How to check if your desires are right:

1. Everything a person believes that God has told them must line up with His Holy Bible in every way or it is not from Him. God never contradicts His own Word that is why it is so important to know the scriptures. If a person's thoughts are not yielded to the word and they don't line up correctly it could be a trap of Satan to tempt them into something wrong or an idea from their own desires of the sinful nature which we are all born with. Romans 7:25 Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Read in Paul's writings about the power of our sinful nature and how it tries to have control over a person's actions, which will keep them out of God's perfect will.: Romans 7:14-8:8.

Why do people act on thoughts that are contrary to the Bible and God's wishes for their lives?

James 1:13-15 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

The sinful nature of all people reaches out for the things of this world that do not please God however, by yielding to God through prayer and renewing one's mind with the truth of the scriptures that person's sinful nature will change into a strong nature that lives for righteousness and to please God.

The two scriptures I always use when something enters my mind and probes at the sinful nature to act in a way displeasing to God are:

• James 4:7-8 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.
• 1Peter 5:8-9 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

2. Check your motive. 1 Chronicles 28:9b ...for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.

Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Ask yourself,

• "When I do this thing, will it bring glory to God and to Jesus?"
• "Would Jesus stand beside me the whole time or would any part of this make Him back away?"
• "Is this in the best interest for everyone involved?"
• "What will be written on my record in heaven?"

3. Check to see if God's Fruit of the Spirit is in your thoughts and actions. Check to see if they are visible in any relationship that is involved with what you are thinking of doing. Theses are supernatural fruits in a person's life that are produced by God and His Holy Spirit working in their mind and heart; they go beyond the fruits that are humanly produced and there is never any strife where the Fruit of the Spirit exists.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

4. Check yourself and those you are entering into a relationship with for these characteristics.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Once more don't get connected to them in any deep relationship. Fulfill the obligation of the Fruit of the Spirit and try to win them for the Lord. But don't become ensnared in their lifestyle.

5. Since the human mind is the place that Satan works you must test the spirit that is producing thoughts in your mind.

1 John 4:1-3 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

If you pray first and ask God to show you His truth, and let Jesus know that your trust is completely in Him then simply ask the author of your thought, "Do you acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh?" Your answer will come quickly. Our authority, that was given to us by Christ, gives every born again Christian the right to demand an answer. If the thought is from Satan your confrontation requires him to answer you, and his answer will be always be no. You can then rebuke him and order him to leave your thoughts alone. However, God's spirit will gladly confirm "yes" if He is the one giving you a thought, then you are free to ask the Lord how that thought lines up with the Bible and God's way of doing things.

You have the authority of Christ in your voice; and He defeated Satan completely over 2000 years ago. Even in a weakened condition a born again Christian has great authority over Satan. It's easy to win over someone who has already been defeated. If we all used God's method more often we wouldn't make so many mistakes. It takes lots of practice to use all the good things that God has given us to live free from satanic influences. Now, since Satan is already under your feet, dig your heels into him with commands that he has to follow, use the Word on him and get him out of your life.

The Holy Spirit will help you to come to the right conclusions so be patient and wait upon the Lord. Use this test any time you are unsure of the thoughts in your mind. The human mind is the playground for Satan's works. Learn to put him to flight. It's so simple, all Christians have authority over Satan. He does his best to keep them from knowing it. If they do know about it, then he lies and intimidates them to keep them from using it. Examine what's going on in your mind and find out where your thoughts come from. The Bible is our measuring stick for comparison. The closer to God you are, through knowing the Word and applying obedience, the more power you have. Satan has been cursed since he was thrown out of heaven. Anything he does or tries to do to people is a curse. We are not to allow anything in the curse to enter into our lives. But to fight the good fight of faith to keep it out.

Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

John 8: 31-36 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Have no fear if you miss something God is telling you. He has no problem saying it again and he knows you through and through. He wants you to understand his ways because he loves you. He knows exactly how long it will take Him to get you to act on what He is telling you. Humility and reverence gets you through those times and it teaches us to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. Like a good father he works everything out for us through our worship and love for Him. We have a loving relationship with God where through our desire to be obedient He will always see to it that we come out on top.