Stress and stress-related diseases are in epidemic proportions today.  Studies show that almost 70% of those who visit their doctor do so because of stress-related symptoms.  The best-selling drugs in this country are all to help people handle stress. 

            Stress simply means we feel under pressure.  Some times that pressure comes from within, what we demand of ourselves.  Other times it comes from without, what we feel (real or imagined) that others look for us to produce.  We are to follow Jesus and live as He lived.  But stress was never part of His life.

            Some stress is inevitable.  Not all stress is bad.  It can serve to motivate us in times of special need. Good stress brings out the best in us.  Bad stress actually makes us less productive.  Good stress we control, bad stress controls us and we can’t stop.  We become driven.  Impatience and anger become our daily companions.  Peace and joy flee.  Little things become big things and big things fade to lesser priorities.  Our work list takes priority over our relationships.

            Symptoms of stress include always being in a hurry, not having patience for others, trying to make every moment count (often by doing two or more things at the same time), inability to relax and enjoy, becoming irritated by things that don’t go right and sensing a loss of intimacy in your relationships, including your relationship with God.

When you recognize a symptom, see it as a warning light on the dashboard of your life.  It means your battery is being drained too quickly and is getting dangerously low.  It calls you back to the throne for 'repairs.' Where are you failing to listen or obey or trust? 

            How can we overcome stress?  Know your Plimsoll mark and honor it.  Ships once were required to have a  line painted on the hull that would  remain above water only if the vessel  were not overloaded. Most people know where their line is, but neglect its warnings. Don't drown yourself into obligations or take on more than you can handle. You'll sink. Jesus knew how to say no to things, we need to learn that as well.

Strive for balance. In Eccl. 3:1-8,  Solomon lists things that all have a place in every life. A good life has enough time for every worthwhile activity under heaven, including leisure. Do something that is nonproductive ‘fun’ every day. 

Pursue peace. It's not a by-product of wealth or good health; it's an end in itself. You can find peace in any circumstances, even when it makes no earthly sense to have it. Peace brings contentment and long life (Phil. 4:11, Ps. 34:12).  God gives peace to those who ask Him for it and then are willing to make the necessary changes in their life so they can recognize and enjoy it. 

            Learn to enjoy. Many successful people feel a sense of accomplishment, but no enjoyment of their work or talents. The ability to enjoy yourself is a gift from God (Eccl. 5:19). He has given us all things to enjoy freely (1 Tim. 6:17). Ask Him to help you stop striving and accept His blessing.

            Perhaps expecting to have a totally stress-free life isn’t a realistic expectation, but certainly for all of us there is plenty of room for improvement.  Jesus certainly experienced stress, but it wasn’t from overwork or too high expectations.  He didn’t start more than He could finish, He knew how to say ‘no’ and He certainly paced Himself.  You can too.

When do you experience the most stress in your week?

If Jesus were in your place, what would He do to prevent or remove the stress?

What can you do THIS WEEK to cut back on stress in your life?  (If you can’t change the circumstances, you can change your reaction to them.)

Fasting is expected by Christ. In Matthew 6:16 He says, "When you fast...," not "if you fast," implying that it is something He expects us to do.  Similarly, in Matthew 9:15, Jesus told the disciples of John that it was not necessary to fast while the bridegroom was with them. Rather, the time to fast was when he was no longer around. Obviously, Jesus was referring to Himself as the bridegroom and the historical record shows that when He ascended to the Father, the church embraced the discipline of fasting (See Acts 13:2; 14:23).

Here’s a simple rule that I hope will serve us well. WE SHOULD FAST AS OFTEN AS WE FEEL IT IS NECESSARY (TO STRENGTHEN OUR PRAYER, EXPRESS GRIEF AND REPENTANCE, TO ENHANCE OUR WORSHIP OR TO SEEK GOD’S GUIDANCE).

Then how long should we fast?  A fast can last for a portion of a day or it can last for weeks. That is really up to you and how you believe the Lord is leading in the matter. My advice is that you don’t jump into a prolonged fast from food, but gradually increase the duration allowing your body to adjust to a lack of nourishment. You can begin with a partial fast.  For example, for 3 weeks Daniel fasted by eating no meat or drinking any wine (Daniel 10:3).  He also refrained from the comfort of applying lotion to his body. 

When you do fast from all foods, it is advisable to drink fruit juices if you are going on a fast of more than a few days.  Dr. Bill Bright, co-chair of Fasting & Prayer '98, personally practices and recommends water and juice fasting, especially if you are going to fast for an extended period of time. This type of fast will provide you with more energy than absolute or water only fasts and still lead you into the humbling experience of denying your desire for solid food that you can chew. This is the type of fast the will be encouraged at Fasting & Prayer '98.

Or you can fast for a certain period of a day, like sunrise to sunset.  Remember, though, when you do fast for a certain portion of a day that when you do eat you eat no more than you normally would.  Don’t try to make up for food missed.

The best way to learn the spiritual benefits of fasting as well as how to fast is to fast. Is there something God wants to do in your life that you have yet to see happen? Perhaps fasting is the missing element.

There is much good information available on fasting, especially from Bill Bright and Campus Crusade for Christ.  Avail yourself of it before you begin and extended fast.  Make sure you pray and seek God’s will as to when you should fast and the purpose of it.  Join the ranks of saints through the ages who have fasted.

First lets eliminate some things fasting DOESN’T do.  It doesn’t inspire or provoke God to love us more – He can’t possibly love us any more than He does (Malachi 3:17) and it is unconditional love which has nothing to do with what we do or don’t do.  Neither does fasting make God enjoy us more for He already totally delights in us (Zeph. 3:17). 

Remember that fasting isn’t a get rich quick scheme to become instantly holy. God has already made us holy and blameless through Christ’s finished work on the Cross. We don’t fast to get more of God but that we would experience, in a more profound way, the reality of God’s presence in our lives. Likewise, we don’t fast for God to forgive us.  That comes with confession and isn’t based on anything we do or don’t do. 

Also, fasting is not a substitute for forgiveness.  Some people fast as penance… as though their fasting will somehow balance out their disobedience. Sometimes, when a believer isn’t walking closely with the Lord, when the inward reality of their faith has begun to fade, they will retreat to the outward forms of the faith such as fasting. I suppose this makes sense… there is nothing on the inside, so they attempt to adorn their outside with religious garb. It doesn’t work. The bottom-line in all of this is that whenever we embrace a spiritual discipline in order to get God to love, enjoy, or forgive us, we have gotten ourselves into legalism.

Do you get the picture? We don’t fast to get God to set His heart towards us… but rather because God has already set His heart toward us and we are so secure in our weakness and the grace of God that we want to experience His grace more deeply. Because He is so indescribably lovely, we want to give ourselves over to Him more fully.

So what benefits do come from fasting?  For one thing, fasting increases our sense of humility and dependence on God. It accomplishes this by showing us just how little strength we actually possess and how much we need the Lord (See Philippians 4:13).  It helps us be broken in His presence so He can fill and use us for His glory.

In a practical way, fasting increases the amount of time we spend in prayer.  Instead of eating or being involved in whatever activity it is we are turning from we have extra time to devote to prayer and Bible study.  Try combining prayer and Bible study by praying through Bible passages as you read them.  Make a list of others you can pray for.  God’s Spirit will put names in your mind and prompt you as to how to pray for them.

Another result of fasting is that it reminds us that we must put Christ first in everything.  Additionally, it is a good exercise in self-discipline.  It strengthens us to be able to refrain from other things such as sinful temptations as we learn to control our appetites and lusts.  Food is our greatest legitimate need after breathing, so learning to deny that drive helps us have victory over other drives which are sinful.  This is especially true of learning to gain victory over lust for food, immorality or things.  Even as athletes train their bodies for physical contests, fasting trains our spirits for spiritual battles.

Such a fast is called for in situations where you or I face a sin that constantly ensnares us. If we are willing to pay the price of fasting and praying, we can know deliverance from that sin, and the joy that follows! A decision to fast in such a situation demonstrates to God that we are truly serious about our repentance, that we sincerely long for new life in that area, and that we are willing to pay any price to have victory over the sin.

In addition, fasting has often been used by God’s people when there is a special urgency about the concerns they lift to the Father.

This was Ezra’s motivation as he was about to lead a group of exiles back to Jerusalem. The result was that God heard and granted his requests and brought success to his mission.

Ezra 8:21-23   There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.”  …   So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

Of course, this is not to say that if we fast God is required to do as we ask. Fasting is not and never has been a way of pressuring God into giving us something. It is a way of giving ourselves fully to God so that we can say with confidence: “Thy will be done.”

For others, fasting can be a way to express to God the depth of what we’re feeling. You may remember that when Haman convinced King Xerxes to permit him to eliminate the Jews in the book of Esther, this was the response of God’s people to the news (See Esther 3:8-11; 4:3). They even went so far as to cover themselves with sackcloth and ashes, a sign of great lamentation.
For others, fasting is a way to demonstrate just how serious we are about repenting of our sin.  This is what the Jews sometimes did when they repented and turned back to God (see 1 Samuel 7:3-6).  Nineveh, too, fasted to show repentance for sin (Jonah 3:5-10).   So did Paul after seeing Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

Still another reason for fasting can be to enhance worship.  The prophetess Anna never left the temple we are told (See Luke 2:37) but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.

The church at Antioch saw a unique relationship between the two as well (See Acts 13:2).

J. I Packer provides additional insight..."When friends need to be together," he says, "they will cancel all other activities in order to make that possible. There’s nothing magical about fasting. It’s just one way of telling God that your priority at that moment is to be alone with him..."

Fasting is not just an exercise in self-denial but rather a re-investment of time and energy into time spent with the Lord in either prayer or Bible Study. The bottom line is that fasting ENRICHES our time spent with the Lord. If you find your worship experience to be somewhat hollow and empty, perhaps you need to fast as the saints in Antioch did.

Some fast to help them find guidance and direction from God.  Paul did that after his salvation experience (Acts 9).  Later in his ministry, Paul (and Barnabas) did not dare to appoint elders without praying and fasting over the matter.  Nehemiah fasted to receive God’s direction and wisdom about the situation in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1).  The early church fasted before sending out missionaries (Acts 13:1-3; 14:23). 

Also, we can fast to help receive deliverance in times of crisis.    Jehosphat proclaimed a fast when the Moabites and Ammonites attacked (2 Chronicles 20).  Our own Declaration of Independence came about after a day of fasting and prayer was observed.  During the Civil War Abraham Lincoln proclaimed times of prayer and fasting.

Likewise God gives us spiritual tools to help us through our journey of life on this earth.  They are only good for earth, but they are absolutely essential to obtain all God has for us in this life.  If we don’t have a full tool box we won’t be able to be and do all He wants.  Our tools include such things as prayer, praise, fellowship with others, Bible study and memory, confession of sin and fasting.  Each tool has its own function and must be used just for that purpose.

So what is the purpose of fasting?  Lets start by looking at what fasting is NOT.  It is not a means to drew attention to ourselves.  Matthew 6:16-18   "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  

Neither is it a way to earn approval from God.  God isn’t impressed by what we do but why we do it.  Isaiah 58:3-4   'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it?  Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?'  "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.  Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.

The biggest dangers in fasting are legalism and pride.  They are to be avoided at all costs.  Instead fasting is to be seen as something that “hoists the sails of the soul in the hopes of experiencing the gracious wind of God’s Spirit." It doesn’t guarantee spiritual blessing, but it often puts us in position to experience it as God moves.

One important reason to use the tool of fasting is to draw closer to God. Fasting enables the believer to feast on God. You “eat the Lord” – CRAVING, desiring him, wanting him, receiving him, enjoying him. God is the most desirable being in the whole universe. He is good, merciful, compassionate, forgiving, saving, restoring, healing, providing, strengthening, rebuilding, renewing, reversing our fortune from horrible to the best, fun, creative, wonderful, incredibly amazing, awesome, great to be with, life, joy, peace. Every time your stomach growls, you are reminded how hungry you are for God. Every time food-thoughts attack your mind; you are reminded of God-thoughts. I am hungry, but I am hungrier for you. I love the taste of food; but your love taste better. I prefer you Lord over anything .   - we sometimes settle for “a bit of God.”

If you desire to draw closer to God but have been having a hard time doing so, get out the tool of fasting and apply it to the situation.  You’ll be amazed how well the right tool can get the job done!

As we begin it’s important to define what we are talking about.  Fasting usually makes us think of going without food, but fasting is a voluntary abstinence from any legitimate pursuit for spiritual reasons.  Notice it must be voluntary, not induced by health constraints.  It must be from a legitimate pursuit, not something sinful or out of bounds for a Christian anyway.  And it must be given up for spiritual reasons, not dietary or medical reasons.

While fasting usually refers to abstinence from food, it isn’t limited to that.  I Corinthians 7:5 refers to abstinence from sex in marriage for a short period of time in order to focus more exclusively on prayer.  It must be done with the agreement of both husband and wife.

Today we can often benefit from voluntary abstinence from other ‘lusts’ as well.  For example, fasting from shopping (except grocery shopping) for a time can help focus our spiritual lives and teach self control. 

Fasting from the media (TV, cable, radio, magazines, newspapers, etc.) can give us more time to use for spiritual pursuits like Bible study and prayer.  When I am in India for a month I lose all contact with the western world and its news media.  The first time there I couldn’t even find out who won the Super Bowl!  I found, though, that life goes on the same if I read about it or not.  There is nothing wrong with keeping up with the news, but when we want to find extra time and focus for spiritual things then a media fast might be just the thing.

The same effect can be found by fasting from forms of entertainment like the internet, video games or movies.  Anything that seems to have too high a place in life, anything that competes with God for your time or love can be the object of a fast.  Hebrews 12:1  “ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles… “ 

In her book, "A Closer Walk", Catherine Marshall writes: "One morning last week He gave me an assignment: for one day I was to go on a fast from criticism. I was not to criticize anybody about anything.  "For the first half of the day, I simply felt a void, almost as if I had been wiped out as a person. This was especially true at lunch...I listened to the others and kept silent...In our talkative family no one seemed to notice. Bemused, I noticed that my comments were not missed. The federal government, the judicial system, and the institutional church could apparently get along fine without my penetrating observations. But still I didn’t see what this fast on criticism was accomplishing - until mid-afternoon.  "That afternoon, a specific, positive vision for this life was dropped into my mind with God’s unmistakable hallmark on it - joy! Ideas began to flow in a way I had not experienced in years. Now it was apparent what the Lord wanted me to see. My critical nature had not corrected a single one of the multitudinous things I found fault with. What it had done was to stiffle my own creativity."

Fasting isn’t just about food.  What would God have you take a temporary break from in order to grow spiritually?  What legitimate pursuit should you have a temporary abstinence from in order to grow spiritually 

This will be a fast blog.  That doesn’t mean it will be short, but that it is about fasting.  I know this isn’t the most popular subject around today, but it is something God has put on my heart about which to blog so here goes. 

As we begin it’s important to define what we are talking about.  Fasting usually makes us think of going without food, but fasting is a voluntary abstinence from any legitimate pursuit for spiritual reasons.  Notice it must be voluntary, not induced by health constraints.  It must be from a legitimate pursuit, not something sinful or out of bounds for a Christian anyway.  And it must be given up for spiritual reasons, not dietary or medical reasons.

While fasting usually refers to abstinence from food, it isn’t limited to that.  I Corinthians 7:5 refers to abstinence from sex in marriage for a short period of time in order to focus more exclusively on prayer.  It must be done with the agreement of both husband and wife.

Today we can often benefit from voluntary abstinence from other ‘lusts’ as well.  For example, fasting from shopping (except grocery shopping) for a time can help focus our spiritual lives and teach self control. 

Fasting from the media (TV, cable, radio, magazines, newspapers, etc.) can give us more time to use for spiritual pursuits like Bible study and prayer.  When I am in India for a month I lose all contact with the western world and its news media.  The first time there I couldn’t even find out who won the Super Bowl!  I found, though, that life goes on the same if I read about it or not.  There is nothing wrong with keeping up with the news, but when we want to find extra time and focus for spiritual things then a media fast might be just the thing.

The same effect can be found by fasting from forms of entertainment like the internet, video games or movies.  Anything that seems to have too high a place in life, anything that competes with God for your time or love can be the object of a fast.  Hebrews 12:1  “ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles… “ 

In her book, "A Closer Walk", Catherine Marshall writes: "One morning last week He gave me an assignment: for one day I was to go on a fast from criticism. I was not to criticize anybody about anything.  "For the first half of the day, I simply felt a void, almost as if I had been wiped out as a person. This was especially true at lunch...I listened to the others and kept silent...In our talkative family no one seemed to notice. Bemused, I noticed that my comments were not missed. The federal government, the judicial system, and the institutional church could apparently get along fine without my penetrating observations. But still I didn’t see what this fast on criticism was accomplishing - until mid-afternoon.  "That afternoon, a specific, positive vision for this life was dropped into my mind with God’s unmistakable hallmark on it - joy! Ideas began to flow in a way I had not experienced in years. Now it was apparent what the Lord wanted me to see. My critical nature had not corrected a single one of the multitudinous things I found fault with. What it had done was to stiffle my own creativity."

Fasting isn’t just about food.  What would God have you take a temporary break from in order to grow spiritually?  What legitimate pursuit should you have a temporary abstinence from in order to grow spiritually

            Further, God looses while Satan captures.  God’s voice brings us freedom, there are no strings attached.  “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”  Following Satan’s voice brings bondage, we are trapped and taken prisoner (2 Timothy 2:26). 

            Satan says, “Do your own thing, do what you want to do.”  God says, “Consider the effects of your behavior on others.  Live a selfless, self-giving life.”  Satan says, “Live for the moment.”  God says, “Live with an eye on eternity.”  Satan says “Don’t concern yourself with what others say.”  God says, “Receive godly counsel.”  Satan says, “You’re as mature as you ever need to be.  You’re grown up.”  God says, “Continue to grow and mature and to become more and more like Jesus.”  In all these Satan’s advice, while appealing to our flesh, leads to bondage and defeat.  God’s will, instead, bring freedom and life.

            God convicts while Satan condemns, God clarifies while Satan confuses, and God confirms while Satan contradicts.  God chooses while Satan captures.

            In addition, God constrains but Satan constricts.  God draws us by His love and gives us a desire to want to live for Him.  “For Christ’s love compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14).  Moving from sin to following God is like taking a shower when we are really dirty because we know how good we’ll feel afterwards.  Satan’s communication does not bring that.  It constricts, limits, makes us feel dirtier and ineffective.  We feel discouraged and hopeless. 

            Satan is like the salesman trying to force us to make a decision we aren’t quite sure of, telling us if we don’t buy now it’ll be too late.  God respects our free will and doesn’t force us.  He gives us time to think the alternatives through.  When we feel forced, pushed or in a hurry we can know Satan is speaking, not God.  God is never in a hurry/

            So in summary we see that God convicts while Satan condemns, God clarifies while Satan confuses, and God confirms while Satan contradicts.  God chooses while Satan captures.  God constrains but Satan constricts.

            The way to tell Satan’s voice from God’s voice is to run what you hear through the following test:

            1 - Is it consistent with the word of God? Does this solution fit the principles that are in the Bible? Does it violate anything in the Bible?  Would Jesus do it?

            2 - Is it a wise decision? In your own heart and mind is it the type of solution that Jesus Christ himself would agree with? Would Jesus implement this solution himself?

            3 - Are you confident in asking God to enable you to achieve this solution? Can you look upon this solution as one that God would send into your life?

            4 - Do you feel that it is a God given solution? Deep within your heart do you feel or sense that this solution is the will of God?

            5 - Does this solution fit a child of God? From all that you know about God, does this solution or this answer fit a person that truly loves, believes, and trusts God?

            6 - Does the solution fit God's overall plan for your life? Does this solution fit in with God's guidance and direction of your life?

            7 - Does this solution honor God? Does it bring glory and praise to Almighty God?

            Have you been able to recognize any of these traits of Satan’s voice in communication you have been hearing?  Make sure you don’t follow anything that doesn’t come from God!

            Are you now better able to discern God’s voice from Satan’s voice?  If you really want to hear from God only and not be deceived, He’ll make sure you have the discernment you need.  Just ask Him.

            Satan does the same thing.  He pretends to be God speaking to man – but not just for entertainment and amusement.  The results are deadly if we listen to the wrong voice.  How can we tell if it is God’s voice we are hearing or Satan’s voice?

            The first way we can tell the difference between God’s voice and Satan’s voice is that God convicts while Satan condemns.  When God speaks to us about sin we feel guilty and sinful but still loved.  When it is Satan condemning us we don’t feel loved but rejected and hopeless. 

            Jesus forgives and restores, as with the woman taken in adultery.  Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"  "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:10-11).

            By contrast Satan accuses and focuses on our guilt.  That’s why he’s called the ‘accuser of our brothers’ (Revelation 12:10). 

            God will expose the sin and focus on it, but only for the purpose of us confessing and removing it.  He offers hope of restoration.  He doesn’t emphasize our guilt, failure and unworthiness in that area and as a person in general, but Satan does. 

            When Jesus convicts we know specifically what He is talking about and what to do about it.  When it comes from Satan we just have a nagging sense of unspecified guilt and failure to discourage and defeat us.  Or Satan will point to past sins which have been confessed and forgiven and try to get us to feel miserable about them, ignoring the fact that God has forgotten them.

            So God convicts but Satan condemns.

            A second way of telling the difference is to remember that God clarifies but Satan confuses.  When God speaks to us it is to clearly show us sin in its true, deadly light.  The ‘pleasure’ and deception is removed and the awful deadliness is revealed.  Satan, however, tries to perplex us with worldly logic and explanations.  He feeds us excuses, justifications, thoughts of how it is another’s fault and general confusion over it (James 3:15).  When God speaks there is a sense that everything is under control (1 Corinthians 14:32).  Satan’s purpose is to ensnare and take captive (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

            God’s voice brings peace (Philippians 4:7) but Satan’s voice brings uncertainty for what he tells us conflicts with what the Spirit is also telling us.  Thus we feel perplexed.

            If the voice you are hearing brings a nagging, gnawing feeling of frustration in your spirit, it’s not from God.  God brings a deep calmness in your spirit. 

            Thus God convicts while Satan condemns.  God clarifies while Satan confuses.             There’s another way to tell the difference:  God confirms while Satan contradicts.  When its God’s voice speaking to us we know it lines up with the Bible and advice Godly believers would give us.  It passes Paul’s test of making sure everything is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable (Philippians 4:8-9).  However when Satan speaks his words don’t agree with the Bible or advice of mature Christians.  When we desire it so much we ignore the warnings in our spirit we are headed to sin.  

            So God convicts while Satan condemns, God clarifies while Satan confuses, and God confirms while Satan contradicts. Ask God to show you if you are believing any of Satan’s lies which bring condemnation, confusion or contradictions.

            We’re finishing a series of blogs on listening to God speak.  We’ve talked about how He speaks in a still, quiet voice so we must take time to be still and listen to Him.  We’ve seen how through the Spirit He speaks rich and enlightened  thoughts to our minds and/or puts a warm burning in our hearts.  He convicts of sin, gives guidance or information, encourages or gives peace, helps us to carry out ministries He assigns us, and reveals Himself to us so we can respond in worship. 

            As with a friend or loved one, we must take time to listen.  As we learn to identify His voice and commit to responding to what He says, we will find we hear from Him quite often.  Our relationship with Him will grow and we’ll be much better servants of His.  However sometimes it’s hard to know if it is really God who is speaking to us or another voice which is counterfeiting and confusing us. 

The voice of Satan can be very dangerous and misleading if we listen to it.   Ananias obviously listened to Satan’s voice instead of God’s when saying he was donating all he received for the sale of his land when it was, in fact, only part of the amount (Acts 5:3). 

            Satan does communicate with man.  He did so with Jesus when He was tempted after forty days in the wilderness (Matthew 4).  Paul says Satan sows deception in the hearts of people (2 Corinthians 11:3). 

            Jesus says that everything Satan says is a lie, for that is his nature. “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar and the father of lies” John 8:44.

            The Bible doesn’t give details about just how Satan does this, but we do know he can put thoughts into a person’s mind.  “But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s” Mark 8:33.

            In addition, Satan can take thoughts out of a mind.  “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road” Matthew 13:19.

            As with Adam and Eve, Satan’s communication with man is always deceitful and destructive.  He can make suggestions about how we may meet a legitimate need on our own without waiting for God’s provision.  He can put thoughts of guilt and failure into our minds.  He can provide excuses to justify a sinful course we are taking.  He can undermine God’s goodness and the Bible’s authority. 

            Satan is willing to speak as much as a man is willing to listen.  He uses various forms of the occult to communicate with man, such as tarot cards, Ouija boards, séances, and other means.  He can and will speak directly to a person much as the Holy Spirit does.  “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  Because Satan is the most dangerous of the counterfeit voices we hear, we will focus on him for this message. 

            Satan is a counterfeiter.  He tries to counterfeit all God does for His people.  Judas heard Satan’s voice and betrayed Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16).  Peter heard Satan’s voice and did not believe the voice of Jesus (Mark 8:31-33).  A leper was healed by Jesus and told not to tell anyone who did it but he heard Satan’s voice and disobeyed (Mark 1:40-45). 

            While we know Satan is limited to one place at a time, we must recognize that he does his work thorough demons.  It is highly unlikely that Satan will ever speak to us directly, but by assigning certain demons to harass and impact us the result is the same.  Thus when we say that ‘Satan speaks to us’ we are really recognizing that all demonic forces work together for Satan. 

            David’s thought to take a census of the people was demon-inspired (1 Chronicles 21:1ff; 2 Samuel 24:1ff).  Saul’s jealousy and anger at David was as well (1 Samuel 16:14-23).  Ananias and Sapphira’s greed was demon stimulated as well (Acts 5:3).  When God didn’t speak to Saul, he went to a medium to connect with a supernatural power (1 Samuel 28:4-7).  For this reason John warns, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

            Therefore it is essential to make sure you can tell Satan’s voice from God’s voice.  Future blogs will cover how.  Now pray and ask God to help you know His voice from any counterfeit.  Remember the more you listen to His voice the easier it will be to recognize it.