Rev 10/31/14
Here are some notes that I've made for myself. When I am struggling to hear God or if I feel like he's too far away. I come do a quick check from the list below. I am adding to it as I go. So, if you have any additions, please send them my way. May these also be a blessing to you! The picture below isn't mine but it's a great addition to my stash.
1. For me, communication with the Holy Spirit is more like an awakening or quickening of the spirit. While it has been a loud voice on an occasion, it wasn't one that I heard in my ears and it's not always in words. Many times I feel God speak by what is brought to my mind or heart in prayer, while someone else is speaking or while I am reading the bible. There is a sudden profoundness that touches me.
1st Cor 2:10 says “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.”
2. Exercise your faith and EXPECT him to speak to you. You will get what you expect. If you allow yourself to think that God won't talk to you, you probably wouldn't really listen for the answer. How can you have a "relationship" with someone that you don't expect to communicate with you?
(In John 20:10-18 Jesus had risen from the dead. My commentary says that "Mary didn't recognize Jesus at first. Her grief had blinded her; she couldn't see him because she didn't expect to see him. Then he spoke her name and immediately she recognized him. Imagine the love that flooded her heart when she heard her savior saying her name. Jesus is near you, and he is calling your name. Can you, like Mary, regard him as your Lord?")
1st Cor 2:10 says “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.”
2. Exercise your faith and EXPECT him to speak to you. You will get what you expect. If you allow yourself to think that God won't talk to you, you probably wouldn't really listen for the answer. How can you have a "relationship" with someone that you don't expect to communicate with you?
(In John 20:10-18 Jesus had risen from the dead. My commentary says that "Mary didn't recognize Jesus at first. Her grief had blinded her; she couldn't see him because she didn't expect to see him. Then he spoke her name and immediately she recognized him. Imagine the love that flooded her heart when she heard her savior saying her name. Jesus is near you, and he is calling your name. Can you, like Mary, regard him as your Lord?")
3. Read your Bible. I hear him and/or feel the presence of the Holy Spirit more often, when I am making it a point to read the bible regularly. So, spend time reading his word and learning what he says. (With that being said, invest in a good bible. I have a Life Application Bible. It comes in most translations and you can also get the additional features like thumb indexes and large print. You will pay more for those but you may not want to buy another one later, so get the one that you really want! You will be more inclined to read it if you get it “just right”. I like this bible because it has great biographies, interpretations and background details that explain what the verses are talking about.)
4. God talks to each of us in a way that we understand.
5. Sometimes there are small things that God wants us to do. If we aren't making sure to do those small things, he's not going to give us bigger tasks.
6. Journaling is a great way to track those small things. Sometimes, it's the letter that I've been meaning to send or a phone call that I need to make. It's such a small and tiny thought that I don't often even consider it as a "to do".
7. Repentance – Isaiah 59:2 says that sin separates us from God. If you’ve ever had an argument with someone, you know what it’s like when you’re trying to avoid them. Sin, also turns your own heart away from God. So, don’t leave room for it. When you feel like God is far away, ask him to reveal what might be the cause. If it is sin, confess and repent [Turn from. Stop doing].
8. Obedience is key – This line might seem a little confusing. You and I are sinners. Even when we “try our best” we still sin every day. We will never be “perfect”. But I ask you to consider this- I once heard the statement that "even delayed obedience is disobedience" and of course we all recognize that disobedience is sin. If #7 says sin separates how would/could obedience affect your relationship? rev10/31/14
9. When you pray for something and he answers, don't take the credit for it. Remember him and thank him.
10. Pray about it and ask him to speak to you. Sometimes we're waiting for God to do 'a big something' but we don't really have a desire to even ask or check in with him about it. Just like sin turns our heart away, asking turns our heart toward...
11. Find a quiet place and limit your distractions. Get up early or use your lunch break. Steal quiet any way that you can get it and spend it with him.
12. Be sure to keep listening for the answer.
13. The more faithful that I am to him, the more that I can recognize how faithful that he is to me.
14. The more I share what I feel like he's telling me the more I hear him speak. Maybe it’s because that testimony keeps us fired up and looking for more.
15.
16. We have to be honest about our attitude in our heart. If you "don't have time to listen" that will reflect in what we hear.
10/1/13 – added the following:
17. Salvation - I found myself wondering if salvation impacted whether or not you could hear the word of God or even feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 2:20 and 1 Corinthians 6:19 both say that the Spirit lives within us. However, John 10:27 that says “My sheep know my voice.” If you’re struggling to hear him, perhaps salvation is a factor. Of course, we might have also accepted Jesus at some point but maybe we aren’t necessarily living with him in a way that reflects that he is our Lord. I’d ask you to consider your relationship with him as well.
Then on 12/25/13 I found John 8:47 - "He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason that you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." (1/24/15 - In that very same chapter in verse 28, Jesus is also explaining that his discernment & teaching also comes from the Lord. And that we won't recognize that until we also believe (and live like) Jesus died on the cross for us. Also check out the parable of the sower.
18. Be wary of self. – You will always come up with good ideas. The closer that we get to God, the more that he will change the desires in our heart and even the things that we think. Sometimes, the thoughts will seem so foreign to us that we can attribute them to God. However, they might simply be your own ideas or it could even be the devil. So, when you’re feeling led to do something, be sure to know who’s doing the leading.
19. Be wary of the Devil - Make sure what you’re hearing isn’t the devil. – 2 Corinthians 11:14 says that even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. In the Garden of Eden, the serpent spoke to Eve and 2 Corinthians 11:3 says: But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. The picture in this post is a pretty good reference for this.
20. Humility – Finding a worship song that can move you to tears is a good way to “tap your self back down”. Here are a few songs that I like. These links aren’t necessarily the best version of each song but it’s as close as I can get right now. “How Great Is Our God” preferably by Hillsong but this link is Chris Tomlin. “Redeemer” by Nicole Mullins. “The Real Me” by Natalie Grant. “Unashamed” by Chris August.” Whether it’s music, a sermon or prayer, get moved for God and then try talking to him about your relationship.
21. The still small voice - 1 Kings 19 refers to God's voice as a still small voice. It is true. That voice is so still and small it's no wonder that we miss it. I took a study a few years ago called "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby. It helped me tremendously. I highly recommend it but know that you should do the lessons. With any study, you will only get out of it, what you put into it.
10/16/14 -
22. Check out the picture at the top of this post. I've found that this description is particularly true when I am at a cross road. For example, I will feel like God is asking me to change something, like 'go here'. But then a larger voice will almost drown out the small voice with a bunch of details, questions, plans, etc. I might find myself almost paralyzed because of all of the information that I don't know. While, I might be the one causing the confusion with the extra info, I attribute more of it to the Devil because I will end up getting so confused that I start to consider bagging the whole thing. That is exactly what the devil wants is for us to bag God's plan. God's directions are usually (at least for me so far) pretty simple, like 'go here'. He will give me the next step when it gets closer. I know that I need to clean up the wording here but I didn't want to forget to add it and right this minute I am short on time. But this one ties in with # 19. The devil is adding to God's plan, to make me reconsider it.
23. In Tension. Andy Stanley has a great sermon called "Pay Attention To The Tension" and it is wonderful. I am learning that when God is trying to get my attention, there is often a tension around the thing of interest. Check it out.
No comments:
Post a Comment