How to discern the Holy Spirit from other thoughts?

People on this forum have been telling me that the Holy Spirit sometimes takes over my thoughts and teaches me through them. It might also tell me what to do. Ever since then, I have been excited whenever I have a thought that tells me to do something, hoping that it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me. But I need to know what separates the Holy Spirit from regular thoughts, or even influences from Satan or any demon. Thank you guys :)
 
Satan is the great accuser and father of lies. If the message is accusatory and negative it is probably from him. If the message is encouraging, truthful, if it makes your heart sing, it is probably from your heavenly father who loves you.
 
Satan is the great accuser and father of lies. If the message is accusatory and negative it is probably from him. If the message is encouraging, truthful, if it makes your heart sing, it is probably from your heavenly father who loves you.
Thanks!
 
The Holy Spirit speaks of life, nothing else, for He is the Author of Life. If the thought is about anything other than life and truth it is not from Him.
 
People on this forum have been telling me that the Holy Spirit sometimes takes over my thoughts and teaches me through them. It might also tell me what to do. Ever since then, I have been excited whenever I have a thought that tells me to do something, hoping that it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me. But I need to know what separates the Holy Spirit from regular thoughts, or even influences from Satan or any demon. Thank you guys :)
Hello my friend
I don't have the magic bullet answer but let me ask you; if someone came and told you that your dad or mom said something, you would probably know if it was true or not.
I think the same applies to the Holy Spirit. The further down the road we get the more we understand.

One thing I might say is that God is never in a hurry and never late, so just be patient and keep growing.
 
People on this forum have been telling me that the Holy Spirit sometimes takes over my thoughts and teaches me through them. It might also tell me what to do. Ever since then, I have been excited whenever I have a thought that tells me to do something, hoping that it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me. But I need to know what separates the Holy Spirit from regular thoughts, or even influences from Satan or any demon. Thank you guys :)

Lots of good thoughts! I herd it put this way, because when i accepted Jesus into my heart, He gave me a new spirit, thus i am a new creation according to 2 Corinthians 5:17, and because i am a new creation and have the Holy Spirit living in me, the good thoughts (like others have shared) come from God. My other thought was that if my thoughts line up with God's Word, then they are from God.

Every person gets their thoughts from somewhere...either the devil, or God. So if God is not going to tell us to do bad things, then good thoughts come from God. And as you renew your mind (by meditating on the Word of God) to the things, and ways of God, then you are able to know what His will is for you, and you will be able to know His thoughts Romans 12:2.

Thanks Juk for asking! I sometimes need help in this area too. :)
 
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Lots of good thoughts! I herd it put this way, because when i accepted Jesus into my heart, He gave me a new spirit, thus i am a new creation according to 2 Corinthians 5:17, and because i am a new creation and have the Holy Spirit living in me, the good thoughts (like others have shared) come from God. My other thought was that if my thoughts line up with God's Word, then they are from God.

Every person gets their thoughts from somewhere...either the devil, or God. So if God is not going to tell us to do bad things, then good thoughts come from God. And as you renew your mind (by meditating on the Word of God) to the things, and ways of God, then you are able to know what His will is for you, and you will be able to know His thoughts Romans 12:2.

Thanks Juk for asking! I sometimes need help in this area too. :)
Thing is that I am always thinking. My mind is always working. I usually want to direct my thoughts towards biblical topics. But that does not mean that they are from the Holy Spirit.
 
Thoughts + peace = action
Thoughts - peace = inaction

Hearing and faith are like muscles, you have to first learn how to use them, then use them to make them stronger. Reading the word of God, meditating, helps you open doors that you never knew were even there, and God can use them when you accept them. The word of God is a map to Jesus, once you find Him, it keeps you on the straight and narrow, but there is SOOO much more out there.

For example: no where is it taught about cloathing can cure someone until the woman with the issue of blood touched the tzi-tzi's of Jesus. The story is given but no teaching. Then, Paul sends aprons and napkins to heal. Again no teaching, just the story. I look at the scriptures are a guidebook for the "normal" impossible. We have all these examples, and many fix them only to those that experienced them, but I believe with the diversities of examples of the supernatural in the scriptures, they are just doors for us to use now in this world. All these events are to bring glory to God, not men.

Trances and carried away in the Spirit, are two I've recently picked up, and I am awaiting understanding, interaction with others in the Spirit realm is one I just recently experienced for the first time. As complex the physical is, so is the spiritual, and more. When you think you've learned it all, you being to fall backwards. Living a christian life is like being on ice skates on a slope that don't turn: you're either moving forward or your falling backwards... there's no "stop". Just my two cents. :)
 
Thoughts + peace = action
Thoughts - peace = inaction

Hearing and faith are like muscles, you have to first learn how to use them, then use them to make them stronger. Reading the word of God, meditating, helps you open doors that you never knew were even there, and God can use them when you accept them. The word of God is a map to Jesus, once you find Him, it keeps you on the straight and narrow, but there is SOOO much more out there.

For example: no where is it taught about cloathing can cure someone until the woman with the issue of blood touched the tzi-tzi's of Jesus. The story is given but no teaching. Then, Paul sends aprons and napkins to heal. Again no teaching, just the story. I look at the scriptures are a guidebook for the "normal" impossible. We have all these examples, and many fix them only to those that experienced them, but I believe with the diversities of examples of the supernatural in the scriptures, they are just doors for us to use now in this world. All these events are to bring glory to God, not men.

Trances and carried away in the Spirit, are two I've recently picked up, and I am awaiting understanding, interaction with others in the Spirit realm is one I just recently experienced for the first time. As complex the physical is, so is the spiritual, and more. When you think you've learned it all, you being to fall backwards. Living a christian life is like being on ice skates on a slope that don't turn: you're either moving forward or your falling backwards... there's no "stop". Just my two cents. :)
How long would this take, usually?
 
How long would this take, usually?
That depends on you and God. There's no formula, that's the point of my comment :) It's a relationship. No two are the same, why would it be any different with the Lord. You just have to cultivate it and listen to Him. As I said, write everything down, and as more information comes, you'll begin to discern who is talking to you: your experiences, God or the devil.
 
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When Jesus taught the people they did not understand his Words. They were unable to see who Jesus was. They all had ears to hear, and they all had eyes to see, but Jesus was not referring to their physical senses, but their spiritual senses which had become hardened because of sin. When Jesus speaks he always speaks what he hears from his Father say. When the Holy Spirit speaks he always speaks what Jesus says. Remember, when the Holy Spirit comes, he will not speak on his own, but whatever he hears that is what he speaks. When the Holy Spirit speaks to you, it also Jesus speaking, which is also the Father speaking to you all at the same time.
Notice, hearing and seeing in the realm of the spirit has nothing to do with any physical senses you have. Your brain does not receive any spiritual things as it is the enemy of God and does not understand them, and needs to be renewed. It with the "heart" we understand God and his promptings. The only instrument that can separate our human thoughts from the thoughts of God is the Word of God. The Word separates the soul, from the spirit, and the joints and morrow. The mind of Christ is not in your head, it is in your spirit where Christ lives in you. You must learn to "exercise" your spiritual senses to tell the difference between good and evil, right, and wrong. This takes time as you begin to fill yourself with the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will never tell you to do something contrary to what the Word says.

Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
 
Hmm I wouldnt say my christian walk is like ice skating down a slope with no turn...Im a terrible iceskater anyway and can only really do it with other ppl around me..and the ice rink has to be flat..

I would say..my walk with Jesus is going the narrow way that few find, and sometimes nobody can walk with me and Jesus is up ahead and I need to trust hes put me on the right path, even if its through the valley of the shadow of death. Many times he has lifted me up like an eagle and I fly to high places with renewed faith but I do have to walk daily and put one foot in front of the other and be grounded on Christs rock. If I get lost somehow, forgot to listen, or read the Bible for instruction, I can always cry out to him and he will save me from distress.
 
The pilgrims progress is a good book to read. John Bunyan wrote it in prison about the christian journey. It is an adventure. Esp if you starting out and unsure. Theres many that have attained spritual heights but the fall is much greater for these ppl, just take it slow is my advice, and yes, stop and pray and meditate on his Word.

Elijah thought God was in the wind or the storm or the earthquake..and he even did great miracles saw them with his own eyes. But he needed to listen to God speak to him in that still small voice.
 
That depends on you and God. There's no formula, that's the point of my comment :) It's a relationship. No two are the same, why would it be any different with the Lord. You just have to cultivate it and listen to Him. As I said, write everything down, and as more information comes, you'll begin to discern who is talking to you: your experiences, God or the devil.
What if it's just thoughts coming from myself? I used the strategy you mentioned and I did have thoughts. I thought that they were from the Holy Spirit, so I wrote them as if the Holy Spirit were talking to me, so in a second person point of view. I also added things in addition to what I originally thought. Now that I look back, what I wrote sounds stupid because I messed it up.
 
What if it's just thoughts coming from myself? I used the strategy you mentioned and I did have thoughts. I thought that they were from the Holy Spirit, so I wrote them as if the Holy Spirit were talking to me, so in a second person point of view. I also added things in addition to what I originally thought. Now that I look back, what I wrote sounds stupid because I messed it up.
Can a newborn run? Can an untrained adult run a marathon? Faith is something you have to allow to happen. You're looking for shortcuts to speed up the race. And it is a race. But the joy is in the journey not the destination because the One you're run to, is running with you. Experience takes time. If you have a fast growing tree, the first storm that comes upon it, it will fold like an opened envelope. Be in it for the relationship, not to discover some formula for secret sauce. Keep in the word. Meditate. Talk to God expecting an answer from Him. Give Him the time He wants.

James 4:8a (KJV)
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you...​
 
When Jesus taught the people they did not understand his Words. They were unable to see who Jesus was. They all had ears to hear, and they all had eyes to see, but Jesus was not referring to their physical senses, but their spiritual senses which had become hardened because of sin. When Jesus speaks he always speaks what he hears from his Father say. When the Holy Spirit speaks he always speaks what Jesus says. Remember, when the Holy Spirit comes, he will not speak on his own, but whatever he hears that is what he speaks. When the Holy Spirit speaks to you, it also Jesus speaking, which is also the Father speaking to you all at the same time.
Notice, hearing and seeing in the realm of the spirit has nothing to do with any physical senses you have. Your brain does not receive any spiritual things as it is the enemy of God and does not understand them, and needs to be renewed. It with the "heart" we understand God and his promptings. The only instrument that can separate our human thoughts from the thoughts of God is the Word of God. The Word separates the soul, from the spirit, and the joints and morrow. The mind of Christ is not in your head, it is in your spirit where Christ lives in you. You must learn to "exercise" your spiritual senses to tell the difference between good and evil, right, and wrong. This takes time as you begin to fill yourself with the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will never tell you to do something contrary to what the Word says.

Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
This is confusing me. I think I am trying too hard to understand.
 
Can a newborn run? Can an untrained adult run a marathon? Faith is something you have to allow to happen. You're looking for shortcuts to speed up the race. And it is a race. But the joy is in the journey not the destination because the One you're run to, is running with you. Experience takes time. If you have a fast growing tree, the first storm that comes upon it, it will fold like an opened envelope. Be in it for the relationship, not to discover some formula for secret sauce. Keep in the word. Meditate. Talk to God expecting an answer from Him. Give Him the time He wants.

James 4:8a (KJV)
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you...​
So things like this take a long time? The way you guys and my youth pastor speaks if God make it sound like it happens in a couple of days.
 
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