How can we know What God is saying to us?.

How can we know What God is saying to us?

How to know what God is saying to us…
"But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 "When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 "A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." John 10:2-5 (NASB)

What do we learn from this passage? Jesus is our true shepherd. His sheep are able to hear his voice. He knows and calls us by name. He leads us by his voice. We are able to discern between God’s voice and the enemy or impostor.

million dollar questions: What does God’s voice sound like? How does he communicate with us? Why can’t I hear him?

Principle # 1: God is a Person who is perfectly capable of communicating with us everything he wants us to know.

Principle # 2: God is continually communicating, but we may have difficulty hearing him. The problem is almost always on our side.

Principle # 3: God is not a vending machine of information. He is a Person for us to pursue. It is our honor to humbly listen for him to communicate with us. If we seek him, we will find him.

Principle # 4: God communicates in a variety of ways. He expects us to learn his ways and “language” and become expert at recognizing and following his “voice.”

Principle # 5: The Holy Spirit is our built in “interface” with God and our “decoder” of all he is speaking to us.

Principle # 6: Our heart condition greatly affects our ability to hear God.

FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.’ Matthew 13:15 (NASB)

Prerequisites for Hearing God: Fear of the Lord Humility Repentance Worshipfully acknowledging God in all things

Hindrances to Hearing God: Bitterness shuts the “ears” of our hearts Complaining about things is a slap in God’s face. Those who worship in their difficulties receive understanding.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NASB) in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB)

Understanding How We Are Wired God uniquely fashioned human beings to be able to interface with the natural and spiritual worlds.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (NASB)

Understanding How We Are Wired When we were born again, God fused or united our spirits with the Holy Spirit, making us one with him.

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (ESV) To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27 (ESV)

Understanding How We Are Wired We now have the “mind of Christ.” We should not expect his words and thoughts to be from the “outside” now.

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27 (ESV) “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16 (ESV)

Four Ways God Speaks to Us The Scriptures The Holy Spirit Other People Circumstances

The Scriptures The Bible is the gold standard for hearing God. If any other apparent communication from God does not agree, we must reject it, with one caveat. Sometimes our understanding of the Word needs correction.

The Scriptures Logos vs. Rhema We depend on the Holy Spirit to enable us to properly interpret the scriptures. We also need to be in community with other disciples to guard us from error.

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:13 (NASB)

The Holy Spirit The Spirit “speaks” to us through an “inner voice,” “promptings,” or revelation.

Revelation When the Spirit of God suddenly illuminates our understanding… When he gives us a gift of the Spirit, such as prophecy or a word of wisdom or knowledge Dreams & visions Need for checks and balances

Inner Voice God can speak audibly, but this is very rare. More often God speaks in a way that we unmistakably know the exact words he speaks. God expects us to use wisdom and discernment in this area.

Promptings Often we sense from the Spirit that we should say or do something. We must exercise faith, boldness, and a certain amount of caution in this area.

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 1 Corinthians 2:10 (NLT) "The Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man's house Acts 11:12 (NASB)

Other People Oversight Spouses Prophetic people Wise counselors Friends and peers, especially other disciples Anyone at all

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17 (NASB)

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 (NASB)

What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification Corinthians 14:26 (NASB)

Circumstances We must interpret our circumstances by the Spirit and the Word with the help of trusted counselors. When do we fight and when do “go with the flow?” Whether something is easy or hard is not enough to make a judgment.

Conclusion Learning to hear and follow God is one of the most exciting adventures ever. God desires us to become like Christ, only saying and doing what the Spirit prompts.

So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. John 8:28 (NASB) Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. John 5:19 (NASB)

How can we know What God is saying to us?.

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How can we know What God is saying to us?.

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