The Devil's Playground

How is it that we think we hear from God, we pray, we journal, we act on the direction that we believe God is leading, only to find out we were wrong. Sometimes we take stands, for or against a person or position based on these inclinations, intuitions, and nudges from a supernatural source . . . that we assume to be our Heavenly Father. How is it that we can believe so strongly that we've heard God's voice and leading and yet . . . find ourselves even more confused by what we find to be quite the opposite?

How can we trust ourselves then, to those misleading impulses? These impulses can lead us to hurt others, even though we would never want that to happen. These impulses can lead us to find ourselves confused and dazed in the aftermath of revealed truth. They can make us afraid to trust that it is even possible to hear God speak to us at all.

Can this happen to faithful, well grounded Christians? YOU BETCHA!

God is supernatural . . . but we are not. We are simply humans trying to be in relationship with an untangible (as we know it) Savior, that only by faith can we truly grasp.

So, the original question then is . . . how is it that we can miss God? There are more ways to respond to this, then there are people on this planet. But, let me address it this way. OUR MINDS! Phineas Drake in his book "God's Plan For Man" says this:
"The greatest danger for spiritual believers is to accept anything and everything in the realm of the supernatural as being from God. Such believers have consecratd themselves to yield to the Holy Spirit and the leadings of God, and they think that they cannot be deceived and be led by evil spirits through counterfeit docrines and leadings. But the fact that the believer is a child of God does not stop the devil from trying in every conceivable way to imitate God to the believer. In fact, believers are the ones he concentrates upon and wars against. Paul said, "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2 Cor. 11:14-15). This makes it clear that counterfeitrs of satan will be substitutes of truth and as near to the light and truth as possible in order to deceive seekers after truth."

I'm also reminded of the verse in the Bible that says that "every intent of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5) Let it be clear, that in scripture, the word mind and heart are often used interchangeably. For example, "And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart . . ." (Lk 9:47)and, "O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart toward You. (1 Ch 29:18). (There are many, many more scriptures that prove this, but for this writing, let these two suffice.)

Therefore, friends, we can not follow our heart, or our mind. We must follow our spirit, the very spirit of God, and be led by faith. There are times when the thoughts of our hearts and minds are shaded through a lense that is distorted by the words of others, or our own fears, or even by seeds that are planted through "many counselors." These often turn out to be what I call "evil reports." Ah, but that is another article all together.

The only way I know how to learn to hear God successfully is by stepping out in faith each time you are nudged. When you find that you were wrong, let those be learning experiences. I find those many times of error in my life, has been the very times that I learned what, who and how, God DOESN'T sound; which has helped me to learn who, what, and how, God DOES sound. One thing is for sure. God won't be found in all the noise . . . but in the still small voice (I Kings 19). So, get alone and listen. And if you're wrong . . . then admit that you are, humble yourself, and keep trying!