How can you tell whether it's God speaking to you or the devil?

Question

Last year, I had a very strong feeling that I ought to do something, and I thought God must be telling me to do it. But it turned out to be very wrong, and now I think it must have been the devil. But how could I have known?

Answer 1

By comparing any feelings to what the bible says. God will never contradict His word.

Answer 2

Well, you can tell the believers from the non-believers by their answers. Whatever you did taught you a lesson. Don't beat yourself up for it. When you get those feelings again go to God in prayer. Ask him to show you what is right. The devil is very powerful and wants us to submit to him. Personally, I will say: "Go away devil!" and that seems to help me. The gut feeling you get is God speaking to you. You will have to decide if he is telling you yes or no. How do you know? There will be signs and if you look back I'll bet you can now see those signs. The devil makes us want things and distorts our thinking... devil - (d) evil! Very evil! I wish you a great life! Never forget God loves you - the other does not.

Answer 3

before doing what you were told to do, pray and seek the word of God that is the bible for answer, if you dont see any relevance or connection at all to what is in the bible, then it aint from God. Sometime you also have to think that maybe you just want to do something and when your subconsciousness keeps repeating that desire it becomes like a calling from God, but please dont blame it on God if it went wrong. More often than not we still decide on our own volition what to do, lets keep God and the devil out of the question. Be in a prayerful mode rather than imaginative.

Answer 4

God ask us to do little more than love one another. If you feel you should do something more elaborate it's probably wrong. The "devil" makes no one do anything and doesn't suggest. Your ego makes you come up with things to help you win acceptance, wealth or control. Ask yourself how you'll benefit. If it's a real good thing you wish to do try doing it and keeping it a secret.
You'll be fine if you just love others.

Answer 5

Some times we get a strong urge to do something, but that doesn't always mean that it is God or the devil. Sometimes it is just something that we ourselves want to do. If God wants you to do something, you will know that it is from God, no question about it. And if it is from God the out come will be right.

Answer 6

I'm sure you have parents. Well consider this... If you were In a crowd of 50 people and everybody was talking,and your mother/father called out to you. Would you reconize their voice ? The answer Is YES. You know why ? Because you have had a relationship with them. Same way with God.. You must have a relationship with Him to know His voice,otherwise He Is a stranger to you when He speaks,leaving you unsure.

Answer 7

God will not tell you to do evil, he will not lead you wrong, perhaps it was more just doing what you wanted instead of doing things God's way. God will tell you nothing that contradicts his written word. Example: If God is telling you to kill someone or commit adultery, that is not God. Evil has no power over you unless you allow it, with God things are not iffy, they come naturally. I don't know what you did, but you chose to do it, God could be leading the way he wants though, when one door closes another is opened.

Answer 8

Greetings dear child of God,
The Devil deceives all people with false promises.Ask God to help you,resist the Devil.He will help you.Temptation is indeed needed for Christian growth,But we must not trust it.Surrender to God your whole self,and depend on him for everything.Keep on Praying all the time.Read The Bible(The Word of God) everyday.Peace Be With you.
Keeping you in my prayers.

Answer 9

The best method is to project yourself into the future and use hindsight to determine whether the 'feeling' about what you ought to do is the proper route.

If you start now, systematically projecting yourself back to crucial moments in your past and giving yourself advice about the proper choices, eventually the past will catch up to you and you'll be receiving constant advice and help from your future self.

From that point forward all you have to do is listen carefully.

Answer 10

As you look back, what made you decide God was leading you? I don't know the answer to that, of course, but I suspect the reason was an emotional conviction on your part—a strong feeling that this path must be right.

But our feelings and emotions can be tricky, and they can deceive us—especially if we depend on them alone for making a decision. God has given us our emotions, and they are important—but God also has given us our mental abilities, and when we face a decision, we also need to look at it carefully and logically. Part of discerning God's will is to ask Him to help us see all sides of an issue—sometimes with help from others we trust.

Emotion and intellect aren't enough, however. When we face a decision, we need to do it prayerfully, trusting God to lead us. We also need to do it in light of God's Word, the Bible. God will never lead you to do something that is not in accord with the Bible—never.

The Bible says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6). Make sure of your commitment to Christ, and then submit every decision you face to Him. When we sincerely want God's will above all else, He will help us know what is right.

Granny<3

Answer 11

Ask Ur self, what would god want me to do, then ask ur self what the devil would tempt me to do.....That should answer that....If that does not work, life is full of hard decision i hope make the right ones.