How To Hear God’s Voice & Discern The Enemy’s Lies

How do you know if you’re hearing God’s voice… or listening to the enemy’s lies?

In this episode, we dive deep into the gift of discernment, spiritual maturity, hearing the voice of God, and learning how to distinguish truth from deception in a world full of noise.

We talk about:
🔥 hearing God’s voice
🔥 discerning truth vs lies
🔥 the battlefield of the mind
🔥 spiritual maturity vs “baby Christians”
🔥 testing everything against scripture
🔥 wisdom & discernment through the Holy Spirit
🔥 waiting on God instead of forcing doors open
🔥 wolves in sheep’s clothing
🔥 worldly thinking vs biblical thinking
🔥 sanctification & spiritual growth

This conversation is raw, vulnerable, scripture-heavy, and full of honest moments about what it actually looks like to follow Jesus daily.

If you’ve been praying for clarity, confirmation, peace, wisdom, or direction from God — this episode is for you.

We pray this episode helps you grow in discernment, hear God more clearly, and walk boldly in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Hello, and welcome to another Fearless Queen podcast episode. My name is Sarah.

SPEAKER_00 0:18

I am Tina, and we are your Fearless Queens.

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Yes, we are uh excited to be here today. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 0:28

Yes, we are. Yes. We are talking about something that Sarah and I have asked the Lord for for quite some time now. And so it's it's time to teach you what we know and what we've learned and how beautiful it is. And one of the greatest kings in the Bible, Solomon, actually asked God for this. And it pleased the Lord. It pleased God that he asked for this.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Yeah, it's also one of the um gifts of the Holy Spirit. So we've been on that rampage for a while now, uh, talking about the Holy Spirit, what he does, what he yeah, what he does, and the gifts that he brings when he lives and dwells inside of you. Last week was about wisdom. This week is about discernment. And that is what um the book of wisdom that Solomon who wrote it asked for as well as wisdom was give me the discernment. So um, not that I am not an expert whatsoever. Oh, God is, and so you just read the word, but like we try our best to do each and every day, and so it's a learn to teach process. So you're never gonna be fully anywhere, there's nowhere to get other than in your sanctification walk with Jesus to just be better than who you were yesterday, be better than you were five minutes ago, be better than you were two seconds ago, and it's you versus you always. So you know, yes, we're in here to teach, but if God uses you and wants you to do something like this, go out and do the same thing, whatever that may be, because we're just two humans, um, being obedient to God's will, and hopefully that inspires somebody else to go out and also be the light somewhere else, whether that's on a podcast studio or whether that is a song you're supposed to write or a book you're supposed to write about discernment or wisdom or whatever God has on your path on your path or for you, because uh we all need one another. So you can yes, learn something from myself and Tina, but it's also not us, it's the Holy Spirit. Uh, and I just want to emphasize that before we get into anything more because just a vessel, nothing special. Um, my ado-doo stings just as much as yours. So um truly, I I uh I just felt like I needed to say that because I'm not a perfect human and I don't want anybody to think that. And I've just felt that for a bit.

SPEAKER_00 2:51

Like, yeah, I think that as God elevates people, it can go two ways. Because the key word here is God elevates, God fills us with wisdom, it's God's discernment, it's not mine. I'm going against the word of God and He's filling me with His words. And so two things can happen. Either people continue to be elevated and they're almost a wolves in sheep's clothing, which we've talked about many, many times, or they're elevated and they're like, it's not me. You have to understand. And I got very heated with someone. I'm really glad that you said that, because me and this person were very um emotional together in a good way. And he had made a comment like, if I get complimented, I almost get upset at people because they are putting it on me like it's me. And it's not me, it's God in me. And it's obviously forgive them. They know not what they're doing. They look at the person, they look at the voice, they look at, you know, someone on a podium and they elevate the person. But really, what you're doing is you're building up the ego of the person on stage, which is actually edging God out. And so you're removing God from them without even realizing that you're doing it and giving the power to that person. And so I think, am I making sense? Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 4:13

The cool thing about Jesus is when you're allowing the His Holy Spirit to dwell inside you, and that and people are looking at that person and they're complimenting that person, and then that person gives the glory to God. Yeah, that's the difference. Yeah. Between somebody who's like, and I'm just gonna throw her out there, you know, Taylor Swift. I'm not saying that she's not a believer, I'm not saying you will know them by their fruit. That's between what her heart lies, where her heart lies and her treasure is, only God knows. But in the sense of people are clapping for her, people are praising her, people love her, they like idol and worship her. And she doesn't say one thing about God, that's between her and God, and the discernment of knowing somebody by their fruit, if they're walking like Jesus or not, because another person, like Tina just mentioned, if it's a compliment for their work they've done or the gift that they have, it's like I wouldn't have this if it wasn't for God. Yeah. And the difference between heart posture and even conversation with that person is discerning who is from the Lord and who is not, or who is claiming the name of Jesus to elevate themselves rather than like, hey, you know, let me tell you about my Jesus because I I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him.

SPEAKER_00 5:30

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 5:31

And go ahead. It's a humility heart posture, it's the discernment of who are you following? Uh which I think is just very important to start out because you know, we mentioned like we're gonna teach today, but also we're students as well. So it's learn to teach process, it's a never-ending continuation of learning because this book is never ending.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

Yeah, it's beautiful. It's so beautiful in that it is never ending. And we both have had situations one, I'll use yours because it's so new and so fresh, but so common. Um, people have said to you, Oh, I feel like I'm, I feel like I'm meeting someone famous.

SPEAKER_01 6:12

Yes, and I'm like, please, God, I just want to like hide because I'm Right.

SPEAKER_00 6:17

And it it's interesting because there's almost like a pressure attached to that that I don't, I don't, I know these people and I know that's not what they were intending to do. But when we are so raw and real and open and we it it's against the word of God, we test everything against the word of God. We tell you after we've tested it to go test it against the word of God. So we know where it's coming from. And so it can almost feel a little debilitating when people are like giving us the accolades. It's like, no, no, no, no, no. Let me tell you how much it is not me. Like, I get the compliments with, you know, like, oh, you did so great with the kids that you've taken on that are your stepchildren because you know, their mom passed away seven years ago, and so I'm the stepmom and all the things, but like I don't really consider myself a stepmom because they're older, so it's all that. But I'm like, you have got to understand it is not me. God said go and I went. If it would have been me, I would have said absolutely no way do I want any part of this. It is a lot of work. Yeah, it is a lot of everything.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

Because left to ourselves without God, we are selfish human beings. We are and you can only be selfless and have self-control and love your neighbor as yourself with the help of the Holy Spirit.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

Yep. And that is the that is the big beginning of what we're teaching today. Nothing that we are learning is anything that you can't learn. You have the same power that lives inside of you as we do. Yes. And so we are, when she says, I'm nothing special, just a vessel, and you might hear like, oh, that's just a Saraism. But here's the thing: it is so abundantly true that we are no more special than you. God is using us in this vessel to be his conduit out into the world to make heaven crowded, to tell people about Jesus, not the condemnation of religion, but the relationship with Jesus Christ. And so it is so true every ounce of what she has said, because if we think it's us, we've lost.

SPEAKER_01 8:20

Right. And in the same deck of cards is you. And so whatever God has blessed you with and given you and wants to do with you to go make heaven even more crowded, then we're all just helping one another do the great commission and spread the good news. And it's go out and make disciples. And I've been learning this the past few days because on here we do a lot of teaching, um, preaching. I think they go hand in hand with one another.

SPEAKER_00 8:49

Evangelism. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

Uh, go out and spread the good news, but and also it's go out and make disciples. So, what does that look like? It's coming alongside somebody else. So you might not have somebody physically right now coming alongside you. Pray about it. Yes. You you want to have somebody in the physical realm to keep you accountable, to be there for you in the physical because there is so much we can do technological now. However, there is something to, you know, actual in-person connection. And so this could be an avenue for you to have sisters in Christ alongside you. That's beautiful. I remember that was all I had when God took everybody away from me from a period of time to build me up for the people that He was bringing into my life. So there is a season for that, but just make sure that people are alongside you and people are helping you grow as much as you are helping somebody else grow. Yeah. Because we're all that's the beauty of being in the body of Christ is somebody's coming alongside you to help shape and grow you in the narrow path. And then when somebody comes on the narrow path that you've already been through on that side, you can walk alongside them and say, Hey, you're you're coming on the right path, you're going the right direction.

SPEAKER_00 9:58

Yeah. And I think that's such a beautiful visual for me. I hope it is for you too. And I think about how um you have different levels that you're at and you have different things that you are asking for discernment in. And so, you know, my husband is because he's been walking with Jesus his entire life, he is asked to um help lead our congregation in prayer. So that's a that's you might look at that and be like, oh my gosh, I could never do that. Well, that's not where you're at, but he also has his own concerns attached to that. He has his own fears, worries, worries, and doubts attached to that. And then you I think about Sam, who was on our podcast a bit ago. Like she was somebody who was in prison. She was um, you know, she stayed awake for what, 13 days or some ridiculous amount of days because she was on drugs. Now she's helping those people that she once was. And each person has a specific role and a purpose for that. Like his role is just as important as her role is, as her role is, as my role is to be a conduit for Jesus Christ. So don't ever diminish what God is doing in and through you because then you're diminishing God. Just ask him to reveal to you. We've talked about this probably just about every episode, Ephesians 1:17. Ask him to reveal the wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of him, of the discernment of what you are to do for him, for his kingdom.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 11:20

So that's our big old wide opening of we are nothing special.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

Just a vessel.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Okay. Okay. So he, I'm in just here. So I'm at 1 Kings 3, and I'm just gonna read this. Give your servant. So this is Solomon talking. Give your servant. So Solomon, king, a huge king, wealthiest king in the world, he knows who his lord is. Give your servant. He's calling himself a servant, which is what we all need to be doing. I just think that's beautiful right there. Therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this, your great people. And then 10, which is just so powerful, it pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And there's so much in 1 Kings 3, 9. That sentence alone, I think, could be broken apart for hours and hours and hours. Like, therefore, an understanding mind. How many times we let our mind control us by what we think? I watched it last night at a track meet. I told the kid, I'm like, you're in your head, get out of your head and get back in.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

Gosh, it's so hard when you're in your head though to get out of it, even if you know you're in it. Yeah. Um, I mean, just for me the other day, I nothing's going on, nothing's wrong. But in my head, I felt like I was in prison. I felt like no matter what I was doing on the external, my internal was like crying inside. But I'm going through the motions and nobody would actually know unless they knew.

SPEAKER_00 12:55

Was this yesterday? Yeah. Dude, I was so praying over that. That is wild.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

It's so raw and real on here. And then I that's another, like, take it for what it is, in the sense of like, yes, what else is there to be? We said this on the last episode. There's authenticity, vulnerability, full radical transparency. At the same token, because you know these things about somebody else from afar, if you don't have their cell phone number, if you're not talking to them, that thing, it's you know, the personal relationship that you have with somebody. So often I do think that, oh, we because we love Taylor Swift and we know her music, or we because we know somebody who knows somebody and we watch them all the time, like we feel like we know them.

SPEAKER_00 13:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:38

But in reality, like we only know what they're sharing.

SPEAKER_00 13:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:42

So there's so much that I do we do share on here that's in real time vulnerability, what we're going through, what we're working through in those moments. However, the only person that ever really, really knows what's going on is God. Yeah. He sees you when nobody else does. He knows what you're doing when nobody else does. And that's why I just emphasize that nobody's perfect, that you are a conduit that God has called you to be. And with that calling comes, you know, the mountains and the valleys to get you to that. That Tina and I talked about last week as well. So, yes, Solomon's asking for the discernment. He was the king and the ruler, the wisest man of all. But his downfall, his heart, his his issue with lust and um worship, I did. I think at one point he was worshiping false gods.

SPEAKER_00 14:29

He was, yes.

SPEAKER_01 14:30

So, I mean, for every good thing, you know, we're also human beings. I said it earlier, you know, their doo-doo stings just as much as yours. The only perfect human was Jesus, and that is why we look to him and him alone. That is why the Bible says he is the way and the truth and the life. And so with Solomon asking these things, knowing that, you know, God had said he is the most wisest, you know, human of all at that time, you know, then came Jesus, um, who knows everything because he is God in the flesh. But with that though, it's knowing, because he said knowing the difference between good and evil. You know, we've talked about this before. The enemy disguises himself as an angel of light. So it's knowing what looks good versus what's God good. Because on the outside, this cup looks super clean, you know. If you're watching on YouTube, all pretty on the outside, brands making new, but on the inside, there is a little piece of hair in here. Like, ew, I don't want to drink anything out of that. You want something clean, so even if it looks clean on the outside, check the inside, and even if it looks clean, there's still a few specks up in here that God needs to clean out so you can be used. That's a bar. I'm just saying. You want to be used by God, He's got to clean you on the inside, and He'll use you while He's cleaning you, yeah, which is a never-ending sanctification process.

SPEAKER_02 15:57

I love that.

SPEAKER_01 15:58

All right, because did you know perhaps this is the moment you were created for for such a time as this? I love it. The good, the bad, the ugly, yeah, the crazy, anything.

SPEAKER_00 16:09

Every single thing that is being shared is just so much wisdom and discernment that we have asked for. And I think that's the important thing to remember as she's talking, and you're like, wow, it just flows out of her, and she just knows what to say. But let me tell you about how many hours she spends in the word, like even just teaching the word through life-wise, and it's just it's wild. Key point here, key takeaway: read your Bible. Yes. This is how you are going to be given discernment is you will read the word of God, you will test every word that anybody has spoken against the word of God, and God will reveal to you, He will reveal it in people, He will reveal it in, you know, the rainbow. You know, it's there's times when I have heard people talk about, oh, I'm I'm having a hard day, or this is going on, or that is going on, or I miss my mom, or I miss my, you know, person that has passed, and I just want to see a rainbow, or I just want to see a feather. And God will give you that gift. It will come from God, and that is discerning the difference between what is God and what is of this world. And so I just went off on a tangent there, but I'm gonna read um right where God has me, Hebrews 5, 14. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

SPEAKER_01 17:43

That's 5.14.

SPEAKER_00 17:45

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 17:46

Okay, I would very much love to read it in my version too. Yes. Because the top of it, the top title is Don't Be Baby Christians. And so that is what we are here. We don't want to be babies, we want to eat some solid meat. So my version says, You will never be able to eat solid spiritual food and understand the deeper things of God's word until you become better Christians and learn right from wrong by practicing doing right.

SPEAKER_00 18:13

Whoa. Can you repeat that and open your ears and listen to this?

SPEAKER_01 18:19

This is the word of God. Hebrews chapter five, verse number 14. You will never be able to eat solid spiritual food and understand the deeper things of God's word until you become better Christians and learn right from wrong by practicing doing right. The key word, practicing doing right. So you are going to fall short. You are a human being whose nature is to sin. It is with the Holy Spirit's help that he helps you. And even then, you have the free will to quench it. Let me tell you right now that I am a sinner who needs a savior. I am guilty as charged. That is why each and every day, God forgive me for the things that I know I'm doing and the things that I am not aware of. Help me to be sanctified, to be pure, to be clean, because I am and I've done this, I think, on here before, but uh an analogy of like Jesus is that whitest of snow paper. And sanctification process is becoming more and more like Jesus. So we start out black and go through all the colors of the rainbow, but we're never going to be that perfect whitest snow people on earth in the physical because we are in a body encapsulated by sin. The Bible says, Why do I do what I don't want to do? But I know that I need to be doing what I don't do. Exactly. Exactly. Yes. So it's the flesh versus the spirit all the time. So for every step, two steps forward, there's a step backwards. That's the um I think that's also just God humbling you. Yes, humbling you, like, hey, you have not arrived yet, you're still dealing with this, and keeping you relatable to other people.

SPEAKER_02 20:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:00

There are, you know, we've had um people share their testimonies with us that, you know, after 38, 40 years of whatever sin they were dealing with, bound by radically, all of a sudden, because God is a God of suddenly they are changed and they don't touch it, they don't drink it, they don't smoke it. And then there's other people that are still battling with these things and they give it to God on a daily basis, and it's not as much, but it's less than they were. Yeah, and so it's loving both and glorifying God in both stories and discerning that it's Him working in and through each person in his own accord, in His own way.

SPEAKER_00 20:37

Oh my gosh, that's so good. That's so good. I've been praying, and God has been revealing people to me. And what I have been praying for is to truly understand the walk that he wants me to take to help people heal in the name of Jesus, whether that's healing their mind, healing their body, healing their what they consume, what they listen to, what they look at, whatever it is, because a healthy body is a healthy mind and a healthy mind is a healthy body. That's just even if you're in pain, if your mind is healthy and your eyes are on God, you get through the pain because God's strength is in you, right? I think about that. I have a shattered T2 through T4. And so there's certain it just is, I wake up in pain, but I'm like, I give it to God, I take my collagen, and I just I let it ride out, right? So of course you're most qualified to help the person you once were. So I'm like, okay, God, how can I help people? And he has been revealing to me that most of it is in your mind, right? So like I could be like, oh my God, my arm hurts, my neck hurts, my shoulder hurts. And I would go out and act as such. I wouldn't do things with my arm. I wouldn't lift the five dollar weight, five dollar weight, the five pound weight because I'm too embarrassed as my friend next to me is lifting the 35 pound weight doing the same workout. And I'm like, no, I am not him. I am me. And So I'm gonna use the five-pound weight as silly as I think it looks, right? And so don't underestimate a five-pound weight.

SPEAKER_01 22:06

Could we do a couple um outreach? Come to a Pilates class, I'll just show you how a five-pound weight.

SPEAKER_00 22:14

Anywho, exactly. But if I were to, if my mind told me I'm in pain, I can't do anything because it hurts, I'm gonna go out and act as such. But if God is speaking in and through my mind with his wisdom and discernment, and I'm like, no, I can do a little bit. I can go out a little bit. And you know what? I woke up yesterday with debilitating pain in my arm to the point where I couldn't even move it. And by the nighttime, I was feeling good. I had worked it out, and I was like, wow, God, like, thank you for that. And I'm just using this as an example, right? And so what I'm getting at is in your mind is the power. Yes. Like the Holy Spirit lives in you and he speaks to you, but so does the enemy.

SPEAKER_01 22:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

So what are you giving your power to? And it's just confirmation that it is in your mind.

SPEAKER_01 23:06

It it very it all is because out of out of the overflow of your heart, your mouth speaks. But it the things from your head to your heart, we've talked about this before, that 18 inches between, you could know all this all day long, but if you don't feel it, it's still it's not gonna flow. It's quenched, so it's all up here, but it's not flowing out of here. So the word of God needs to drop from your head to your heart. And even then, there are roadblocks along the way because the enemy knows there's books on this, there's podcasts on this, there's movies on this, you know, the battlefield is in your mind. Yeah, you got you, you got everybody else, you got God, and you have the enemy. So there's many avenues right there of which way are you going to go? We've talked about the train before, we've talked about the Uber analogy before of when you find a direction that you're starting to go. You know, usually you you wake out of bed. I always say you wake out of bed and you turn your Jesus swag on. Sometimes I can't turn the Jesus swag on fast enough, or I can't run away from myself fast enough because the it's already started as soon as I wake up that I'm like, the day's over, I should stay here. Nobody would know if I got up. Like those thoughts just immediately, and it is speaking the word of God. And even knowing those things in the moment, it's hard.

SPEAKER_00 24:25

Yeah, but the more you tell yourself his mercies are new every morning. And we were just talking in prayer about waking up, literally praising the Lord. And I think it's an ebb and flow depending on what's going on, depending on the night before, depending on how much sleep you have, depending on how well you ate, depending if you have caffeine after whatever time. Like all of those things are dependent on it. Like you said, the voices, the the the God voice, the enemy voice, and that's where discerning comes in. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 24:54

And, you know, we're not robots. So it would be amazing if we could all just wake up and our first initiative was God, but it's not. And if it was, we would all be robots to God, and he wants us to come to him because we want to, not because we have to, which is why we're there's other voices we can listen to and go to when God knows and wants us to go to him first, so often that usually becomes our last resort. How amazing will it be? Can it be when we put him first? And even if you are, you know, I wake up and read the word, and sometimes you still need just a God. I I need you today. Help me get up out of bed and do this because I can't, you know. Um, I've been hearing a lot lately. When you come to the end of yourself, that's where God starts. Yep, very true.

SPEAKER_00 25:46

Oh my goodness, it's so true. I mean, even I when we were praying on Sunday morning here, and I heard someone say, I know all these things, I have all this wisdom, I have this knowledge, but I don't know exactly where God wants me to go with it. And so I'm gonna get there and I'm gonna have to completely and wholly trust in God. And I smile inside, I'm like, you know, that's right where he wants you. Because when we're completely rid of ourselves, that is where he can fill us.

SPEAKER_01 26:18

The beautiful thing about talking to another brother or sister in crisis, so they can, you know, they're they're not the main character in your story. You are, so they can see from a third-party perspective of what's going on and speak life into you, God willing. Uh, that's where they're at. Because most times I've found is your people that God puts around you, not everybody's low at the same time, and not everybody's high at the same time. And thank God for that. Yeah because you can go to one another in Christ with the burdens or the thoughts and the things that are on your mind, and they can help build you up and bring you back to Christ. If you were all in the pity party, it would be hard to get out of the pit.

SPEAKER_00 27:04

Yes, it would. I'm gonna go right to um Philippians one. And I'm gonna start at nine. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and discernment. Paul is teaching us what God has revealed to him, and Paul's story is so amazing. If you think you have been through the ick, I promise you Paul can take the cake on it all. And what I've learned in Paul's story is every single thing is for God's glory. To reveal God to other people, whether he was in prison, while he, whether he was on the ship, about to get shipwrecked, you know, he was in prison and they took him on the ship. And it's like, oh, if he wouldn't have been in prison, he wouldn't have gone on the ship. And then the ship got shipwrecked, but the ship was saved because he prayed to the Lord. And I'm like, yeah, but what if he wouldn't have been on that ship? What if he wouldn't have been prison? Think about all the people who were saved who came to Jesus because of that little teeny weeny story alone. And so his wisdom comes from God. And he said, It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment. And imagine if we prayed that over every brother and sister in Christ, that God would reveal himself in that way to people. And when a friend is down, when a sister or brother in Christ is down, we don't push them, we don't knock them down more. We're supposed to build each other up, encourage one another. And so there's a time and a season for everything. In that season, when they need to be built up, this is what you utilized. In another season, it's maybe the scripture you spoke about where it was do right. Do right because you love God and you desire him, not because you want to get something or or you want to get into heaven. Can I do enough good things to get into heaven? No, you cannot, but you want to because you love him, because he died for you. And which brings me to you need to read John 3.17. Have you ever read John 3.17? Okay.

SPEAKER_01 29:18

We a lot many of you know John 3.16. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever lives in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3.17, that following that is but if someone who is supposed to be a Christian has money enough to live well and sees a brother in need and won't help him, how can God's love be within him? Question mark.

SPEAKER_00 29:42

And so that that's her version. My version in 17 says, For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. And I'm like, okay, that's the condemnation of religion is condemning the world. Jesus came for a relationship. He came to fill you with his wisdom, he came to give you discernment, he came to give you gifts. If only we would live in them, seek them out, ask him daily for his will over your life, it would be heaven on earth.

SPEAKER_01 30:26

Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 30:28

On earth as it is in heaven. And we do this podcast because we love Jesus so much that we want other people to feel his love more than anything else in this world. And if you would, if if more people would feel his love more than anything else in this world, you would want to run to every person you know and teach him about the love of Christ. And that is what we're doing. That is why we're here. And the gift of discernment, I think we've read some scripture to you, but we've told you a lot of stories, just like Jesus told stories. Most of his walk was telling parables. Most of his three years in ministry was telling parables. And this is just a holy woe right now of we can only give you what we have in us, but what we have, we want to give away all of Jesus in us.

SPEAKER_01 31:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 31:23

Because the more we give out to you, the more he fills us with. And it is almost like um a constant filling and dumping, filling and dumping. And yeah, that's it. Period. Jesus is so good and he loves you so much.

SPEAKER_01 31:41

Because he doesn't want to just fill you, and then once you're full, you know, you're done. Oh overflow, stop. It's pour out your spirit, Holy Spirit, activate within each and every one of us. So it's we've said this many times. When God blesses me, it's for me to bless you. And when God blesses you, it's for you to bless them. So you can the more blessings you hold on to, the more you cannot receive. So it's a like I said, uh like we've said learn, do, teach, it's you know, receive do and bless. Or, you know, there might be like a receive, utilize, and then go bless, whatever that may be. If God gives you, you know, finances to cover your bills that you thought you were gonna be short on, you know, the first 10% goes to God because he came there for you. And that's just biblical. We're talking about tithing. If God gives you an abundance amount of clothing, and now you can go through your closet and give away some for people who don't have those things. How beautiful is that? It's a constant recycle, reuse, um, renewal. It's beautiful, it's an amazing thing. And the gift of discernment of okay, what what is God telling me to do versus what's just good or what I think that I'm supposed to be doing. Um, we've talked about on here before fleeces, knowing God's will for yourself. It's biblical. Go to Judges chapter six, read Gideon's story for yourself. It's more the heart posture of why he was asking for certainty. I mean, he was about to go and conquer the nation for Israel.

SPEAKER_00 33:20

He wanted to make sure that he was thinking like God.

SPEAKER_01 33:23

Yes. So if you God knows your heart posture, God knows why you're asking such things. So if you feel like a fleece is something you need to do to ask God, is this the way? Like this looks good, but is this your will? You know, maybe he's calling you to do a fleece. Um, before you do that, I highly recommend read like read the Bible story of Gideon to know what his fleeces were and how to utilize it in your own life. But also um prayer, you know, conversations with the Lord. And it looks different for everybody. You know, we're having a conversation that's a two-way uh dynamic. That's what God wants. Maybe that's what how you journal, maybe that's how you, you know, you're talking in your head to God, or you're on your knees praying, like whatever that looks like for you, it's all gonna, it's the same but different for each person.

SPEAKER_00 34:14

Yeah. Can you look up um the dictionary description of discernment? And I'm gonna read while you're looking that up.

SPEAKER_01 34:21

Yes, I got it. Oh, you already yes, I have it ready to roll. Okay, thank you, Jesus. The biblical discernment is the spirit-empowered skill of using God's word to distinguish between truth and error, right and wrong, good and evil. Yeah, the ability to see things as God sees them, thinking God's thoughts after him, to apply biblical wisdom to all areas of life rather than merely relying on human judgment or appearance. And you can see that clear as day when somebody has Jesus lens on and you're speaking the Jesus language rather than somebody has a worldview on and speaking worldly things. And the first thing that comes to my mind is you know, pro-life or pro-choice. You either have a worldly lens on or you have a biblical lens on. And we've said this also on the podcast before people don't they hate the truth, so they think it's hate speech, it's truth that you hate. But it's truth, it's not hate speech, it's truth that you hate, and it's not us, it's not whoever it may be who has that Jesus lens on, looking at the world through his eyes. It's the scriptures that we're reading that this is above everything else, regardless of what I think, what I want, what other people are saying. It's putting God's standard above all else and putting God at his right placement in your life.

SPEAKER_00 35:49

It makes me think about how most people don't want to come truly to the Lord and like come to Jesus as He is your Lord and Savior, not just, oh, I was saved, oh, I was baptized, oh, I've accepted Christ. Like He is your Lord means everything you do is tested against His word, is because of control. They have to, you have to let go of control. And let me tell you, it's not a one-time thing. Okay, it is not a one-time thing, but even that, even pro-life, pro-choice, like I want control or control is with God.

SPEAKER_01 36:27

Yes. And you won't, people will not arrive to that if they aren't having a worldly, if they aren't having a biblical worldview, the lenses of Jesus on, and that's only by reading what he wants. And it's not just, you know, we don't read the Bible and pick and choose what we want. This is not a buffet. It's, you know, the front and back and everything in between that you follow. And it's not easy by any means. It's simple, and we have an episode on that. It is not easy, yet it is simple. Love God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.

SPEAKER_00 37:05

And everything ripples out from there. How the think about the person or even an animal that you love the most. You love more than anything. I love this person, whether it's, you know, a best friend, a husband, a wife, a mom, a dad, whoever. Insert your person. Imagine treating everyone like that person you love. That's what God does.

SPEAKER_01 37:29

That is what he does. That's what he's called us to do. And by no means can we achieve that on our own strength. It is you can do all strength, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Philippians 4.13. Yep. Because left to our own, we are me, me, me, I, I, I, what I want to do, when I want to do it, how I want to do it. That's everybody. Yeah. And I think that is everybody.

SPEAKER_00 37:52

Yep. And I think, especially outside of Jesus, but even people inside of Jesus. And I think right around that, Philippians 4.13 scripture is talking about praying. So we can only have his strength through prayer. Yes. He knows what we want, but he wants that relationship with you. Asking is given, seeking, you shall find knocking the door will open, right? So I wanted to read kind of we're I'm going back just a little bit to what you were saying a little bit ago. I'm gonna read um Matthew 7, 15, and 16, because sometimes I think we look at the outward, like you mentioned about, you know, Taylor Swift or whatever. You look at the outward, Jesus was nobody to take a second look at. Okay, ladies, I know you find this hard to believe based upon chosen's example of Jesus, but he was not someone you would turn around and and and check out. Okay. I'm gonna read the Bible though. Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. And 16 is key here. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? So the key part that I want you to listen is you will know them by their fruit. And so you might look at someone and you might be like, oh my gosh. I mean, you you might be a better example for Taylor Swift than I am of knowing all of this because you know a little bit more than I do. But I look at someone's life and I'm like, I'm not really sure if I can trust them. Lord help me discern if I can trust this person to be a good friend, to be a leader, to be a mentor. Okay, so how are her friendships? Okay, how where is she leading and how is he leading? Am I gonna follow this person as a leader? So I look at the fruit of how they lead. Oh, I don't know about him, but yes, God, I think you you've given me the discernment in her. And then it's knowing a marriage. Well, Lord, if I'm gonna be mentored by somebody, I'm gonna look at their marriage. And is every marriage perfect? No, absolutely not. But they will know, we will know by their fruit. So I personally want to be mentored by people who have been married 30, 40, 50, 60 years. Me, with God at the center.

SPEAKER_01 40:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 40:15

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 40:16

Totally. And in all aspects of that, is God at the center of what another human is doing?

SPEAKER_00 40:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:23

Because then you know that you're leading in the right direction, you're heading towards the same goal and outcome of pure sanctification, being, you know, like Jesus. Discernment is, you know, check out your own social media. Who are you following? If people were to go check you out on social media and they can see who you're following, that's public information, people. I mean, they can discern right off the bat what you are doing with your time based on who you're following. Yeah. Is it a bunch of naked girlies, OnlyFans people? Then you're probably doing things behind closed doors that we can uh assume by discerning what you're looking at based on your followers.

SPEAKER_00 41:05

Well, and I even think about, let's say, you know, maybe oh, I don't look at that. I'm I'm not like that, I'm not that bad. But I even think about how obsessed people are with sports and things revolve around that. Like, is everything you do, are you making, are they making a sport a god? And I think that's an important one to look at. You know, I was talking with my mother-in-law in in the line at the track meet on Saturday, and I just went in deep right away. This girl had a shirt on and it said, be eternity focused. And I was just like drawn to this girl to go talk to her. And I'm like, you don't wear a shirt like that if you Jesus is not at the center. Like, like you don't wear this done with lukewarm faith unless you are trying at least your best to walk the narrow path, right? So I went up and I talked to this woman. And of course, this is discernment, okay? And and God just like showing up. So this woman, she, you know, we were she's a missionary, or she she was, it's a missionary shirt. She wants to become a missionary. My husband wants to become a missionary, like he's been praying for that forever. Um, and then she also is married to a farmer. I'm married to a farmer, and I'm like, wow. So then I went back and I was talking with my mother-in-law about it, and we just dove deep into what being eternity focused looks like. And I realized in my head, and I said to her, I'm like, not everyone could have this conversation. They wouldn't even, they wouldn't know what to say. It's like the milk or the child. Yes, the he Hebrews 14, the first scripture we read, it's like people can't even go there because it's so intense.

SPEAKER_01 42:45

You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still far living on milk, it shows he isn't very far along in the Christian life and doesn't know much about the difference between right and wrong. Oh my gosh, he is still a baby Christian. That is where we that's where everyone starts off. Yes. Everybody. It's up to you to determine how quickly you want to get to the meat. You know, there's certain things you have to, you know, crawl before you walk, you walk before you run. Same thing in the Christian aspect in the Christian life. The difference between growing physically versus growing spiritually is you can determine how quickly you grow spiritually based on how much you are consuming and speaking and talking to Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 43:34

Yeah, and I think about how I heard an analogy, which is a very extreme analogy. But if you hang around people who are only eating ice cream, you're gonna get fat, okay? And you're you're gonna be consumed by the sugar. But if you hang around people who are eating the meat, who are literally eating a good big juicy steak, they're gonna be healthy. You become like who you surround yourself with. So you look at their fruit, and I'm not I'm not. Please don't hear what I'm not saying. I'm not judging the people who eat the ice cream in any way, shape, or form. I'm not judging the people who are overweight. It's more of an internal thing. Where are you internally? If you are only thinking about lack and what you don't have and what you aren't, and you're only speaking from the pulpit on pain and suffering and depression and anxiety, and that's all you talk about, then that's what you're gonna be surrounded with. But if you're teaching and preaching the word of God and your pulpit, I'm not just talking about your pastor, I'm talking about what you speak outwardly to people, what your what your fruit is. Yes. And and your life is a living example of what you do.

SPEAKER_01 44:44

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 44:45

And who whose you are.

SPEAKER_01 44:48

You're a walking billboard for whatever your actions lead you to. Every choice that you make, that's what your body carries. So whatever you decide to put on in the morning, however you decide to style yourself, however, whatever you decide to eat, whatever you decide to do, not do, you're you are a walking billboard for what every single choice that you make. So discernment is a key to each and every choice. Yes. Because every yes you say somewhere is a no you say somewhere else. And time is your most precious commodity. We pray not to waste it. Because if we're eternity focused, we're all going somewhere someday.

SPEAKER_02 45:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:24

You get to determine are you going to heaven or are you going to hell?

SPEAKER_00 45:28

And it's so important for us to impress upon you that just because you're in a season where like maybe you don't have, maybe you're not realizing the discernment that you have. Okay. And so sometimes just by trial and error, things come into fruition that you didn't anticipate or expect, but you wanted and you prayed for. I'm gonna can I use our example of the up uploading?

SPEAKER_01 45:52

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_00 45:54

So Sarah is the God in Sarah has given her incredible wisdom to be able to do our show notes, okay? And to be able to do the thumbnail and put the picture and all the things you see in the working art is Sarah. And I'm amazed every week by it. And I'm also kind of selfishly like, thank God she takes care of that because I wouldn't even know where to start, right? But unbeknownst to ourselves, I'm praying for wisdom, discernment, knowledge on how to do it because I want to know how to do it in the event she needs time off. And she's probably, I don't know for sure, but on the side, like, I'm done with this. I just need a break from this. Maybe a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 46:32

Yes. I'm not gonna lie.

SPEAKER_00 46:34

But here's the thing in a weird sort of way, I think in both of those, we wrap it in prayer. Okay. And so this week, this past week, we had something happen where it wasn't uploaded on time. And normally in the past, Sarah would freak out, like, oh my gosh, and she just let it go. I was so proud of her. She just let it go. And I'm like, she let it go a little too much. Now I gotta figure out how to do it. And I'm like, Lord, Lord, help me figure out how to do this. And I looked at it once and I was like, I can't, I don't even know where to start. But I prayed and I stepped away and I came back. And you know, God is so good and He brings people into your life that you might look at as like there's no way this person can help me. And this person helped me. And it was like, you'd gotta do this, and you gotta put the thumbnail here and you gotta screenshot this. And I was just like, oh my goodness. Okay, God, it wasn't me doing it. And that's the problem. When I first sat down, it was me doing it. And I'm like, this doesn't feel right. And I stepped away. I tried to message her a bunch of times, but because she's wise and knowing when she needs a break, she was stepped away from her phone. And all of this is just a story, right? I'm just sharing a parable. But insert yourself in the thing that you think you know how to do. You don't know how to do it, you give up, you walk away, you never do it again. Or you go to God, you pray, he gives you the people that can help you and lead you and guide you, and you do it and you feel so accomplished, not because I did it, but because I gave it to God and he brought someone alongside of me to do it. And there's so much more I could share.

SPEAKER_01 48:06

What's amazing is God in this shows up, shows out, and teaches somebody else along the way to do these things because a yes somewhere is a no somewhere else. So if more people, if you know, it takes a village to do something, to do anything well. So the more people that know how to do behind the scenes gives you us more access to do other things elsewhere. Yeah. So it's a beautiful thing and an answered prayer in and of itself of if more people know how to do this one thing, we can go out and do something else elsewhere, because you know, the blessing has come learning, doing, teaching. And it's a revolving door because we don't want to stay the same. We always want to be learning, learning, growing, doing, teaching.

SPEAKER_00 48:50

And that's exactly it. And I sometimes get like enthralled at how good she is at it. And I'm like, as I started to do it, I'm still a little like I'm observing the person who was doing it. I'm like, okay, I think I can figure this out. I think I can figure this out. I might need like two, three more times of this person doing it with me. And then I can probably figure it out on my own. And I have been praying for months to want to know how to do this. But was I doing it? No, I was just sitting there doing nothing, but I was praying. And then finally you you reach a point where you're like, you're thrown into it, and you're like, you think you're completely unprepared to do the thing that God has called you to do that you've been praying for. And then it's like, what? What is it?

SPEAKER_01 49:34

I mean, I'm having my own holy woe. Like, what is it? Go. We have an event. If you're listening to this in real time, the event has not happened yet as we were recording this. And what she's saying is, like, we've been praying about this Pilates and praise. If you're coming, it's gonna be fire, not because of us, but because the Holy Spirit is there.

SPEAKER_02 49:51

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 49:52

And uh I'm having a holy woe while she's talking. And so thank you, Jesus, for showing up and showing out because I'm freaking out. Freaking out.

SPEAKER_00 50:01

But we've prayed, there's so many things that we've prayed for, and it's the discernment to know when to step in.

SPEAKER_01 50:09

Yes, when like wait, win, do what it's all the things, it's all the things because the discernment of this looks good, but is this God good? Yeah, happens more often than not now. In this past year, year for myself, and we share ourselves because we are us, okay? So in that of this looks like it's from God, but then on the inside, learning more and more, this doesn't sound like God. This doesn't look like God, this doesn't feel like God. There's a peace that surpasses all understanding when it is God. And so when there's confusion, when there's ick, when there's an I don't know, uh, keep praying about it and he will show you the true colors of the nature of him, if this is for him and his will for you or not, knowing the difference between God good and not. Do you stand in the hallway and wait? Because one door is gonna open and it is gonna be God's door, but before that happens, you're probably gonna be tempted and another door is gonna be open. And the question is, what are you gonna do in the waiting?

SPEAKER_02 51:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:16

Go into the door that was not meant for you, and then it's a whole detour because you accidentally went in the wrong, and you know, there's grace and forgiveness for that. But how quicker could we all grow spiritually and rise as the body of Christ to be ready and prepared for the coming of Christ, the second coming of Christ, if we all just learned and waited and discerned while we're in the midst of figuring out what God wants for us.

SPEAKER_00 51:41

Oh, I think that's our biggest challenge right now in this world. And I, you know, I'm just gonna share a quick story. I was at the store yesterday getting some stuff for Friday, and I saw, I didn't see the woman, how old? I didn't know if it was grandma or mom, I don't know, aunt, whoever. And then I saw a little, there's I mean, she was sitting in the cart, so she couldn't have been over three because you get to a certain age, you can't fit in there anymore. And you know, they're walking down the aisle, and all of a sudden I hear this sound, and it was like a cartoon. And it just breaks my heart because I remember being in a store and either listening to my mom or dad or going and playing in the different aisles. Like I had three brothers, so I remember we would sit in the toilet paper aisle pretending we were taking a shower in the toilet paper aisle because there was always so much space because you take two things of toilet paper and you have I know that's weird. The point I'm getting at is we instead of waiting, we just want to fill. We want to fill our kids with noise, we want to fill ourselves with noise. And imagine if she didn't have the phone and they could have a conversation. They could talk about the stuff in the aisle, they can look at different pictures, they can whatever it is, and I get it. Like I've been a kid of a three, two, three, four, five-year-old. Like, I'd like to think I was that I was there then and I'm there now. I would like to think that we can find other things to do than stare at screens. And it just broke my heart. We don't even have the opportunity to think about anything else because we're always we're just filling our mind with whatever it is.

SPEAKER_01 53:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 53:18

And what you said just made me think about that because we don't wait. So how can we, how can we truly discern if there's no, if there's always noise?

SPEAKER_01 53:30

Yeah, you because God's voice isn't loud and it's not overbearing. It is quiet, it is gentle, it is in most of the time for me, it's in places I wouldn't like at all. It's like, do you even see me? Do you even know what's going on? And he does because he'll show up in ways that I'm like, wow, you just tied my whole two weeks together in one sentence in in the Bible.

SPEAKER_02 53:56

So good.

SPEAKER_01 53:56

And it's because of a a circumstance circumstance or a situation that led me to read a different book that said to read this ver this scripture, and just the way he connects you to and the life that you're living to talk to you the way that you know that you know it's gonna be him. And it's through time that you learn, you know, to trust and listen and obey and want to be sanctified and want to be purified because it hurts and it's crushing. I mean, you think of fruits, you know, they come to their fullest. And to only keep growing, we've said it before, and we've shown analogies on here, you have to pluck them off so more can grow. And that plucking process is hard and it hurts and it doesn't feel good.

SPEAKER_00 54:45

And sometimes there's thorns when you're plucking.

SPEAKER_01 54:47

Yes. And we can get stuck in like, well, we've come this far. We've come this far. This this is, you know, you could sail it out, you could write it out. But if you've come this far, how much more is on the other side of this far?

SPEAKER_02 55:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 55:04

Before we even started today, we our producer and I, we were talking about the studio that we're in. I mean, if you go way back to episode number one four years ago, it did not look like this. In a closet, in a closet. There's many different episodes that you could just see that if we stopped there, we wouldn't be here.

SPEAKER_02 55:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 55:26

If we in every battle, it's just, I hope you insert yourself in each story we've shared because you're not alone in the stopping and the wanting and um not understanding right in this moment and waiting on God and trying to figure out this whole life with Jesus because it is so much better than life without Jesus. Sometimes it seems so much better on the other side of the shiny things and the people doing what they want, when they want, how they want, but it also leads to destruction of quicker life lived here on earth, gone too soon because of the choices that one has made. Yeah, the non-discernment, yeah, not the wisest choices we could have made had we done it the Lord's way. Because it's all about choices, it's all about discovering what God has for you with this instruction book He's given us. If somebody that you die, if somebody that you love died tomorrow and they gave you a full book of everything that they thought about you and they wanted for you, would you not read it? And that's what the Bible is.

SPEAKER_02 56:32

That's good.

SPEAKER_01 56:33

And I think that we are very close to being out of time now because we've gone far.

SPEAKER_00 56:39

Yeah, we have. We've gone all over, but it all comes, it all comes back together. Yeah. So I just want to read uh Luke, let's see, we got Luke 11, 39, 30, hold on, 35. Therefore, be careful lest the light in you be darkness. And I think if we don't wait on the Lord and listen to him, we have a hard time discerning when something in us is light and when something in us is dark. And we have to take it to him, test it against his word, be led and um directed by people whose fruit we can witness and trust against the word of God.

SPEAKER_01 57:29

Amen. I want to close with this one. This is Hebrews 4, verse 12. And the top of my Bible says, Now is the time. It says, For whatever God says to us is full of living power.

unknown 57:43

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 57:44

So we gotta be alive. Living power. Whatever God says is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are. Exposure hurts. Too much exposure burns. So the Lord is good, and he's gonna cut in between your marrow and your skin and your bone and your flesh, discerning what is you and what is him. He's gonna cut off more of you to fill you more with him, and that part hurts, and you need community in that, you need God, and you cannot do it without him. You don't want to do it without.

SPEAKER_00 58:31

Yeah, you don't. And you know, the part where it hurts is sometimes you hear something and it might be hurtful in your heart or your mind, and you don't give it back. You sit with it and you you pray about why does it actually hurt? Is there truth in it? Is God teaching me something? Does that person have good intentions and it could be a growth? Or is it something that you just need to brush off your shoulder and walk away? And I think so often when we hear something or someone says something that they they maybe not know hurts us, we just want to lash out and give it back. And that right there is discernment, knowing wait a second, like I don't think she meant to hurt me. I don't think the situation meant to cause harm. But where are they in their walk of faith? And that needs to be taken into consideration as well.

SPEAKER_01 59:41

The discernment, the wisdom and revelation of a response rather than a reaction, feelings are fleeting, folk or fickle. So you don't know the interaction that you had there, where they've come from to give you that response or give you that whatever it may be. Thinking about myself, uh, which sounds ew, thinking about something that had happened to uh a situation to it was it's always a heart check because you know, the Ten Commandments are there as a standard. And you know, then Jesus comes along love your God with all your heart, mind, body, soul, strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. So how do we do that? It's only by the grace, forgiveness, and strength of the Holy Spirit. And within that, the heart posture check of if something good is happening to somebody else, okay, are you coveting? Do you want that? Are you jealous? And you don't even realize it until you're presented with that. Is why this life is a never-ending learning process because the more fruit you bear in Christ, the more he's gonna grow that wisdom, the more he's gonna grow that love, the joy. So if you think you arrived, there's another layer of growth, there's more roots being grown down under. So when things come about, it's a heart posture of like, okay, God is teaching me in the moment to love my neighbor as myself. So you get to do all the things that you would be doing for you, for them.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:10

Yeah. And I think about as you were talking about the Ten Commandments, you could I've heard it said that the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew is Jesus' version of the Ten Commandments. So if you want instruction on how to really dive deep into that, read the Sermon on the Mount. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:33

And then go back to the Old Testament and read when God puts it in Moses' fingertips on stone, because that's pretty fire. All right. With all that and a bag of holy chips, it's time to go.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:46

Thank you so much for listening today. This was a lot of information. I heard someone say last week they wish they weren't driving, so they had to pen to write it all down. And I pray if this, if you received this and you felt this and you know in your heart of hearts that someone will learn and grow closer to Christ, share this episode. Review this episode, subscribe on YouTube, key, key, key, subscribe on YouTube, and then you can get these alerts when a new one is live. So thank you so much. We appreciate you. We love you. We pray the Lord blesses you and keeps you safe today.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:22

Until next fearless Friday. Bye.