How does one know if its the Holy Spirit talking talking to you, or if its ones own thinking trying to reason?

Question

oneself into thinking its God's Holy Spirit leading him or her?

Answer 1

All evangelical religionists believe in the leadership of the Holy Spirit. However most make the mistake of thinking the things they are led to do by their own subjective feelings, their urges, or their experiences are the things the Spirit has led them to do. Consequently, there are devout and sincere people going off in every direction, all attributing their direction to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. If all of these were truly being led by the Spirit of God, then God would be the author of confusion, but 1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace as in all of the churches of the saints.” Furthermore, such leadership would be somewhat ambiguous, since it would depend upon our properly interpreting our feelings, our urges, and our experiences. Would it not be much better if the Holy Spirit just communicated God’s message to us by telling us in words what he would have us to know?

Some will be surprised to know that is the way the Holy Spirit does, and always has, communicated God’s message to man. How did Adam and Eve know they were not to eat of the tree in the midst of the Garden of Eden? Was it because of their feelings, their urges, or their experiences? No, it was because “the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)
How did God lead Noah to believe he was to build an ark? Was it by causing him to have certain feelings, certain urges, or certain experiences? No, it was like this: “And God said unto Noah… Make thee an ark of gopher wood…” (Genesis 6:13-14)
How did Abraham know he wanted him to leave his home country and move into a land God would show him? The answer is in Genesis 12:1: “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee.”
As one journeys through the Bible he will observe that God’s message to man was always communicated by speaking words to him, and never by man’s feelings, urges, or experiences.

Numerous passages show that the Holy Spirit is a speaking spirit. David declared, “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.” (2 Samuel 23:2) Peter said, “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.” (Acts 1:16) Paul wrote, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith…” (1 Timothy 4:1) The second and third chapters of Revelation contain letters from the Lord to the seven churches of Asia. In each of those seven letters may be found the admonition, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22) These passages show that the manner of the Spirit’s communicating his message to man is by speaking words. This takes the guesswork out of whether or not we are actually receiving a message from God.

If, however, the Spirit “moves” different people by communicating to them in different ways, there is no objective way to determine what is true. One person could say the Spirit told me “A” is true and “B” is false, while another could say just the opposite; “A” is false and “B” is true. There would be no way for any to tell which (if either) was correct.

This, however, is not the case in the Bible. Note those in Acts 17:11 could “search the Scriptures daily” to see if the things they were taught was true. The Spirit teaching through the Scriptures gives us all we need. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:3)

Finally, the Spirit revealing something to one man without revealing it to all would make Him a respecter of persons, something the Bible clearly says He is not! With the Spirit speaking through the Scriptures, however, it is available to all. We are “called” by the gospel! (2 Thessalonians 2:14) It is through hearing the word of God that we come to have faith! (Romans 10:17, John 21:25) It is through the things written in the scriptures that we can know if we are saved! (1 John 5:13)

It is through the inspired scriptures that we receive and are guided by the Holy Spirit!

How does the Holy Spirit speak to us?

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” (Hebrews 1:1-2)

In times past God spoke in various ways, but now he speaks to us by His Son.

So how does God speak to us through Jesus? How has Jesus appointed for God’s message to be delivered?

In Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15, we see that Jesus told his disciples to “Go… preach”! In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul told Timothy to deliver the message to faithful men who in turn could teach others also. This is how God speaks to us today!

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

Notice all of the examples of conversion in the book of Acts. None of them received revelation directly from God telling them how to be saved. The message was always delivered by the preaching of men!

Saul heard the voice of Jesus. When he asked, “What would you have me to do”, Jesus could have told him, but instead he sent Ananias to tell him what he “must do”. (Acts 9) Saul learned he needed to “arise and be baptized" (Acts 22:16) because Ananias told him.

Cornelius had a vision from an angel. The angel did not, however, tell him how to be saved. Instead, he told Cornelius, “Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.” Cornelius learned about salvation from the preaching of Peter.

In Acts 8, the Spirit told Phillip to go teach the Eunuch. The Spirit could have appeared directly to the Eunuch, but He did not. Phillip taught him. That is not how God has appointed for men to learn of the Gospel.

This is exactly how the Spirit speaks to us today! The New Testament was written by inspiration of God, and when we hear or read those words, we learn what God desires for us to know! We should compare all doctrine to the scriptures to see if it is true! (Acts 17:11)

There is no New Testament example of a lost person being saved through a direct action of the Spirit. It was always through the preaching of the gospel. “Faith comes by hearing… the word of God!” (Romans 10:17)

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Notice through the inspired Scriptures, we can be “thoroughly furnished”. If you are thoroughly furnished, do you need any additional revelations? “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” (2 Peter 1:3)

How are we called? “Through the knowledge”!

“to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 2:14)

How are we called? By the gospel!

The very next verse says, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” (2 Thessalonians 2:14)

How were they called by the Gospel? They were taught?

How were they taught? Was it a direct operation of the Holy Spirit separate and apart from the Word? No, they were taught by word, or by epistle! That is how they were “called”!

This is the same way we are taught today! This is how Jesus established for the gospel to be spread through the world!

“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17) Likewise, we also receive the Spirit by hearing! (Galatians 3:2)

You should compare any doctrine to the scriptures to see if it is true! (Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Answer 2

hello 2Follow Him, An excellent question! There, in my personal view, can be several reasons as to why this is. Firstly, and foremost in my mind of things, every word that comes my way, even if through the communication of another genuine believer, can be 'mixture', and often not exactly as Holy Spirit intends. We all have differing dogmas, and doctrines; some true to Holy Spirit, and others a little tainted by man's doctrines that have been taught as commandments of God. Much error is adhered to out of innocence, and this is how I personally believe it has come about: We are taught from Scripture by various human teachers, and as a result when we go to The Word of God, we read it differently because of these 'preconceived' ideas. JWs are a prime example of the extremities of this malady in action. Jesus was and is The Witness with The Holy Spirit in this Earth today as much as He was when He walked amongst mankind, and He is God according to Issiah and others (not to mention His own confirmations). If I had a dollar for every time that a prophecy with a date placed upon it has not actually come to pass, then I would be a financially blessed individual indeed. I always try to listen to folk who are obviously genuine in intent, and search The New Testament to see if it equates to Scripture. May Holy Spirit be our Helper.

Answer 3

Hi Lisa,
A question that EVERY Christian should be asking and knowing the answer.

I would be difficult to go past the answer given by Bama_jld. The advice given is solid and sensible.

The only things I would add would be, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." 1 John 4:1-3.

and,

"To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isaiah 8:20.

God Bless,
H'chat.

Answer 4

Experience and confirmation of things.
God's "voice" is different than my own "voice"
My own voice/thoughts are mixed with human emotion
a lot - including confusion, anxiety, etc.
There is a certain strength, joy, peace, etc. when the
Holy Spirit is speaking to me that I learn to distinguish
more and more - even if it is "bad news" there is
still peace with it and no confusion - that all things
work out for the good.
On making big decisions I always ask for confirmation
and am always given that in a solid way, not something
I could have "guessed about" at all!
If I am unsure, I even ask God "Is that what you said? or
is such and such what you meant?"
And God answers me on those or else I just wait for
more confirmation as needed.
I have learned that the more I need to know
something, the "louder" God speaks it!
Also, the more I am praying and reading the word,
and being sincere about it, the more God speaks
and speaks clearly to me!

Answer 5

Easy. If it's telling you to do things that would violate God's law, it's not the Holy Spirit. If it is telling you to do things God would approve of, it doesn't really matter if it's the Holy Spirit or not.

Answer 6

If you have ever experienced the power of the Holy Spirit, then you know the difference between this feeling, and your own thought process.

Answer 7

Does it matter?
What goes on inside of you is the result of numerous daily thoughts and actions which accumulate over the years.
You have a very strong inner sense of values that may enforce or conflict with these thoughts and actions.
The Holy Spirit resides within each of us, and the 'talking' we hear usually is oriented to our best interests.

Answer 8

I suppose it depends if that person wants to believe it is the holy spirit, than it sure can be. I don't know how they can separate the two, except maybe just knowing in their conscious mind it's themself, or something else.

Answer 9

Well, i struggle with that myself, but if Gods holy spirit is actually talking to you, you know. If you doubt, it might just be you (though thta doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to that either!).

Answer 10

I've always believed that our and my conscious and "gut" feeling is the holy spirit. I don't search for these feelings I just get them.

Answer 11

Let's face it, our own thinking is generally centered around ourselves, isn't it?
The Holy Spirit glorifies God...not any human being.
It really is that simple.