How do we hear the Spirit’s voice today? He generally speaks to us through scripture, a sermon, a book, a movie, a song or even a dream, but He also speaks directly into our spirit by His still, small voice! “Holy Spirit intuition” is a God-given gift to all who have spiritual ears to hear what the Lord is saying at any given time for any particular situation that requires His guidance, approval or command. It is the supernatural ability to know right from wrong—truth from error—God’s leading from your leading, which seldom makes sense to our natural minds!
Intuition simply means “knowing or sensing something without reason”. Jesus declared seven times in the opening chapters of Revelation a foundational rule of Kingdom living that never fails to keep us or to take us where we are to be, doing what we are called to be doing.“He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying unto the churches”. What is the Spirit saying at this present time to His Church? Well, for one, He’s enforcing His certain threat to resist the proud and give grace to the humble. He’s counseling us to get the stinking pride out of our lives and ministries as God prepares to shake all things that can be shaken, and woe to all the “spiritually superior” celebrity preachers and TV evangelists who defiantly continue to walk in arrogance as they proudly build their own extravagant kingdom against the Spirit’s warning when God’s judgment falls. Pride goes before destruction and Jesus is returning for a beautiful Bride clothed in humility, not haughtiness.
Pride was Lucifer’s downfall to disgrace and damnation and he uses the same spirit of arrogance today to delude all who will listen to his lying voice—the same insinuating voice that deceived Eve into falling into the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Adam & Eve’s spiritual intuition became corrupted by satanic logic and rationality. For that very reason, genuine, spiritual impressions are hard to explain to the average, lukewarm christian, whose typical response to your intuitive step of faith, whether spoken or thought is “How do you really know this is what God is wanting you to do? This makes no sense! Just who do you think you are—a prophet or something? Come back down to earth!” Sometimes your only answer is a direct “I just feel it in my spirit!” Unspiritual, rational christians don’t like that kind of a smug answer! Where’s the logic? Where’s the responsibility? Where’s the common sense? And yet you know that you’ve heard the unmistakeable voice of the Holy Spirit! Go confidently from there, alone if need be.
There are times, however, when your intuition may not be crystal clear. In matters of uncertainty, the Bible tells us in 1John 4:1 to test the spirits to see if they are from God—how do we do that? The following are seven considerations in testing spiritual impressions.
1. Does this impression line up with God’s Word or does it plainly contradict its obvious teaching? The Bible always takes precedent over thoughts, feelings and voices.
2. Will the carrying out of this impression bring honour to Christ? Would Jesus approve?
3. Does this impression bear witness with my spirit, or does it make me sick to my stomach? “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16)
4. Does this impression bring peace and excitement or confusion and fear? “God is not author of confusion, but peace” (1Corinthians 14:33)
5. Does this impression leave me with a clear conscience? “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly” (Hebrews 13:18)
6. Do my pastor and my trusted Christian advisors agree that this impression is of the Lord? “In the multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14)
7. Is this impression staying with me over time or is it a fleeting emotion?
As you pray and quiet your thoughts, expect the Spirit to respond in His still, small voice with the very direction that you are seeking. Jesus assures us in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” Amen!
