The Obstacle of Unbelief

so i was lying in bed this morning having a glorious sleep in (thanks family!) and thinking about he upcoming weeks on Hearing God Speak at housegroup…

and another obstacle popped into my mind.

unbelief.

our thoughts/beliefs can affect how we hear from God.

unbelief can stop us hearing God’s voice.

do you believe that God is who He says He is?

do you believe that you are truly forgiven and set free and loved?

do you believe God speaks?

do you believe God speaks to you?

sometimes we doubt whether God would speak to us… lil ol’ me, just an ordinary person, justa kid, justa mum, justa normal everyday person, justa New Zealander, justa woman…. justsa whatever.

i mean, doesnt God know who i am and what i’ve done, how i’ve messed up…

wouldnt all that stop Him from speaking to me.

no. not at all.

God forgives and redeems and restores.

We are holy, pure, righteous and new before Him.

We are his beloved children.

He doesnt hold our record of wrongs against us because He is merciful and He removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103)

the obstacle is on our side.  if we believe that God doesnt speak it makes it harder for us to hear.

sometimes we need to let go of our self doubts and self depreciation and trust that God is God and we are His.  God is big enough to speak to us )

read the Word and get a clear understanding of the truth of who you are and who God is and believe that He speaks and that you can hear.

the people in the bible usually didnt question that God speaks and that they could hear Him.  it was the norm.  it was how it was.  they trusted that God would speak and guide them and reveal Himself to them.

have we been fed a lie over the past 2000 years – a lie from the enemy who wants us to struggle in communicating with our Heavenly Father?  sometimes i do wonder…

hearing is a faith thing.  it is an openness thing.

the bible says John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”  take that as black and white truth. live it.

Hearing God Speak

 

 

Imagine you are hired to open up an office in Anchorage, Alaska. Your new boss gives you a high-tech looking two-way radio, a policy and procedure manual, and tells you that you will receive instructions once you arrive, and off you go. Upon arrival you hear your boss’s voice over the radio, saying, "I will communicate to you through this radio unit. But take note: our competitors, our enemies, also have access to this channel. They will try to impersonate my voice with false messages to thwart our purposes." "Oh no!" you panic, "Then how will I know if it is you or the enemy giving me instructions?"

Your boss’s voice comes back over the radio: "Three ways. First, considering the situation, check every message supposedly from me against the policy and procedure manual. Since I wrote it, I’m not likely to ask you to violate it, right? Also, if I am not talking, don’t focus in on the noise, pretending that I am. If I am not speaking, let the manual be your guide. Don’t let any impersonating voice mislead you, or your own overactive imagination."

"Second, since the Manual does not cover every situation, you will have to get to know my voice. I know, this will take time, and so I am not likely to ask you to do anything radical until we both have some low-risk successes under our belts. Remember, I understand the situation perfectly well, so I’ll go slow at first. A time will come when I will be able to tell you to do the wildest things, and you will know it is me. In the short-term, you must be trained through low-risk experience."

"Third, over time, my overall purpose for your work will begin to come into focus. You will begin to see the grand strategy in the policy and procedure manual, and the overall pattern of my true instructions. When this happens, you’ll know instantly if what you hear through your unit is ‘of me’, just your imagination, or enemy misinformation. False instructions will begin to appear silly to you then. So take heart, and get to work."

After reflecting on this a few moments, you hear your boss’s voice again on the radio unit. "Take all of the money from petty cash and give it the next person that walks in, no questions asked." Hmmm… You look in the policy and procedure manual, and this is specifically forbidden. Besides, you know your boss wouldn’t tell you to do something that risky right off. And also there was an certain "twang" to the voice, an appeal to something different within you, and a plan that was not in the long-term interests of the company. So, even though you are on a hostile channel, you are beginning to have hope that you can indeed do this job.

The Remote Employee – Sandy Gregory http://www.acts17-11.com/hearing.html

 

 

 

Wouldn’t it be great if God could send text reminders to us when He had something to say? When we were going in the wrong direction He could text us a verse from the Bible to remind us of His ways and His love.

Or if He wanted to communicate how much He loves us that He could write it on our facebook wall….

Wouldn’t it be great if God decided to use billboards to talk to us? Just think, we could drive down the road and God would simply choose one of a zillion billboards to get our attention. There we’d be with a mapped out message straight from God. Pretty cool, huh?

Or the old writing in the sky technique…

 

GOD DOES SPEAK TO US – but usually more subtlely…. And usually in the old school context of relationship and all that entails… But we can be confident that He speaks and wants to lead us and guide us and encourage us and teach us!

I am the Shepherd and my sheep know my voice. John 10

John 10:27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.  Jeremiah 33:3

 

 

BE EXPECTANT and have faith to hear from God!

Remember Christianity isn’t a religion but a relationship with a very real and personal God who loves us with an everlasting love and desires us to know Him and walk in His ways…

One of greatest obstacles to hearing from God can often be our ownselves and the perception that God doesn’t talk to us or that we cant hear from God. Sometimes it is difficult yes. Some people seem wired to hear God very easily – seemily having a gift to hear. Sometimes we need to reprogramme our flesh and spirit to communicate with God – just as a person needs to train to be a ballerina or learn the roadcode and some practical skills before they drive a car.

Our relationship by faith isn’t based on how we hear from God, how many visions or revelations we’ve had – it is based on faith that Jesus is Lord and that He died on the cross for us and that if we’re born again we belong to His family and are loved and called.

From the beginning God has spoken to His children and desired real relationship with them. He walked in the garden with Adam and Eve and at the end of time Revelation 22:3-4 it says that we will worship God face to face!

Abraham was called a friend of God.

Moses talked with God face to face in the tabernacle tent and upon Mt Sinai.

Joshua lingered in the tabernacle tent after Moses left.

Prophets spoke on behalf of God to kings and nations.

Jeremiah was taught by God in visions to hear His voice.

Isaiah had a vision of the throne room of God and heard God.

Daniel had angelic visitations and dreams.

Paul was led by the Holy Spirit to go to different places and also the Holy Spirit stopped him from going to other locations.

The disciples on the road from Emmaus were warmed in their spirits when Jesus talked with them.

Elijah heard God in the still small voice, after an earthquake, fire and wind.

Shepherds saw an angel who told them about baby Jesus’ birth

When Jesus was baptized God spoke in an audible voice, but some of the crowd heard thunder and others thought it was angels speaking.

We recognize God’s voice because we recognize Him, the better we get to know God the more clearly we will recognize His voice.

 

 

Recognizing the Voice of God

The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the templeof the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel.

Samuel answered, "Here I am." And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."  But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.

Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."

Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"

Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

1 Samuel 3

Did you notice at the start of that passage that the God speaking was a rare thing in those days? We do live in a different age – the Holy Spirit lives within each believer – but there is something we can learn. Samuel was a rare child – he grew up dedicated to God. He was different from the other kids and other people of his generation who lived for themselves and forsook following God.

Learning to recognize the voice of God is part of learning to hear the voice of God. It is just like when a friend rings on the phone – if they are a new friend you may have to ask who is on the phone, but when they are a good friend you recognize their voice. It takes time and conversation.

God wants to fellowship and communicate with us. That’s two-way communication. Why? Because you can’t really have a relationship unless there is true dialogue. How do we get to know a person? By communicating with them. By talking and listening. God wants us to know that He loves us and how to follow Him.

It’s the same with our relationship with God. He talks, we listen. We talk, He listens.

God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to take our place and to die for us. He did this so that we could once again have fellowship with Him. In the book of Hebrews we see that we can have access to God’s very presence, "…having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way…" (Hebrews 10:19-20a).

God speaks to us. We are His children. We also have the revelation of the Word of God that we can trust in and follow for instruction for life and knowing God.

The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice." John 10:2-5

The Holy Spirit lives within us to reveal God to us – 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 – but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. John 16:13-15

We are led by God – because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Romans 8:14

Does the Holy Spirit live within you? Are you a Christian? Are you a son or daughter of God? Then YOU ARE LED by God. God guides you. God speaks to you. That is the promise of God and the reality we live in. It may not be with flashes of lightening and angelic revelation but nonetheless God is speaking and guiding and it probably wont be until we see our lives from the otherside of eternity that we see just how much God was speaking and leading us.

Are you confident and secure in the truth and reality that God speaks to YOU?

God spoke to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3), Habakkuk knew the sound of God speaking to him (Habakkuk 2:2). Elijah described it as a still, small voice (I Kings 19:12 ). However, I have found that usually, God’s voice comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions.

For example, haven’t you been driving down the road and had a thought come to you to pray for a certain person? Didn’t you believe it was God telling you to pray? What did God’s voice sound like? Was it an audible voice, or was it a spontaneous thought that lit upon your mind? Or in a conversation you feel prompted to say something or to encourage a person? Or when praying for someone you get a picture or a thought that just seems random and that just popped in there?

Hearing the voice of God is as natural as hearing your best friend talk to you. He speaks to us in the natural moments of life. Do you want to hear God’s voice? Then you must be ready to listen.

And as we trust God to speak and trust that what we’ve heard/thought it God the easier it will be to discern His speaking as we listen.

 

 

Be Ready and Willing

It can also be said that being willing is a key to hearing God’s voice. David heard God speak many times in many different ways but in 2 Samuel 11 we see David falling into a time of sin and making seriously unwise choices. In this time his conscience seems dull and he seems unresponsive to God. It isn’t until God sends Nathan the prophet in 2 Samuel 12 that David “gets” what has happened. We can shut God out and choose sin and choose the flesh and refuse to listen to His voice saying (Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,) "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

Sometimes we make a choice to be listeners or not?

We make a choice to be sensitive or not.

God must be the dominant voice in our life, above other people and above ourselves and above the enemy. We must listen and obey – both to the written Word of God and the Holy Spirit speaking to us.

Zechariah 7:11 (NIV) "But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen…

Jeremiah 6:10 (NIV) "To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it."

 

 

How does God speak to us today?

 

The Word of God – The Bible

In order to actually "hear" from God, we have to know some things about God’s character. We have to develop an understanding of who God is, and the way he does things. Fortunately for us, all that information is available in the Bible. The Bible goes into a lot of detail about how you can expect God to react, what kinds of expectations he has for us, and most specifically, how he expects us to treat other people. It contains the promises of God and reveals who He is.

God has given us His written Word – the Bible – how to live and revelation of who He is – for us to read and learn and hear –and God speaks to us through that. It doesn’t need divine unction (jumping out etc) for it to be God’s Word – IT IS GOD’S WORD!

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

 

Other People

Many times God will use other people to try to get through to us. Be wise in choosing who you listen to – who you take counsel from – but remember God can use anyone (He used a DONKEY to speak to Balaam!) – God can speak to us through other people in prophetic words and in conversation or through preaching. He might bring someone like Nathan along to correct you, or someone to encourage you. He might send a random stranger to Boardertown in Botany to talk to you.

Our Circumstances

Sometimes the only way God can teach us something is to allow circumstances in our life to lead us to and through the very thing we need to discover.

 

The Still Small Voice / Impressions / Unction

When learning to hear God’s voice, know that God speaks in many different ways: Such as a mental picture (vision), a song, a thought that won’t go away, a scripture… It takes time and practice to discern the voice of God.

God’s voice often comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions. For example, haven’t you been driving down the road and had a thought come to you to pray for a certain person? Didn’t you believe it was God telling you to pray? What did God’s voice sound like? Was it an audible voice, or was it a spontaneous thought that lit upon your mind?

Sometimes you have a feeling – or feel compelled – to do a certain thing, phone someone, facebook someone, say something, buy something, go somewhere, do something – these can be classified as unctions of God, being led by God.

Many times God uses a tiny voice inside us to let us know when we’re not on the right path. Some people call it "the voice of peace." Whenever we’re contemplating something and we don’t have peace about it, it’s a very good idea to stop and carefully look at the options. There’s a reason you don’t feel peace about it. Or all of a sudden, you just know you heard something. Pay attention to those occasions because it is very likely God trying to tell you something.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

However, as it is written:    "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-11

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:10

Are you really confident and secure in the truth and reality that God speaks to YOU?

 

The Audible Voice

Sometimes we’re able to "hear" something in our spirit that sounds to us like an actual audible voice.

 

 

Helpful “Hints” and How To’s….

• Read your bible
• Have a regular devotion time
• Make prayer and worship a practice
• Listen as well as talk in prayer
• Be regular and involved at church
• Pray in tongues
• Be obedient to the things you know – be righteous and repentant!
• Press in – keep being persistent in prayer and listening and seeking God.

MAKE Time

Make TIME to listen to God. Tony and I didn’t form our relationship on the run, snatching 2 minutes here or a text here or there. We spent TIME together and fell in love.

Sometimes hearing from God takes TIME and prolonged periods of TIME seeking God. We have become a microwave generation expecting to hear from God right away and that moment, but God sometimes works in our heart and upon our character in the process of listening and seeking Him. When praying about whether tony and I should date we – at counsel – took a week away from each other to pray about it… that week God spoke to me about lots of OTHER things and led me into prayer about lots of other things but didn’t that week speak to me about Tony until the last hour or so before the “time was up” Why didn’t God answer me on day one at prayer one? Because it was a process of seeking Him and being prepared to listen, being patient and surrendered.

Have we lost the art of surrender?

"If you make insight your priority, and won’t take no for an answer, searching for it like a prospector panning for gold, like an adventurer on a treasure hunt, believe me, before you know it Fear of God will be yours; you’ll have come upon the knowledge of God." "Yes, beg for knowledge; plead for insight. Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure. If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God." Proverbs 2: 3-5

 

Get A Second Opinion… Check it Out…

Just because we hear something or feel something doesn’t mean it will always be God. It may be our own desires/flesh/self/imagination or it may even be the enemy seeking to distract and discourage us or mislead us.

The problem is that we are on a “hostile channel.” Our minds can be prompted by God, from our own flesh desires, or from the enemy. Some ignore this and naively believe that anything they think or feel is from God, without humility or reflection. This may seem a silly error, but it can become serious when such a person thinks God has told them to "go kill someone" or more applicable for us as young adults, when people feel that God has led them to date someone who isn’t a Christian or isn’t part of God’s plan for them.

Make sure it lines up with the Word of God. God will not speak to you something that contradicts His Word.

Talk to someone about it – someone you trust and that you trust hears from God

Pray about it

Pray some more!

Keep listening

Listen some more before you act!

 

 

 

In conclusion: we have an almighty amazing God who loves us so much that He made the way for us to be brought back to Him, through the death of Jesus Christ, and who now calls us family – by being born again we are BORN into His family – and we are transformed and now citizens of another kingdom, living not only flesh lives but supernatural lives. He speaks to us – Father to children, King to citizens, Friend to friends. We LEARN to hear His voice. We LEARN to discern His voice over ourselves, our desires, other people, the enemy. We LEARN and we continue to LISTEN and we OBEY.

What Stops Us Hearing God?

So as Christians the norm should be that we hear God? We are children of God and our Father speaks. Yet in 2010 some Christians find it really hard to hear His voice – why?

Is it lack of trust – we don’t trust ourselves that God would speak to us?

Is it lack of practice/recognition – we haven’t practiced hearing His voice?

Is there an obstacle of sin?

Let’s remember first:

And God was pleased for him to make peace by sacrificing his blood on the cross, so that all beings in heaven and on earth would be brought back to God. You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent. Colossians 1:20-22

We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. Romans 3:24-25

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:89

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1

What obstacles do we face in hearing from God?

Last week we talked about how its like God communicating to us via radio – the same radio that has other voices…

“I will communicate to you through this radio unit. But take note: our competitors, our enemies, also have access to this channel. They will try to impersonate my voice with false messages to thwart our purposes.”

So what are we overcoming as we learn to hear God’s voice above all the others?

Our flesh

The enemy

Others

Flesh vs God

Romans 7:21-23 (NIV) So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:16-21

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. Romans 8:5-9

These 3 passages show us clearly that there is a war going on within us. The war to live our lives our way vs God’s way.

We must align ourselves with God’s way – be led by the Holy Spirit, choosing obedience over temporary satisfaction of our flesh/emotions.

Sometimes it comes down to hard choices – I will CHOOSE to OBEY vs what my whole flesh and heart and emotions cries out to do. Living a life obeying God pleases Him. And in this process He is with us and strengthens us and blesses us and encourages us, rewarding us.

Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

Denying self requires us to give up anything that we would want or seek that would hinder our doing the will of God. “Taking up your cross” refers to giving your whole life to God, as Jesus was about to give His life for us upon the cross.

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3 In denying our flesh and choosing to obey God one key that “helps” the process is to fix our eyes upon Jesus, our Saviour, who gave His life for us and loves us and suffered for us to pay the penalty for our sin. The more we see Him, the more we love Him and stand in awe. The more we love Him the more we want to know Him and draw nearer and be clean and holy and pleasing to Him. The more we know His love the easier it is to throw off the entanglements of sin and to choose His ways and His will.

A life choosing obedience is a life that surrenders to God and His ways and His will. It is a life that seeks God above self and others. It is a life that listens for His voice and leading. We live our life in response to Gods love. We don’t earn it or repay it or earn hearing from God – but how we live does matter.

Who will we let win the war inside us?

The things we “want” may seem good and right but God, who is our Father, who loves us, who created the universe, who is wise above all our wisdom, knows best and has a plan and a purpose. He isn’t a killjoy but is at work in our lives to bring about that future that Jeremiah 29:11 promises. Disobedience is sin even if the “thing” we are choosing isn’t sin itself.

Sin, wrong attitudes, rebellion and unforgiveness can get in the way of hearing God’s voice. So can greed, selfish ambition, pride and holding on to your own agenda. God can and does break through the sin barrier – Adam and Eve still heard God in the Garden of Eden even though they had sinned – but sin that hasn’t been dealt with can get in the way and make it difficult to hear God.

Sin can close our ears – dull our spirits as some would say, desensitize us. Jeremiah 6:10 “To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.”

“You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean” Leviticus 10:10 this was a instruction given to the priesthood in regard to discernment and standards but has practical application for us today… if we are seeking to meet with God and live for Him we must be able to distinguish what His will is and what is clean vs what is unclean.

Thomas Brooks in Precious Remedies against Satan says that in order to overcome sin we should all recognize:

1. we ought to keep at the greatest distance from sin and from playing with the bait
2. sin is but a bitter sweet
3. sin will usher in the greatest and the saddest losses
4. sin is very deceitful and bewitching
5. sin cost the life-blood of the Lord Jesus

He goes on to say: Consider that sin is never a whit the less filthy, vile, and abominable—by its being colored and painted with virtue’s colors. A poisonous pill is never a whit the less poisonous because it is gilded over with gold; nor a wolf is never a whit the less a wolf because he has put on a sheep’s skin; nor the devil is never a whit the less a devil because he appears sometimes like an angel of light. So neither is sin any whit the less filthy and abominable by its being painted
over with virtue’s colors.

Lets recognize sin for what it is. Sin. Ugly. Hurtful. Wrong. It is what sent our Saviour to the cross, punished painfully to pay the penalty we deserve.

“A heart that is clean doesn’t desire evil. When evil is appealing, it is a warning sign that compromise is in operation, and that certain precautions must be taken. The roots of such compromises are usually found in the attitudes of the heart. That is why Solomon said, “Watch over the heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). When a root of compromise is exposed, repent. And repent deeply until there is a true change of heart and mind. It saves a lot of heartache in the long run. If it’s a repeated area of weakness, use the tool of accountability. Accountability gives us great strength as friends bring out the best in us.” Bill Johnson, Bethel Church, Redding.

Living obedient lives begins with making a choice. Live by the Book. Live by God’s Word. Deny self and follow Him.

Practical ways to overcome our flesh:

1. choose God
2. know His Word and just do it
3. get some encouraging people who are doing the same around you
4. be aware of what your vulnerabilities are and find the satisfaction for them in God
5. limit/restrict/avoid your exposure to temptation aka alcoholics and bars (2 Timothy 2:22 FLEE!)
6. find someone to talk to
7. talk to God about it!

We are all frail fragile flawed people. We all have weaknesses and vulnerabilities which can lead to sin. We all make mistakes. We can’t use “I’m growing” or “I’m working on it” as an excuse for compromise. The mark of Christianity is that we WANT to please God and that when we fall down we get back up again, repenting and allowing God to change us. It is a life leaning towards the direction God sets.

‘Repentance is not merely a change of heart and a change of mind, it is a change of action! God requires that if we are sincerely convinced that sin is wrong, then we will turn from it to God, and commit ourselves to not take part in sinful deeds any longer. God blesses such decisions and commitments with abundant grace.’ – Keith Green

Enemy vs God

We have a very real enemy who seek to kill, steal and destroy our lives and the good things that God is at work doing. He uses our weaknesses and exploits them to distract us, discourage us and lead us into sin, doubt and rebellion against God.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Come near to God and he will come near to you James 4:7

We are not ignorant of his ways. 2 Corinthians 2:11

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:11-13

Thomas Brooks says: Your strength to stand and withstand Satan’s fiery darts is from your communion with God. A soul in close communion with God may be tempted—but will not easily be conquered. Such a soul will fight it out to the death. Communion with God furnishes the soul with the greatest and the choicest arguments to withstand Satan’s temptations.

We are aware of his tactics and are empowered and equipped by God to stand strong. Again, as we fix our eyes upon Jesus, as we have FAITH in Him, almighty God, Saviour, Creator of the Universe, Great and Glorious we hold up a shield that deflects his lies, temptations and attacks. Greater is HE in us than he in the world – 1 John 4:4

Again, we make the choice to believe the truth of God vs the lie of the enemy. We make a choice to obey God’s ways and will vs the sin the enemy tries to entangle us with. We repent of our sin and we allow God to strengthen us and transform us and heal our weaknesses and vunerabilities to some sin vs giving in and being deceived.

“We were created with the ability to recognize right from wrong because the law of God is written on our hearts. But that capacity becomes crippled when we fail to uphold what we know to be true.” Bill Johnson

Others vs God

Who do we live to please?

God or others?

This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Matthew 17:5

Whose opinion matters most?

The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” John 8:29

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. Acts 4:19

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17

Others can hinder us in our walk with God. If we live our lives to please them we end up compromising. Don’t let anyone distract you from pursuing what God has called you to do. Don’t let anyone put you down or insult you. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re too spiritual, or not spiritual enough. Choose your friends wisely and choose people that you will accept counsel from.

There are some practical obstacles too: are we making enough TIME for God to speak? Turn off the tv. Turn off the phone or ignore the texts. Step away from the computer. Are we too busy socially? Are we making it a priority or is it the last thing we think of before we fall asleep?

Are we filling our lives with compromise aka watching/reading/listening to ungodly (lacking reverence for God; sinful, immoral or wicked) “stuff”, doing ungodly stuff…? Question: do you think someone living “comfortably” compromised hears from God? What affect does compromise have on our relationship with God?

A daily encounter with the love of God will produce a daily compulsion of obedience to the voice of God. The Ramp

In The Word

Gold and silver are mined,

then purified;

²the same is done

with iron and copper.

³Miners carry lanterns

deep into the darkness

to search for these metals.

⁴They dig tunnels

in distant, unknown places,

where they dangle by ropes.

⁵Far beneath the grain fields,

fires are built

to break loose those rocks

⁶that have jewels or gold. ⁷Miners go to places unseen

by the eyes of hawks;

⁸they walk on soil unknown

to the proudest lions.

⁹With their own hands

they remove sharp rocks

and uproot mountains.

¹⁰They dig through the rocks

in search of jewels

and precious metals.

¹¹They also uncover

the sources of rivers and discover secret places.

Where Is Wisdom Found?

¹²But where is wisdom found?

¹³No human knows the way. ¹⁴Nor can it be discovered

in the deepest sea.

¹⁵It is worth much more

than silver or pure gold

¹⁶or precious stones.

¹⁷Nothing is its equal–

not gold or costly glass. ¹⁸Wisdom is worth much more than

coral, jasper, or rubies. ¹⁹All the topaz of Ethiopia and the finest gold

cannot compare with it.

²⁰Where then is wisdom?

²¹It is hidden from human eyes

and even from birds.

²²Death and destruction

have merely heard rumors

about where it is found.

²³God is the only one who knows

the way to wisdom,

²⁴because he sees everything

beneath the heavens.

²⁵When God divided out

the wind and the water,

²⁶and when he decided the path

for rain and lightning,

²⁷he also determined the truth

and defined wisdom.

²⁸God told us, “Wisdom means

that you respect me, the Lord,

and turn from sin.”

Job 28

i only discovered this passage this year, despite having read the bible several times.  and it excites me so!

i believe and get really excited by 1 Corinthians 2:9-11 “However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”— ¹⁰but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”

The Holy Spirit lives within us and one of the blessed “things” He does is to reveal to us who God is and the heart of God.   God calls us to draw near and seek Him.  though seeking Him may take time and pursuing.  It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.  Proverbs 25:2 God hides himself in a way, He hides His truth and we have to find it and seek it.

We are like miners, delving into the Word of God and seeking His ways and His revelation.

Miners carry lanterns

deep into the darkness

to search for these metals.

They dig tunnels

in distant, unknown places,

where they dangle by ropes.

i love the imagry.  seeking God sometimes isn’t the easiest task, but oh how rewarding it is!  it may take stepping back from circumstances and friendships and “stuff” to take the time to seek God and to walk in His ways that please Him, but it is worth it.  We fearlessly seek God.  We put Him first.  We seek Him by faith.

With their own hands

they remove sharp rocks

and uproot mountains.

do you see the analogy?  do you hear my heart here?

Dont you want to be one who ” uncover the sources of rivers and discover secret places.”

Hearing The Voice of God

Wouldn’t it be great if God decided to use billboards to talk to us? Just think, we could drive down the road and God would simply choose one of a zillion billboards to get our attention. There we’d be with a mapped out message straight from God. Pretty cool, huh?

Or the old writing in the sky technique…

GOD DOES SPEAK TO US – but usually more subtlely….  But we can be confident that He speaks and wants to lead us and guide us and encourage us and teach us!

I am the Shepherd and my sheep know my voice.  John 10

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.  Jeremiah 33:3

BE EXPECTANT and have faith to hear from God!  Remember Christianity isn’t a religion but a relationship with a very real and personal God who loves us with an everlasting love and desires us to know Him and walk in His ways…  From the beginning God has spoken to His children and desired real relationship with them.  He walked in the garden with Adam and Eve and at the end of time Revelation 22:3-4 it says that we will worship God face to face!

• Abraham was called a friend of God.
• Moses talked with God face to face in the tabernacle tent and upon Mt Sinai.
• Joshua lingered in the tabernacle tent after Moses left.
• Prophets spoke on behalf of God to kings and nations.
• Jeremiah was taught by God in visions to hear His voice.
• Isaiah had a vision of the throne room of God and heard God.
• Daniel had angelic visitations and dreams.
• Paul was led by the Holy Spirit to go to different places and also the Holy Spirit stopped him from going to other locations.
• The disciples on the road from Emmaus were warmed in their spirits when Jesus talked with them.
• Elijah heard God in the still small voice, after an earthquake, fire and wind.
• When Jesus was baptized God spoke in an audible voice, but some of the crowd heard thunder and others thought it was angels speaking.

We recognize God’s voice because we recognize Him, the better we get to know God the more clearly we will recognize His voice.

The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the templeof the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”  But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

1 Samuel 3

Learning to recognize the voice of God is part of learning to hear the voice of God.  It is just like when a friend rings on the phone  – if they are a new friend you may have to ask who is on the phone, but when they are a good friend you recognize their voice.  It takes time and conversation.

The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:2-5

We are led by God – because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Romans 8:14

The Holy Spirit lives within us to reveal God to us – 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 – but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. John 16:13-15

God spoke to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3), Habakkuk knew the sound of God speaking to him (Habakkuk 2:2). Elijah described it as a still, small voice (I Kings 19:12 ). However, I have found that usually, God’s voice comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions.

For example, haven’t you been driving down the road and had a thought come to you to pray for a certain person? Didn’t you believe it was God telling you to pray? What did God’s voice sound like? Was it an audible voice, or was it a spontaneous thought that lit upon your mind?

Hearing the voice of God is as natural as hearing your best friend talk to you. He speaks to us in the natural moments of life. Do you want to hear God’s voice? Then you must be ready to listen.

Here are some common ways God talks to us:

His Word

In order to actually “hear” from God, we have to know some things about God’s character. We have to develop an understanding of who God is, and the way he does things. Fortunately for us, all that information is available in the Bible. The Bible goes into a lot of detail about how you can expect God to react, what kinds of expectations he has for us, and most specifically, how he expects us to treat other people. It contains the promises of God and reveals who He is.

• Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
• 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Other People
Many times God will use other people to try to get through to us. Be wise in choosing who you listen to – who you take counsel from – but remember God can use anyone (He used a DONKEY to speak to Balaam!) – God can speak to us through other people in prophetic words and in conversation or through preaching.

Our Circumstances
Sometimes the only way God can teach us something is to allow circumstances in our life to lead us to and through the very thing we need to discover.

The Still Small Voice / Impressions / Unction
When learning to hear God’s voice, know that God speaks in many different ways: Such as a mental picture (vision), a song, a thought that won’t go away, a scripture… It takes time and practice to discern the voice of God.

God’s voice often comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions.  For example, haven’t you been driving down the road and had a thought come to you to pray for a certain person? Didn’t you believe it was God telling you to pray? What did God’s voice sound like? Was it an audible voice, or was it a spontaneous thought that lit upon your mind?

Sometimes you have a feeling – or feel compelled –  to do a certain thing, phone someone, facebook someone, say something, buy something, go somewhere, do something – these can be classified as unctions of God, being led by God.

Many times God uses a tiny voice inside us to let us know when we’re not on the right path. Some people call it “the voice of peace.” Whenever we’re contemplating something and we don’t have peace about it, it’s a very good idea to stop and carefully look at the options. There’s a reason you don’t feel peace about it.   Or all of a sudden, you just know you heard something. Pay attention to those occasions because it is very likely God trying to tell you something.

• Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”  Isaiah 30:21
• However, as it is written:    ”No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”  but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  1 Corinthians 2:9-11
• Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That’s the most sensible way to serve God. Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.  Romans 12:1-2
• In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.  Proverbs 16:10

The Audible Voice
Sometimes we’re able to “hear” something in our spirit that sounds to us like an actual audible voice.

Check it out:

Just because we hear something or feel something doesn’t mean it will always be God.  It may be our own desires/flesh/self/imagination or it may even be the enemy seeking to distract and discourage us or mislead us.

-          Make sure it lines up with the Word of God.  God will not speak to you something that contradicts his word.

-          Talk to someone about it – someone you trust and that you trust hears from God

-          Pray about it

-          Pray some more!

-          Keep listening

Obstacles:

• not listening / too busy
• listening with an agenda (so not really listening at all for God!)
• fear
• doubt
• unbelief

Just Do It

Here, then, is the real problem of our negligence. We fail in our duty to study God’s Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy.

- R.C. Sproul -

The Word of God is God’s words to us -  his instruction, his guidance, his encoruagement – but more importantly – it reveals who he is.

that we should foresake it for other things, tempory things, fleshy things is a shame.

that we should put it last on the list is a shame.

its a shame because we miss out on the richness of hearing God’s voice and learning more about who he is.

Draw near to me, says God, and I will draw near to you.

sure it is *work* but it is glorious work with glorious rewards.

it transforms us and renews us and encourages us and inspires us.

we are very blessed to have the Word in written form.  men and women gave their lives that we may have such a book.  lets be people that dont let the dust gather, that are not lazy but apply the nike principal to it… just do it.

This Is The Way

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice saying, “This is the road! Now follow it.”

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,

“ This is the way, walk in it,”
Whenever you turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left.

Isaiah 30:21 CEV< NIV< NKJV

Dont Waste or Miss Out

These are my 3 favourite verses at the moment – or perhaps ones that are speaking to me loud….

Make sure that no one misses out on God’s wonderful kindness.  Hebrews 12:15

But God was kind! He made me what I am, and his wonderful kindness wasn’t wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God’s kindness at work and not me.  1 Corinthians 15:10

But I don’t care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God’s great kindness.  Acts 20:24

The Word of God Part 2

The Word is the truth and is divinely powerful to change situations.

Experience should not shape our doctrine, rather our doctrine should shape our experience.

All Scripture is God-breathed, and is the only solid foundation on which to build our lives and our theology. The Word is divinely powerful to change situations – as we speak it and believe it, our lives, situations and world are changed.

Exodus 3:14-15 God said to Moses:   I am the eternal God. So tell them that the LORD, whose name is ” I Am,” has sent you. This is my name forever, and it is the name that people must use from now on.

We can expect God to act exactly as he says he will. The bible is God saying stuff! The Bible reveals who God is. So we know what he is saying. So we know what to believe and have faith in. This is why reading it regular aka every day is important… you are building up your knowledge banks of who God is and how he acts and what promises he makes. If you don’t know a promise is there how can you know it is promised?

We often respond like Gideon, or like Eve in the garden “did God really say?”

What does this look like in real life?

You might feel alone – but god promises to be with us always

You feel inadequate but I can do all things thru Christ

Feel insignificant – but God engraved your name on the palm of his hands….

Isaiah 55:10-11 The LORD says, ¹⁰“Rain and snow fall from the sky.  But they don’t return without watering the earth that produces seeds to plant and grain to eat. ¹¹That’s how it is with my words. They don’t return to me without doing everything I send them to do.”

The Word of God Part 1

We see right in the beginning the power and awesomeness of God’s Word….

In the beginning God said….

Let there be light

And light

Speed of light = 299,792,458 m per second

GOD SAID!

Genesis 1

³Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

6Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”

⁹Then God said, “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so.

¹¹Then God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them”; and it was so.

¹⁴Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years;

²⁰Then God said, “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.”

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Now you might say that there is a difference between the words that God used to create the universe…. We have ours in a book…. That is true… but it is still the Word of God… Gods word is powerful. God spoke and light and zebras and butterflies and glaciers and kauri trees and cats were formed… and now we have the Word of God, creative, power, life changing, spiritual, supernatural in a book – NOT “just a book” but a book that contains great power and revelation!