Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
(John 16:13)

When someone guides a person, he’s out in front of the person, directing him in the way to go. Being guided is different from being forced. One way to discern between the voice of the Holy Ghost and the voice of the devil is to identify the pressure. Satan is always driving, saying, “You’ve got to do it now. It’s going to get away if you don’t do it now.”

God, however, doesn’t pressure anybody that way. The Holy Ghost, the comforter, speaks. If you are born again, the Holy Ghost is in the real you. You are not a spiritual schizophrenic. You don’t have the Holy Ghost in you and the demon in you, too. You have the divine one, the Holy Ghost, inside you, in your spirit man. He’s speaking every day, and will show you the future. You can always be ahead of the enemy’s tactics because the Holy Ghost knows what he’s going to do, and he’ll tell you.

The Holy Ghost will say, “Don’t go that way. Go over here.” But if you’re too busy to pray, if you’re watching television all day or talking to your girlfriend, you might miss his voice. Then blam! You’ll scream, “Why did God allow that to happen to me?” when the Holy Ghost was trying to warn you but you failed to listen. This is an important lesson.

Prayer for Today
Father,
I lift you up! I give praise and glory and honor to your way! Thank you for guiding me through your gentle Spirit and your still, small voice. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Selah: Think on These Things

1 John 5:20
1 John 4:6


Source: Fresh Water Devotional by Keith Butler
Excerpt permission granted by Word of Faith Publishing