Divine Encounters: When God Speaks (Part I)
April/14/2010 09:46 AM
Getting Tuned In
Acts
13:1-3 “Now in the church that was at Antioch
there were certain prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of
Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with
Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered
to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said,
"Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the
work to which I have called them." Then, having
fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they
sent them away.”
A word from Heaven. A thing we so desire; a word straight from the mouth of God. We want to know all the answers to the mysteries of life: What specific calling do I have from God, who is the right person to marry, what job offer should I take or what home should I buy? Others may need a word from heaven to give them the answer to mending a broken marriage or wisdom in a business dealings or finances. How do we get these words from heaven and can we expect to hear them? Are there ways that God speaks to us today? The answer to both of these questions is a resounding yes!
God is Spirit and worshippers must worship Him in spirit and truth. John 4:24. God is a Spirit, and He made us spirit beings that have a mind and live in a body. God communicates with us spirit to spirit. That's why we must be in tune with our spirit man so that we can be directly in tune with the Spirit of God. He made us in His image, as spirit beings, so that we could commune and have relationship. God wants fellowship with us. Where there is relationship and fellowship there has to be communication.
Communication is key to all relationships. It seems easy for people to understand that a husband and wife, parents and children or employer and employee need to have 2-way communication in order to have a successful relationship. But many have a difficult time seeing how our relationship with God is the same way. Sure, we understand that we talk to God; listing to Him all of our needs, and voicing to Him all of our concerns. After we have sent off our message to Heaven we simply get up from our place of prayer. Our expectation of communication is waiting to see if the answer to our prayers manifest or not. This reminds me of when I call a company on the phone and all I do is press one prompt after anther only to get another computerized voice to lead me to the next prompt. All the while hoping to actually hear the voice of a live person on the other end! If we get tuned in to the Holy Spirit, we will not only get our prayers answered, but we will hear His voice along the way! We can have a relationship with God that is personal by tuning in to Him. In order to tune in to Him it is important to not jump up so quickly from His presence; but rather spend some time waiting, worshipping and listening in His presence.
The believers in our beginning verse had the key to hearing God's voice. Notice the scripture said that "as they ministered and fasted, the Holy Spirit said..." They received a revelation of the divine will of God or a direct revelation!
It was the custom of the New Testament believers to meet in each others homes often for teaching of the word, sharing meals and fellowship. They also set aside certain days of the week to go to the house of God to pray, worship, give thanks and fasting. They set regular times aside each week to seek God or minister to Him! Wow, what a concept! So many think of hearing God's voice to be such an unattainable mystery! Of course we should never take it for granted, but we should always expect to hear from the Spirit of God all along the way of our daily lives. This can only happen if we will set aside time on a regular basis to minister to the Lord. In your own life, as you minister to the Lord, the Holy Spirit will talk to you and I! This is how we train our spirits to hear his voice. This is how we get in tune with Him, through times of prayer, worship and getting into His word.
Once you spend a lot of time around a person, such as a spouse or best friend, you know what they believe as well as their likes and dislikes. You learn the sound of their voice, their gestures and facial expressions. We can even hear someone's unique footsteps coming down the hall and we know who it is before they arrive! If we spend enough time with someone, we will get "tuned in" to them. We get “tuned in” to hear God's voice as we get to know Him more intimately.
How did this word of the Lord come to these men of God? More than likely, in this particular instance, the Holy Spirit probably flowed through one of the men there in a gift of prophecy. We cannot always choose what avenue God will speak to us, but I am confident that if we will take time to get close to Him and minister to Him, He will communicate with us. Jesus, after His death and resurrection, said that He had to go away but that He wouldn't leave us alone. Jesus sent the Spirit of God to dwell in us to guide us in all of the affairs of life and reveal what it true and right.
John 14:16-17 "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of Truth."
John 16:17 "But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth."
There are so many ways God speaks to His sons and daughters:
1. Through His written word: 2 Tim. 3:16 “All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” If we are truly hearing from God it will always agree with His word and we know we are in tune with God. If something doesn't line up with His word, throw it out!
2. The Spirit of God speaks directly to our hearts: spirit to spirit. Where the written word is, logos, we hear God's voice; we also can hear the spoken words of the Spirit or the Rhema word. 1 Cor. 2:10-16, Rom. 8:14
3. Through the gifts of the Spirit: the gift of prophecy, tongues and interpretation, gift of knowledge or wisdom. 1 Cor. 12:7-8, 1Cor. 14:1-5
4. Through dreams, visions or through angelic visitation. In Acts 9:10-20 Peter, who was in prayer on the rooftop, saw a vision and heard God's voice. The apostle Paul had a dream that a man from Macedonia was asking him to come and minister to them there found in Acts 16:9. The apostle Paul tells of his encounter with an angel in Acts 27:23.
5. Audible voice. God has used this method to communicate with men and women throughout the ages, though it is not the most common way. Some examples would be Moses throughout the book of Exodus and Saul, who later became known as the apostle Paul, as he traveled on the road to Damascus, Acts 22:6-10.
As we get tuned in to the Holy Spirit by ministering to Him, we not only live a life in close relationship; but will hear His voice to receive revelation, direction, understanding and encouragement!
John 10:27 "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me."
kimconnor@whwc.org
A word from Heaven. A thing we so desire; a word straight from the mouth of God. We want to know all the answers to the mysteries of life: What specific calling do I have from God, who is the right person to marry, what job offer should I take or what home should I buy? Others may need a word from heaven to give them the answer to mending a broken marriage or wisdom in a business dealings or finances. How do we get these words from heaven and can we expect to hear them? Are there ways that God speaks to us today? The answer to both of these questions is a resounding yes!
God is Spirit and worshippers must worship Him in spirit and truth. John 4:24. God is a Spirit, and He made us spirit beings that have a mind and live in a body. God communicates with us spirit to spirit. That's why we must be in tune with our spirit man so that we can be directly in tune with the Spirit of God. He made us in His image, as spirit beings, so that we could commune and have relationship. God wants fellowship with us. Where there is relationship and fellowship there has to be communication.
Communication is key to all relationships. It seems easy for people to understand that a husband and wife, parents and children or employer and employee need to have 2-way communication in order to have a successful relationship. But many have a difficult time seeing how our relationship with God is the same way. Sure, we understand that we talk to God; listing to Him all of our needs, and voicing to Him all of our concerns. After we have sent off our message to Heaven we simply get up from our place of prayer. Our expectation of communication is waiting to see if the answer to our prayers manifest or not. This reminds me of when I call a company on the phone and all I do is press one prompt after anther only to get another computerized voice to lead me to the next prompt. All the while hoping to actually hear the voice of a live person on the other end! If we get tuned in to the Holy Spirit, we will not only get our prayers answered, but we will hear His voice along the way! We can have a relationship with God that is personal by tuning in to Him. In order to tune in to Him it is important to not jump up so quickly from His presence; but rather spend some time waiting, worshipping and listening in His presence.
The believers in our beginning verse had the key to hearing God's voice. Notice the scripture said that "as they ministered and fasted, the Holy Spirit said..." They received a revelation of the divine will of God or a direct revelation!
It was the custom of the New Testament believers to meet in each others homes often for teaching of the word, sharing meals and fellowship. They also set aside certain days of the week to go to the house of God to pray, worship, give thanks and fasting. They set regular times aside each week to seek God or minister to Him! Wow, what a concept! So many think of hearing God's voice to be such an unattainable mystery! Of course we should never take it for granted, but we should always expect to hear from the Spirit of God all along the way of our daily lives. This can only happen if we will set aside time on a regular basis to minister to the Lord. In your own life, as you minister to the Lord, the Holy Spirit will talk to you and I! This is how we train our spirits to hear his voice. This is how we get in tune with Him, through times of prayer, worship and getting into His word.
Once you spend a lot of time around a person, such as a spouse or best friend, you know what they believe as well as their likes and dislikes. You learn the sound of their voice, their gestures and facial expressions. We can even hear someone's unique footsteps coming down the hall and we know who it is before they arrive! If we spend enough time with someone, we will get "tuned in" to them. We get “tuned in” to hear God's voice as we get to know Him more intimately.
How did this word of the Lord come to these men of God? More than likely, in this particular instance, the Holy Spirit probably flowed through one of the men there in a gift of prophecy. We cannot always choose what avenue God will speak to us, but I am confident that if we will take time to get close to Him and minister to Him, He will communicate with us. Jesus, after His death and resurrection, said that He had to go away but that He wouldn't leave us alone. Jesus sent the Spirit of God to dwell in us to guide us in all of the affairs of life and reveal what it true and right.
John 14:16-17 "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of Truth."
John 16:17 "But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth."
There are so many ways God speaks to His sons and daughters:
1. Through His written word: 2 Tim. 3:16 “All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” If we are truly hearing from God it will always agree with His word and we know we are in tune with God. If something doesn't line up with His word, throw it out!
2. The Spirit of God speaks directly to our hearts: spirit to spirit. Where the written word is, logos, we hear God's voice; we also can hear the spoken words of the Spirit or the Rhema word. 1 Cor. 2:10-16, Rom. 8:14
3. Through the gifts of the Spirit: the gift of prophecy, tongues and interpretation, gift of knowledge or wisdom. 1 Cor. 12:7-8, 1Cor. 14:1-5
4. Through dreams, visions or through angelic visitation. In Acts 9:10-20 Peter, who was in prayer on the rooftop, saw a vision and heard God's voice. The apostle Paul had a dream that a man from Macedonia was asking him to come and minister to them there found in Acts 16:9. The apostle Paul tells of his encounter with an angel in Acts 27:23.
5. Audible voice. God has used this method to communicate with men and women throughout the ages, though it is not the most common way. Some examples would be Moses throughout the book of Exodus and Saul, who later became known as the apostle Paul, as he traveled on the road to Damascus, Acts 22:6-10.
As we get tuned in to the Holy Spirit by ministering to Him, we not only live a life in close relationship; but will hear His voice to receive revelation, direction, understanding and encouragement!
John 10:27 "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me."
kimconnor@whwc.org
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