Top 10 Red Flags It's Not God (Part 2)
I was sharing my BLOOPER REEL of my biggest and most common pitfalls as I am learning how to hear God... or shall I say detecting the RED FLAGS indicating it's NOT God. O_o
I'll pick up where I last left off.
I went over Red Flags #1-5 in the previous email called Part 1.
Here's #6-10.
(NOTE: This is just based on my experience so take it for whatever it's worth. This is not the end all be all. Everyone's experience is different. God is different with everyone. Either way I hope this helps.)
Top 10 Red Flags It's NOT God (...continued)
6. Finally, about time! (vs. Willing to wait longer to be obedient)
When you feel God is telling you "yes" or to "go" and your response is "Finally, about time!" and you are ready to rip and roar... ummm... That is a RED FLAG because that indicates that the posture of your heart was never in full surrender. It indicates you were chomping at the bit and feeling held back. This makes you an easy target to get tricked into think it's God. Remember, Satan is a great imitator of the real thing. He will make it feel like "Go and move the kingdom forward." even when God is telling you to wait. Tricky little turd, he is.
"Satan disguises himself as an angel of light"
Don't be surprised if God will wait until you have completely surrendered to the point where it doesn't bother you to wait. God may want to see that you are MORE interested in HIS timing than your timing. The WAY you respond to what you think is a "yes" or "go" can be a huge indicator of it being a false positive. Be careful and alert always.
7. Dollars & Timeframe (Make $ by X. I’ll do this first THEN…)
Whenever you hear the pattern of "I'll make X amount of dollars first and then I will do God's plan" or "I need to make double/triple/10X my dollars by a Y timeframe" those are huge RED FLAGS that it's NOT God. That is usually the sound of our flesh and human intellect rather than the move Holy Spirit.
God has a track record of putting humans in an impossible situation just to show off at the 11th hour. There are plenty of examples in the bible such as feeding the five thousand, Moses and the Red Sea, Joseph in Jail, David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion's Den and the list goes on.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Any plan that puts a dollar amount first instead of God even when it's "for" God is a RED FLAG.
8. Firecracker vs Ground Swell
When you're excited to do something there's an energy that builds. Simply put that energy can feel like a firecracker or a ground swell. Let me explain...
A firecracker will feel more like huge crazy, aggressive burst of energy that is all over the place. You may say or feel "Let's crush it! Let's dominate! Let's 10X this in Y timeframe." Though it is well intended for God's kingdom, the approach may be fleshy and human ambition driven.
Another indicator of a firecracker is that it's all over the place and a bit out of control, and lacks the fruit of the Spirit. Huge bursts of energy, a lot of chaos, not much LISTENING for God but more DOING. It feels more like energy paint ball splattering everywhere rather than a powerful, intentional move of God.
A ground swell will feel much more like a slow building quiet but strong power bearing the fruit of the Spirit such as peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control. There will be much SEEKING of Holy Spirit, waiting, listening and obeying. More focus on God's will than how fast and big things can be done.
So just be AWARE of what type of energy you are operating in. If you feel all over the place like a firecracker rather than a ground swell it's a RED FLAG so just SLOW DOWN, beware, be careful and double, triple check before you decide it's God's voice tell you to "go".
9. Feel emotions that are NOT God’s character. (Fear, guilt, shame)
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. If what you're feeling does NOT resemble this, it's a RED FLAG.
For example, when you hear a "yes" on an opportunity or project and you check-in with your emotions and if you feel rushed or like the window of opportunity going to close that is a HUGE RED FLAG because those emotions are rooted in FEAR. The fear of not enough time, the fear of missing an opportunity can be present.
There is ZERO tolerance for fear to be part of the equation. When God is on something and you are truly seeking Him...
"God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
Remember that "What [God] opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open."
Even when God is asking you to do something unusual and full of uncertainty, at some point you will feel God's peace on the situation.
"the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
If God's peace is lacking, just consider it a RED FLAG and slow down.
10. Holy Spirit Gut Check (Anxiety vs God’s Peace)
Yes, the good ol' "gut check". When everything else seems to check out but there is something in your gut or intuition that is just checking you and you can't seem to have a peace about it, I call that the Holy Spirit Gut Check. There's no other explanation than that. For the logical, analytical thinkers out there this will not have any other explanation besides "this doesn't feel right".
You may hear about women having it more than guys so husbands pay attention to your wife's "feelings" if she loves Jesus and is being led by the Spirit. Sometimes, a Holy Spirit Gut Check may be the only thing standing in your way from moving on something or not and it may seem insignificant. There are so many testimonies about how someone's lack of peace about a situation made them pause or pass on it and it saved their butt. Don't underestimate it.
At minimum if you feel the Holy Spirit Gut Check, take a pause on the decision or action and sit on it for another few days or a week and continually seek God for clarity either way. Remember, there's no rush. Rushing is a lie of the enemy to get you to make a mistake and take you out of God's timing or will.
That wraps up the list!
NOTE: This list is not an all-inclusive list. This is created to help you get a feel for some of the RED FLAGS. As you walk out your journey with the Lord, you will have other great ones develop for you. Use it to help others in their journey. No one has an exclusive list. ^_^
Remember....
A red flag is only that... an indicator to slow down.
Please don't be discouraged if you see red flags. Instead, be encouraged. It means your discernment is growing. I see red flags on a daily basis in my life.
Why?
Because Satan is ACTIVELY trying to throw us off of God's plan. It's perfectly NORMAL to see red flags. Consider them as guard rails. They do not mean you are hearing everything wrong it only means to slow down and double check yourself and sit with God a bit longer.
You'll eventually see red flags like you see dandelions in the field. They are just part of life and part of becoming more in tune with Holy Spirit.
All good things!
HEARING God's voice is like a "muscle". The more you exercise it, the stronger it will get. Be ok with making mistakes. There's no one who hasn't made them. Even prophets in the Bible made mistakes. Just focus on learning from it and keep on SEEKING God in ALL things.
God has so much wisdom to share with you.
You can save so much brain damage, money, effort, energy by SEEKING God and doing what He tells you.
You are DESIGNED to hear from God. Period. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Cheers to you GROWING your muscle to HEAR God's voice! Wohooo!!!
Good times are rolling!!! ^_^
