What are the dangers of being preoccupied with clutter? Can you discern the voice of the Holy Spirit? The third person in the Trinity, He was active in the creation of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:2). He is also present to lead and guide us if we ask. Thus you and I should include the Holy Spirit in all of our plans, decisions and actions. Let’s examine the anatomy of the previous questions in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Invite Him to join in as you read this article.
What are you Inviting into Your Life
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, clutter means “to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness”. This definition reflects the danger that clutter has in our lives. Clutter is often camouflaged by the busyness of life – careers, school, meetings, people and even family. I am sure each of us can make a list of such things. Let’s consider, however, the cost of clutter. First, it hinders us from reaching the will of God in our lives. Secondly, our preoccupation with things can leave us vulnerable to the snares of the enemy. Note: anything that keeps us away from God limits our Intercessor, Helper, and Comforter from giving us victory over our flesh. Thirdly, clutter hinders our access to God. The Holy Spirit does not force His will into our lives nor does He compete for our time. He operates by invitation only. What are you inviting into your life?
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7). Imagine attending a football game and trying to talk to a friend that is right next to you. The cheers, shouts, and noise are so loud that your friend has to shout for you to hear him. This is the same way that we treat the Holy Spirit when we allow clutter to limit His voice. Remember, the Holy Spirit is not forceful and will not shout nor compete for our attention. It is up to each of us to discern His precious voice, despite the other competing voices and distractions of life. Using the same football game scenario, if I am close enough to my friend, I can discern what he is saying by reading his lips – despite not hearing his words. However, we cannot read the Holy Spirit’s lips. We must become in tune with the Spirit of God. We must choose to rid ourselves of the clutter that silences His voice for “obedience is better than sacrifice”.
Can you Hear me Now
How do we do this, you ask? The Holy Spirit is heard, not by natural wisdom, but by spiritual discernment. We must train our ear to both hear and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Hearing is the physical function that occurs when something disturbs the atmosphere and creates pressure that reaches our eardrums in the form of sound waves. Listening is a mental activity that expands on what we hear. Listening is actively seeking to understand, interpret, and apply what we hear. We must prepare to hear the voice of the Lord. Remember the example of those competing voices at the football game. God is talking to us through the Holy Spirit, the devil is talking to us through our own flesh, and our mind is talking to us through carnality. Each voice transmits on its own competing frequency.
Tune into the voice of the Spirit because it will always be true to the Word of God. The voice of the Holy Spirit will always align with the revealed Scriptures and is always Jesus-oriented. The voice of God is precise, never obscure or vague. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in times of prayer, praise, worship, and fasting. Seek to hear the voice that is born of the Spirit, not of the flesh. Apply your spiritual litmus test and compare everything you hear to the final standard of truth; the Bible (John 16:12-15).
