Validation
Scripture Reading - 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The child of a parent should know the voice of their very own parent. The employee of a company should know the voice of his supervisor and/or manager. Likewise, a soldier in the army should (and better) know the precise voice of their commanding officer. Knowing the voice of your leader is vital to following the directions/instruction of that leader. This distinct sound may not always be a voice of encouragement or comfort but this same voice will also include some rebuke and correction. The key to being a faithful follower is to know and obey their specific guidance. Likewise, the key to pleasing God is to know and obey the voice of God’s Word (which is Jesus Christ). Many people wonder about the voice of God and even worse many people think they are accurately hearing from God when they are not. This is partly because learning to accurately hear God’s voice takes time, obedience and quietness. To expound upon that we (ihlcc) mean you have to spend time talking and listening to God to correctly discern His voice. This causes some people a problem because in the natural your parents talk a lot to you and they also have a lot to say about you. Thus, people grow-up always hearing something from the parents whether they like it or not. Yes, this is even true for your boss or commanding officer, he or she will typically communicate to you their will, both in person or identifying themselves over the phone. Once they give you their thoughts (plans, instructions) you are then expected to carry them out (fulfill their words). Naturally this is easier because there is no opposition impersonating your parents or boss or commanding officer. Of course with God there is a very real enemy constantly twisting God’s Word to make people think they are obeying God by following deceptive guidance? Not only, does the enemy of all righteousness twist God’s Word in an effort to bend good intentions but he will also lie about the interpretation of God’s Word to have you walk in disobedience to God knowing that all disobedience to God is sin. Yes, even still many people (unbelievers) and wicked spirits are set against God’s Kingdom to propagate the lesser kingdom of darkness. The evil one knows those who truly know their rights, benefits, privileges and authority in Christ Jesus can walk free and victoriously over all the works of darkness. This is why we are finally getting to the point of this article. We (ihlcc) never wish to glorify the works of darkness but we needed to mention the main problem before we could preach/teach on the solution. The process to secure God’s Voice in your own heart is known as “validation”. The process in itself is not very hard to do if you love God with all your heart because then you will find strength and comfort from just being in His Presence. This is why we stated earlier that time is necessary and the time we are specifically speaking about is spending private personal time in God’s Word. Notice today’s scripture said “study to show thyself” which is one way to say “study to get revelation”. You see our faith friend God, our Heavenly Father and His Holy Spirit within already have a complete revelation of Jesus Christ because they know Him intimately and personally. They not only know His Heart but they completely understand His motives. They also are keenly sensitive to His mannerism and words. Likewise, we must study God’s Holy Written Word to understand God the Father, Jesus the Son of God and to comprehend the Love of God in the person of the Holy Spirit. Remember, we stated that the building of this relationship takes time and there are no shortcuts, period! Time and attention to the details of God’s Word will give you the specific details you really need to know about God in your time upon this earth. Secondly we said obedience is required to accurately hear God’s voice because the Lord speaks to those who listen. God is not as foolish as men which means God doesn’t waste His Holy Precious Words on people with no heart for Him but rather God shares His thoughts with those special people who cherish what He says to them. Not everyone who hears God’s Voice is willing to obey God’s Word. Why, because every person has their own will and the choice between doing what you want (will) do to and going against your will for God’s sake is not always a simple decision in the Lord’s favor. No, we have seen quite the contrary with many people in the world and also we have seen even God’s own beloved children quickly dismiss God’s Word when it is not convenient for them to do it. Thirdly, we said one must be quiet before God to accurately hear His Voice. This means a quiet heart is in the proper position (a humble condition) to hear from a typically quiet God. Since the Lord is very selective in what He speaks He doesn’t speak all day long in hopes that maybe one time during the day you will be listening. No, on the contrary God will specifically wait until you are quiet and He has your attention before He will release His Holy Precious Word unto you. Yes, typically when noise is surrounding your hearing it is very difficult to hear anything. Likewise, if you are spiritually noisy it will be a challenge to hear from God. Spiritually noisy basically means your heart is full of carnal matters and the carnal mind is the enemy of God. If clutter fills your heart it will run interference to your hearing actually from God. Yes, it is spiritual to take care of your family but you should not always be careful about your family. Yes, it is spiritual to want to do a good job at work but you should not be so careful about your job that you put your job (and boss) before God and your family. Yes, we (ihlcc) believe it is spiritual to fight for your country but your love for country should never outweigh your love for God, His Word or the people you live with. Hopefully, you get our point you must be willing to run everything you hear in your heart through the test (filter) of God’s Word to prove it is definitely the Lord speaking to you. Not only must you find Holy Bible verses to “validate” what you heard but you must also be sure that whatever you heard was presented in the Loving compassionate Spirit of God. Yes, even if you can quote a scripture it still doesn’t mean that God told you to do it. Satan, proved that when he tempted Jesus. Thanks, be to God that Jesus knew both God’s Word in its original context so He could accurately interpret it but He also knew the kindness and love of God in which to receive The Word from His Heavenly Father. Once we as beloved children of God learn to discipline ourselves to spend time in God’s Word we will also appreciate the many blessing of obedience to God’s Word. Then we will grow quieter inside to more increasingly experience the fullness of God on the outside. This process of “validation” is critical to our survival upon plant earth and it will also greatly benefit our journey once in Heaven. So take the time necessary to “validate God’s Voice” spoken in line with His Word and then obey God’s direction in Jesus Name. If you are not sure if it is God speaking to you simply take more time in God’s Word to produce more quietness to initiate more obedience in your latter end in Jesus Name. Amen!