SAINT IRENAEUS, BISHOP AND MARTYR (MEMORIAL)

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing. 

There are plenty of “false prophets” out in the world—people who spread inaccurate and harmful messages. These voices can easily lead us astray if we pay too much attention to them. This is even more relevant if they seem sheeplike: calm, innocent, trustworthy.

But what if we change the picture? Imagine that the voice leading you astray is . . . your own! “That dessert looks really good; you should take an extra helping!” “There’s no way you should forgive her after what she did to you.” “There’s that beggar again on the same street corner; why doesn’t he just get a job?”

We know that if we indulge in these wolfish thoughts, they will only lead to bad fruit—selfishness, isolation, bitterness, and sin. But we also know how easy it is to accept these thoughts as legitimate because they appear to come from within our own minds. It’s often a lot easier to identify the false prophets “out there” instead.

But Jesus wants us to examine our thoughts. Not because he’s trying to convince us that we’re bad people, but because he wants us to learn to distinguish between these false prophets’ inner voices and the voice of the Holy Spirit. Only by taking our thoughts captive in this way will we be able to hear the Spirit’s words of encouragement, conviction, and direction. Only by silencing the wolves can we hear the Lamb!

So how do you take control of these renegade thoughts? There are many ways, but none is quite as powerful as immersing ourselves in the Scriptures. As we prayerfully ponder the word of God, we’ll come to see more and more clearly the difference between godly and not-so-godly thoughts. Not only that, but we’ll come to love hearing the Spirit’s voice because of the fruit he bears in our lives—love, joy, peace, gentleness, patience, and so much more.

God’s word has the power to silence the false prophets in your heart. So come and listen—and let the Spirit set you free!

“Come, Holy Spirit! Help me hear your voice speaking to me through your word!”

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9
Matthew 7:15-20