Train Your Conscience
ICS Daily Devotions

1 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV) Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.

If we consistently refuse to yield to the Holy Spirit and do what is righteous, holy, and just, His voice will become less authoritative in our lives. When we fail to practise what is ethically correct in our business dealings, use coarse words, lie persistently, and live a lifestyle that is not redeemed, our conscience is being seared with a hot iron, making it less sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. This is why many believers find it difficult to hear His voice clearly. Therefore, we must refrain from yielding to the wrong choice when we feel the Holy Spirit’s disapproval through our spirit, because we will sense the Holy Spirit’s displeasure when we refuse to obey. As Christians, it is our responsibility to keep a clear conscience so we can hear His voice effectively because we don’t want our communication channel to be blocked.

The conscience is one of the spiritual senses, and it must be trained to discern what is good and evil. Its accuracy can be increased through active and regular usage. We should consult the Holy Spirit by checking what the conscience is telling us on all occasions.

Here are some guidelines:

• We will have a bad conscience when we have not dealt with wrong.
• We will feel uneasy or guilty in the presence of God when we have a bad conscience.
• We will find excuses for our bad behaviour.
• We will be fearful of God’s judgement.

Because the Holy Spirit, who is God, is holy, He disapproves of us watching pornography, and He will speak to our conscience to show His disapproval. We can either stop the video or choose not to access the website. There will always be a moment, even if just a few seconds, before we act on some premeditated thought. During this moment, our conscience struggles to tell us about the Holy Spirit’s conviction of our desire to sin. If we choose not to act on it, our conscience will continue to serve as a reliable guide, but if we ignore what is right based on the prompting of the Holy Spirit, our conscience becomes seared. The Holy Spirit will always convict us because our conscience naturally desires to do what is right.

The Holy Spirit desires us to have integrity and good character because we are the salt and light of the world. Our yes should be a yes, and a no should be a no, because anything apart from it is evil. We must be clear about what we mean and mean what we say. Our words represent us, so if our words no longer hold meaning for others, they will not trust us. We need to honour our promises because the Holy Spirit would want us to do so. Our conscience, prompted by the Holy Spirit, will lead us to act righteously and with integrity. We will gain His approval and enjoy peace when we choose to do the right thing.

The more we submit to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the more attuned we become to hearing His voice.

Sermon Series：The Norm in the New Era