Christians throughout the centuries and around the world have prayed for God’s wisdom. We have asked for comfort, healing, direction and guidance in every situation and trial we have encountered. Many times, we have begged just to hear the still, small voice of God, telling us what to do next. While we seek to hear from the Lord, we have to ask ourselves, “Would we recognize the voice of God?”

If you do not know the voice of God, you have to wonder what will happen when Satan whispers in your ear. There is a very big difference between the wisdom of God and the lies of Satan. God will lead you to heaven, but Satan will take you to hell. The words they speak will be very different. God will encourage and Satan will deceive.

There was an event in my life when I truly heard the voice of God. It was not audible, but in my heart and mind, He clearly spoke. I had just dropped off my friend at her home. She was in treatment for leukemia and could not drive herself. Seeing her struggle, I cried out to the Lord, and in His mercy He clearly spoke to me.

He said, “She is dying, and doing everything to live. You are living and doing everything to die.” While my unsaved friend was fighting to save her life, I was caught in a web of deception. I was in a battle with anorexia, headed for the grave, but I did not even know it. I was so busy listening to the lies Satan was whispering in my ear, I no longer knew the truth. But on this day, God got my attention, and I knew I had not been hearing from Him—everything I thought I knew was all a lie.

Now, many people will say I should not spiritualize my struggle with anorexia. It is a mental illness and has nothing to do with Satan or God, but I would disagree. I have been studying the Book of 1 Samuel lately, and one thing really stood out to me. In 1 Samuel 16:14, it says: But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.

God was no longer speaking to Saul, but he was hearing from a distressing spirit. On one occasion, when the distressing spirit came upon him, he tried to pin David to the wall with a spear. This was not the action of a rational man. He probably seemed mentally imbalanced to the people around him, but he was being harassed by a demon. He was listening to the lies of Satan, not the truth of God.

In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus also had Satan whisper in His ear, but because of His close, personal relationship with the Father, He withstood the lies. Satan tempted Him three times and every time, Jesus used the Word of God against him. After the third temptation, Satan knew he could not beat Jesus, so … the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

When I think of Satan coming to tempt Jesus, I realize, he is going to come against every person, especially Christians. If we do not know God’s Word, so we can identify God’s voice, we are going to fall victim to the lies of Satan.

Being tempted or harassed by Satan does not mean you are not saved. It could be Satan is whispering in your ear and you have forgotten the voice of God. Maybe, you do not read your Bible or spend time in prayer, so you never really knew the voice of God.

The one thing you have to remember is Satan has a plan for your life, just as God has a plan. The Apostle Peter warned us: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. That is Satan’s plan for your life—destruction.

God gave Jeremiah the prophet His plan for us: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:11-13). God promises a future for us. He gives us hope through Jesus Christ.

When you hear someone whisper in your ear, stop for a moment and think, “Does this encourage me and provide hope for my life, or does it seek to destroy my life?” Remember, Satan is a great deceiver and will try to make his plan seem like it is the best idea you ever heard. You have to really take the time to pray and seek God’s wisdom. He will reveal the truth, if you take the time to seek His face.

— Staff Writer