How Do I Tell if Something Is From God or Not?

I Thought I Could Recognize Truth… Until I Was Tested

I used to think I was pretty good at spotting spiritual truth.

I felt confident in what I believed. I thought I could easily recognize what was from God and what wasn’t.

But recently, something my pastor said made me pause—and honestly, it unsettled me more than I expected.

It made me realize something I hadn’t fully seen before:

Even well-meaning words can throw me off if I’m not rooted deeply in God.

What Jesus Says About Recognizing True Faith

This brought me back to Matthew 7, where Jesus says:

“You will recognize them by their fruit.”

At first, I thought this was about obvious false teachers—people far removed from my everyday life.

But the more I read, the more I realized:

This isn’t just about them… it’s about all of us—including me.

Because fruit doesn’t lie.

A tree can look healthy on the outside, but over time, what it produces reveals what’s really inside.

And that truth goes both ways:

• The fruit in someone else’s life reveals their walk with God

• The fruit in my life reveals my walk with God

  
  

A Moment That Exposed My Heart

Recently, our pastor shared that our church had donated the most money to a local organization and compared it to other churches.

At first, I felt proud.

But then… I felt something else.

Uneasy.

I couldn’t ignore it.

And in that moment, God gently brought something to my attention:

Was my heart being drawn to God… or to recognition?

That question stayed with me.

Because it made me realize how subtle deception can be—even in good things.

What God Showed Me About Real Faith

Jesus doesn’t just warn about false prophets—He also says something even more sobering:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom…” (Matthew 7:21)

That means:

It’s not about what we say. It’s about whether our lives actually reflect Him.

And that’s where fruit comes in.

Real faith produces something over time:

• Love

• Patience

• Humility

• Obedience

  
  

Not perfectly—but consistently growing.

How I’ve Seen God Change Me

I’ve started to see this in my own life in ways that feel small—but are actually significant.

For example, I’ve noticed how connected my emotions are to my son.

When he’s upset, I feel it deeply.

When he’s struggling, I feel anxious.

Before, I would react quickly—frustration, tension, worry.

But as I’ve grown closer to God, something has been changing:

I pause more.

I pray more.

I respond with patience instead of reacting in frustration.

That’s not something I forced.

That’s something God is producing in me.

And that’s what fruit looks like.

What This Taught Me About Knowing Who Follows God

So how do you actually know if someone is truly following God?

Not by what they say.

Not by their position.

Not by numbers, success, or recognition.

But by this:

Look at the fruit over time.

Ask yourself:

• Does their life reflect love and humility?

• Do they point people to God—or to themselves?

• Is there evidence of obedience, not just words?

  
  

And just as important:

Ask the same questions about your own heart.

What God Is Teaching Me About Guarding My Heart

This journey has changed how I approach my faith.

Here’s how I’m learning to guard my heart:

1. Stay rooted in Scripture

I can’t recognize truth if I don’t know it. God’s Word is my foundation.

2. Test everything against Christ

Not feelings. Not popularity. Not success. Jesus is the standard.

3. Watch for fruit—slowly and honestly

Fruit takes time. I’m learning not to rush judgment—but to observe patterns.

4. Let God search my own heart first

Before I question others, I ask:

“What is God trying to show me right now?”

What Real Christianity Actually Looks Like

I used to think following God was mostly about knowing the right things.

But now I see it differently:

It’s about becoming someone new.

• Regeneration → God gives you a new heart

• Justification → You are made right through Jesus

• Sanctification → God slowly transforms your life

This isn’t something we produce on our own.

It’s something God does in us.

A Final Reflection

If you’re wondering whether someone is truly following God, start here:

Don’t just listen to what they say. Don’t just look at what they do once.

Look at what their life produces over time.

And then gently turn that same question inward:

• What is my life producing?

• Is God transforming me?

• Is my heart becoming more like Christ?

Because in the end—

Real faith isn’t loud. It's lived.

And the fruit will always reveal the truth.