"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17 NKJV
When we are diligent about reading God's Word, we are interacting with a living document, an extension of the the very God that we serve. In essence God's Word is alive and it speaks to us for the situation that we are in when we are diligent to read it and apply it to our lives. So, for our prayer application today, it's not merely what has been said or written, but what God is saying right now that produces faith, resulting in powerful prayers. Jesus told us that his sheep would hear and recognize His voice (John 10:27). We can come into His presence with confidcence knowing that He desires to speak to our hearts and when we hear His voice powerful faith ignites!
God speaks to everyone in different ways, times and seasons, but two common denominators can be found for those who are in consistent two-way communication:
- THEY HEAR FROM GOD IN THE CONTEXT OF HIS WORD - The impressions, whispers, God-thoughts, or inner voice conversations will always be in alignment with and flow from what God has already said. One sure way of having increased, consistent communication with the Holy Spirit is to stay in the Word. This is the Lord's primary mode of communication with us.
- THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A HEARING EAR - There is a promise in Isaiah that we all need to receive today, "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) What a promise! No matter what we are facing, no matter how complicated the situation or high the risk, if we will hear the voice of God the we have the guarantee of clear direction. In light of this scriptural truth, it would make perfect sense that the enemy's greatest and most effective weapons against us are distractions, confusion, a multiplicity of voices, and the inability to be still and listen.
Today consider the value of being still before God in light of the promise of hearing His voice when you wait in His presence. If hearing from God clearly and unmistakeably is new territory for you, let's together learn from a young man named Samuel who had his first conversation with God. You can read the full story in 1 Samuel chapter 3.
"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 house of 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. 1 Samuel 3:2-5 (NIV2011)This was Samuel's first encounter with hearing the voice of God and the starting point for two-way communication with God. Hearing the voice of God was so foreign to Samuel that he mistook God's voice as that of his mentor, Eli the priest. After a couple of failed attempts to connect with God, Eli instructed Samuel to lay day and when he heard the voice a third time to respond by saying, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening."
TAKE A MOMENT
Like Samuel, pray this out loud, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening." Quiet your heart and focus on His goodness and His desire to reveal himself to you. Let God know that he has your full attention. Have a tablet of paper or a journal readily available to write down what the Lord may be saying to you.
Never underestimate the power of one clear sentence straight from the heart of God. Remember hearing clearly is a matter of closeness to Him.
Once Samuel understood who was speaking to him, and how to respond, he received a message that would not only change his life but the life of the entire nation. Live can be forever changed with just a few clear words of guidance from the Lord.
There is a lot we can learn from Samuel's story, increasing our ability to hear the voice of God more clearly and consistently:
- STAY NEAR THE PRESENCE OF GOD - Verse 3 tells us that Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark Of God. What a beautiful picture to be resting right where the prsence of God dwelt. This speaks to us of the need to have a heart of worship and to find a place of intimate, uninterrupted conversation with God.
Once you experience the presence of God, don't be in a hurry to move on. Make sure your PURSUIT time involves plenty of worship and adoration with no agenda other than to draw close (James 4:8).
- LAY DOWN AND WAIT - You may not need to lay down, but you need to find a place that is free of distraction so that you can quiet your mind and heart. Prayer is designed to be a dialogue, not a monologue. If we only present our praise, rattle off requests, and then head out the door, we are missing the mos most important moment of our PURSUIT time, hearing God's response. Hearing from God requires that we silence other voices, quiet our souls, and cease from striving (i.e. emails, calls, text messages, and social media). God almost always speaks in a whisper, not a shout.
- GIVE GOD YOUR "YES" IN ADVANCE - The key to hearing from God consistently and repeatedly is simply doing the last thing he told you to do. The Lord entrusts those who can be trusted with more and withholds from those who squandor the treasure of opportunities and instructions. Be ready to say "Yes Lord, speak, your servant is listening" and "Here am I, send me" before the conversation ever takes place.
- PLACE A HIGH VALUE ON HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD - The things we value we will invest in and make sacrfices for. Samuel was willing to direct his life and future based on the Word of the Lord. King David said "How precious to me are your thoughts, God. How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, the would outnumber the grains of sand - when I awake, I am still with you." Psalm 139:17-18
Today God is thinking about you! He has plans and desires for your future that He is waiting to reveal as you seek His face and wait to hear His voice. My prayer is that we would develop a passion to hear His voice at a level that every thought God thinks about us is a precious and priceless treasure.
MEMORY VERSE - "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
PRAYER DIRECTIVE - Ask clearly and boldly for God to speak to you! Pray for all other competing voices to be silenced. Pray that you would have a strong desire to live near the presence of God and never leave! Grab your journal and your Bible, fully expecting to hear clearly as you wait on the Lord!
Adapted from PURSUIT, By Dave Patterson, 2019, The Father's House.
No comments:
Post a Comment