Posted April 18, 2013
How can you tell if you think God may be telling you something or if it’s just your girly imagination?
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Being a good help meet starts long before marriage. It is a mindset, a learned habit, a way of life established as a young unmarried girl—or at least that’s the way it should be. Nearly every wife will confess that the first year or two of married life was—how shall I say it—a frustrating learning experience.
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God speaks to us through His Word. He confirms His Word through godly men and Titus 2 women who study and teach it faithfully. He also confirms it through answers to prayer, spiritual gifts, and the prosperity of the soul. These things are received by those who “are the called”, who have sought Him with sincerity, and those to whom He has made Himself known (the elect).
The Bible tells us that our hearts ponder wickedness continually. We are “vain” in the “imaginations of our heart” from our youth up (Gen. 8:21, Jer. 11:8, Rom. 1:21, etc.). We all seek “vain glory” and are steeped in selfishness. In other words, the only thoughts we can trust are those we think and pray “in the spirit” (Eph. 6:18). A person who is in the spirit has “crucified” or “mortified” her flesh, which means that she has (at least temporarily) denied her own will in order to do God’s will. A spiritually mature Christian accomplishes this by “letting the words of Christ dwell in her richly” (Col 3:16). In other words, the thoughts and words she considers and speaks are the words of scripture (1 Pet. 4:11).
When we utter the unchecked imaginations of our heart (say them out loud), they defile us (Matt. 15:11). They expressly prove that our nature is sinful and vain. This is why self-control and the guarding of our tongues are so important. This is also why we are told to take captive all our thoughts to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).
If you want to know whether or not your thoughts are in accordance with God’s will, you must read the Bible to find out what His will is. If what you’re looking for is the answer to a “not-so-simple” matter (such as whether or not a boy likes you, or will be your husband one day), then your job is to remain a faithful student of the Word while waiting on the answer (“attend upon the Lord without distraction” 1 Cor. 7:35).
Because even the hairs on your head are counted by your loving Father/God, no matter is too small for Him, and He will provide you with an answer in His time. Be patient and wait for it. “…your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” Matt. 6:32b-33.
What a great question!! For a long time I struggled with this, and the reason was because I so longed to hear God speak to me. So whenever I talked to Him, I gave Him time to speak to my heart, but then Satan kept trying to put other thoughts in my head so I got confused. I would suggest reading the book, “How to Listen to God.” It is a great eye opener!
I will quote a passage from chapter 4: “Jesus made it clear in John 10:27 that the believer’s normal experience is to hear God accurately. ‘My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.’ If we as believers walk in the Spirit, understand the meaning of the Cross, and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and live His life through us, then it should be easy for us to distinguish whether the voice we hear is of God, the flesh, or the devil. The natural walk of Spirit-filled, committed believers s such that when God speaks, we can identify His voice. Some mature Christians have had experience in listening to God, and they can distinguish between God’s voice and another’s. For others, especially young Christians, is it a bit more of a problem. A sheep who has been with a shepherd for many years is better equipped to hear the shepherds voice, but that is not true for the newborn lambs. Since we know that the holy Scriptures teach us that all believers, young and old, should clearly discern the voice of God, let’s look at some scriptural guidelines that will help us determine the mind of God as we sift through what seem to be the conflicting voices…”
It is a great book to have and I have learned a LOT!!! I’m not quite sure however, that the Scriptural references are KJV, but the author (Charles Stanley) knows what he’s talking about. Praying that you’ll recognize what the voice of God is, and the voice of your own thoughts!! 🙂 God bless.
Gen_8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
Luk_1:51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
Read the story of Noah and how he destroyed the wicked in imagination in those days. Read the story about Mary and the conception of Christ and how God separated the wicked in the pride of their imagination. God continues to separate the proud in their imagination especially those who do not submit to Christ and continue to live in the flesh.
The answer to this question can depend on what situation you are in during your life:
The flesh comes up with cooky and even wicked imaginative things. The flesh thinks it can win the lottery. The flesh thinks it can have multiple children with multiple different men. The flesh thinks it can wash 80 dishes, sew a garment and study for Phd in 15 minutes while selling stuff on E-bay. These thoughts are unreal and we need to bring them in line with God’s word through relationship with Christ. When you are single and unmarried, it is wise to find your fleshly limitations. A father or brother can protect you from making unwise choices like walking alone even on a “safe” suburban street. A father or brother can protect you from believing a college that will teach you that man will live on the moon one day (it can’t as woman can’t have natural birth there due to gravitational differences)…When marriage comes, the imagination needs to be realistic in regards to expectations of your husband. Don’t expect the world to like the fact that his wife stays home with no children….When 3 + children come, don’t expect more from your children than you could expect from yourself. If you home-birth, your dreams can actually lead you to what will happen in your childbirth situation. The same goes for grandparenting and in-laws…..Back up your imagination up with logic, commonsense, biblical truth, trusted individuals who can see what we cannot see ourselves etc.
The answer to this question does NOT depend upon the situation you are in during your life:
If you accidentally marry a muslim or an evolutionary humanist or the family, you will have to follow God’s word (It is possible as I have Arabian Christian relatives persecuted by muslims). If you marry a Godly man who reads Gods word and studies it regularly, you will have to follow God’s word. If you are single and are working for a humanist hospital system you will have to follow God’s word. If you are a widow, your children were killed by muslim terrorists and are driving a bus in an arabian country where all the followers imagine that bowing to a black rock will give them spiritual strength, you will still have to follow God’s word.
Ok….so the point is. To “check” to see if your imagination is backed by truth, talk to a trusted older woman friend about something you believe is quirky or even possibly true (for example: saying I had a dream about my cousin doing this or that). Talk to your natural father or brother. Talk to God directly about it. Don’t assume without wisdom and such. Muslims have come to know Christ because the imagination developed in their dreams led them to certain Christians who could explain bible to them;)…….
Pro_12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
The best way to see if your imagination is “quirky” or possibly true is to seek the counsel of others…..Even forums count as counsel especially if it is godly.
For safe records, if you imagine someone or think of someone, write their name down in a prayer list, say a prayer for them to overcome bondage or burden. Schedule daily prayer for them. This will help you grow spiritually and who knows, maybe God had a plan for them to visit you. Feed your spirit and the fleshly non-sense imaginations and worries will flee far away.
I hope that information helps, I’ve gone through depression and found a way out with God’s word.
I had a point on what kingsdaughter7 said:
Some mature Christians have had experience in listening to God, and they can distinguish between God’s voice and another’s. For others, especially young Christians, is it a bit more of a problem. A sheep who has been with a shepherd for many years is better equipped to hear the shepherds voice, *****but that is not true for the newborn lambs.***** Since we know that the holy Scriptures teach us that all believers, young and old, should clearly discern the voice of God, let’s look at some scriptural guidelines that will help us determine the mind of God as we sift through what seem to be the conflicting voices…”
About that how its not that easy for lambs. It made me think that lambs follow their Mama’s who ARE experienced at listening to God’s word. That’s a perfect example for what we should do. We should follow our parents, spiritual leaders and wiser Christians. BUT after we give our different ‘thoughts’ to them and ask for advice (counsel) we must then ‘re-test’ it so to speak and run it by God again. And pray before and after (and continually) for your parents, spiritual leaders and wise Christian friends/family. This is a good way (and advised in scripture) to get help here.
Like once I told my parents about a ‘love’ I thought I had for this guy and how I really ‘believed’ God said he was mine. They simply replied, “He’s very immature and childish.” Both things I (in my day-dreaming, for that’s all it was) had over looked and told myself wasn’t there.
Since then I have found great wisdom in their advice. That was about five years ago and I see exactly what they meant. Now satan still whispers and I’ve found he REALLY likes using my dreams to ‘tell’ me things. I have to continually line everything up with what God’s word and the more you soak yourself in his word and in prayer with him, you WILL learn his voice and his caring character! And remember he counts everyone of your hairs, so he’ll be sure to care about everything in your life, even your walk to get the mail! 🙂
And ask him to ‘show himself’ to you! He will answer you!