Hearing His Voice #347

Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. But he did not inquire of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 10:13-14, NKJV

God wants us to seek His voice, promises to speak to us, and often uses a variety of ways to express and confirm His message. But that doesn’t mean we can hear Him through any means we choose. There are plenty of counterfeits out there, and they can be dangerous. God is not the only spiritual entity who speaks; the kingdom of darkness has voices too. We have to be very prayerful and very careful.

God warns us clearly and emphatically not to consult with “mediums or . . . those who consult the spirits of the dead” (Leviticus 19:31). He calls that “spiritual prostitution” (Leviticus 20:6). Nor are we to give any attention to clairvoyance, astrology, fortune-telling, witchcraft, divination, or any similar attempt to tap into supernatural knowledge from unknown or ungodly sources. No, we are to listen to God alone—His Word, His Spirit, and His people. He may speak through circumstances, events, and ideas that are otherwise spiritually neutral, but whatever we think we hear must be measured by His written Word, taken to Him in prayer, and accompanied by a sincere desire for discernment. Anything else is like drinking mysterious substances indiscriminately and hoping they aren’t poisonous.

Don’t assume all spiritual voices express spiritual truth. They don’t. Many messages in our world are lies from the kingdom of darkness. Ask God about them. We don’t just want to hear from spiritual sources; we want to hear from God. In order to open our ears to Him, we have to close our ears to counterfeits. The stakes are high. Whatever you think you’ve heard, take it to God, to His Word, and to trusted and spiritually mature advisers for discernment.

Lord, I don’t want to be so afraid of counterfeits that I also shut my ears to You. But I do want to be discerning. Help me to spot counterfeits quickly and accurately. And silence any voices of darkness in my life.