How Can I Know That It's Actually God's Voice?

Summary

Father Mike Schmitz discusses discerning the voice of God amidst the cacophony of worldly, fleshly, and demonic voices. He outlines a four-step process: checking if the voice contradicts scripture, aligns with the Church's teachings, resembles trustworthy individuals, and finally, taking action to see if it bears fruit. He shares a story of Father Scott, who followed a perceived divine nudge, leading to a meaningful encounter, illustrating the importance of acting on spiritual promptings to discern God's will.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Father Mike Schmitz discusses discerning the voice of God from other voices like the world, the flesh, and the devil.
• 📜 The first step to discern God's voice is to check if it contradicts anything in scripture.
• ⛪ The second step is to ensure the voice does not contradict the teachings of the Catholic Church, which is the legitimate interpreter of scripture.
• 👤 The third step involves evaluating if the voice resembles someone untrustworthy or someone who has hurt you in the past.
• 🎶 Father Mike references the band Smashmouth to emphasize that one will never know if it's God's voice unless they act on it.
• 🍎 The fourth step is to act on the perceived voice and then assess the fruits of that action to determine if it was God's guidance.
• 🛠 Father Scott's story illustrates how acting on a perceived voice led to a fruitful encounter, even if it didn't initially seem to align with his intentions.
• 🌱 The concept of 'fruit' in discernment refers to the positive outcomes, such as increased life, joy, peace, and holiness, that result from following the perceived voice.
• 🚪 Father Mike encourages listeners to be bold in asking God for guidance and then to take a step forward to see if the door opens or if it's a wall.
• 🎥 The video concludes with an invitation to trust in God's guidance and to remember that discernment is an active process of listening and responding.

Q & A

How can one discern if a voice they hear is the voice of God?

One should first check if the voice contradicts anything in scripture. The voice should not go against the teachings of the Church, which is the legitimate interpreter of scripture. Additionally, it should not sound like someone unreliable or someone who has hurt them in the past. Finally, one will only know if it's God's voice by acting on it and assessing the fruits of that action.

What role does the Holy Spirit play in discerning God's voice?

The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth and helps us interpret scripture. It's through the Holy Spirit that the Church, established by Jesus Christ, has the authority to interpret scripture and guide believers.

Why is it important to consider whether the voice contradicts scripture?

Scripture is the word of God, and any voice claiming to be from God should align with it. Contradictions indicate that the voice may not be from God, as God's word is consistent.

How does the Church's authority relate to discerning God's voice?

The Church, as established by Jesus Christ, has the authority to interpret scripture and guide believers in discerning God's voice. If a voice contradicts the Church's teachings, it is less likely to be from God.

What is the significance of the question 'Who does the voice sound like' in discernment?

This question helps to identify if the voice resembles someone who has been hurtful or unreliable in the past. If it does, it's a sign that the voice may not be from God, as God's voice is not meant to wound but to heal.

Why is it suggested to ask the Holy Spirit for clarity when discerning voices?

The Holy Spirit provides guidance and clarity in spiritual matters. Asking for the Holy Spirit's help can assist in discerning whether a voice is from God or not.

What is the role of action in discerning if a voice is God's?

Action is essential because it allows one to test the voice against the outcomes it leads to. If the action leads to more life, joy, peace, and holiness, it may be an indication that the voice was from God.

What is the story of Father Scott and the hinge, and what does it illustrate about discernment?

Father Scott prayed for guidance on whether to go to Home Depot or Menards for a hinge. He chose Home Depot, where he couldn't find the hinge but met a man in need of spiritual guidance. This story illustrates that discerning God's voice involves taking action and looking for the fruit of that action, even if it doesn't initially seem to fulfill the original intention.

How does the story of Father Scott demonstrate the importance of obedience in discernment?

Father Scott's obedience to what he believed was God's guidance, even though it didn't lead to finding the hinge, ultimately led him to help someone in a time of crisis. This shows that obedience to perceived divine guidance can lead to unexpected but meaningful outcomes.

What is the significance of the phrase 'you'll never know if you don't go' in the context of discerning God's voice?

This phrase emphasizes that without taking action, one cannot truly discern if a voice is from God. It's through action and its consequences that one can better understand the source of the voice.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 Discerning God's Voice

Father Mike Schmitz discusses the challenge of discerning whether a voice one hears in prayer is God's or not. He suggests three criteria to evaluate the voice: 1) Does it contradict Scripture? 2) Does it contradict the teachings of the Church? 3) Does it sound like someone who has hurt or is unreliable? He emphasizes the importance of the Holy Spirit's guidance and the need to act on the perceived voice to discern its authenticity, as only then can one assess if it leads to fruitful outcomes.

05:02

🛠️ Acting on Divine Guidance

Father Mike shares a story about Father Scott, who, while needing a hinge for a carpentry project, prayed for guidance on whether to go to Home Depot or Menards. Despite not finding the hinge at Home Depot, Father Scott encountered a man in crisis who needed pastoral care. This experience illustrates that acting on perceived divine guidance, even when it doesn't lead to the desired immediate outcome, can result in spiritual fruit. Father Mike encourages viewers to be bold in seeking and acting on God's voice, as the true nature of the guidance becomes clearer through action and its consequences.

Keywords

💡Discernment

Discernment refers to the process of carefully and thoughtfully making a decision or judgment, often in spiritual or moral contexts. In the video, discernment is central to understanding how to identify the voice of God. Father Mike Schmitz discusses discerning whether a voice heard in prayer is from God, the devil, or the world. The process involves evaluating whether the voice contradicts scripture, the teachings of the Church, or sounds like someone who has hurt the individual in the past.

💡Scripture

Scripture, in this context, refers to the sacred texts of a religion, particularly the Bible for Christians. Father Mike emphasizes the importance of scripture as a guide to discern whether a voice is from God. He suggests that if a voice contradicts scripture, it is not the voice of God. This highlights the role of scripture as a foundational reference in spiritual discernment.

💡Church

The Church, as used in the video, refers to the Catholic Church and its authority in interpreting scripture and guiding believers. Father Mike mentions that the Church, established by Jesus Christ, is the legitimate interpreter of scripture. This underscores the Church's role in providing spiritual guidance and its authority in matters of faith and discernment.

💡Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is a central figure in Christianity, representing the divine presence and guidance from God. In the script, Father Mike mentions that the Holy Spirit leads the Church into all truth, implying that the Holy Spirit plays a role in guiding individuals in their discernment process, helping them to recognize God's voice.

💡Evil One

The Evil One, or the devil, is a term used in Christian theology to refer to a malevolent force that tempts humans away from God. In the video, Father Mike cautions that the Evil One can quote scripture, which is why discernment is necessary to distinguish between the voice of God and the deceiving voice of the Evil One.

💡Flesh

The term 'Flesh' in Christian theology often refers to human desires or the sinful nature of humanity. Father Mike mentions the 'Flesh' as one of the enemies that a believer faces, indicating that personal desires can cloud discernment and lead one away from God's voice.

💡World

The 'World' in this context refers to the earthly or secular influences that can distract or mislead a person from God's path. Father Mike includes the world as one of the voices that a believer must discern against, suggesting that worldly concerns can compete with God's voice for attention.

💡Voice

Throughout the video, the 'voice' is a metaphor for the internal or spiritual guidance that a person might perceive. Father Mike discusses how to discern whether this voice is from God, the world, or the Evil One. The concept of voice is central to the theme of discernment and understanding God's will.

💡Fruit

In the script, 'fruit' is used metaphorically to describe the outcomes or results of actions taken based on the perceived voice of God. Father Mike suggests that if acting on a voice leads to positive outcomes like more life, joy, or peace, it may be an indication that it was God's voice. Conversely, if there is no 'fruit,' it might not have been God's guidance.

💡Action

Action is emphasized as a necessary step in discernment. Father Mike suggests that one will never know if a voice is from God unless they act on it. This implies that taking a step, even a small one, is crucial in determining whether the voice aligns with God's will. The concept of action is integral to the process of discernment and testing the validity of spiritual guidance.

Highlights

Father Mike Schmitz discusses discerning the voice of God amidst other voices.

The importance of scripture as a guide to identify God's voice.

The role of the Catholic Church in interpreting scripture and guiding discernment.

The potential for the evil one to quote scripture and the need for discernment.

The necessity to check if a voice contradicts the teachings of the Church.

The personal nature of discerning if a voice sounds like someone untrustworthy.

The concept that God's voice may sometimes wound to heal, unlike the accuser's intent.

The idea that one might never know if it's God's voice unless they act on it.

The story of Father Scott and the Home Depot encounter as an example of acting on God's voice.

The importance of assessing the fruits of one's actions to discern God's voice.

The invitation to be bold in asking God for guidance and then taking action.

The reality that one may never be certain if it was God's voice until they take a step.

The metaphor of not needing to jump off a cliff but taking a step to see if a door opens.

Father Mike's personal reflection on the value of making mistakes and the lack of outtakes in his recent talks.

Transcripts

the good news bad news is you won't

know it's like what Smashmouth said

you'll never know if you I'm not going

to do it hi my name is father Mike

Schmitz and this is as Cen presents how

do I know that uh the voice I'm hearing

is the voice of God right if I'm in

prayer I'm trying to discern the next

step for my life or for just today how

do I know that it's not just me how do I

know that it's God's voice how do I know

it's not the evil one how would I know

it's not the world you know St Paul says

that we have some enemies that we Face

we Face three enemies he names he says

he says the world the Flesh and the

devil every one of those has a voice and

so how do I know that the voice I'm

hearing is God's voice when there's all

these other voices that are trying to

get my attention trying to get me to

move here's some steps this is we going

to be very important first is does that

voice contradict anything in scripture

does that because we have the word of

God right the word of God has been given

to us um by the Holy Spirit through the

Catholic Church all 73 books so does

this voice this invitation this uh word

of command does it contradict scripture

sometimes we're like the thing I really

feel inclined towards or the thing I

really feel drawn towards I think this

might be right to do goes directly

against what God has said to do so the

first thing is does it go against

scripture now at the same time we know

that the evil one can quote scripture we

have right we have the Jesus being

tempted in the wilderness and what does

the evil one do the evil one actually

quotes scripture to Jesus and so it's

not just a matter of does this go

against scripture because even the evil

one can quote scripture who is the

legitimate interpreter of scripture

Jesus Christ has established a church on

Earth and he's promised to that church I

will lead you into all truth I'll give

you the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit

will lead you into all truth and so he

also promised to Peter right the Gates

of Hell will not Prevail against this

Kingdom this church that I'm

establishing on Earth so we know that

the church has been given the authority

to interpret scripture so the second

question is does this voice contradict

the church the actual living and

teaching the men Adian right the

magisterial teachings of the church so

first of all does it contradict

scripture but we know again the evil one

can quote scripture and so that voice

can also be erroneous and quote

scripture so it does doesn't go against

the legitimate interpreter of scripture

which is the teaching Office of the

Catholic Church number one of two says

it go against scripture or tradition

number three this gets really more

personal in some ways here I am I'm in

prayer and I'm thinking okay here's what

I here's the voice I hear the question

you get to ask again it hasn't

contradicted RT hasn't cont contradicted

the church the question I get to ask is

who does that voice sound like now this

can be a dangerous question which is why

it's very important to call upon the

holy spirit ask the holy spirit for

clarity here who does that voice sound

like when you hear those words have you

ever heard those words spoken in Life or

even the tone of that voice if the

speaker of those words is not

trustworthy then most likely that's not

the voice of God especially especially

if those if those words um have

corrupted your heart right especially if

those words have wounded your heart with

not not wounding to heal right that we

know the Lord God is is is the Divine

physician and so sometimes he wounds in

order to heal us but we know that Satan

is the accuser and he wounds just to

wound us he wounds to us and so

does that voice sound like someone who

said a word that you knew you couldn't

trust them when they said those words

they said those words just to hurt you

I'm not trying to pick on anyone's

parents at all but sometimes it could be

the case I'm talking with our students

and they'll say well I hear that voice

in prayer it sounds like my mom or it

sounds like my dad and in this context

they would say and my my dad or my mom

is my my harshest critic I can't do

anything to please them they're they're

impossible to to make happy and so

sometimes I hear God saying hey you need

to do more you need to do more you need

to do more and it sounds like my dad who

would always say you need to do more or

I feel like I'm not good enough I'm not

good enough I'm not good enough and

that's God's voice saying you're not

good enough but it sounds like my mom so

that voice in my head sounds like that

parent right or it sounds like whatever

that authority figure

is the first question does it contradict

scripture second does it contradict

tradition the third question does it

sound like someone that you know is

unreliable right then you know you can't

trust no I'm not saying you can't no one

can trust their parents because lot

there a lot of good parents out there

but sometimes we have moments where our

parents said words that were not helpful

they just hurt sometimes we have

teachers or coaches or friends even in

our lives they said those words and they

not helpful they're just

hurtful if that voice sounds like one of

them pause for a second so that's that

my first three questions is how do I

know if this is the voice of God

well scripture tradition who does it

sound like but the fourth question is or

fourth kind of Step I guess to say is

ultimately though even if this word that

I think maybe the voice of God doesn't

contradict scripture and even if it

doesn't contradict the church and even

if it doesn't necessarily sound like

someone who's hurt me in the past how do

I know this is the voice of God

Smashmouth the band said you never know

if you don't go you know Allstar the

song okay that's ridiculous now we just

went off the edge the truth is I will

never know if this is the voice of God

unless I act on it now again keep this

in mind this if this thing this step

clearly does not contradict scripture

right so it's not like God has already

said don't do this thing I'm like but

let me just test it out like no if it's

doesn't contradict scripture tradition

or sound like you know the voice of

someone who hurts me or hates me I won't

know this is the voice of God until I

act on it and that's that's the the hard

truth as I won't know if this is the

voice of God until I act on it and then

I have to assess the fruits was that

fruitful was it not fruitful was it

something that that brought more life

more joy more peace more Holiness or was

it something that didn't now not just in

the immediate because in the immediate

sometimes I just experience a relief or

a release But ultimately did this bear

fruit have a a good friend he's brother

priest in our dasis his name is Father

Scott father Scott they all come out

call him Papa Scott Papa Scott's the

best he's he's awesome he is a number of

years younger than me but he's just this

intense man he has this uh he wears a

Catholic like he has his work cathic and

he has his his regular cathic he's also

a carpenter so he's like really holy

prays a lot super Dynamic just shares

the gospel in such a powerful way so

here's father Scott and father Scott's

working on some carpentry things and he

needs a hinge and he's and he's got he

said he's got his we're cagon so he's

got paint all over the place and there's

all other you know it's torn stained all

these things and he's going to I'm going

to go to Home Depot he's like well

actually you know wait a second

Home Dep are Menards and rather than

just choosing like I'm going to go to

Menards he said okay God where do you

want me to go Home Depot or Menards we

might think like that's a ridiculous

question he's like I understand that if

I had the impulse to go to Menards but

went to Home Depot it was not like I'm

committing a sin I'm just asking God God

I could do anything I could go to either

of these two stores or maybe even any

other which one of these two do you want

me to go to you know I kind of got the

sense that God wants me to go to I'm

just going to pick Home Depot so he's

okay I'll go to Home Depot that seems

God seems like you want me to go here so

he goes to Home Depot and he goes in

there and he can't find the hinge can't

find this thing the part that one part

he needs but at one point he did what no

other people usually do he asked for

help and so he asked this guy walks up

to him with his work cassic on and he

says hey do you have this hinge and the

guy working at Home Depot was like I'm

sorry you we don't have that hinge um

but wait are you a priest yeah kind of

he's like of course I am and he's like

okay and this man had this whole story

about he was raised Catholic but had

been away from the church he had he had

gone through like these crisis and

trials in his life and just was in a

place of desperation and father Scott

was like well can can I pray with you

right now and so here they are in Home

Depot and father Scott's praying with

this man who just opened up his heart to

him but father Scott was realizing he's

like okay so I asked the Lord where do

you want me to go Home Depot or Menards

God said Home Depot but not to get the

hinge he said Home Depot because to get

that that guy right to to interact with

this man who is in a place of Crisis

because God loves people and if we ask

God God where do you want me to go where

do you want me to speak what do you want

me to not

speak he might direct us in a place that

doesn't give us the hinge the thing we

want but might lead us to a place where

we get what he wants now there's no way

for father Scott to ever have any clue

of whether that was the voice of God

saying go to Home Depot until he chose

to act on The Voice he thought he heard

and same thing is true for us we ask the

questions okay God does this go against

scripture does it go against the church

does it go does it go uh sound a lot

like the voice of the accuser and then

lastly we just say

okay I'm I need to act and I will never

know if this is your voice God until I

take a step no you don't have to take a

leap it's not like jumping off a cliff

it's just taking one step forward and

saying is there fruit here or is there

not fruit here is this door opening or

is it simply a wall that is sealed shut

I don't think walls are sealed shut we

won't know until we move so here is the

invitation be bold ask the

Lord and then act and you'll know okay

that was God's voice or no might have

just been a good idea anyways for here

to S presents my name is father Mike God

bless okay you know what I you know what

I miss I miss doing outakes I miss

messing up you I haven't screwed up in a

long time I've had this cough in case

you're wondering it sounds gross anyways

um uh