Is it The Holy Spirit or You? 4 Phases to Know if He is Speaking to You 

Hey Friend!

Do you ever find it hard to discern if a thought is coming from you or from the Holy Spirit? Do you doubt whether or not you can hear God’s voice? Are you wanting to take action on the ideas that come to your mind, but feel stuck in doubt and fear? 

Every podcaster has to overcome fearful thoughts such as: What is my God given calling? Is God leading me to become a podcaster? No one will listen to my podcast. It won’t make any money. Although those thoughts are common, it doesn’t mean that they are the truth. We need to discern if these thoughts are from us, or from the Holy Spirit. 

When I first started my podcasting business, I struggled through many doubts and fears. Through much prayer, I learned how to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit to guide me every step of the way in my business. It’s time to get out of your own way, and realize when the Holy Spirit is placing thoughts and dreams in your heart. There are four ways to know if God is the one speaking to you, and if you should take action on what you hear. Keep reading to learn the four phases to know whether or not it is the Holy Spirit speaking to you.

The Holy Spirit is our Helper

Before going over the four phases to know if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, it is important to know that He is your helper. Jesus promised that when He departed, He would send us the Holy Spirit to be our helper. When we acknowledge that Christ is our Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to lead us and help us make Godly choices. He is there to help us discern right and wrong and walk in God’s path for our lives.

The Holy Spirit is a Truth Bringer

Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth in John 14:17. The Holy Spirit is a truth bringer and a truth speaker. You can know where you are being called to go. It is time to say yes to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

What is a Spiritual Nudge From the Holy Spirit?

Before getting into the four phases to know if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, it is important to understand that sometimes God speaks to us with a nudge in our spirit. Jesuswalk.com describes a spiritual nudge as “an inarticulate expression in my mind to do this or that or not to do something. These are usually whispers that don’t come articulated in the form of a complete sentence or even in words.”

Sometimes we are confused between knowing if it is God speaking to us or ourselves. It is important when you feel a nudge in your spirit to take the thought or impression to God in prayer. Read the Word and bring the nudge to God. The Holy Spirit will lead you to the truth. It is important to go through the four phases to know and to feel peace and be confident that you are doing the right thing, taking action on something that God wants for you.

Phase 1 of Hearing The Voice of the Holy Spirit-You Will Have an Unshakable Thought

Phase 1 of discerning God’s voice is when a small unshakable thought comes into your mind. Maybe I should do this… or What if I did that? You can be assured that a thought can be planted by God to help lead you. Thoughts come and go, but an unshakable thought that keeps coming back is worth looking at.

Phase 2 of Hearing The Voice of the Holy Spirit-You Will Start to Doubt and Fear

Often immediately after the unshakable thought, doubt and fear will come to your mind.  I can’t be a podcaster. What happens if I fail? Do I really have what it takes? The reason why a God-planted thought is often followed by doubt is because when you don’t know the outcome you can often feel afraid. God’s plans are typically outside of your comfort zone or the start or stop of something new. In a nutshell, it’s uncomfortable. 

You might struggle with worries that you will fail, or let others down. But you should know that doubt and fear are not from God. If God has planted the unshakeable thought in your mind, it will feel scary and you will be unsure. Hand these feelings to God, He will help you work through those emotions.

Phase 3 of Hearing The Voice of the Holy Spirit-Your Heart Will be Open

During phase three of hearing God’s voice doors will start to open causing you to believe that your dream is possible. 

Because you will start to see God opening doors, your heart will start to be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Then you will make the decision to step out in faith.

Phase 4 of Hearing God’s Voice- Holy Spirit Will Prompt You to Take Action

When the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, you will feel prompted to act. There will be nothing you can do to stop yourself from taking action in what you are feeling led to do. 

At the start of my business, I first had an unshakable thought, and then I worked through my doubts and fears. I had a heart positioning of trust in God. Then, I plugged in the microphone and just went forward. I had never thought I would be a podcaster, so I knew that this was from God.

Next Steps: Take out a Paper and Start to Pray Over Your Thoughts

Homework: Take out a sheet of paper and answer the following questions:

• Do you keep having a recurring unshakable thought?
• What are some of the doubts and fears surrounding that unshakable thought? Find scripture that counteracts that doubt and fear. 
• What if it works? What would it feel like if you followed through with that unshakable thought? What if you started that podcast? 
• What is the first step of following through with your unshakable thought? Pray over the first step and then go take action immediately.

If you still aren’t sure if you are being led by the Holy Spirit, keep praying. You will get a yes if it is from God. Only He knows where He is taking you. It’s time to step out in faith and say yes to the first step.

God’s plan is so much bigger than our dreams can ever be! You have nothing to lose, and clarity to gain to see if it’s the right next step for your business or ministry. If you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to start a podcast, come check out my FREE Podcast for Growth Workshop. It’s time to step out in faith. Take these four phases to heart, and see how the Holy Spirit transforms your life.

I pray this blesses you!

Xo,

Stef

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