#TheHolySpiritChallenge Entry 2 by Emikele Oseni-Elamah

The first time I think or I was aware that I experienced the holy spirit was last year. I grew up in a christian home but I never had the relationship with Christ like I do now. Last year, I was convicted to pray about certain areas of my life, one of my prayer points was "Lord, I am hungry for you". I kept on whaling and listening to songs in a dark room. I really wanted to know God and dig deeper, and this was when I heard God's voice and the only time I heard the voice. It was a tiny whisper and it looked like I was in a trance. It was a memorable experience. One thing I was told was "If you want more of me, it comes with sacrifices" He told me to go to Genesis 22, where Abraham sacrificed his only son,and I was challenged to give up some things. After i heeded to the voice, I started a new life, a new life filled with peace and joy from within. This is  how I knew the Holy Spirit was with me. It says he will comfort and give you peace.
(2 Thessalonians 3:16, Romans 15:13) not like I never had peace or joy before, but since that day I obeyed, there is the feeling I get, no matter how horrible my day is, I have this inner joy and peace knowing everything is under control. 

"If you want more of me,

it comes with sacrifices"

Another scenario where I experienced the holy spirit was when I lost my wallet. I'm very "prim and proper and organized" (so I'm told). I dislike looking for things, so I'm really careful about my things. I went to the mall and usually, I take my bag anywhere I go but this day I decided just to take my wallet. It was a really long day. I came back home and the next day I was meant to go do my hair but I couldn't find my wallet. Normally when I loose something so valuable like my wallet or phone, I panic a lot and I will go the extra mile just to get it back. I had a lot of cash in my wallet and tons of cards, I couldn't even think of deactivating all of them. So when I realized I lost my wallet, the Holy Spirit (my heart) told me to be at peace. I didn't panic a bit. I called the mall services and everywhere I went the day it was lost but there was no luck. I decided 6 days later that I would lock my credit card for the mean time because I still had a strong feeling it would be found and the only card I had to change was my debit card because I needed to use it. A day after I got a new debit card, on a Sunday, I went to church without my wallet, and coincidentally Pastor preached on restoration. Like literally that sermon was for me. I mean God was talking to me directly, and I felt energized, and I didn't really care about the wallet anymore to be honest, it was whatever. I was watching a movie with friends and family in the living room, later that same day and sitting down on my favorite couch. While watching the movie, my friend came up to me and said something that made me laugh so hard. To our wildest believe, as I was laughing we just saw something fly out from the chair to the other side of the room, it was like magic!. Everyone was in shock. I couldn't even talk. I froze for like, let's say 2-3 minutes.. Everyone was like wow and everyone searched the house including that couch for days but we didn't find it. I was just smiling all through and was like God is good. And I didn't for one day panic or worry.

Since then, I don't care what I loose or what the matter might be, I have decided not to worry and back my faith with scriptures. He speaks! that still small voice!  And that still small voice isn't an audible voice, for the most part it isn't, he speaks through his word. The holy spirit comes from within us, since he lives inside of us. So when he speaks, he ministers unto our heart and our hearts minister unto our minds. Often times it comes as a thought or feeling and this is where people misinterpret it as conscience. And as you grow with your relationship with God, you will pick up the small still voice and familiarize yourself with it. It's not a one day thing. The truth is that God speaks to us all the time, but because we are not familiar with his voice, we find it very hard to discern the Holy spirit.You have to desire the Holy Spirit not just want it because people around you say they have it and you want to experience it as well. It says those who diligently seek God will find Him (proverbs 8:17) Find God in his word. So many times we see the bible and neglect it and say oh I want God to speak to me, we need to understand the power in the bible. Also we spend time in prayer and never try to listen to what God has to say. Quiet time is really important, where you zone out everything and focus your attention on God. Imagine me talking to a friend, and telling her my problems, then after I'm done, I just walk away and i say oh I didn't hear her help me, that was because I didn't wait to listen to what she had to say. that's exactly the same way God works. he wants us to have a relationship with him.

Also we have different voice talking to us, but don't know how to discern the holy spirit from others because we have not soaked ourselves in his word. When we soak ourselves in his word, it will be easy to discern the holy spirit from other competing voices/conscience. You can only know what you are hearing is the holy spirit's through time of intimacy. We need to renew our minds to think like God and know when the Holy Spirit within us is at work (Romans 12:2) So to understand God's voice and the holy spirit within you, you need to pray for wisdom and discernment. Because you might have a thought and you think it's God's voice but if it's not backed up with his word, it's false

"When we soak ourselves in His word, it will be easy to discern the Holy Spirit from other competing voices"

"You can only know what you are hearing is the Holy Spirit's through time of intimacy"