When It Sounds Like God… But Isn’t
Recently, two friends of mine—let’s call them Daniel and Ray—reached out to me on separate occasions. Both have spent time in recovery churches and ministries. Both have a background with places like Union Gospel Mission. Both have heard the Word, walked with other believers, and claim to know Jesus. And both of them are convinced that some of their choices are “from the Lord.”
But the fruit tells a different story.
Daniel called me the other day, saying it was a good day. “God is good,” he said. But as we talked deeper, it became clear that the previous day had been rough. He’d overextended himself, lashed out at a child in anger, and now felt the weight of guilt. I gently reminded him: we can’t do everything in our own strength. We need to surrender our burdens to Jesus. But when I said that, Daniel pushed back—as if what I was saying was incorrect.
That’s when I noticed the pattern.
Then there’s Ray. He created a social media page to promote a product he believes was divinely inspired. But the content features half-dressed women dancing to hip-hop music in a way that doesn’t glorify God—it glorifies the flesh. When I asked him if he had submitted that idea to the Lord, prayed over it, or shown it to his pastor for accountability, he hadn’t. Yet he was convinced God gave him the vision.
Here’s what I know for sure:
God doesn’t give us ideas that contradict His Word.
God doesn’t use lust to spread the gospel.
And God doesn’t call confusion “ministry.”
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace…”
— 1 Corinthians 14:33
“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.”— 1 Peter 1:15
I’ve come to realize that many people—especially those emerging from recovery or darkness—still carry remnants of their old thinking. They can confuse emotional hype for spiritual truth. But not every “idea” is divine. Some are carnal. Some are demonic. And some just need to be surrendered to the Lord to be refined—or rejected.
We must test the spirits.
We must submit our ideas before the throne.
And we must ask: Does this look like Jesus? Does it sound like His voice?
Because if it doesn't reflect His holiness, it’s not from Him.
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”
- 1 Corinthians 10:5
Let’s be bold enough to call it out with love—and humble enough to repent when it’s us.
My sheep hear my voice. John 10:27
In a world filled with noise—distractions, temptations, and chaos—Jesus speaks a profound truth that calls us to attention. Those who belong to Him can recognize His voice amidst the clamor. It's the voice that brings peace in turmoil, clarity in confusion, and hope in despair.
For the lost and broken, it’s a lifeline. It's not just a call; it’s an invitation to a relationship—a call to follow, to trust, and to find purpose in His guiding presence. At Street Light Gospel, we echo this message as we enter the darkest corners—prisons, streets, and lives caught in the grip of addiction.
