How can I know it's God?

“Risikili” – Part 3 – How can I know it's God?

We continue with RiSiKiLi−

                       You know, Read it, study it, know it, live it.

 

In my last post we established that God knew His plan for each of us before we were born and that our enemy/God’s enemy will try to derail the plan if we’re not vigilant. Also we spoke of abundant life and God’s desire that we attain His idea of abundant life, which is far beyond anything we could dream up. 

     

Photo by Margot Pandone

So let’s continue looking at how God’s Word plays a role in this. We need to examine our personal desires in every aspect of life. In order to line up our highest desires with His highest desires for us, we must get to know Him and His nature. By prayerfully reading and studying His Word we get to know God. In reading the four gospels− Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John− we learn about Jesus. In knowing Jesus, we know  God. 

As we know Him better, we begin to recognize His unfailing love for us. As we comprehend this matchless love, we will trust Him more. As we trust Him more, we begin to step out in faith more boldly into the path He designed for us. 

The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble (Proverbs 3:18-19).

If we’re listening, God will speak to us through His Word. Yes, He speaks to us in other ways as well− such through another Christian or by His Own Spirit speaking to our own spirit. But the only way to prove we’ve heard a Word from God and be certain that it really came from God is to see that it lines up with His written Word.  Many people take action on what they thought was a Word from God, to simply later find themselves disillusioned and confused.  

Just today, I heard someone say that he knows a man who says he doesn’t need to read his Bible. He just listens to the Holy Spirit. Whoa! That sounds scary! When we think God is telling us something, we need to prove it against His Word. The Holy Spirit will never tell us anything that does not line us with God’s Word—the Bible.    

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). 

And another thing− if we want to hear from God, it’s imperative that we pray. We need to talk to Him and listen for Him to talk back to us. 

And remember, as we said last time, Satan does indeed have a plan for each of us and one of the best ways to begin to walk out Satan’s plan is to walk in our own plan.  The road of my own plan will eventually merge right into his.  So many blindly choose this route and then wonder how their life turned out so disappointing. Often they will attribute it to “bad luck.”  Well, luck has nothing to do with it and the word “luck” is not in my Bible.  Bad luck is a commonly used excuse for consequences resulting from not walking in God’s Truth.

 

So how can one know this “Truth,” in order to walk in it?  Since “Truth” and God’s Word are synonymous, the answers are waiting in the pages of His Scriptures.  

“There is no such thing as health or growth in Christian living apart from a clear priority on the place of the Bible in the life of the individual or the group.” Jack Hayford 

Let’s pray these psalms > Lord, I ask that You “Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul” (Psalm 143:8).  “Guide me in Your truth and teach me” (Psalm 25:5). In Jesus name--- AMEN. 

Photo by Joshua Sortino