How do you know exactly when GOD is trying to speak and tell you to do something?

[ChristianThatNeedsYou]

My dad, who is a Pastor, always tells me "GOD told me to do such and such the other day, and i did it"

He's so spiritually strong, unlike me..

How do you know when GOD is trying to speak to you?


I bring this up because, i've been constantly getting the idea of going up on stage and singing in the Church Choir.

It's been constantly on my mind, is GOD trying to tell me to get up there and sing?

I don't even like singing around large crowds, but i have a pretty good voice..what do i do?

 

[1watchman]

It isn't important that you go sing in the choir, but if you want to I doubt the Lord would oppose you ---I don't even see that choirs are proper or given for the New Testament Church.

One can know the mind of God best by being sure it is in accord with the Word of God, and one has prayed to God to show one and not let you go contrary to His will.
If one is not faithful to the Lord and a real worshipper in all their life experiences, the Lord may not answer requests, for He is seeking devoted worshippers (John 4:23-24).

 

[EugeneKoshanof]

Christ is the light that enlightens every man who comes into the world, given to every man so that he might believe the truth. This light is what convicts us when we lie or steal. This light is what gently and anonymously reasons with us in our lifetime to depart from our evil, selfish ways. And if we listen to the light, and obey the light's convictions, we love the light; we love Christ, and the light or life of God will increase in us. But if we love our lifestyle, and hate the charges of the light against our selfish actions, we hate the light; we hate Christ. Christ, the light has come into the world [every man], but men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil ,sins, hates the light [so hates Christ], and does not come to the light for fear his deeds will be exposed and reproved. But he who practices truth comes to the light, so that his deeds may be shown to have been produced [effected, formed, prompted, energized] through God. John 3:19-21.
Christ in the flesh told us to believe in the Light, the Christ within you: While you have light, believe in [depend on, trust and obey] the light, that you may be the children of light. John 12:36. (God is light; to become children of the light, is to become a son of God.)
When you receive the Light and Word in your heart as Jesus speaking to you and revealing the things of God to you, you have received Him and identified Him as Jesus. From the Word of the Lord within: "When you are sure that he who is speaking to you is Christ, you have received Him. You are a son when Jesus appears in your heart to guide you.

 

[Spunkn]

We were discussing this in another thread you might find it interesting

http://www.christianforums.com/t7717705/

 

[Peripatetic]

Others may disagree, but I don't think God speaks in words and sentences directly to people on a regular basis. The Bible tells us that we should not put God to the test or read into things that aren't from God. One way to do this is to bargain for a sign. "Lord, if it is your will for me to sing in the Choir, let me wake up tomorrow with a church song in my head." Another way people put God to the test is what R.C. Sproul calls "lucky dipping". That's whey your open the Bible to some random passage and try to interpret God's will based on where your finger lands at random.

Finally, it's not a great idea to look for specific words. Even if your father does regularly hear actual words that come straight from God, you should not expect the same, for it would be exceedingly rare.

On the other hand, you may feel some prompting from the Holy Spirit, or a certain passage may come to mind, or you may have a realization while meditating in prayer.... these can all be ways that God does speak to you on a matter like that. Just understand that our ability to interpret those signals is not perfect, and sometimes can be distorted by our own bias and feelings.