And THIS is why renewing our minds is so critical. Part of renewing our minds involves paying much closer attention to our own thoughts. Thought examination, if you will. This is how the apostle Paul could say,

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

How else do you take captive every thought but to be cognizant of what they are, how they relate to Jesus, and where they came from?

But this post isn’t about renewing the mind. It’s about hearing God talk. To us. For real. If we’re following Paul’s leading and taking every thought captive, then we’re going to notice whether thoughts are of God or not. We’re going to start taking fleeting ideas and senses seriously. And we’ll end up with a lot more communion with Jesus because we’re finally listening.

Random fleeting thoughts may not be as random as we think. They might be the spirit man picking up on someone else’s spirit, or God’s Spirit. We need to judge our thoughts in order to preserve peace, honor, and purity in our minds. As we become experts of thought, we can sensitize ourselves to the words God is saying to us. We can grow in direct knowledge of Him.

That picture you just daydreamed may be part of God’s speaking to you. That feeling you have that seems to have a predictive element may also. A whole new world opens up to us as we listen, discern, and consider.

Sometimes that revelation is murky. I’ve seen dozens of prophetic words offered in present or recent past tense that the person waived off as inaccurate. I’m always wondering “what if” that word was predictive?

My Experience

I ask because I’ve received those kinds of words. The last time I asked for ministry, one guy said he saw me taking on new responsibilities at work. At the time, I shrugged that off, because nothing could be further from the truth. Three weeks later, I find myself considering more responsibilities at work. His word came across as present tense, which didn’t click with me, so I dismissed it. But because I’ve seen this happen so much, there was a tiny note made in my mind to observe later if this was intended for future use.

How do you know?

This is the question I’ve been wondering. And as I typed this very question just now, I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Ask me if this revelation is past, present, or future.”

Seriously? I can’t tell you how lame I feel for not thinking of that. How many times have I given someone a word and assumed I knew which period of time it applied to? Answer: Too many.

My Resolution

From now on, I resolve to ask Holy Spirit to tell me “past, present, or future” in relation to an insight I’ve received. I could still hear wrong, but after practicing, imagine how much more helpful it will be to tell people even more detail! Specificity in prophetic words increases faith. The more specific we get, the more a person is going to know that God loves them and knows every detail of their lives.

Check in on me from time to time and make sure I’m doing it. I want to be held accountable.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; ⁷the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

Romans 8:5-8

Where is YOUR mind set? What are you focused on? What fills your mind’s spare time? We are to set our minds on what the Spirit desires.

How do we know what the Spirit desires?

First, we know that if we have been born again, Jesus lives inside of us, and we have Holy Spirit as our counselor and comforter. So we have direct access to God. We don’t have to beg, plead, or hope that He will speak to us. God speaks to us all the time.

“My sheep hear my voice, and they know Me.”

So if we’re not hearing God, it’s up to us to quiet down the other voices and thoughts that distract us. If you ask, you will receive. If you seek, you will find. If you knock, the door will be opened. But sometimes the seeking is more of a half-hearted “hail mary” to God where we don’t even wait around for a response.

Take 15 minutes tonight or first thing tomorrow morning. Find a secluded space. Ask God to speak. Have a Bible and a journal or paper available. Listen to the thoughts, feelings, and other things you sense inside. Write them down. Don’t interrupt the process to question what you’re writing. Just write, and evaluate after.