Expert: Dean Gade - 11/28/2007

Question
how to determine if something is “a move of God”

Answer
It is not easy for our human will, intellect and emotions to determine what is “a move of God”.  Many of the great people of God in the Bible did not discern the voice of God at first.  

It is a matter of faith in God and knowing His will to determine whether God is moving us to do something.  And that faith of ours is dependent on recognizing God's voice in our hearts.

John 10:14-17, 25-28

14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me- 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father-and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
(from New International Version)



There are many secular and "religious" pressures which seem to be telling us what we should be doing or what is going on. But since God is not a God of confusion, a movement of God will never contradict the clear words of His word given in the Bible.

It becomes easier to know a movement of God as we mature in the following things:

1.  We are to test matters to see that they do agree with His written word.  Therefore we need to learn the scripture and all of what it is teaching about God's
leading us.

2.  We are to speak with God in prayer and take time to listen to what He puts on our hearts in answer to our prayers.  In this we learn to recognize when it is God's voice and when it is only the voice of our flesh or the voice of God's enemy, the devil.

If this does not answer what you were asking, then please write to me with a more detailed question.