How Do You Know If a Word Is Really From God? (Acts 16:16-18) | Daily Devotional & Bible Study

Confidence in Hearing God:

Something can be accurate and still not be from God. That's the hardest part of discernment, and it's what we're working through today.

This week we've been talking about prophecy, and a question came in about something I said on Monday: that accuracy is not the test. Today I explain what I meant, using the slave girl in Acts 16 who said something completely true while serving something demonic. I also share what happened in Maui with a tarot card reader, and something the Lord did at church on Sunday that I haven't talked about yet.

Links

Paul's story in Acts ends in Rome, and our Bible Study Live group walks the places where it happened.

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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Questions we answer today

What's the difference between something being true and something being truth?
Why does Paul cast a spirit out of a girl who was telling people the truth?
Why are tarot cards, psychics, and horoscopes a counterfeit rather than harmless?
What does it mean that the enemy disguises himself as an angel of light?
What's the difference between a private prayer language and a public message in tongues?

Timestamps

00:00 Why Fridays are a catch-up and question day

01:30 The question that came in about accuracy

02:30 Why prophecy is still living and active

03:20 True versus truth

04:40 Reading Acts 16:16-18

06:00 She was saying something accurate

06:30 Even demons recognize God

07:00 The real test: closer to God or further away

07:30 A tarot card reader in Maui

10:20 What the Lord gave me to say to him

11:00 He already knew the truth, he just wanted hope

12:50 Why there's a counterfeit for everything

13:20 The three named angels, and what Lucifer's name means

16:50 Why this season of teaching has felt different

17:50 A prayer request I haven't shared yet

19:30 What happened at the altar on Sunday

21:10 The sword, and the principalities that have been permitted

24:00 Public tongues, private prayer language, and interpretation

25:20 Letting God examine your heart

25:40 The subtler distractions

26:20 Prayer for freedom

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