God is not limited in His expression of love and how He communicates with his children. He is eager to speak to us while we go through the normal routines and seasons of life. As His children, we should be open to whatever means by which He chooses to speak to us. A few of these ways come to mind: Scripture, sermons, sacred music, fellow Christians and written material.

This list is in no way exhaustive and as you grow in your faith, you may find that God uses other means to speak to you. However, always remember that the Bible is the filter through which we measure all such messages.

One of the ways God speaks to me is through books. On one occasion while going through my library, a quote from the cover of a book I had never really been interested in reading jumped at me: “It takes two people to make a lie work; the person who tells it and the one who believes it.” With the book in hand, I considered the impact of this statement, how it spoke significantly to the events occurring at that particular time in my life. I was jolted by the simplicity through which God caught my attention.

Thereafter, God began challenging me concerning the basis of my core beliefs, many of which were informed by past mistakes, familial upbringing and life. In turn, I began to understand more deeply that I am a product of what I think and that a wrong belief system affects my relationship with God and others negatively (Proverbs 4:23). The father of lies and accuser of the saints is also eagerly waiting to cement deception subtly, with devastating results. Like a good legalist, his strategy is always to convince you of your inadequacy in observing the law, consequently leading the believer to think that they must do more to receive what Christ died for them to freely obtain.

That day years ago marked the beginning of truth seeking, a process that is ongoing and life changing. Being intentional about our thoughts is critical if we are to live the abundant life that God intends for us to live. The bible tells us to take captive of every thought that exalts itself above the knowledge of God (2nd Corinthians 10:5). This means that I should not be passive when it comes to my thought life. I should actively align my thinking to what God says about me and the situations I find myself in. Here are a few tips I have found helpful in testing what I hear and think.

1. The voice of God is never condemning

Even when God is correcting you, his motivations are always backed by love and the desire to redeem. Many times we hear accusatory thoughts in our minds concerning our failings and past mistakes long after we have repented. These thoughts are always ambiguous with no end in sight. God is not a God of confusion and neither does He keep a record of wrong (1st Corinthians 13:5). The blood of Jesus has wiped your past, current and future sin, therefore, your attitude should be one of resting in the finished work of Christ (Romans 8:1-2).

2. The voice of God always seeks to reconcile

The ministry of the cross is essentially reconciliation (Ephesians 2:14, 19-22). God is eager to restore and build relationships, beginning with himself, our family and the church (Psalm 68:5-6a). Where there is division and hatred there you will find the spirit of the anti-Christ at work. Put aside any thought that seems antagonistic to community, especially the church. Satan would have you view your godly relationships in a negative light so as to cause isolation that leads to destruction. While God calls for many seasons of solitude and separation in a believer’s life, these are always centered in community and accountability.

3. The voice of God esteems the bible highly

As mentioned above, everything we hear must align with God’s infallible word. We should therefore be students of scripture. Like the Bereans who weighed up Paul’s teachings, searching scripture to see if what he was teaching was true (Acts 17:11), we should not be afraid of questioning the validity of our thoughts and what we hear. The bible is very clear that in the last days, there will arise false prophets (Matthew 24:11), many of whom shall cause supernatural events to occur. Let our heart’s be then focused on Jesus Christ and His word and test every thought with scripture alone.

You may be struggling to align your thoughts with scripture. Maybe like me, you may have felt like you could never win against the constant barraging of your mind; the consistent flow of lies and accusations. Nevertheless, God is inviting you to go deeper with Him. Start with your identity in Christ. What does He say about you? Don’t look at your experiences to show you the depth of His love for you. Fight for your mind with the mighty weapons at your disposal (2nd Corinthians 10:4). And you don’t have to do this alone, enlist the help of the community of believers around you, those you can trust and open up to freely.

I would like to hear from you. How are you gaining victory over this area? In addition, feel free to leave a prayer request in the comments section as we pray together for your release. You are precious, honored and loved!