The voice of God
As much as I want to hear the voice of God, I've determined that I don't always want to hear what He has to say. If there is an art form for hearing God, and determining what He says is not what I want to hear so therefore it's not His voice, then I have probably mastered that art form.
God knows our hearts. He knows that we sincerely want to hear Him, obey Him, and therefore please Him. Often, I hear people say that if God would just do a miracle they would know it was Him speaking and believe Him. But our problem is that we DO see miracles, and we still DON'T believe! Or just as often, we believe for a while but our memory fades and our faith weakens and we find ourselves clamoring for more miracles.
Let's look at Gideon for example. In Judges 6:14-16 we find Gideon having a conversation with God. In verse 17 Gideon is already saying "...give me a signe that it is really you talking to me." Later on, after Gideon has received the "charge" (assignment) from God and has mustered an army to go to battle, we see Gideon again asking God for signs that it is really HIM speaking and that Gideon has really heard Him correctly (Judges 6:36-40) Keep in mind that Gideon is 'needing' this confirmation from God AFTER having a conversation with Him (in person!) and after God consumes Gideon's sacrifice to Him with fire! (Judges 6:21) Finally, after multiple "confirmations" from the Lord, Gideon obeys.
I think we operate very similar to Gideon. We begin to feel as if God is leading us, or speaking to us, and then the doubt rushes in and we need multiple confirmations before we can move forward. I think it is normal for humans to respond this way, but I don't think we should settle for this as our response to God. I heard someone I respect a lot teach once on how to hear God's voice. He said that when God would direct him, he's wait for God to give him the same directive 3 times. After God had spoken 3 times he would be sure it was God and obey. Now this was "safe" and he was (eventually) obeying, but I teach my kids that "delayed obedience is disobedience." When I give my kids directions, I want them to follow them immediately! So how do we get to the point where we recognize God's voice, and have the confidence to obey Him right away?
Before I give some thoughts in this area I have to say first of all that besides spending TIME with God (and getting to know His character and His voice) we also have to be patient. As we study through God's Word and discover how He speaks, we will be painting a very broad and diverse portrait. We can't just look at one aspect of His "voice" and have the complete picture! Sometimes He speaks dramatically, sometimes He speaks through His Word, and sometimes He is silent! Our trust in Him, and in His longing for what it is best for us, has to be the foundation on which we grow in our ability to hear God.
With that in mind, I have 3 things for you to consider today regarding hearing God's voice.
1. There IS the miraculous.
God can speak with us in any way He chooses. I have heard God speak so clearly that it was audible to me; in fact waking me from a sound sleep! I have also "seen" God's direction to me through dreams, mental pictures and through the "ability" (gift) to have insight into a situation. God can speak to us through any means He desires, and if we know Him, we will recognize His voice.
2. Words/directions from others should confirm what God/Holy Spirit has already spoken to us.
Quite a few years ago I was working as an altar worker at a large crusade in Seattle. While praying for a young lady God kept dropping a specific country in Africa into my heart and thoughts. I knew it was HIM and I knew it was for HER. I got the sense that I was to tell her that she already knew that she was supposed to go to this country and that she needed to obey God. So I stopped praying and asked her if she was going to obey God and go there. She burst into tears, and sobbed out that God had told her that quite a while back but that she had kept "running" from obeying. In that situation this "word" that God had given me for her, was confirmation of what God had already spoken to her by His Spirit.
I am convinced that we allow great confusion into our lives when we listen to people before we listen to God. The order is God first, confirmation second. And the confirmation part is not guarranteed! Whether or not we WANT to hear what God is directing us to do, often determines whether or not we are really going to listen. Come on, if you have kids you know what I am talking about! We give directions to our kids, and they are listening to us, but not really HEARING. And then later when they have not obeyed they say I didn't HEAR you!
Are you listening to the Lord? Not to people, but to God?
3. God speaks to us personally by applying the "revealed" Word of God to your specific situation.
This, at its most basic level, means taht we have to be READING and STUDYING God's Word. The "revealed Word of God" refers to that moment, when you are reading your Bible, and something "jumps out to you" that you have never really noticed before. You might have READ it multiple times before, but suddenly your circumstances, or your spiritual or emotional state along with the illumination of the Holy Spirit, make the right atmosphere for you to really grasp something.
This is the number one way that God speaks to us TODAY. In the Old Testament times, God used a prophet (a mouthpiece) to speak to his people. Often the Word of God through the prophets was confirmed through signs or wonders. In the New Testament, Jesus spoke to the people, and God's Word through him was often accompanied by miracles. Since the canonization (publication) of the Bible, until now, we have the Holy Spirit, whose job (among others) is to confirm to every believer the written Word of God. There is no limit to the ways the Holy Spirit can confirm God's Word. Among them are signs and wonders, miracles, the moment of "illumination" of the Word of God, and on and on. Anything spoken to us by the Lord HAS TO line up with His Word. He WOULD NOT contradict Himself. Beyond that, as we seek direction and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, we have to study the Word and learn to recognize the voice of God.
A few years back I was training a team of 4o teenagers and college students for ministry. As a team, we were memorizing the book of Haggai. We were believing for God to open doors for us in New York City; doors that we could not open for ourselves. After months of motivating students, casting vision and working long hours on the ministry trip, things were not going well. I was frustrated, discouraged and quite honestly, wanted to quit. I opened up to Haggai and read, once again, the familiar verses. Suddenly Haggai 2:20-23 leaped out to me. For context, Haggai is God's prophet, motivating God's people to get to work to build His temple (church). The people were discouraged by opposition and had quit working. God was using to leaders (one of which was Zerubbabel) to lead the people in this task. God uses Haggai to motivate the entire group, He reminds them of who He is and declares that His glory will be in their midst greater than they had ever seen before. He tells them that He will "shake the heavens and the earth." And then, in verse 20, Haggai goes just to Zerubbabel and repeats it all just to him. As if God knew that Zerubbabel needed to be reminded and encouraged especially. And after God's word is specifically given to him, He finishes off with saying "I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares the Lord Almighty."
Now these verses probably don't mean to you, what they mean to ME. It was as if God was saying through me, to all of my students "I am going to use you, I am going to do wonders in and through you..." and then he was pulling me aside and saying "and Di, I am going to use YOU, and I am going to wonders in YOU and through YOU." That was a revealed Word of God to ME, and it is still one of the most precious passages of Scripture to me today.
For Further Study
Read Ezekiel chapters 4 and 5. Record the unusual and unconventional directions that God gives Ezekiel.
Read Judges chapter 6 and note Gideon's needs for "confirmation". Notice how he approaches God with his need for confirmation (boldly, fearfully, apologetically etc)
Your Assignment
1. Share. Can you think of a time God spoke to you miraculously?
Can you think of a time that someone spoke to you and it was confirmatation of something God
had already spoken?
Have you experienced the "revealed Word of God" in your life?
2. Share. In what area do you desperately need God to speak to you?
God knows our hearts. He knows that we sincerely want to hear Him, obey Him, and therefore please Him. Often, I hear people say that if God would just do a miracle they would know it was Him speaking and believe Him. But our problem is that we DO see miracles, and we still DON'T believe! Or just as often, we believe for a while but our memory fades and our faith weakens and we find ourselves clamoring for more miracles.
Let's look at Gideon for example. In Judges 6:14-16 we find Gideon having a conversation with God. In verse 17 Gideon is already saying "...give me a signe that it is really you talking to me." Later on, after Gideon has received the "charge" (assignment) from God and has mustered an army to go to battle, we see Gideon again asking God for signs that it is really HIM speaking and that Gideon has really heard Him correctly (Judges 6:36-40) Keep in mind that Gideon is 'needing' this confirmation from God AFTER having a conversation with Him (in person!) and after God consumes Gideon's sacrifice to Him with fire! (Judges 6:21) Finally, after multiple "confirmations" from the Lord, Gideon obeys.
I think we operate very similar to Gideon. We begin to feel as if God is leading us, or speaking to us, and then the doubt rushes in and we need multiple confirmations before we can move forward. I think it is normal for humans to respond this way, but I don't think we should settle for this as our response to God. I heard someone I respect a lot teach once on how to hear God's voice. He said that when God would direct him, he's wait for God to give him the same directive 3 times. After God had spoken 3 times he would be sure it was God and obey. Now this was "safe" and he was (eventually) obeying, but I teach my kids that "delayed obedience is disobedience." When I give my kids directions, I want them to follow them immediately! So how do we get to the point where we recognize God's voice, and have the confidence to obey Him right away?
Before I give some thoughts in this area I have to say first of all that besides spending TIME with God (and getting to know His character and His voice) we also have to be patient. As we study through God's Word and discover how He speaks, we will be painting a very broad and diverse portrait. We can't just look at one aspect of His "voice" and have the complete picture! Sometimes He speaks dramatically, sometimes He speaks through His Word, and sometimes He is silent! Our trust in Him, and in His longing for what it is best for us, has to be the foundation on which we grow in our ability to hear God.
With that in mind, I have 3 things for you to consider today regarding hearing God's voice.
1. There IS the miraculous.
God can speak with us in any way He chooses. I have heard God speak so clearly that it was audible to me; in fact waking me from a sound sleep! I have also "seen" God's direction to me through dreams, mental pictures and through the "ability" (gift) to have insight into a situation. God can speak to us through any means He desires, and if we know Him, we will recognize His voice.
2. Words/directions from others should confirm what God/Holy Spirit has already spoken to us.
Quite a few years ago I was working as an altar worker at a large crusade in Seattle. While praying for a young lady God kept dropping a specific country in Africa into my heart and thoughts. I knew it was HIM and I knew it was for HER. I got the sense that I was to tell her that she already knew that she was supposed to go to this country and that she needed to obey God. So I stopped praying and asked her if she was going to obey God and go there. She burst into tears, and sobbed out that God had told her that quite a while back but that she had kept "running" from obeying. In that situation this "word" that God had given me for her, was confirmation of what God had already spoken to her by His Spirit.
I am convinced that we allow great confusion into our lives when we listen to people before we listen to God. The order is God first, confirmation second. And the confirmation part is not guarranteed! Whether or not we WANT to hear what God is directing us to do, often determines whether or not we are really going to listen. Come on, if you have kids you know what I am talking about! We give directions to our kids, and they are listening to us, but not really HEARING. And then later when they have not obeyed they say I didn't HEAR you!
Are you listening to the Lord? Not to people, but to God?
3. God speaks to us personally by applying the "revealed" Word of God to your specific situation.
This, at its most basic level, means taht we have to be READING and STUDYING God's Word. The "revealed Word of God" refers to that moment, when you are reading your Bible, and something "jumps out to you" that you have never really noticed before. You might have READ it multiple times before, but suddenly your circumstances, or your spiritual or emotional state along with the illumination of the Holy Spirit, make the right atmosphere for you to really grasp something.
This is the number one way that God speaks to us TODAY. In the Old Testament times, God used a prophet (a mouthpiece) to speak to his people. Often the Word of God through the prophets was confirmed through signs or wonders. In the New Testament, Jesus spoke to the people, and God's Word through him was often accompanied by miracles. Since the canonization (publication) of the Bible, until now, we have the Holy Spirit, whose job (among others) is to confirm to every believer the written Word of God. There is no limit to the ways the Holy Spirit can confirm God's Word. Among them are signs and wonders, miracles, the moment of "illumination" of the Word of God, and on and on. Anything spoken to us by the Lord HAS TO line up with His Word. He WOULD NOT contradict Himself. Beyond that, as we seek direction and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, we have to study the Word and learn to recognize the voice of God.
A few years back I was training a team of 4o teenagers and college students for ministry. As a team, we were memorizing the book of Haggai. We were believing for God to open doors for us in New York City; doors that we could not open for ourselves. After months of motivating students, casting vision and working long hours on the ministry trip, things were not going well. I was frustrated, discouraged and quite honestly, wanted to quit. I opened up to Haggai and read, once again, the familiar verses. Suddenly Haggai 2:20-23 leaped out to me. For context, Haggai is God's prophet, motivating God's people to get to work to build His temple (church). The people were discouraged by opposition and had quit working. God was using to leaders (one of which was Zerubbabel) to lead the people in this task. God uses Haggai to motivate the entire group, He reminds them of who He is and declares that His glory will be in their midst greater than they had ever seen before. He tells them that He will "shake the heavens and the earth." And then, in verse 20, Haggai goes just to Zerubbabel and repeats it all just to him. As if God knew that Zerubbabel needed to be reminded and encouraged especially. And after God's word is specifically given to him, He finishes off with saying "I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares the Lord Almighty."
Now these verses probably don't mean to you, what they mean to ME. It was as if God was saying through me, to all of my students "I am going to use you, I am going to do wonders in and through you..." and then he was pulling me aside and saying "and Di, I am going to use YOU, and I am going to wonders in YOU and through YOU." That was a revealed Word of God to ME, and it is still one of the most precious passages of Scripture to me today.
For Further Study
Read Ezekiel chapters 4 and 5. Record the unusual and unconventional directions that God gives Ezekiel.
Read Judges chapter 6 and note Gideon's needs for "confirmation". Notice how he approaches God with his need for confirmation (boldly, fearfully, apologetically etc)
Your Assignment
1. Share. Can you think of a time God spoke to you miraculously?
Can you think of a time that someone spoke to you and it was confirmatation of something God
had already spoken?
Have you experienced the "revealed Word of God" in your life?
2. Share. In what area do you desperately need God to speak to you?
posted by Di Beals | 12:23 PM
1 Comments:
Well, this morning I finally took the time to sit down and finish chapter 2 and read chapter 3. I'm going to do some catch up here, so please bare with me.
Chapter 1 - The most significant time that I had to wait on God was in 2003. As a couple Dan and I had made the decision to fast sugar and pray for the entire year that God would help us buy a home. We waited and prayed and grew in our faith throughout that year. Our kids were able to see a miracle when our car was smashed then God provided the EXACT vehicle that Kirsten prayed for - a red minivan. Throughout the year, Dan and I would have conversations trying to figure out how God would provide a home for us. As December approached, we still couldn't figure out in our minds how God was going to do this for us, but we continued praying and fasting. The week after Christmas, we found a house, realized that we had enough money for the down-payment and made the offer. God was so faithful, even though WE couldn't see how he was going to do it, we trusted him and came to him with high expectation. God honored our time of fasting and crying out to him by answering our prayer 4 days before the end of our fast. We have had so much fun telling people our story over and over of how God has been faithful to us.
Chapter 2 - Something that I have tried to figure out over and over is how to stop and listen in order to hear God's voice. I've just never understood sitting and listening. The chapter encouraged me so much. I now feel like I get it and I now have some practical tips to guide me in my prayer life. As far as how I need to separate myself, I think that I need to remove some things from my ipod. There are songs on there that I have justified to myself that are okay, but of course, I tell my kids not to listen to certain playlists while they have my ipod. What a hypocrite I've been. I expect them to stay pure in the things that they listen to, while I make excuses for what I'm doing. So what I have been doing lately to separate myself is to be immersed in worship. God keeps speaking to me through different avenues the importance of focusing on worshiping him when I'm irritated, frustrated, just don't know how to handle certain situations or just sad. He has shown me over and over that "Praise is my weapon, but the battle is the Lord's". Even though the "other" songs have been on my ipod, I have been listening to my worship playlist. I have been praising God in expectation of the walls falling around me. I am happy to report that God has relieved my mind of stress, He's given me wisdom in dealing with my children, He's given my husband wisdom in certain situations and my focus has changed from "how can I fix this" to "let's see what God will do."
In a couple weeks Dan and I will be going to Hawaii. I am looking forward to spending time in seclusion, on the beach with God while Dan is in his class. My plan is to focus on Him and take time to truly listen to Him through the Holy Spirit. I can't wait to hear what he's going to say. (fyi, I'm not going to wait until then to begin to listen, I'm just looking forward to that time away from distractions).
Chapter 3 - I'm supposed to share about a time that God spoke to me. The most recent has been the last 2 Sunday mornings. I'm embarrassed to say that I ignored God 2 weeks ago. During worship, God told me to speak to the church about what I wrote a couple paragraphs back about our need to use praise as our weapon in the battles that we've been fighting. I knew that I was supposed to go forward and say this, but I made up a whole bunch of excuses as to why I shouldn't do it. Well, a week went by and we were back in church. Again during worship, God told me the same thing, but this time it was like he hit me over the head, I couldn't breath, my heart was pounding out of my chest, I had to sit down and I began, once again, to argue with God about why I couldn't do this. Finally, after much inner turmoil, I walked forward and talked to Pastor Brandon and told him what I felt like I needed to share. It turned out that what God was telling me, was actually a confirmation of the direction that God was leading Brandon. I regret not obeying God the first time, but am glad that God was still willing to use me.
A time when someone confirmed something that God was speaking to me was just yesterday while watching Oprah of all things. I have been avoiding paying some bills, I don't know why, I guess I'm just feeling overwhelmed. Every time I look at my file of paperwork that I need to take care of I find something else to distract me from taking care of it. I've also been taking time these last couple weeks to pray for our country because of the economic crisis. Well on Sunday, I was convicted when Brandon said that we're in this mess because of our collective greediness. I know that I have played my part in this, but would really prefer not to be held accountable for that. (yuck, I haven't wanted to admit that, but there it is). While watching Oprah, a CNBC reporter said something so simple that got me up off of my rear with determination to take care of my finances. All he said was "Pay your bills America". I knew that God was kicking me in the rear and telling me to just take care of it. As I sat there in front of my computer with my file full of bills, I prayed and asked God for some creativity to get me out of the mess that my greed had gotten me into. A couple hours later after confessing all of this to my husband (the thing that God really wanted from me), God showed me exactly how to get things done. The answer was there the whole time, but my lack of admitting what was really going on and confession was blinding me to the solution.
Well, next time I'll be caught up and not dump 3 weeks worth of posts on you, but I pray that my confessions and testimony would encourage all of you to listen to what God is saying to you, then do what He tells you to do.
Aloha,
Heather Lane
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