sAtan DIdn'T pUt THat tHere”

Have you ever wondered, “Is this thought from God?”

Life can be very disorienting. And often, discerning the will of God for your life becomes increasingly difficult as you get older. As you mature, you realize life is…

Less black & white

Not always binary

More complex

And increasingly complicated

Therefore, discerning the will of God for your life quickly feels like an impossible (or at least grueling)

In my life, I am on a journey of seeking to become more aware of God's presence in everyday moments. I want to see my career as not just a job but a holy vocation. I am looking for the presence of God in the midst of my son's diaper changes and a nightly overflowing amount of dishes. I want to accept interruption as God's providence.

I want to hear him.

I want to know him.

I want to be aware of his every move.

And I listen to Jesus, I ask myself — did I just hear the voice of God in my soul?

How To Determine The Voice of God

My mind is constantly racing.

I really struggle to turn off some nights. I can play every scenario in my head one hundred different ways. I can over-analyze. And my mind is prone to wonder and wander.

I am constantly attempting to parse my thoughts between…

My Flesh vs. My Father

The Son vs. The Sinful In My Heart

The Spirit vs. The Bad Pizza I Had Last Night

(sorry to ruin the alliteration)

As I've done this constantly, like a new puppy, I am learning my master's voice. Here's what I've learned:

The intent of the thought often identifies the author.

Let me explain: I believe God is sovereign. Therefore, every thought that passes through my above-average-sized ears must first pass through God's hand. Thus, every thought in my mind was ordained by the Holy Spirit for my sanctification. Or God allows the idea to occur as a result of my sinful flesh, the sin of others, or demonic activity.

The intention of the thought determines whether this is my flesh or the Holy Spirit.

The question we should ask is — what is the intention?

The Two Intentions

If you are a married man, you most likely had a talk with your bride's father that went something like this: “What are your intentions with my daughter?”

I believe we need to ask ourselves the same question when parsing our internal monologues.

Ask — What is this thought's intended outcome?

Because here's what we know:

[10] The thief comes only to steal and, kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. - John 10:10 (ESV)

To summarize:

Satan's Intention - Steal, kill, & destroy

God's Intention - Life abundantly.

As we are determining the will of God, the most elementary way to operate is to ask ourselves this question:

Will this decision steal, kill, or destroy God's work in my life, or will it lead to a deeper life in Christ?

Here's why I believe this is so important:

The Devil Didn't Do That

I meet so many people in this stage of Local Church who are praying about whether to…

Help plant a church or not

Give abundantly or not

Begin serving or not

Start a discipleship group or not

Give up comforts or not

I often tell people that if they sense something in their heart, mind, or Spirit that is inviting them to follow Jesus more closely, surrender more of themselves to Him, or step out into the unknown of God's wonderful and wild mission, then remember….

“sAtan DIdn'T pUt THat tHere”

Our sinful flesh doesn't want us to surrender.

Our deceitful heart doesn't want to go on mission.

And I can promise you all of Hell does NOT desire a new church to be planted.

So, if you are considering doing something great for God, please identify the intent.

And if the intent is to advance the Gospel — then it isn’t from the Devil or your sinful heart.

That voice is the Holy Spirit of the Living God drawing you to Himself.

All you need to do is listen.

For The Local Church 📍

Landon Reynolds