THE VOICE OF GOD
Acts 15:28
January 8, 2006
I BEGAN THE MESSAGE BY HAVING 2 LADIES WHO SPEAK A DIALECT OF INDIA HAVE A CONVERSATION IN FRONT OF THE CONGREGATION. NO ONE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE SAYING. I REFERENCED THIS ILLUSTRATION THROUGHOUT THE MESSAGE TO SHOW WHAT GOD’S VOICE IS NOT LIKE.
LET ME GIVE YOU THE MAIN POINT OF THIS MESSAGE RIGHT UP FRONT.
GOD WANTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIS PEOPLE IN AN UNDERSTANDABLE WAY.
VERIZON ASKS, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW. GOD SAYS, YOU CAN HEAR AND UNDERSTAND ME NOW.
HE DOES NOT WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIS PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT IS CONFUSING AND UNINTELLIGIBLE.
SOME OF GOD’S PEOPLE ARE CONVINCED KNOWING THE VOICE OF GOD IS LIKE TRYING TO LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.
THEY FEEL LIKE IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF WHAT THEY HEAR IS GOD.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO HEAR ME SAY FROM THE PULPIT, “GOD SPOKE OR THE LORD SAID, OR THE LORD TOLD ME” AND YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, “HOW DID HE KNOW THE LORD SPOKE?”
PERHAPS WHEN A PROPHETIC WORD COMES DURING A SERVICE YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, “WHAT ARE THEY HEARING, HOW DO THEY KNOW WHAT TO SAY?”
WELL, TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS OF LEARNING GOD’S VOICE.
PLEASE LOOK AT 3 SHORT PASSAGES – ACTS 13:2; 15:28; 16:6
WHILE THEY WERE MINISTERING TO THE LORD AND FASTING, THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID, “SET APART FOR ME BARNABAS AND SAUL FOR THE WORK TO WHICH I HAVE CALLED THEM.” ACTS 13:2
“FOR IT SEEMED GOOD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT AND TO US TO LAY UPON YOU NO GREATER BURDEN THAN THESE ESSENTIALS;” ACTS 15:28
“THEY PASSED THROUGH THE PHRYGIAN AND GALATIAN REGION, HAVING BEEN FORBIDDEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SPEAK THE WORD IN ASIA;” ACTS 16:6
IN THESE PASSAGES WE HAVE THREE OCCASIONS WHERE IT IS DECLARED, “THE HOLY SPIRIT SPOKE.”
WE SEE THERE WAS CLEAR DIRECTION FROM HEAVEN AND THOSE WHO HEARD THAT DIRECTION KNEW IT WAS FROM HEAVEN.
Q: HOW DID THEY DO THAT? LET’S TAKE A LOOK . . .
I REPEAT WHAT I SAID A MINUTE AGO . . .
GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU AND GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND HE IS SPEAKING TO YOU.
POINT #1
EVERY CHILD OF GOD CAN AND MUST LEARN TO RECOGNIZE HIS VOICE.
IN BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WE HAVE THE PROMISE OF BEING SPOKEN TO AND KNOWING WE WERE SPOKEN TO.
“CALL TO ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU, AND I WILL TELL YOU GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, WHICH YOU DO NOT KNOW.” JER. 33:3
“SO I SAY TO YOU, ASK, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU; SEEK, AND YOU WILL FIND; KNOCK AND IT WILL BE OPENED TO YOU.” LUKE 11:9
CALL TO ME AND I WILL ANSWER.
ASK, SEEK, KNOCK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE.
FOLLOWER OF JESUS, WE TEACH AND BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS EMMANUEL - GOD WITH US.
NOT ONLY IS HE WITH US, BUT IN US. HE MAKES HIS DWELLING IN OUR VERY HEART.
THEREFORE, SINCE HE DESIRES TO LIVE SO VERY CLOSE TO US DOESN’T IT MAKE SENSE HE WOULD WANT TO CLEARLY COMMUNICATE WITH US?
SOME OF GOD’S PEOPLE ARE CONVINCED THAT THIS “GOD SPOKE TO ME” STUFF IS FOR THE PASTORS AND THE REALLY SPIRITUAL PEOPLE.
TOO MANY OF GOD’S PEOPLE DON’T BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HEARING GOD’S VOICE BECAUSE THEY’RE CONVINCED HE DOESN’T WANT TO SPEAK TO THEM, OR IF HE DOES SPEAK THEY WON’T KNOW IT’S HIM.
EVERYONE WHO OWNS A BIBLE PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND - KEEP IT UP.
ALL THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE JEREMIAH 33:3 IN THEIR BIBLE PLEASE PUT YOUR HAND DOWN.
ALL THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE LUKE 11:9 IN THEIR BIBLE PLEASE PUT YOUR HAND DOWN.
WELL, SINCE WE ALL HAVE THESE VERSES IN ALL OF OUR BIBLES I GUESS THAT MEANS THEY APPLY TO ALL OF US - WOULD YOU AGREE?
OKAY THEN, WHEN WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE, WHEN DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE AND DIRECTION NEEDS TO BE DETERMINED, I CAN ASK GOD AND HE WILL TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
HOW COOL IS THAT? GOD WILL TALK TO ME AND TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO.
JAMES 1:5 SAYS, “BUT IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHO GIVES TO ALL GENEROUSLY AND WITHOUT REPROACH, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO HIM.”
POINT #2
AS MUCH AS GOD WANTS TO ANSWER HE FIRST REQUIRES THAT WE ASK.
WHAT DOES JEREMIAH AND LUKE SAY?
CALL TO ME, ASK ME, SEEK ME, INVESTIGATE BY KNOCKING ON THE DOOR.
THE POINT SIMPLY IS THIS, GOD ANSWERS THOSE WHO TAKE THE TIME TO ASK HIM THE QUESTION.
PEOPLE OF GOD, THIS IS NOT A MINOR POINT.
THE PROMISED ANSWER IS BASED UPON OUR WILLINGNESS TO SET ASIDE TIME TO ASK AND LISTEN.
LET’S BE HONEST. HOW OFTEN DO WE FLY THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT TAKING THE TIME TO SLOW DOWN, QUIET OUR HEARTS AND MINDS AND SAY, “FATHER, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, WHERE SHOULD I GO, WHAT SHOULD I DO?”
HOW OFTEN DO WE HOPE WE’LL FIGURE IT OUT AS WE GO AND HOPE SOMETHING WILL POP INTO OUR HEAD WHEN WE GET THERE?
I GUESS THIS MAKES SENSE IF WE BELIEVE WE CAN’T REALLY HEAR GOD’S VOICE, BUT SINCE WE NOW KNOW HE WANTS TO SPEAK, THEN IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO SAY – “FATHER I’M ASKING, PLEASE TELL ME.”
JOHN 15:7 IS VITAL TO UNDERSTAND IN THIS REGARD.
“IF YOU ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH, AND IT WILL BE DONE FOR YOU.”
TO HEAR GOD SPEAK I MUST DELIBERATELY SPEND TIME WITH HIM.
SPARE TIME, ON THE FLY CONVERSATIONS DO NOT LEAD TO LEARNING THE VOICE OF GOD.
POINT #3
ALL LEARNING IS A PROCESS AND LEARNING TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD IS NO DIFFERENT.
THE MOST SIMPLE EXPLANATION I CAN GIVE IS THE TELEPHONE.
THE MORE YOU TALK TO ONE PERSON ON THE OTHER END THE SOONER YOU RECOGNIZE THEIR VOICE.
ALL OF US HAVE PEOPLE WE RECOGNIZE AS SOON AS THEY SAY THE FIRST SYLLABLE ON THE OTHER END.
WE ALSO HAVE HAD PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE IN SOMEONE CALLING EXPECTING US TO RECOGNIZE THEIR VOICE, BUT WE HAVE NO CLUE WHO IT IS.
I MAKE THIS POINT BECAUSE I DON’T WANT PEOPLE GETTING ALL BENT OUT OF SHAPE BECAUSE, “I ASKED GOD AND HE DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING.”
RELAX, GIVE YOURSELF TIME TO LEARN - IT’S A PROCESS.
POINT #4
GENERALLY GOD SPEAKS TO US IN FOUR WAYS.
I SAY GENERALLY BECAUSE GOD IS SO CREATIVE HE CAN FIND A MILLION WAYS TO MAKE HIS WILL KNOWN, BUT WE CAN LUMP MOST OF THE WAYS HE SPEAKS INTO THESE FOUR CATEGORIES.
GOD SPEAKS THROUGH:
1. HIS WORD
2. HIS PEOPLE
3. HIS STILL SMALL VOICE
4. CIRCUMSTANCES
THE LAST THREE ARE NOT IN ANY ORDER OF IMPORTANCE. GOD WILL USE THESE AS HE SEES FIT.
HOWEVER, THE FIRST ONE IS THE FIRST ONE FOR A REASON.
THE PRIMARY WAY GOD SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE IS THROUGH HIS WORD.
I REMEMBER MY FATHER TELLING THAT HE WAS THINKING OF LEAVING REZ QUITE A WHILE BEFORE HE ACTUALLY DID AND HE WAS ASKING GOD IF HE SHOULD STAY OR LEAVE.
HE TOLD ME THAT ONE DAY HE WAS HAVING HIS DEVOTIONS AND HE READ PSALM 37:3:
TRUST IN THE LORD AND DO GOOD. DWELL IN THE LAND AND CULTIVATE FAITHFULNESS.
HE SAID AS HE READ THIS VERSE GOD SETTLED IN HIS HEART HE WAS TO STAY A BIT LONGER.
IN MY OWN LIFE I WAS FEELING INSECURE ABOUT WHAT I WAS FEELING GOD WANTED ME TO DO AS PASTOR OF THIS CHURCH AND I READ EZEKIEL 40:4.
SON OF MAN SEE WITH YOUR EYES, HEAR WITH YOUR EARS AND GIVE ATTENTION TO ALL THAT I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU; FOR YOU HAVE BEEN BROUGHT HERE IN ORDER TO SHOW IT TO YOU. DECLARE TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL ALL THAT YOU SEE.
DO YOU KNOW ALL WE ARE DOING IN REZ IS THE RESULT OF THAT WORD AND OTHERS SPOKEN TO ME FROM GOD’S WORD?
CONSTANTLY READ THE WORD AND WATCH HOW GOD SPEAKS TO YOU.
I CAN’T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HAVE BEEN ASKING GOD FOR DIRECTION AND SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING THAT GAVE ME THE ANSWER OR THEY CONFIRMED THE ANSWER.
THE KEY WAS, I HAD SPENT TIME ASKING GOD, I HAD SET ASIDE TIME TO SEEK HIM AND HE CHOSE TO ANSWER THROUGH SOMEONE ELSE.
REMEMBER, IF WE DON’T ASK AND SEEK WE MAY NOT HEAR THE ANSWER.
THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED WITH CIRCUMSTANCES.
BECAUSE I HAD BEEN ASKING GOD I RECOGNIZED HIS VOICE IN HOW EVERYTHING FELL TOGETHER.
I CAME BACK TO THIS CHURCH AFTER PASTORING IN FULTON BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME GOD SPOKE TO ME TO LEAVE FULTON, GOD SPOKE TO JERRY JENKINS TO LEAVE REZ WHICH OPENED UP A POSITION FOR ME TO RETURN.
I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE I WAS GOING OR WHAT WE WOULD DO WHEN I KNEW GOD WANTED US TO LEAVE, BUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES GAVE ME AND THIS CHURCH DIRECTION.
IF JERRY WASN’T LEAVING I NEVER WOULD HAVE RETURNED.
AGAIN, IT WAS BECAUSE WE ALL WERE ASKING GOD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE ANSWER WHEN IT CAME.
AND, GOD CONFIRMED HIS WORD IN MANY WAYS.
LETS NOW TALK ABOUT THIS STILL SMALL VOICE. THIS IS THE TRICKY ONE.
SO MANY PEOPLE ASK HOW DO I KNOW IT’S GOD SPEAKING TO ME?
PLEASE FOLLOW ME.
GOD TEACHES US TO RECOGNIZE HIS VOICE DIRECTED TO OUR HEART – OUR SPIRITUAL EAR – BY USING THE OTHER THREE WAYS IN WHICH HE SPEAKS.
HERE IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
WE SPEND TIME WITH GOD. WE ASK HIM, WE SEEK HIS WILL.
AS WE ARE DOING THIS WE GET THIS FEELING OF WHAT WE SHOULD DO, BUT WE JUST AREN’T SURE, SO WE CONTINUE TO SEEK HIM.
SOMEWHERE ON THIS JOURNEY OF SEEKING HIM HE SPEAKS THROUGH HIS WORD OR SOMEONE ELSE OR SITUATION AND WE REALIZE IT WAS WHAT WE WERE FEELING ALL ALONG.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED? WE JUST HAD GOD’S VOICE 101.
SUDDENLY WE REALIZE, OH THAT WAS GOD SPEAKING TO ME.
THE NEXT SITUATION OCCURS AND WE AGAIN ASK GOD AND AGAIN WE GET THIS SENSE OF WHAT TO DO, BUT WE’RE AFRAID TO ACT UPON IT SO GOD CONFIRMS HIS WORD THROUGH ANOTHER WAY.
LESSON #2. OKAY THAT WAS GOD.
HEAR ME. AS WE CONTINUE TO SEEK HIM WE LEARN HIS VOICE MORE AND MORE CLEARLY AND BEFORE LONG WE RECOGNIZE HIS VOICE ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE AND WE ARE MORE COMFORTABLE ACTING UPON THAT STILL SMALL VOICE.
IT IS A PROCESS OF LEARNING.
GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU AND HE WILL IF WE ASK AND LISTEN.
SALVATION CALL - HOW WOULD YOU LIKE SUCH A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THAT YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WITH HIM LIKE I HAVE BEEN DESCRIBING?
