How to hear God’s Voice
HOW GOD TALKS TO YOU - Part 2 of 4 - Job 33:14
Acknowledgement Rick Warren
o Today, we’re continuing our series on How to hear God’s Voice. Were looking specifically at how God talks to us.
o When I was a teenager, in April 1966 Time magazine came out with a cover story that said, "God is dead".
o The report said “Is God dead? It is a question that tantalizes both believers, who perhaps secretly fear that he is, and atheists, who possibly suspect that the answer is no (Article).”
o The next day the reporters asked Billy Graham “Is God dead, Dr. Graham?" He said "Are you kidding? I just talked to Him."
o You can talk to God. God wants to talk to you. The Bible says that God created you to hear Him, and talk back to Him. It’s nothing unusual. All of us can do it.
o In Job 33:14 "God does speak, sometimes one way and sometimes another, even though people may not understand it." He’s saying the problem is not that God isn’t talking. The problem is our receptions is bad or were not tuned in.
o God wants to communicate with us because we can’t have a relationship without communication.
HOW DOES GOD TALK TO US?
o God is not limited to any single way. The Bible has some spectacular ways; and I gave you a list last week from Henry Blackaby’s book
o God spoke through a burning bush. God spoke through a cloud. He often spoke through angels. One time He spoke through a pillar of fire. He even spoke to Balaam through a donkey.
o Today we’re going to identify the four most common ways that God speaks to us.
1. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH THE BIBLE. This is the number one way God speaks.
o The Bible is not just a good collection of wonderful thoughts or poems from people like Helen Steiner Rice (2nd Timothy 3:16-17)
o Circle "by inspiration". The word literally means in Greek, "God breathed." That means that the Bible is absolutely, totally reliable but it comes from the Spirit of God
o Count on God’s word to comfort you, guide you, and speak to you.
o But you must spend time in it; otherwise you will not hear from God.
o Establish a daily quiet time where you set down for 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes -- and you talk to God in prayer and you let God talk to you through His word.
o If you’re not doing that on a daily basis, you’re missing the number one way God wants to talk to you.
o Charles Stanley in his outstanding book ‘How to Listen to God’ wrote ‘it’s dangerous to attend church, listen to religious broadcasts and read Christian publications!’ It’s dangerous because Jesus said everyone who hears His truth and does not act upon it will be like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand.’
o Remember this, if you’re not reading the Bible, your phone to God is off the hook. He’s getting the busy signal and He can’t get through to you.
o If I told you that tomorrow Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada wanted to meet with you at 7 a.m. downstairs, whatever you think of our Prime Minister, you’d get up and you’d go. When somebody that important wants to meet with you, you go. Even more important, God wants to meet with you tomorrow and you don’t even have to come to this building.
o You can sit down on a lawn chair on your deck with your coffee and Bible – God is waiting
o The Bible is a supernatural book
o It is God’s revelation to mankind
o It was given to selected people through the inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit
o The Bible is authoritative and true in every respect
o Rejecting the Bible means rejecting the will of God for your life
o If you only read in periodically or when crisis hits your missing the messages from God to you
o There are many good translations today – the best is the Life Application Bible in the New International Version
o That will help you through the strange names and strange places and foreign words and customs that don’t make sense.
o Every car has an owner’s manual. If I read that owners’ manual and follow what it says, my car is going to last a whole lot longer.
o That is what the Bible does. Many of you are under stress because your not following what the Bible says to do
o For example, the Bible says a Christian should not marry someone who is not a Christian or believer
o One reason why there are so many divorces today is that Christians ignore the manual and say ‘O well, he loves me.’ That is all that matters.”
o By marrying an unbeliever your entering into a covenant with a foreign God because your partner is not following the one true God so right away there is division in the marriage
o When in doubt, consult the manual. God speaks through His word.
o How do I get started in this book? Do I start at Genesis and just start reading through it? I wouldn’t suggest that. Not if you’re just getting started in the Bible.
o If you’ve never read the Bible at all, I would start with the book of Mark, a story of the life of Jesus
2. GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH GIFTED TEACHERS.
o Have you ever sat in a church service and felt like God was speaking directly to you? I have. He was.
o At that very moment God spoke through a gifted teacher to tell me what He wanted to say (Thessalonians 2:13).
o God speaks through teachers, preachers, pastors. And it changes our lives when we listen to them.
o Last month when I heard Lorne Meisner preach on God the Fathers love the Holy Spirit spoke to me
o As a child I never had a spiritual dad
o Yet when Lorne spoke I rested in the truth that God is my father; He has good gifts and not harmful gifts to me
o I knew that was God speaking to me – Bam!
o That was a silver bullet to me. It got my attention and is a truth I need to affirm to the young men in this church
o The majority of young men in this church had no Christian influences as boys
o I think "What if I had missed that message? What if I would have gone away that Sunday?
o I would have missed that important message that spoke to my heart
o That’s why I hate to miss church.
o Even when I go on vacation, I still miss the church services
o The Bible says God some to be pastors and teachers, to equip God’s people for works of service.
o I have people tell me "After today’s message, I feel like it was for me."
o That is the power of the Holy Spirit speaking to you through the Bible
o I often pray ‘Dear God you know these people. You know what they need to hear
o Would your Holy Spirit empower me, infuse me to speak directly into their hearts
o God’ spirit does that. He impresses on my heart what topics and series to do next
o Or I ask, Holy Spirit to show me how to counsel this person or couple?
o Am I saying God speaks through me? I have no doubt about it! I’m amazed by it and I don’t deserve it but I have no doubt about it.
o An even more amazing factor is if you’re a believer, God speaks through you.
o Think about this. How many times has someone in the church encouraged you or I
o Just last week someone said ‘I take these outlines home. When it is quiet I get my Bible out and review the passage and pray through it.’
o She didn’t think twice about it. The spirit of God brought it to her to share with me and it was a significant encouragement. Praise God were making progress
o If you are a Christian, God often speaks through you and you don’t even know it. That is how God wired you. He plants ideas. God speaks through gifted teachers (2 Corinthians 2:13)."
o Now I know I have a long way to go
o But God called me to preach
o And I am clear that God has a lot to say to you through the Bible
o The more teaching you hear the more God can talk to you.
o Once a week is not enough.
o What if you fasted six days a week and then on the seventh day you gorged yourself? You’d have a great case of indigestion. Some of you have spiritual indigestion. The only Bible you ever get is for 30 minutes on Sunday morning, the rest of the week you have no more teaching in your life. That’s why you need to get into a small group Bible study.
o That’s why you need an accountability partner to disciple you
o You can listen to other messages
o Moody Bible 102.0 FM is a good source
o Close the TV and Internet off and listen to some good teachers
o I picked three mentors in my life (Warren, Schorr, and to a lesser extent Hybel’s – possibly James MacDonald)
o You can also read good books
o James MacDonald is a new preacher I am getting to know; I bought his book ‘Lord Change My Attitude Before It’s Too Late.’ It is outstanding
o What diet are you giving your children and teenagers as they grow up
o When I travel to Winnipeg or long distance I listen to sermons
o Ask my wife, she will tell you
o I want to fill my mind with the word of God on a regular basis.
o Our problem today is that are too many things to fill our minds with and the word of God gets second place
o So we make a choice. Am I going to be at a Bible study or am I going to watch television? Am I going to listen to a message or am I going to listen to the radio? What’s going to last over the long haul? God speaks through gifted teachers.
3. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH IMPRESSIONS (STILL SMALL VOICE HS)
o He puts ideas in our minds. When God puts an idea in your mind we call that inspiration. "I was inspired. I got a creative idea." Where do you think that creative idea came from?
o It came from the creator God.
o We’re made in God’s image. God’s the creator; human beings like God to have the ability to be creative. When God puts an idea in your mind we call it inspiration. When the devil puts an idea in your mind we call that a temptation. So both are trying to speak to you (John 14:26)"
o Originally that meant the Holy Spirit brought to the disciples minds the truths that he taught them before he went back to heaven
o But he also brings impressions and ideas to our minds.
o Our prayer partners meet here at 8:30 AM for prayer
o We asked the Holy Spirit through listening prayer to show us what to pray for two weeks ago today
o Children’s ministry – our Vacation Bible School
o After praying we looked down the aisle and there was a ten year old girl from an unchurched home looking through our glass door
o We immediately made the connection of her coming here and our prayers
o She and her sister were in our Vacation Bible School this week
o Where do you think we got that idea to pray for the children that day
o That was an impression from the Holy Spirit
o I have heard some confusing things about impressions from God. Next week we’re going to spend an entire message on it. We’re going to look at how to receive inspiration, how to receive impressions from God. Then I’m going to give you how to test impressions from God.
o Have you ever watched a TV religious program and the guy yells out “There’s somebody out there in the audience supposed to give me a million dollars."
o Do yourself a favor. Shut it off and come to church here. Never let a religious nut keep you from experiencing the real thing.
o Have you ever seen a counterfeit seven dollar bill? No, because there’s no such thing as a real three dollar bill.
o Wherever you find false teachers that means there are true gifted teachers. Wherever you find false leaders, there are also genuine Christian spiritual leaders.
o Job 33:14 "God speaks again and again in dreams and in visions at night when the deep sleep falls”
o v 15 “as people lie on their beds. He opens their ears in times like that, and gives them wisdom and instruction." Notice it says God sometimes speaks in dreams and in visions. Why?
o Why would God speak to us when we’re asleep or quietly reflective? Because we’re relaxed, not distracted, our defenses are lowered at that moment. God speaks through dreams, visions, and quiet times
o Sometimes when I am quiet the Spirit speaks to me
o I feel disturbed about where the church is at spiritually – the depth of our Christianity
o That happened this year – that is why we did the what we believe series
o Sometimes I’ll say "God, what’s the next step? What’s the next step with my family? What’s the next step with our church? What’s the next step in my relationship with .... God, tell me what You want to do. I’m open.
o God put on my mind a desire to go to Israel. Then when I was in Winnipeg I met a pastor, Henry Ozerny, who has been there 14 times – the door may now open up
o He sent Henry to me to validate this
o Ask God a question and you give Him the opportunity. Sometimes He’ll say something and many times He won’t.
o Most of your dreams or daydreams are not God speaking. Scientists tell us when we’re dreaming our mind is simply reorganizing all the facts and the sights and the sounds that you’ve got. You read something and watch a movie and talk to somebody or hear something on the radio and when you go to sleep at night you dream you’re the ax killer!
o That’s not God speaking to you. Not everything that you dream is from God. It’s highly unreliable.
o And Satan can speak to you, too. Satan can put ideas in your mind. The Bible says Satan is ‘an angel of light.’
o The key to knowing whether the impression is from God is “It always has to match what the Bible says. If you ever get an impression that is opposite to what God said in the Bible, I guarantee that it’s not from God. God never contradicts what He’s already said in the Bible.”
o I’ve had people say, "I know God wants me to be totally faithful to my wife but she is boring. Were emotionally detached from one another. I think I love this other person. So God told me to keep seeing this other person.
o Are you kidding? God has said over and over, for your own protection, that your wife alone is for your eyes. It’s real clear.
o About 90% of our problems in that area, the emotional scars, the venereal diseases, the broken hearts wouldn’t be there if people would just obey what God says to do. When we say, "I know God wants me to be happy, but ..." you better check it out with the Bible.
o When you ignore the owner’s manual -- If I don’t put oil in my car every five thousand kilometers, guess what? It’s going to wear out. And it’s going to die real quick. We will suffer also. The Bible is for our benefit.
4. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH PAIN.
o Are you acquainted with this way? We don’t a lot when things are easy. We change when we feel the heat. None of us really like to change and so we fear what it might do to us.
o A friend of mine in Manitoba – his dad pulled him out of school in grade eight, made him work full time and took all his money
o his wife is an alcoholic and won’t sleep with him and hasn’t for four years
o his only son moved in common law with a girl
o his only daughter, the only stable one, married with two children – moved her entire family and his two grandchildren to Alberta – that guy is in pain
o Now every week his wife is in the church service with him
o Have you ever thought, wow I wish my husband was connected spiritually like those other couples I see in the rows
o Well they are one of those couples in the rows
o He wrote ‘lately it seems a little silly but I am coming to a conclusion that it might be a thorn in the flesh. It might be a way that God can keep me focused on Him and for me to depend on Him more
o It also helps me to pray and to keep my priorities straight
o God is speaking to him through his pain
o Why are you afraid to face the demons in your closet?
o God will allow painful circumstances to get your attention
o Proverbs 20:30 "Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways."
o Not every little hurt, ache, and pain that you have is God. But some of it is. But God often has to use pain in order to slow us down to get our attention.
o At the end of 1996 I worked 45 hours per week and volunteered about 20 hours a week in the church. On top of that I took seminary courses. I loved every minute of it.
o I wasn’t taking any time off or any time for myself, very little time for my family.
o At the end of that year, I burned out. It took me about a year to recover from that. It was a hard time in my life.
o So my wife says you cannot work full time, go to seminary, and volunteer that much in the church. Something has to go
o It was a painful time for the family and our marriage
o But it was during that painful season that I learned to get my priorities right
o "I used to wander off until you punished me; now I closely follow all you say. The punishment you gave me was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws."
o Pain gets our attention. It’s God’s hearing aid. C.S. Lewis wrote ‘God whispers to us in our pleasures. But He shouts to us in our pain. Pain is God’s megaphone.
o When you’re hurting God is saying, "Hey! There’s somebody here who wants to help! You can depend on Me. I’ll help you through that tough time if you’ll just let Me." Pain is God’s way, often, of getting your attention.
Why is it so important to really hear God speak? Three reasons:
1. It is assures me that I’m in God’s family.
o The proof that you really know Jesus Christ, that you have a relationship, is that you hear God speak to you. Jesus said, "I know those who are Mine and they hear My voice."
o If you’ve never heard God speak to you, never sensed His speaking to you in your heart and mind, you have reason to doubt whether you’re really a true Christian. You have every reason to doubt it because Jesus said "Those who are mine hear My voice."
o Some of you are new Christians so it’s a little bit difficult to figure out "Is this God talking to me or not?" You’re not used to His voice. But if you’re really a child of God you will soon know your father’s voice.
o When I talk to my kids I don’t have to say, "This is Randy Hamel, your father." I just start talking to them and they know my voice. When any of my kids call me they don’t have to say, "This is Elizabeth, your daughter" or "Andrew, your son" -- I know their voice. Why? Because I have a relationship with them.
o If you don’t ever hear God speaking to you, you need to become a Christian because you’re not going to heaven unless you have a relationship with Jesus.
o The Bible says ‘believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” It’s available to you today. Just say "Jesus, I want a relationship with You. God, I want to know You. Please forgive my sins. I want to communicate with You."
o Some of you know about Jesus, but you don’t really know Him. You have a religion, not a relationship.
o I went to catechism as a youth and was in church every week but never had a relationship with Jesus
o When I was a kid there was a man named Bob who came to our door every single day except weekends
o He was Bob the milkman
o I knew him as the guy who brought white and chocolate milk in bottles
o Now I knew who this guy was. I knew what he looked like. I knew his name. I said hello to him
o He brought great chocolate milk to our door
o But I didn’t’ really know him. I knew about him. But I don’t really know him. That’s the difference.
o One of the proofs that you know you’re a Christian is that God talks to you on a regular basis and you listen and you hear and you talk back. Many people think God only speaks to super saints.
o No. Those of you who are parents, do you only talk to your smartest kid? (I hope you’re going to say no.) God talks to all His true children -- young believers, old believers, baby believers, grown up believers. It assures me I’m in God’s family.
2. It protects me from mistakes.
o The Bible says in Job "God speaks causing them to change their mind and keeping them from pride and from falling into some traps." If you listen, God will warn you in advance and you’ll avoid a whole lot of mistakes in life.
o Rick Warren gives this story ‘A number of years ago I was presented with a business opportunity that seemed really great. It seemed like a terrific opportunity with no risk to it. A lot of Christians I knew were getting into this and recommending it to me. I stayed open and God said to me one day, "Don’t." And I didn’t. A year later many of those people had lost their shirt financially and the guy who started it was in prison for a scam.’
o I can’t tell you how many times I have been saved from major mistakes in life and ministry
o The only thing that keeps this church on the right track is God’s protection and direction
o We only will move when God clearly tells us to
o We believe in prayer, in listening prayer,
o When we listen to the Holy Spirit in this church it saves us a whole lot of grief
o There are some of you here that are considering a divorce. God says to you real clearly, "Slow down, instead get some counseling and help!"
o Some of you are considering moving in with somebody who’s not your husband or your wife and not marrying them. God says, "Don’t!" Every time I ignore God’s will I get in trouble.
o Some of you are considering borrowing way more money than what you can afford. God is saying, "Don’t do it!" The debtor is a slave to the lender
o Some of you are thinking ‘I don’t need to serve or give here at Calvary.’ Or I cannot belong; I am not ready
o That voice is not from the Holy Spirit; It does not line up with scripture
o Some of you are being challenged to put other priorities ahead of God, your family, this church. God says, "That’s foolish! Don’t do it." He’ll save you from mistakes.
3. It is the secret of a productive life, listening to God on a moment by moment basis.
o The more I depend on God’s guidance, the more successful I am. Success is knowing God’s will and being right in the center of it. If you want to make an impact for God in your life, tune into God and do what He tells you to do.
o Charles Stanley in his book ‘Success God’s Way’ wrote ‘The conventional wisdom of the world is that to be successful, you must give as little as possible and take as much as possible. God’s word says ‘With the same measure that you use to give it will be measured back to you.’
o Which voice are you going to listen to?
o The conventional wisdom of the world or God’s word?
o What you believe will determine what you do?
o Your obedience to God will determine your usefulness for God
o In the discipleship book some men in the church are going through called ‘the Man God Uses’ Henry Blackaby, in speaking of obedience wrote ‘God didn’t call us to be successful but obedient. The success is his doing, not ours. God called us to be obedient. Our role is to be his servants and let Him accomplish what He wills through us.”
Conclusion
o God loves you. You matter to Him. He created you not just to take up space on this earth. You were made to have a relationship with Jesus and to become a significant Christian in this community. If you choose not to you’ll die missing your very purpose for living now and for all eternity
o Some of you have sensed God speaking to you today. What does God have to say to you today? Hebrews 3:15 "Today, if you hear God’s voice speaking to you, do not harden your heart against him." No matter how long you’ve ignored God and His voice, He still loves you and He still wants to have a relationship with you.
o He still is calling out to you. Will you listen and obey?
Prayer:
o I know that some of you are in pain today. Some of you are depressed, others filled with anxiety. It may be over a health issue. It maybe over finances, your marriage, or your desire to get married, or you’re in a relationship you’re not sure of and you’re anxious, fearful, worried.
o Others of you are fatigued and you’re worn out because you’re trying to do too much. You just crawled in here this morning -- you’re really tired.
o Some of you are lonely and hurting. It is almost unbearable. All of these things create pain. God is trying to get your attention. There needs to be some changes in your life and He’ll help you make those changes.
o But you have to have a relationship with Him. Maybe you’ve let that relationship wane and wan and put on the back burner of your life. Or maybe you’ve never established one. Would your pray this prayer in your mind?
o "Jesus Christ, I understand that You want a relationship with me. I want to get to know You and I want to talk with You.
o Help me to spend some time every day reading Your word. Help me to take advantage of the Bible studies and the teachers and the tapes that You provide for us.
o Help me to be open to impressions that You want to give me. Help me to see how that even pain can bring me closer to You.
o Today, Jesus Christ, I want to open up my life and ask You to be the manager of my life and lead me and guide me and save me." If you prayed that prayer and meant it God heard you. You’re beginning a brand new journey called the Christian life.
o A relationship. The first thing you need to do is tell somebody about it. Tell the closest person to you -- your husband, your wife. "Today I stepped across the line for Jesus Christ.
