Last Night’s Pizza or the Holy Spirit?

My question is sincere. And I know it is not just me who has wrestled for spiritual clarity. My inquiry is not directed towards how to live a God-pleasing life. God’s Word provides many passages that help us know how to live, such as “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father¹.” and “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path².”

No, my question is about when God wakes you up in the middle of the night or suddenly makes you aware of Himself while you are driving. It is those times of interruption in our daily lives that we so often ask, “God, is this really you?” How do we know?

These interruptions may be shorter than a human breath. In an instant, you know something, gain a new insight, or see a door open. Is God really “in” this, you may ask yourself. These interruptions may not be brief but last for days or longer. You may have a wrestling within you. You may be unable to put your finger on it or articulate your disturbance to another soul on earth. Whether brief or prolonged, what you need to know is whether it is from your flesh or the Holy Spirit.

Here’s the good news: People who are spiritually deaf never hear God’s voice. Wait!! I know that’s not actually good news, but you get my point. Do you remember the account in the Bible of Samuel, as a young boy, being awakened when he heard his name called?

And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

1 Samuel 3:10 NLT – Bible Hub. Retrieved September 26, 2024, from https://biblehub.com/1_samuel/3-10.htm

What we easily forget is the first verse of this chapter. It says, “Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon³.”

Here is my point. Messages from the Lord were very rare in Samuel’s day, but he heard God. They may be rare in our day, but you can hear God. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” You can hear the Holy Spirit and know the one true God is interrupting you to impart His life into yours.

With the Holy Spirit alive in you⁴, you recognize His voice. You know that anything that does not fully agree with the Bible is a lie; it is not from God. You know that faith is not jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. Godly faith is keeping our eyes on Him, not living by what can be seen but by what He has said⁵. You know that with God, all things are possible⁶.

So, was it last night’s pizza or the Holy Spirit? You know. You may resist what you know, but you know. When the Maker of Heaven and Earth turns His attention to you and speaks, allow your day to be interrupted. Stop. Drop. And Pray. God is changing your life. Praise God!

Footnotes

1. Colossians 3:17 – Putting on the New Self. (n.d.). Bible Hub. Retrieved September 26, 2024, from https://biblehub.com/colossians/3-17.htm ↩︎
2. Psalm 119:105 – Your Word is a Lamp to My Feet. (n.d.). Bible Hub. Retrieved September 26, 2024, from https://biblehub.com/psalms/119-105.htm ↩︎
3. 1 Samuel 3:1 – The LORD Calls Samuel. (n.d.). Bible Hub. Retrieved September 26, 2024, from https://biblehub.com/1_samuel/3-1.htm ↩︎
4. Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – English Standard Version. (n.d.). Bible Gateway. Retrieved September 26, 2024, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%206%3A19-20&version=ESV ↩︎
5. 2 Corinthians 4:18 – Treasures in Jars of Clay. (n.d.). Bible Hub. Retrieved September 26, 2024, from https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/4-18.htm ↩︎
6. Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 19:24-26 – New Living Translation. (n.d.). Bible Gateway. Retrieved September 26, 2024, from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2019%3A24-26&version=NLT ↩︎