baptist was the greatest born by woman, but Jesus said something about a reed blowing in the wind. If even John the Baptist can be shaken by the wind, then we can too. I have seen many great Christian men, who I know do hear the Lord at times, still at times replace the person of Jesus Christ as the Word of God with the Bible as the Word of God and not even realize they are making an idol out of the Bible!

So while i do agree with what you wrote; I still feel it is best to make sure we are not being shaken by the winds of this world.

I would have written it as "The very best way to hear from God is through Jesus Christ - just to make sure I am not accidentally confusing Jesus Christ with the Bible in someone else's mind. No reason to give those evil winds sometime to mess with. I always want to glorify Jesus Christ - and that meaning turning people to Him to find out what is best for them!

 

[Rockerduck]

Over the last 2 years, The Holy Spirit has told me and I'm telling you, we are in the last days and getter closer. Surrender all to Jesus. So many Christians have become complacent after their salvation that pride has crept in themselves and their bank account. Get on your knees and give it all to Him. You will hear Him speak.

 

[Karl Peters]

That verse means that when you have self righteous thoughts that tell you that you have to work to stay saved, .. you are to deny that thought in favor of Jesus as your Savior who always keeps you saved, because of His Obedience to His Father's will = to go to the Cross to make you acceptable to God and keep you that way, always. based only on The Cross which is the Blood Atonement.

Hum - that seem a bit confusing!

2 Cor 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Meaning taking the thoughts you have to Jesus Christ and getting His response!!!!!!!!!

Are the thoughts you just got "self righteous"?? The word of God we preach, that small voice of His that is from our hearts, also comes across as thoughts to us!!! So the first statement in the post above is not always correct!!! To find out whether the thought is from Him, we take that thought back to Him to find out!!!!!!

You had earlier written:

The very best way to hear from God is through His word.
As this way you can check what you are hearing by His word.

And as I discussed in written with you - it seems that we both agree that means; The very best way to hear from God is through Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God, right? And that just means we ask Him about our thoughts and listen to Him, right??

It is not that complicated (as if I need to go into some theological thinking about the cross). I get a thought, then take it to Jesus Christ and listen to what He says!!

Is 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.

It is just like the above verse say!!

It is really simple --- You get a thought. You turn to Jesus Christ with your thinking and ask Him what He thinks about it, and listen!!

And you go about your day doing that, right? Or at least that is the object - which is taking all thoughts captive to Jesus Christ!

So we are not to " to deny that thought in favor of Jesus", but rather to check the thought wit Jesus Christ, who is always with us!!!

We do that because He is always standing there at the door trying to get us to listen to Him - which is to say that thought might indeed by Him trying to get our attention!!

Therefore, I often get a thought quickly come to me and have to ask Him, "Jesus did you just tell me '.....'?

Sometimes the answer comes back "Yeah Karl, I need you to do ...."! But it can also come back "No Karl, that was not from Me"

There are three possibilities. That thought I picked up could be my Lord Jesus Christ trying to get a word from God to me, or it can be those dark forces evil trying to mess with me, or can simply be a thought I came up with. And even when I get an answer that it is Him, I might still want to test the spirit - see 1 Jn 4:1-3 or 1 Cor 12;3.

I usually don't need to test the spirit after I ask Jesus Christ for the answer, because it is written that all those who ask find!

Luke 11: 11-13 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? “Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

Which takes us back to:

It is really simple --- You get a thought. You turn to Jesus Christ with your thinking and ask Him what He thinks about it, and listen!!

or

The very best way to hear from God is through His word.
As this way you can check what you are hearing by His word.

And that meaning to mean Jesus Christ is the Word of God!!

He is always with you, so you just ask Him and listen, when you get a thought!!!

Yeah, He made that possible by going to the cross, but that was done and now we just need to live in our relationship with Him - period!!!

Quit making it sound so complicated!! And why do some make it so complicated?? Where did that thought come from?? You just take the thoughts you get and ask Him about them, and listen!!!!

It is simple, simple, simple:

But it seems He asks me to write on his very simple thing of seeking Him and listening, over and over and over again!! That can only be because we don't simply just ask Him and listen!! And that indeed means we are self-righteous!!! Yeah we are - but that just means we need to do the simple thing of seeking Him and listening - right!!

 

[Karl Peters]

Over the last 2 years, The Holy Spirit has told me and I'm telling you, we are in the last days and getter closer. Surrender all to Jesus. So many Christians have become complacent after their salvation that pride has crept in themselves and their bank account. Get on your knees and give it all to Him. You will hear Him speak.

Of course we are, but what does the mean to us??

It just means we simply need to keep turning to Him, our Lord Jesus Christ, and listen!!

And while every knee will bow, you don't even need to physically get on your knees. Turning to Him and listening to Him as your Lord is spiritually speaking, getting on your knees!!

So you can hear Him while driving!! And you don't want to physically get on your knees then!

You can hear Him in the shower - whether on your knees or not1

You can hear Him while working you job - while going to school - while doing pretty much anything. He might even show up in your sleep!

You can hear Him in the last days and as things are getting closer!

So we turn and listen to Him no matter what the time or place!!

 

[Karl Peters]

If she believes it is the devil when it is God, and the devil when it is the devil, she always thinks its the devil. That's unbelief in God, and tunnel vision.

If she is testing the spirit, she is doing so because she is seeking our Lord Jesus Christ and make sure it is Him speaking to her via His Holy Spirit!!

We are told to do that - which of course is wisdom because we also battle with the dark spiritual forces of this world!!

So Wisdom, which is another name for the Holy Spirit in the Bible, told her to do the wise thing!!!!

How is it you are not testing the spirits like the Bible explains, and the Holy Spirit backs up????

1 Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

You are not deceiving yourself, are you? You know that Christain principle that evil is present in us who are wanting to do good, right?

Rom 7:20,21 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.

When Saul was that Pharisee looking to put Christians into jail, he did not know about the principle that evil is present in us, so he went on the road to persecute! When Paul got to know Jesus Christ, then he became aware of the principle that evil is present is us and how it can mess with us. So it is not the person who thinks they cannot be doing wrong, who is the Christian, but rather the person aware of the battle with the dark evil spiritual forces in them and so test the spirits who is the Christian!!

Saul was deceiving himself, but Paul was not - and John explained this!