How do we know if what we are thinking is in alignment with God’s will, with the Spirit?
The simplest answer is to know God’s truth. John 1:1 tells us that in the beginning was the Word. The “Word” is Jesus. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
So, Jesus is the truth. John 1:14 says that the Word became flesh. So Jesus came to Earth to tell the truth about God. Through His coming down and being flesh, dying, and then resurrecting, we are able to be baptized by the Holy Spirit which is Jesus coming to dwell within us.
The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible, the Word of God. 2 Peter 1:20-21 assures us, “Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.”
As the Spirit-inspired Word of God, the Bible is our standard of truth. If we ever have a question about whether something is true or not, we are told in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that we are to turn to the Bible for our answer. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." Notice here that it says all Scripture is inspired by God. Not some, not only the verses we like, but ALL. That may mean that sometimes we will come across a Scripture that is hard for us to accept as truth because it makes us uncomfortable or sad. However, regardless of our feelings, ALL Scripture is truth and we must treat it as such.
Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that, “...the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
So the answers to questions like, “Do our thoughts agree with the will of God? Are we believing lies?” are found in Scripture! The truth will always sound like God’s voice and when we seek to understand His Word and who He is, we can trust that He will grant us insight and understanding (2 Timothy 2:7). How do we know what God’s voice sounds like? We have to read the Bible, for it is quite literally the words of God. So to know Scripture is to know God’s voice. Also, when we read Scripture, we will learn who the Bible says God is. The Bible has countless examples of God’s character, but below I have listed a few of my favorites:
God is love (1 John 4:8)
God is unchanging (Hebrews 13:8)
God is patient (2 Peter 3:9)
God is perfect (Psalm 18:30)
God is kind, gentle, joyful (Galatians 5:22)
God is truth and life (John 14:6)
God is merciful (John 3:16; Psalm 103:1-22)
God is just and forgiving (1 John 1:9)
What does God instruct us to do in response to knowing the truth about Him?
Prepare our minds for action and self-control (1 Peter 1:13; 2 Timothy 1:7; Romans 8:5-6)
Put our hope in the salvation of Jesus (1 Peter 1:13)
Put on the peace of God (John 14:27; Ephesians 6:15)
Do not fear or be troubled (Isaiah 41:10; John 14:27; 2 Timothy 1:7)
Get rid of all bitterness, anger, harsh words, slander (Ephesians 4:31-32; Matthew 15:11)
Destroy every obstacle that keeps people from knowing God (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Think about the things of Heaven: whatever is good, admirable, lovely (Colossians 3:2; Philippians 4:8)
How do we pick out a lie?
A lie is going to sound like the opposite of who God is and what He stands for. So if God’s voice speaks peace, then a lie would lead us to or sound like chaos and confusion.
If God’s voice is loving, gentle, and kind, then a lie would sound hateful, slanderous, mean-spirited, and bitter.
If God’s voice is consistent then a lie would be erratic.
If God is just and Jesus came to advocate for us, then a lie would sound accusatory and merciless. Why does God ask us to focus on the truths of His Word? Proverbs 23:7a (NKJV) tells us, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Whatever we fix our minds on is going to be our focus. What we focus on shapes our attitude and perspective. Every day we are left with a choice, are we going to focus on the things of Heaven (as detailed in Philippians 4:8) or are we going to focus on the things of this world?
Deuteronomy 30:19 says, "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!"
We get to choose the thoughts we entertain. It is imperative that we remember our thoughts don’t only impact us, they impact many others we come into contact with! Are we going to use our time to speak life or death?
Want our free God Doesn't Say That, lie vs. truth template to download and use at home? Check out all of our downloadable resources in Lane of Roses University!
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