False Revelation
It's amazing the things you would do when you think God has led you to do them. I recently discovered this about myself: I was willing to step out of my comfort zone if I believed God was commanding me to. I thought I had received a revelation. Recently, however, the sham was shattered, and my mind is clear now—it was not God. But it wasn't my own words either; it was an external voice that was as clear as day, and I believed it was God. It shook me that I couldn't differentiate between the Lord's voice and an external source. The revelation was to connect with someone.
When I thought I heard the Lord's voice, my initial reaction was to fight the revelation. Phrases like "no way," "absolutely not," and "God, why would you put me in this situation?" poured out of my mind. So, I decided to investigate further. Speaking to this person, however, only raised major red flags. I couldn't see why God was drawing me to them. I was angry because it made no sense to me, neither logically nor spiritually. I had told God the kind of people I wanted to be around, and this person didn't fit that description. Especially because the position this person was to occupy would outrank everybody else in my life.
A few weeks passed, and I started to see some qualities in this person that reassured me that what I heard that day was real. So, I began to accept the revelation more. I found that I got along better with this person, I was open with them, and I felt that God was the leading force behind it. The red flags I had seen before, I allowed them to turn pink as I began to look forward to where God was taking me and this person.
A few days ago, the once-respected revelation shattered like glass, and the light bulb realization dimmed under the constant barrage of reality from this individual. It took just one conversation to bring me back to reality. There was no way this was from God; the devil was at work. I realized I had been right the first time. I became upset because I had gone against my own feelings, thinking I had heard from God. But I was also happy because it reassured me that I could trust myself. Honestly, your initial feelings are usually your best bet. The initial feeling you get would most definitely be the Holy Spirit. Any secondary feelings that come after would be a mixture of your personal feelings and outside sources.
I am overjoyed because I didn’t dive in headfirst. I waited for God to make things clear. Through the person’s actions, the truth became evident. I could have easily wasted these months by not praying about the situation or by ignoring the sense God gave me. Even if this person was meant to be in my life, it was not for the reason the false revelation implied. We have to be careful and renew our minds. Based on a particular conversation, I knew the revelation I had received about this person was a lie. What a scary situation to be in. I'm proud of myself because I was willing to obey God quickly despite all my questions and doubts. I am proud of myself because I did not rush things just because I thought I heard God; I gave it time and prayed. I am proud of myself because I didn’t let a few faint green flags alter my reality. (I felt very mature practicing this). An unnecessary mess was about to brew, and I thank God for correcting it.
Proverbs 4:23
"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." (NLT)