I used to take a small sign with Garfield on it saying, "Tin can I get caller ID for the voices in my head!" I Googled to detect some media for this post and came across this; "I know the voices in my caput aren't real, but they accept some slap-up ideas." And and so this; "I detest it when the voices in my head go silent… I never know what they are planning." Face information technology, we all take "voices" in our head. They may exist our own, or our parent's, or they may vest to we-don't-know-who. But we have them. Information technology's no large bargain, unless you begin losing arguments with them!

If we all have the voices then we all struggle to identify them. To make up one's mind which ones should be trusted and which ones we should affluent down the toilet! It's the olé skillful affections on one shoulder and the bad devil on the other. For those who've made God their leader, the voices divide 3 ways. They struggle to know if the "vocalisation" they hear is God's, Satan'southward, or someone else's. Of form, if that "vocalism" is a negative influence, we don't desire to be loosing those arguments, or post-obit their ideas! Almost people don't want to be taking advice from Satan or from any evil entity for that matter.

Yous may have noticed that I mention Satan a couple times and speak of him as if he's real. While the sophisticated, academic and acculturated crowd often discounts the existence of the Devil, the Bible and we here 2 Rivers Church building practice not. He'due south much more than an evil idea or invisible strength. Only read Genesis 3:i-seven, Job 1:1-2:13, or Matthew iv:1-11 to see that he'southward a existent person, and non a very nice one at that. If yous read those passages as stories that recount actual events you lot'll see that he can take on different shapes simply his "vocalisation" is pretty much the aforementioned every time. He's always in attack mode. That'due south true of almost of the voices in our head that need to exist ignored.

He'due south always in attack mode. That'due south true of most of the voices in our head that need to be ignored.

It'southward with that characteristic that I'll begin helping you lot distinguish between those voices. My main goal is to help you know if it's God you're hearing or someone else. Someone much less worthy of being listened to. Regardless of what God may "say" to us, whether information technology's something cosmetic or encouraging, He doesn't attack and tear down. Never. He is for us, not confronting us (Romans 8:1-2, 31-34; John three:16-17, 8:ten-xi). He doesn't want us to sin simply He comes to us in love and non judgment. A critical, disparaging vox is the sound of detest and jealousy and fear and rejection and all that brings death to the human eye. That's never the sound of our life-giving God. Never. The aforementioned cannot be said for Satan. He'due south known as a liar or deceiver (John 8:44; Revelation 12:nine, 20:3, 7-8), accuser ("Satan" Zechariah 3:one-2; 1Peter 5:eight; Revelation 12:10), and slanderer ("Devil"). He tries to mimic God but in that location'south a combative and manipulative way near him. If yous've e'er walked abroad from someone and wondered if y'all were only praised or criticized, if they're a friend or foe, an marry or attacker, yous already know a petty about the subtly of Satan'southward "vocalisation."

That brings up another helpful reality. Those voices that belong to others can usually be put in i of the two categories. The way God communicates or the way Satan does. There are human voices that are neutral, only normally they are either negative or positive. In fact, Satan mimics God by using those around us (without their knowing it) to get his message to us. Some voices we hear in our head may be the positive and affirming voices of people that love united states. They'll audio very similar to God's. Other voices are negative, attacking, naysaying, and destructive voices, in contrast to God'south positive, protective, encouraging, and effective voices. They should be flatly rejected. Feel free to acquire from any truth hidden under the toxin, but extract it from the poison beginning. If we can improve our power to tell the difference between God'southward communication and the Devil'south, we tin too brainstorm to know which man voices (our own and others) to mind to as well. Are you beginning to encounter a clear demarcation between the two primary categories of "voices"?

The Bible contrasts these ii by labeling what'due south right, truthful and skilful every bit "light," and all that'southward evil, incorrect, and false as "darkness" (Luke 11:33-36; John 1:6-15, 8:12, 12:44-47; Ephesians v:8-9; 1John 2:9-eleven). Whatever and whomever is with God, is light, and whatever and whomever opposes Him, is darkness. Truth and goodness (righteousness) is calorie-free, charade and evil (unrighteousness) is darkness.

I think that peradventure the simplest fashion to learn the difference between God and Satan, light and dark, truth and deception, relative to those voices in your head, is by beginning with Romans 8:1. Information technology declares that those who're Christ–followers are no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1-2; also Romans five:1; John 3:16-nineteen, 5:24; Galatians 3:13). This uncomplicated concept and the application of it to those voices can give clarity to everyone. Fifty-fifty if you lot're not a professing Christian, God volition non attack and condemn you and y'all aren't going to want to give much time to anyone who does. I recall the story in John 8:one-11 makes it evident that God MO isn't to criticize. Here'south a woman defenseless in a very ungodly act, probably an deed that was the norm for her life, and Jesus defends her rather than taking the easier and expected route of condemning her. Sure, He challenges her to change her means, merely not until she'southward been protected and valued as a human being.

As far as offering a formula through which yous tin run the voices in your head to ferret out the liars among them, consider Philippians 4:eight. Fill your mind with voices that speak things that are true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious, and what'due south best, cute and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). You take to apply all the modifiers when you lot test the voices, making sure it passes the whole test. Remember that the truth is still oft difficult to hear, challenging, corrective, and "redemptive" (rescues, delivers, liberates). Here'south a quick final test. A mentor of mine use to say that the voice of evil sounds a lot like that of Linda Ronstadt's singing "you're no good, you're no skilful, you're no proficient, babe you're no good, I'one thousand gonná say it once again, you're no good…"! Any voice with that same finger-in-your-face disapproval behind it isn't ane to respect and believe.

Remember that the truth is even so often difficult to hear, challenging, corrective, and "redemptive" (rescues, delivers, liberates).

Fifty-fifty with these suggestion, sometimes we believe the lies told us and can't recognize accurately a voice's origin. Perchance information technology sounds a lot like mom or dad's voice and those are people we're supposed to be able to trust. So nosotros're inclined to believe them even when laced with demeaning rhetoric. What we need is something that contrasts the two sides, lite and dark, truth and lies, effective and destructive, then that we can tell them apart. I have only such a tool for you! A colorful comparison of what God's positive vocalism and Satan's negative voice "audio like." For printing purposes I also make available a black-and-white version. Permit's learn and live!

LEARN – Everyone has voices in their caput, that's normal. But non everyone'south careful about which ones they heed to – that'south scary… and unhealthy, dangerous, and a recipe for disaster!

LIVE – Sometimes, determining the origin of the voices is easier then assertive that ones that speak truth and disbelieving and rejecting the ones that tell lies! Allow us know if you lot demand help beyond the tool I provide.