Unglued: Spirit • Church • Mission
Sometimes we want God to give us the full memo before we move. We want the complete plan, every detail explained, and every question answered. But often, God simply asks for our obedience: “If you hear Me, move.”
That desire is at the heart of the Unglued series. We do not want to be a people who merely wait for God to move. We want to become the kind of people who move when He speaks—people who keep in step with the Holy Spirit.
But that raises an important question: How can we know that what we are hearing is truly the voice of God?
The Voice That Instructs and Pursues
Throughout Scripture, God’s voice is both a voice of instruction and a voice of relationship. Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.” —John 10:27
The first recorded words God spoke to humanity appear in Genesis 2. God told Adam that he could freely eat from every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God’s words began with generosity—“You may surely eat”—and then established a boundary and a warning.
Those words reveal patterns that continue throughout Scripture: God’s authority over creation, human responsibility, freedom within God-given boundaries, and the connection between obedience and life.
The first extended conversation between God and humanity comes after the fall. Adam and Eve had sinned and hidden themselves, but God called to Adam, “Where are you?” God was not asking because He lacked information. He was inviting Adam to come out of hiding and account for himself.
Even after rebellion, God sought humanity. He came with both truth and grace.
That is what God has done for us through the gospel. He initiated an encounter with us, exposed our sin, and rescued us by grace through faith. The God who began His good work in us continues to guide us and will carry that work to completion (Philippians 1:6).
God’s voice shapes us in two important ways. Internally, He forms our character and makes us more like Christ. Externally, He guides our calling, decisions, and actions. Yet God’s internal work usually takes priority over His external guidance. He is often more concerned with who we are becoming than merely what we are doing. As Christlike character is formed in us, discernment about our decisions often becomes clearer.
Test the Spirits
The apostle John wrote to Christians surrounded by persuasive false teachers who sounded spiritual and used religious language. His instruction was direct:
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” —1 John 4:1
John did not want the church to be spiritually gullible. Something is not true simply because it sounds deep, feels powerful, or comes wrapped in spiritual language. Truth matters, so God expects discernment rather than blind acceptance.
The enemy’s strategy has changed in form, but not in substance. From the serpent’s question in Genesis—“Did God really say?”—to the false teachers confronting John’s churches, deception has consistently questioned God’s Word, distorted truth, and replaced God’s authority with human wisdom or counterfeit revelation.
Behavior follows belief. If the enemy can distort what we believe about God, Christ, sin, salvation, or Scripture, he can direct our lives away from God’s truth. That is why every voice must be tested.
Five Tests for Discerning God’s Voice
We live in a world crowded with voices: social media, culture, politics, family expectations, emotions, past wounds, fear, and pride. Not every voice is God’s voice. Not every spiritual experience comes from heaven. Not every feeling is revelation. Not every open door is divine. Not every prophecy is prophetic.
So how do we discern what we are hearing?
1. Does It Agree with Scripture?
God will never contradict what He has already revealed in His Word. The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture, and He does not oppose Himself.
God may give personal direction, but He will never give doctrinal contradiction. No matter how strongly we feel about something, if it conflicts with Scripture, it is not from God.
If it does not agree with Scripture, reject it.
2. Does It Exalt Jesus?
John’s first test concerned what a spirit confessed about Jesus Christ (1 John 4:2–3). Every true voice from God honors the Lord. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “He will glorify me” (John 16:14).
If a voice makes you the center—your ego, revenge, shame, or ambition—it may feel spiritual, but it is not the Holy Spirit. God’s voice directs our attention toward Jesus, reveals His character, and leads us into faithful obedience to Him.
If it does not exalt Jesus, reject it.
3. Does It Produce Holiness?
God’s voice does not lead us into compromise. He forms Christlike character within us and moves us toward purity, truth, love, humility, and obedience.
This does not mean His voice will always make us comfortable. God convicts us, corrects us, and calls us to repent. But His correction comes with hope. God says, “Come back to Me.” The enemy condemns us with shame and says, “You are too far gone.”
If it does not produce holiness, reject it.
4. Does It Bring Godly Peace and Clarity?
God’s conviction may be uncomfortable, but His direction does not produce the chaos, manipulation, and hopelessness of the enemy. God steadies us in truth. He brings clarity and calls us forward in faith.
Peace does not mean the absence of difficulty. God may ask us to do something costly or courageous. Yet even in the challenge, His voice carries the settled assurance of His presence and agrees with His character.
If it does not bring godly peace and clarity, wait.
5. Is It Confirmed in Community?
Truth is not private. God often confirms His direction through mature believers and the community of faith. Scripture teaches that there is safety in an abundance of counselors (Proverbs 11:14).
If no mature believer can confirm what you believe you have heard, slow down. If everyone who loves God and cares about you is warning you, listen. Sometimes confirmation protects your destiny.
Discernment requires humility—the willingness to admit that we need accountability and that we can misunderstand. Godly community is one of the Lord’s gifts of protection.
If it is not confirmed through wise counsel, proceed carefully.
Greater Is the One Who Is in You
John’s warning is serious, but his message is not rooted in fear:
“You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” —1 John 4:4
Our protection from deception is not superior intelligence. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit, who leads us into truth. The antidote to deception is not fearful speculation, but abiding in God’s Word, relying upon the Holy Spirit, remaining anchored in the gospel, and walking in accountable Christian community.
Jesus warned that impressive signs alone are not enough to prove that someone speaks for God. We must remain anchored in truth and examine the fruit of a person’s character. Spiritual power must never replace faithfulness to Jesus.
The enemy’s weapon is not always destruction. Often, it is deception. If he can deceive you, he can direct you. That is why discernment matters.
Follow the Good Shepherd
The world will always offer another voice competing for our attention. But above all the noise, the voice of the Good Shepherd is still calling His people.
Make time to be with Him. Stay rooted in His Word. Listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit. Remain close to God’s people. The more you know His heart, the more clearly you will recognize His voice.
And if you do not yet know Jesus, begin there. God has revealed Himself in creation, in Scripture, and ultimately in His Son. Jesus entered history, was crucified for our sins, and rose again. He is the way, the truth, and the life. To follow His voice, we must first belong to Him.
May we be a people who are not led by fear, opinion, or circumstances, but by the voice of our Savior. And when He speaks, may we have the faith to trust Him and the courage to follow.