Today’s image: Light on Sea.
Abuelo preached both in the English/ morning church and the Spanish/ evening church on Sunday Sept 20th. The messages shared the same framework, yet flowed to the individuality of the two congregations.
Hearing God
HOW TO HEAR – HOW HE SPEAKS – HOW TO TEST – WHAT TO DO
God made us as individuals.
Our God-designed purposes and paths are individual.
Christians: What do you want of me God? Tell me!
God DOES speak, & He DOES speak to us as individuals.
The voice of God = the will of God in the life of a believer.
Just as His will for you as a believer is distinct from His will for me,
He doesn’t necessarily reveal His plan for you, to you in the same way that He’ll reveal His plan for me, to me.
Each of us can hear His voice, hear His particular will for us in our lives.
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1. HOW TO HEAR
First:
MAKE the DECISION that you WANT to hear.
– Sounds elementary, but
When ONE speaks, it doesn’t mean the OTHER is always listening
– ASK ANY MARRIED COUPLE . . .
BE AWARE that there are MANY VOICES clamouring for our attention
– like a SPANISH VENTA: – NOISE LEVEL = MEGA DECIBELS
You learn to close out what isn’t for you & focus on what matters: camarero asking what you want . .
Just so in our everyday lives:
– The voices are there
– Learn to cut out the noise
Man is a 3 part being – spirit, soul & body.
Just so there are voices clamouring for our attention in all three realms
Voices can be
– spiritual
– of the mind
– of the flesh
REVERSE ORDER
deal with body & mind first because concentrating on spirit
but need to recognise which is which
AND recognise how to cut out the venta noise – the voices that make it difficult for us to hear God
(i) Voices OF THE FLESH
Anything that a person consistently puts above God is a form of idolatry
Facebook or a football match can be as much of an idol as a statue in India.
These voices shout their attractions
– can be majors or minors, reasonable or justifiable:
I have to write to family/ walk the dogs/ visit friends /look after the children
but if they eat into His time,those voices drown out what God might want to say
YES, he wants us to build family, be with friends, enjoy His Creation
BUT: Seek first the Kingdom . .
Give time first to God
(ii) Voices OF THE MIND
We live in an age of unprecedented scientific & technological discovery.
– YES, science as a whole, and things such as discoveries out in the universe are amazing.
– Even more so the Creator is amazing.
– BUT when man discounts God and His supernatural abilities, he closes his ears to God’s voice
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OK, the venta is cleared a bit. Now lets look at the clamouring voices in the area of the spirit.
(iii) SPIRITUAL
Prov 14:15 A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
– when everybody is running in one direction / after a ‘new idea or revelation’ ,
= good idea to turn around & look in the other direction.
We live in a spiritually starved & morally bankrupt society
– provides fertile ground for spiritual error.
– There are plenty of ‘new revelations’, ‘new ways of thinking’ springing up.
– Some are clearly off the wall, others have a cloak of biblical talk.
YES, God always has fresh things for us:
BUT: Test every new ‘spiritual excitement’ against the Word.
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2. HOW GOD SPEAKS
Heb1 :1-2
1. In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
2. but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
1. HE Speaks to us THROUGH THE WORD
To know the voice of God, know the Word of God:
Joshua1:8 – This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
A lot of the time when you face a situation, God is already talking to you thru the Word.
He leads, guides, directs, strengthens.
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2. HE speaks to us THROUGH OUR SPIRIT
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
– Our prime communication with God is Spirit to spirit,
– His prime method of communication with us = ditto – not brain to brain, or audible words into our ears.
God speaks Spirit to spirit:
– (i) by the inward witness
= The inner conviction, a moving towards something, a ‘knowing’ that it is so
Colossians 3:15 – Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.
– in the spirit, God speaks through peace
– & sometimes a lack of peace
– (ii) by an inward voice
stronger than the conviction or the conscience
as you spend more time with God, in His word, you get to know Him & recognise His voice.
John 10:27 – My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
= YOU KNOW THE VOICE OF YOUR BELOVED & WILL RECOGNISE IT ANYWHERE
– from time, & closeness, familiarity & much listening.
( we’ve had people come up to us in an airport who had recognised my voice from hearing it on TV . . & after a 14 hour flight I don’t look studio smart!)
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3. HE SPEAKS TO US AS HE WILLS
Other ways:
– a sign, an audible voice, a vision
These are the EXCEPTION not the rule
: We are not to seek these things, but be ready & listening at all times.
NB: = as HE wills
Don’t expect Him to speak thru a situation that WE design
– e.g. ‘If this happens, then I know God wants me to do that. ‘
: that means we are designing the scene, telling God how to speak to us!
SIGN
Putting out a fleece? Not a biblical way to do it
Sure, it’s in the Bible – but that was specifically for Gideon
– remember what we said about God treating us as individuals
‘Putting out a fleece’ = spiritual lottery
If you’re waiting for a burning bush or a wet fleece, you might be better off joining the Bomberos or becoming a shepherd in Ireland.
VISION:
May happen once or twice in a lifetime
e.g. Ananias who was to go & lay hands on Saul)
THESE THINGS HAPPEN – but don’t go seeking after signs or visions
AUDIBLE VOICE
God may choose to speak to you audibly
**An awesome thing!**
Not : Gee, me and Jesus sat down for a cosy chat & He told me that Tio José was going to sell the goat . . .’
And if He speaks, you better listen!
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3. IF YOU THINK HE IS SAYING NOTHING
WHAT TO DO = first check yourself
HEARING INCLUDES OBEYING
Luke 11:28 . .Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!
James 1:22-25 But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 22. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24. For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was. 25. But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
(i) EXAMINE YOUR CONSCIENCE – ACCORDING TO THE WORD
1 John3: 18-24
18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
= Agreeing is not enough: You have to DO it.
Often an issue = specific to us – remember God treats us as individuals.
19.And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
– heart = conscience.
God knows the problem – & He knows the answer.
21. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22. And whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
If we ask to hear from Him
He asks that we:
(i) Believe in Jesus
(ii) Love one another, as He commanded us to love.
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(ii) EXAMINE YOUR ACTIONS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT HE HAS ALREADY SAID
(i) OBEDIENCE has results
If a Scripture rung true with you,
– If God told you in that still small voice to do something:
forgive someone, give something away etc
& you didn’t do it:
looks rather like you are ignoring Him
or think you know how to handle the situation better
SO: why should he talk to you about something else?
(ii) OBEDIENCE is doing what HE says,
not trying to work it out in the flesh
I have been praying, fasting, .. . why doesn’t God talk to me?
Relate story of Saul – sheep & oxen of the Amalekites
1Sam 15:22 And Samuel said, Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
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AND IF YOU STILL DON’T THINK YOU’RE HEARING:
JUST KEEP ON KEEPING ON IN THE WORD
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NB:YOU HEAR FROM GOD, not OTHER PEOPLE
Build your life on the Word – not words or actions from others
God can speak thru others and give a confirmation of what He has already told you
Acts13:2 – separate me Barnabas & Paul for the work whereunto I have called them
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4. IF YOU’RE NOT SURE of WHAT YOU HEARD:
1Thess 5:21 Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good.
– Prove = put to the test – as in prueba = test
QUICK CHECK LIST
1. Word – is it in accordance with sound doctrine of Word & the major tenets of redemption
2. Worship – does it lead to worship towards God or idolatry away from Him.
3. Humility – ? exalt Christ or flesh?
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WE CAN ALL HEAR FROM GOD
When a child of God seeks to know God’s will, God will always make it clear.
HOW He chooses to do it is up to Him.
BUT be assured, God will guide those whose hearts are open to Him, & take them on the paths of righteousness, joy and peace.
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WHAT YOU CAN BE SURE GOD IS SAYING:
– get saved
– Be filled with HS
– Spread the Good News
Acts2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 sHe that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
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