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In today’s devotion posted on the Proverbs 31 blog, I wrote about the importance of listening to the guiding voice of our Heavenly Referee. We all want to be Spirit led. We want to hear from God and know that we know we’ve made the right decision and are on the right path. The fact that God is BIG and ALMIGHTY yet cares about the details of our lives so much so that He strives to guide us is what makes this topic so intriguing. However, the million dollar question is how do I know for certain God is speaking?
When it comes to hearing from our Heavenly Referee, the Bible is our source and authority. The Bible is God’s voice speaking to us daily. We learn to recognize His voice by spending time in His Word. The Word is our filter from which we separate all other messages that bombard us each day.
The world is shouting at us. “COME OVER HERE AND LOOK AT ALL MY SHINY STUFF! IT CAN BE YOURS!” If we’re not careful, it can drown out the voice of our Heavenly Referee. That’s why it’s important to know and mediate on God’s Word and then measure everything else against it.
Seeking the wrong counsel can also drown out God’s voice. How many times are you and I tempted to pick up the phone instead of picking up the Word when seeking directing for our lives? Godly counselors are great for providing confirmation, but only you know what God is saying to you. He’s not going to tell someone else about the details of your life and then have them convey the message. No. God wants to communicate with you one on one.
In His Word, we can find any answer to any problem. Why-because God cares about what you care about. He cares about whom you marry, where you live, which profession you choose and so on. Does that mean a single gal is going to find the name of her spouse somewhere between the pages of the Bible? No. But she will find the characteristics of a godly man there. If she is wise, she’ll ponder those qualities so that she’ll know a godly man when she sees one. Not only that, she’ll hear her Heavenly Referee say, “That’s him, girl. Go get’em!”
In my devotion, I also talk about how the Spirit of God leads us by way of peace or lack of it. If you don’t have a clear go from God marked by peace. Wait! I can’t stress that enough. I know it’s hard to wait on God, but He has your best interest at heart. God is All-Knowing. He can see down the road and knows what’s ahead. His timing is always right and always right on time! You’ve experienced this. Take a moment and recall a time when you waited on God. Praise Him for being an on time God and not allowing you to move in the wrong direction!
I experienced God’s All-knowing presence today! As some of you know, Monday my son’s baseball team lost their first game of the World Series. It seemed like a tragedy at first. It seemed cruel…as if God brought us all this way to let us fail. It especially hurt since we were predicted to go far in this tournament.
Yesterday, we played in the loser’s bracket. Determined not to let it get us down, we decided to trust God. We entered the playing field not as losers but as State Champions—because that’s who we are. The final score was 15 to 2. We won sending Virginia State home.
It dawned on me then that losing the first game put us in a great position. Playing in the loser’s bracket actually gave us an advantage—a much easier win. Isn’t that the way it works? We struggle and fight to make happen what God can so easily do with less effort if we’ll just trust and follow His lead.
Another clue about making right choices and choosing the right path is to ask yourself: “Is this something that I can put God’s name on?” If not, don’t do it. As Believers, if you and I can’t stamp Christ name all over a decision, a choice, a direction, etc…then it’s not the right move. Again, let peace rule. Peace will either give you a green light or a red light. It’s how our Heavenly Referee communicates with us. Whether we listen or not depends on us.
I just had to thank you for this article you wrote. It brings back to my memory about the time I had decided to move back to Houston. I did not have any peace in that decision. However I moved anyway, only to loose both my parents and my job.
I have prayed and repented for that decision, but the affect are still here some 17 years later. I wished I had heeded the holy spirit at that time in my life.
Thanks for your comments about not proceeding ahead if you lack peace. I have been struggling with an area of ministry at church and I have not been feeling at peace. I have prayed and prayed, yet I feel as if I still lack direction and am not comfortable with forging ahead. I now understand why. I need to wait on the Lord. When He is ready he will provide clear guidance, then and only then should I act.
What an excellent Daily Devo, Micca. You clearly spell the essential ingredient necessary in all our decision making.
Colossians 3:15 (Amplified Version) says “And let the peace and soul harmony which comes from the Christ rule and act as umpire continually in your hearts – deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your mind.”
Praise God for HIS direction in our lives.
Blessings!
I just checked the Dixie youth baseball site and saw a video of your son hitting some of those homeruns! http://www.dixie.org/page4.aspx is the address. Keep us posted on results as I couldn’t find any online, yet. Thanks for the good outlook on those competitions our children deal with that we as parents get so up close and personal with!!My daughters did gymnastics and it was a challenge to maintain a God honoring perspective in the midst of all of it!! Like to not rejoice when another falls, as on the balance beam!!! 🙂
Ooops! Well, I just realized your son is NOT the won hitting those home runs, but another boy on the team. Oh, well, it was fun to see him anyway. Guess I need to read your blogs more carefully, esp since I have not read all of them in their entirety:)
Hi Micca!
Very good devotional. So much truth.
I am learning how to listen instead of going with what I want. I have a track record of consequences suffered at my own hand. Spiritual maturing is quite the trip!
Blessings,
Lelia
Thank you so much. My husband and I are making a decision about him changing carreers. It is mainly up to him, but I know that I can pray about it and ask that he will listen to what God wants.
We are continually in a ‘God watch’ mentality in our home. Too often our lives get side tracked by the busyness of the moment, and we don’t allow the HS to speak to us. What a wonderful testimony to His faithfulness through all circumstances.
I finally FOUND you! After the She Speaks conference I had wanted to thank each speaker that I had sat under….Micca—you spoke right to my heart. I sat and wept. How that analogy of Wizard of Oz…was so like what I feel so MANY times…if I only had a brain! If I only had some courage.
I read your awesome devotion today from Encouragement Today and was so blessed. I have been the one that MADE THE MISTAKE of NOT LISTENING to the “time out”. I paid for it. Literally.
Thank you for following the voice of the LORD in your topic that day (at SheSpeaks)…I don’t know what God has in store—but I will do His bidding.
I appreciate you!
Great devotion and post on your blog! I wanted to say thanks so much for posting it because there is an issue going on right now as I read this that I just didn’t have a peace about but couldn’t tell where it came from. Now I know that it’s the Referee telling me to step back and trust Him to handle it for me. Thanks so much! This could not have come at a better time.
Micca, I just found your blog this morning for the first time! What a gift to me from the Lord! I’m currently about to transition into a new job at work and I’m full of excitement and fear. I’ve prayed that the Lord not give me this promotion if it’s not the best thing for me. You’ve encouraged me to listen to the HS dwelling in me, that still small voice. I will pay attention to my “peace indicator” in my heart. Thank you.
Yes! I love this topic!
Thank you for sharing and encouraging us with your own Holy Spirit Referee Moments!
Isn’t God awesome how he confirms our decisions with peace…He knows what lies ahead of us and protects and spares us from confusion and regret.
I could write a book about all that has happend in my life with this type of thing!
Thank the Lord for Forgiveness, Grace and New Landscapes!
The Power of His Love is Changing ME!
Wow, the same situation happened to my husband and me about 6 months ago. We were about to sign on a home equity loan for $40,000 to do some home renovations. We got the paperwork in the mail but didn’t sign. I told him I felt uneasy about it, and he confessed he felt the same. We didn’t sign, thankfully, because we never would’ve been able to afford the payments on that income, although we’d been approved for the loan. The Holy Spirit works in amazing ways!
http://alissacarpio.blogspot.com
Hi Micca,
You have been tagged. Go to http://diggingforpearls.blogspot.com/ for further instructions.
Blessings,
Pearls
Just read this post and I am once again amazed at the timing of God. I am in the midst of studying for a HUGE exam at work… one I wish I could get out of but alas… have to follow through on. I also have applied for 2 different positions at work. One I’m expected to take and the other… is a totally different direction from where I’m at right now. All along I keep hearing the Lord tell me to wait and that He has a plan. I will wait… I will trust in Him and I know that His timing will probably not be according to my timing but I know that His timing is always perfect. Thank you for this post and for your words…
Many blessings!
Bonnelle