Don’t Just Hear the Holy Spirit; Listen to His Voice

I wish I had learned the principle of heeding my spirit many years ago. In the early days of my faith, I was spiritually lazy, leaving all forms of discernment to the Holy Spirit. Yes, we must always listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice and abide by what’s written in Scripture, but there are times when we also need to take heed of what our spirits are telling us internally. As a believer, your spirit is alive in Christ, and you have a relationship with Christ via the spirit, so it’s safe to say that your spirit can talk to the rest of you, including your mind.

I have been saved for thirty years, and as I look back, I can clearly remember times when my spirit was trying to tell me to stay away from certain people or things. When I was single, at times, my spirit would constrain me from putting myself in a compromising position that would cause me to sin. Other times, I would be watching a movie, and my spirit would sound the alarm for me to walk out of the room; five minutes later, questionable scenes would play on the screen. I think we all can reflect and remember moments when we didn’t heed what our spirits were telling us to do.

—Malachi 2:16

Taking heed to your spirit is an immensely important part of maintaining your deliverance. Think, for example, how this could be connected to divorcing a spouse and covering up sin. God hates divorce. Whatever causes a marriage to end, it’s safe to say that the devil and his forces are at work and that one or both parties aren’t taking heed to their spirits—the same goes for any sin that can contaminate you.

Disciplining yourself to heed your spirit takes time and effort. You must quiet your spirit, shutting out the busyness of life and the noise of the cares of the world, and learn to listen to the Spirit. The great news is that you don’t have to do this in your own strength; you can ask the Holy Spirit to help you.

But I must caution you: when He offers help in the form of a warning, obey Him. Don’t second-guess or simply take a half step. As you feel conviction grip you, whether it’s mild or severe, learn to lean into it and follow what the Lord tells you to do—especially when He is showing you that your spirit is filthy.

Here are some steps to cleanse yourself of the filth that may be on your spirit. First, recognize the conviction of the Holy Spirit pressing on your spirit, which may be trying to communicate that it is filthy or nearing a filthy state. Second, respond to that conviction by doing what the Holy Spirit tells you to do. If that means you need to turn off the TV, stop listening to a certain musical artist, stay off the internet late at night—whatever it is, do it. Third, renew your spirit by practicing the Christian disciplines that allow your spirit to grow, such as spending time in the Word, worshipping the Lord on a regular basis, and so on. When you do these things daily, you will find your spirit being cleansed, and your need for deliverance sessions will decrease dramatically.

To learn more about Alexander Pagani’s latest book,
The Secrets to Maintaining Your Deliverance, visit MyCharismaShop.com