How Do I Know If It's God Speaking to Me? (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24) | Daily Devotional & Bible Study

Today we finish the color method with yellow, the color that marks what God showed you personally, and I explain why it comes last. We talk about what to do with what you sense from God, what Paul meant by do not quench the Spirit, and three filters to test an impression before you act. This helps you stay open to the Holy Spirit without accepting everything that sounds spiritual.

"Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;" (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21)

Questions this episode answers

How do I know if God is speaking to me?

God's voice will never contradict His Word, so Scripture is the standard for testing what you hear. Ask whether it matches who God reveals Himself to be, whether it fits what the Bible teaches in context, and whether you simply want it to be true. If it passes those tests, sit with it and ask Him how to respond.

What does it mean to quench the Spirit?

To quench means to put out a fire. In 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Paul warns against shutting down the Holy Spirit's work, like dismissing what God may be saying or resisting a prompting because it feels uncomfortable. Right after that, he tells us to test everything and hold on to what is good.

Does God speak outside of the Bible?

Many believers experience God through an impression in prayer, a thought that carries weight, or a word from another Christian. But none of these carry the same authority as Scripture. Every impression should be tested against the Bible, which is how you tell the difference between God, the enemy, and your own thoughts.

Timestamps

01:27 What yellow actually marks

04:04 Reading John 6:1-15

07:02 His voice will not contradict His Word

08:20 Reading 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

09:30 The two ditches

10:22 What quench actually means

13:33 The three filters

16:13 How to respond

Links

Learning to recognize God's voice is at the heart of our contemplative Bible study retreat in Maui, where a small group of women slow down to listen together.

Bible Study Live is a small-group Bible study trip with Rachael Groll. Study Scripture where it happened in Rome, or slow down for a contemplative Bible study retreat in Maui. Dates and details at BibleStudyLive.org

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