Hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit is such a joy because you can feel your connection to God. There’s a peace in hearing God’s rhema word at the right time. He teaches us, helps us to grow in our faith, comforts us and can even shield us from unkind words. My experience has been that His voice is gentle and kind. But He can also be firm in a loving way. But the other part is that once you get a clear reception to God’s voice, you will also hear another’s voice. One that will want to convince you that his voice is that of the Holy Spirit but it is not. How can you tell? It will urge you to do things either out of the timing of God or urge you to do or say something in unrighteousness. I define unrighteousness as any feeling provoked that does not fall into the category of 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (NIV)

The voice of the enemy will tell you to move forward in anger, or satisfy your flesh in another way. The voice of the enemy is cunning and persistent in its attempt to manipulate your thinking into doing an unrighteous action. It will mix truth with lies or pervert the truth. It will sound logical and what this voice is telling you will seem to make sense. For example, I was very angry at someone and I had good reason. But the anger I carried also acted as a sentry for similar hurts and pains that I experienced in the past. In other words, my anger was not righteous. I kept hearing a voice that disguised itself to sound just like the Holy Spirit. It was telling me to call him and tell him how angry I was and what he’d done to hurt me. But then I would receive what I can only describe as a remembrance of the scripture I mentioned above. And I knew that I could not have a conversation with the anger that I was carrying because that kind of anger cannot abide in conjunction with God’s love. Instead of calling, I asked God to help me with my anger, and He did. God healed my heart of some hurts and my anger was completely lifted. I was free and able to talk about what happened in a righteous way.

While it’s important for us to learn God’s voice, it’s just as import to be aware of the spirit realm and the enemy who is out there that wants to keep us from full filling God’s purposes on earth. Our natural world is full of potential danger. And yet we still leave our homes on almost a daily basis. When we cross the street, we look both ways.  We’re taught basic safety as a child like not to talk with strangers, or go off with anyone we don’t know. We must also learn the same cautions while we are learning to hear the voice of God so we don’t fall into the enemy’s traps. We are not to have fear, but we are supposed to have wisdom.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:29-32, NIV)

But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips….Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:8, 12-14, NIV)

As we are learning to clearly hear God’s voice, and we hear instructions concerning another person, we must remember that the bitterness, rage and anger are unrighteous and we will grieve the Holy Spirit if we try to say anything to our brothers and sisters in His name while shackled with these emotions. They are an open door way for the enemy to use to hurt not only others but ourselves as well.

The (radio) frequency to hear the voice of God without the static of other voices comes with the healing and cleansing of our souls so that we can be pure before Him. Our purity allows us to know His voice while at the same time we can push away the voice of the enemy and his deception because there is no confusion of who is speaking.

Be strong and courageous and seek out God the Father who loves you. Learn to hear His voice, the voice of the Holy Spirit and prosper in faith in love. Only, look both ways and be aware of your spiritual surroundings so as not to be derailed and shackled by the devil.