How To Accurately Hear From God

Introduction:

We are in a season of correction in the Church where many prophesied things have failed to come to pass. Today we will address the reasons why this has happened and discuss what to do about it.

I. The Purpose & Power of Prophetic Utterance Today.

A. The difference between premonition and prophecy.

1. Correcting our terminology

2. Use words phrases like “I’m sensing” or “It seems to me.”

B. The Purpose & Power of Prophetic Utterance Today

1. Edification, Exhortation & Comfort

2. I Corinthians 14:3-5 – Read & Expound

C. If we say, “Thus saith the Lord...”

1. Ezekiel 13:1-10, 16,20-23

• A prophet who prophesies falsely can seek repentance and restoration!

II. Learning to Hear

A. God Speaks in many ways but primarily through His Word.

1. God can speak through people, places, or things…

2. Holy Spirit can help us discern what is of God and what is not.

B. Listening Techniques for your relationships (including listening to God)

1. Review Addendum Below – Basic Principles of Communication

III. Hearing God

A. If we are going to hear God, we are going to have to listen for Him.

B. If we are going to hear God, we have to be open to Him answering in ways that we do not want to hear at times.

1. No… when we want to hear Yes…

2. Forgive when we want to continue holding a grudge.

3. Go to the North Pole when we want to stay in the Tropics, etc.

C. Hearing God accurately as possible.

1. Hearing God begins with a relationship with Him.

Closing: Let's gather at the altar and hear today...

Addendum - Basic Principles of Communication

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION

Listening to Communicate

A. LISTENING RESPONSES

1. Minimal Encourager – simple agreement, acknowledgment, understanding; encourage the patient to continue talking (“Hmm, Hmm, Go On” ).

2. Restatement – repeating, rephrasing the speaker’s statement without changing the meaning (“You seem to be saying. . .”).

3. Reflecting of Feeling – may have some characteristics of a restatement, but focuses on stated or implied feelings, etc. (“You seem to be feeling. . .” ).

4. Supportive Response – contains encouragement for the speaker’s expression of or willingness to discuss thoughts, feelings, etc. (“that’s normal. . ..” ).

5. Clarification – request on the part of the peer counselor for more information or a better understanding of the speaker’s feelings (“Let me see if I have this right. . .”).

6. Nonverbal Referent – points out or inquires about aspects of the speaker’s physical behavior or appearance (“I see . . . I hear . . .”).

7. Confrontation – used when there is an apparent contradiction between the speaker’s words and behavior, or between the speaker’s and listener’s perceptions (“I have a sense that I’m missing something here. First you said. . . you seem to feel, . . . However, you looked or sounded like . . .”).

8. Self-Disclosure – the listener reveals personal experiences related to the speaker's situation (“I feel that way sometimes, too.”).

9. Direct Guidance – suggesting a solution to the patient’s problem, giving advice (“You ought to consider . . .”).

10. Denial – indicates listener is unwilling or refuses to take the content, feelings, or values of the speaker seriously; denying it is proper to think, feel or hold values expressed, denying that the problem is a real one for the speaker (“You really don’t mean that.”).

11. Judgment – evaluation of something that patient said or did, either by comments or nonverbal reaction (“You shouldn’t feel that way.”).

B. WAYS TO COMMUNICATE

1. Communicate with your Presence:

Be there. Suffering is not pleasant to see, and many times people do not know how to respond to a sick person. Fear of saying the wrong thing often keeps friends or relatives from visiting. The first step is to realize that it is your presence— not your words— that means the most.

2. Communicate with your Touch:

Holding a person’s hand or giving a comforting pat on the arm can mean a great deal to someone fighting fear and loneliness.

3. Communicate by not giving the “right” answer:

A person confronted with a life-threatening illness often asks, “Why me?” Many visitors feel they are supposed to have an answer, one that will make the patient “feel better.” But the familiar clichés one uses to make sense of the tragedy (“It’s part of God’s plan” or “Everything happens for a reason”) can sometimes do more harm than good. The best response is to repeat the question in your own words, indicating that you understand the person’s anxiety. “I see you are really troubled by this” is a more helpful response.

4. Validating the Person’s Emotion:

We often try to avoid the subject of illness or death because of our own discomfort. This blocks the patient from discussing his/her feelings.