The enemy has been SOOO very busy at
work trying to get me to break and to give in. He's been doing so by trying to
fill my head with his lies about my life and how this walk with Christ is in
vain, how going to church is in vain, how abstaining from sex is in vain, how
not listening to certain music and not watching certain TV shows/movies is
in vain, how staying away from certain people and places (clubs, parties, bars,
etc..) are all in vain. So I've began to listen to those voices. I began to slowly
believe that this walk with Christ must be in vain because look at my life,
look at my failures, look at my family, look at where I'm at... so maybe
"this Christian lifestyle" isn't for me because I'm still in this
situation in life, I keep failing at this one particular thing, my family has
it's struggles, I'm still praying for the same things and nothing is changing
so what is the point on living for Christ???!
As I'm sitting here just listening
to all those different voices talking in my head I heard this one tiny,
small voice in the back of my head that is different from all the rest and it
says: "Whose voice are you listening to?" and after hearing that
stopped for a second and focused on it; I drained out all the other voices
and just began to cry because I knew that that tiny, small voice was God's. I
knew it was His because there was such a peace that overcame me and quieted
everything around me. And that small voice began to whisper truth into me. And
It began to tell me that this Christian walk is Not in vain, the situation
that I'm in is Not in vain, my failures are NOT in vain, what my family is
going through is NOT in vain, where I'm at in this exact moment/season
in my life is NOT in vain!
I don't know who you are, or where
you are in life but I'm here to tell you that this walk with Christ IS NOT IN
VAIN! The enemy might try to lie and tell you differently but I'm here to
speak the truth to you and over you! So don't give up because it gets tough, or
because your prayers aren't answered (yet), or because you feel like you're
stuck in the same situation, or because your family isn't "perfect",
or because you keep failing over and over again... just get back up, pray,
repent, and try again with God's help!
I want to help you differentiate the
voice of God to the voice of the enemy (Satan) to help give you some
key insight on how to differentiate between whose voice you are
hearing and listening to.
God's voice...
1) Stills you...
2) Leads you...
3) Reassures you...
4) Enlightens you...
5) Encourages you...
6) Comforts you...
7) Calms you...
8) Convicts you...
You see in the craziness of our busy
lives, God's voice stills us...
"Be
still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be
exalted in the earth." ~Psalm 46:10
When we seem to forget and have
lost our way, God's voice leads us...
"Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For
You I wait all the day."
~ Psalm 25:4-5
When we are at our lowest, God's
voice reassures us...
"Fear
not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When
you pass through the waters, I will be with you...For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." ~Isaiah 43:1-3
When our life seems dim and we
can't see clearly God's voice enlightens us...
"For
You are my lamp, O Lord; The Lord shall enlighten my darkness."
~2 Samuel 22:29
When we are discouraged God's voice
encourages us...
"This
is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For
the Lord your God is with you
wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9
When we are in discomfort, God's
voice comforts us...
"He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort
others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort
God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower
us with his comfort through Christ." ~ 2 Corinthians 1:4-5
When we go through storms/trials in
our life, God's voice calms us...
The
righteous call to the Lord, and he listens; he rescues them from all their
troubles. ~ Psalm 34:17
When we are living unrighteous,
God's voice convicts us...
"He
will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the
coming judgment." ~ John 16:8
On the other hand; Satan's voice...
1) Rushes you...
2) Pushes you...
3) Frightens you...
4) Confuses you...
5) Discourages you...
6) Worries you...
7) Obsesses you...
8) Condemns you...
Satan's voice rushes you and makes
you feel like you are the only one "not doing it" whatever
"it" may be. Whether it be him rushing you to get into a relationship
that God specifically told you to wait on Him for or rushing you out of
the season that you are in and makes you get impatient because situations still
look the same and he causes you to become weary and uncomfortable in
it because you can't see anything prospering or growing from
it.. Rushed urgings are usually of the enemy. God's Spirit may "hound"
you by softly and repeatedly bringing something to mind, but be suspicious of
anything that makes you feel driven in any way obsessed. The voice of the Good
Shepherd is gentle, familiar sounding and loving. It leaves you a sense of
spiritual uplift and rejoicing, never fright (John 10:3-5, 14-16, 27-28).
He also tries to install fear in you
by making you feel like you will never be used by God because of your past
mistakes. Another thing is that Satan confuses you, he tries to cloud out God's
voice because the bible says that God is not the author of confusion, but of
peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). Satan will try everything to discourage
you from the call that God has over your life. He will tell you that because
you gave your body away before marriage that God will never be able to use you,
he will even tell you that you're not good enough to be used by God, or my
favorite no one will ever listen to you. Don't allow the enemy to
discourage you from your calling! Someone out in this world is depending on your
obedience to God, they are waiting to hear your story, your testimony about the
goodness and mercies of God. Satan will try to worry you but in Matthew 6:25
Jesus says; "Do not worry about your life..." Satan
will make you obsess over things that don't have no value, he will also try to
condemn you. A lot of people get confused with being condemned and being
convicted, that is why having the spirit of discernment is so
important. John 3:17 says "For God did not send his Son into
the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
When the Holy Spirit convicts/corrects
us, He is going to correct and discipline us and show us what we did wrong. He
is going to get in and get out. He is not going to badger us or nag at us about
the same thing. He is going to show us the mistake, lay it upon our heart to
repent and ask for forgiveness and then He is going to expect us to move on. He
will keep convicting us until we do something about it. On the other hand when
we receive condemnation from the Satan, it is different. He wants us to think
on what we did wrong and let it build up inside us. Hoping we will take on the
emotions of guilt, regret, blame and shame. He wants these emotions to plant a
seed inside us; telling us that we are no good, that we will do it again and
nobody is going to forgive us for our mistakes.
So the question that I have for you
is this: Whose voice are you listening to... God's voice or Satan's
voice?? You are listening to one of these voices and it's time to pray
for discernment so that you will be able to differentiate between the two.
I love you all and I'm praying for
you! Stay blessed!! :)
Your sis in Christ,
~Joy J. <3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enxca57LiVU
