‘Test all things’

Posted on May 3, 2016 in BLOG, pastors pen |

Seeking Confirmation of What You have Heard or Seen

(‘Testing all things’)
 

1 Thessalonians 5:21

Test all things; hold fast what is good.

 

As our loving and protective Father, God wants us to seek clarity or confirmation of any ‘leading’ we may have received from the Holy Spirit whether through prophecy or any other means like an impression or a scripture ‘jumping out’ to us in our reading the Bible.

 

Avoid falling into dangerous waters by glibly grabbing at any ‘spiritual’ encounter without being sure that it is from God. It’s not that we are doubting God but rather understanding His ways better so that we can step out iun faith with confidence but not foolishness or presumption.

 

Many have gone astray in their faith because they wrongly assumed that just because something appeared to them to be supernatural that it was automatically from God. Remember satan is the master deceiver and spoiler, and so the Bible teaches that we are to ‘test the spirits’ (1 John 4:1).

 

Then too, you may be driven by something that you personally want in your ‘flesh’, and the impression you have received actually originates in your own heart and not from God. You may even desire something that is in general good in itself, but not necessarily God’s specific plan for you at this time.

 

Here are some ways in which you can ‘test’ what you feel are Holy Spirit leadings / impressions.

 

  • Does it agree with scripture?
  • Does it make you more like Christ?
  • Does your trusted church oversight confirm it?
  • Is it within what you know to be your calling?
  • What is the time frame? Now or later?

 

God does not mind you being cautious while you learn to accurately discern His voice. You certainly don’t want to be distracted or even deceived into thinking what you have heard or seen in the spirit is from God when it is not.

 

Maturity involves not rushing headlong into things without God’s leading, and then trying to force God’s hand to bless you in the endeavor. People like this get all upset when things don’t pan out and they start to question God’s promises, when all along God was not leading them.

 

So, best to ‘test all things’ and get confirmation.