I pray that this year is spectacular for you! I pray that God's blessings chase you down and run you over..."All of the following blessings will be yours—in fact, they’ll chase after you—if you’ll listen to what He tells you." Deuteronomy 28:2 (Voice)
Pastor Duane Sheriff taught on "How to Hear the Voice of God". Psalm 37:23 says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." (King James Version) Romans 8:14 says, "If the Spirit of God is leading you, then take comfort in knowing you are His children." (Voice) Wow, if our steps are ordered by the Lord, why do we have so many mis-steps? Pastor Duane said it's simple...we aren't HEEDING the LEADING! God is always communicating with us but we fail to tune in. That's probably why Jesus said several times..."He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Matthew 11:15 (King James Version) Most human beings are born with ears. What did Jesus mean? He was saying, we can hear and not really listen.
Why do we struggle to hear the voice of God?
1) National Media - Satan is the Prince of the Power of the air(air waves). Have you ever noticed that the media loves to cover stories that involve serial killers and crazy people that say God told them to commit their heinous crimes? And what about hurricanes and tornadoes? Why are they called "acts of God"? Jesus rebuked storms and calmed waves. (Mark 4:39) If these occurrences are "acts of God", wouldn't Jesus be sinning to have stopped them?
2) People Using God's Name in Vain - Now I'm not just speaking about people using the Lord's name during cursing spells. We struggle to hear God because of so many people who have lied on God. People, especially church people run around saying God told them this, and God told them that! Many times they do this to manipulate and intimidate others. If it doesn't line up with the written Word of God, God didn't say it!
3) God's Voice is a threat to religion - Religion can only thrive where God is not alive! That's what idol worship is all about. People create gods that won't talk back. Buddha will never rebuke you for gluttony, he can't speak! Allah will never convict you of murder, he can't speak. But the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Living God can speak to your human spirit and encourage you to change.
4) People do not recognize the voice of God - God rarely speaks audibly, although it is possible. He speaks through visions, dreams, impressions, promptings, when we feel pressed in the spirit, or stirred in the spirit, through thoughts and pictures.
5) We are trained in Western culture to rely on our 5 senses - Faith is our sixth sense. We struggle to hear the voice of God because hearing God requires faith. Hebrew 4:2 says, "Those people in the wilderness heard God’s good news, just as we have heard it, but the message they heard didn't do them any good since it wasn't combined with faith." (Voice)
What are the primary ways God leads us? How can we recognize the Voice of God? I'm so glad you asked!
The Word of God - Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." (New Living Translation) God leads and speaks through his Word.
The Love of God - Romans 5:5 says, "This hope doesn't put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." God will never direct you do do anything that does not express his love.
Kingdom Protocol - Romans 14:17 says, "for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (New King James Version) God will always lead you in the right, peaceful, and joyful path.
Desires - Psalm 37:3-5 says, "Enjoy serving the Lord, and he will give you whatever you ask for." (Easy-to-Read Version) When we delight in the Lord our desires become his desires.
Godly Counsel - Titus 2:3-4 says, "Tell older women to live their lives in a way that shows they are dedicated to God. Tell them not to be gossips or addicted to alcohol, but to be examples of virtue. In this way they will teach young women to show love to their husbands and children." (God's Word Translation) God can speak to us through godly counsel, but anything spoken to you should still line up with the Word and you should have confirmation..."In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." 2 Corinthians 13:1 (King James Version)
Prophecy - The Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian Christians, "Don’t downplay prophecies." 1 Thessalonians 5:20 (Voice) The King James Version says, "Don't despise prophecy." Prophecy is designed to edify, exhort, and comfort. It also should confirm what God has already revealed to you in his Word.
Gifts of the Spirit - 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 says, "The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. And the same Spirit gives another person the ability to speak with knowledge. The same Spirit gives faith to one person and to another he gives gifts of healing. The Spirit gives to one person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy, and to another the ability to judge what is from the Spirit and what is not. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages, and to another the ability to interpret those languages. One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things. The Spirit decides what to give each one." (Easy-to-Read Version)
Provisions - Where God guides, He provides.
Spiritual Authorities - 1 Peter 4:11 says, "If you’re called upon to talk, speak as though God put the words in your mouth; if you’re called upon to serve others, serve as though you had the strength of God behind you. In these ways, God may be glorified in all you do through Jesus the Anointed, to whom belongs glory and power, now and forever. Amen." (Voice)
Circumstances - Psalm 32:9 says, "But don’t be stubborn and stupid like horses and mules who, if not reined by leather and metal, will run wild, ignoring their masters." (Voice) The old folks used to say, "You made your bed hard, now you gotta lie in it." Meaning being hard headed can cause unpleasant circumstances. God can speak to us through circumstances. But let me say this in God's defense, the Word says, "every good and perfect gift" comes from God. God is a loving father! He's not committing acts of child abuse, by inflicting his children with sickness, disaster, and trials. James 1:13 says, "If we are tempted by such trials, we must not say, “This temptation comes from God.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one." (Good News Translation) John 10:10 explains who is to blame for every negative circumstance, "The thief (devil) approaches with malicious intent, looking to steal, slaughter, and destroy." (Voice)
Godly Spouse - God desires for us to marry a Christian at or above our spiritual maturity level, but if we didn't...1 Corinthians 7:14 says, "For perhaps the husband who isn't a Christian may become a Christian with the help of his Christian wife. And the wife who isn't a Christian may become a Christian with the help of her Christian husband. Otherwise, if the family separates, the children might never come to know the Lord; whereas a united family may, in God’s plan, result in the children’s salvation." (Living Bible)
I'm listening. Love and prayers, Cynthia
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