Hearing the Voice of God - Pt. 2 Cont'd

Recap:

God speaks directly & consistently to us through His Word, the Bible!

The Father, the Word (Jesus), & the Holy Spirit are in total agreement

The Holy Spirit doesn’t speak on His own, but only what He hears.

God speaks directly to our spirit & not through our mind or emotions.

Do you live your life by signs?

-Everything is going smoothly, it must be the will of God.

-I slammed my finger in the car door, the devil is trying to get me today…Not today Satan!

-If she says Hi to me, it’s God’s sign to me that she is going to be my wife.

-If my goldfish jumps out of the bowl and sings the Star Spangled banner while executing a triple-backflip, I’ll know it’s the will of God

Believers aren’t meant to follow signs:

Many Christians have taken the position of asking God for signs based on the story of Gideon (Judges 6).

Remember, Gideon was living under the Old Testament & his spirit was not born again - He couldn’t hear the voice of God in his spirit.

Hebrews 8:6 NKJV

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

We live under a better covenant with better promises.

Better Covenant & Better Promises!

Do we really believe that?

So many people (maybe you) feel we would be better off if Jesus was still walking with us in person & if we could just have signs to follow

Why would do we want to live under a lesser covenant with lesser promises?

It’s lesser to live by sight.

It’s lesser to live by our flesh.

Here’s a big issue with following signs.

2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 NKJV

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,

2 Corinthians 11:14 NKJV

And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Matthew 24:24 NKJV

For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

The devil can fake signs and wonders, but he cannot fake the voice of God in our spirit.

It’s like counterfeit money agents, they know the real thing.

The devil speaks on the outside, God speaks directly to our spirit.

Make certain you’re going in the right direction.

Mark 16:17–18 NKJV

And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Signs are meant to follow believers, not the other way around.

Why Signs in the New Testament believer’s life?

Matthew 12:39 NKJV

But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

The sign of Jonah the prophet was the sign that brought people to repentance and back into right relationship with God.

For Christians, supernatural signs are meant to be a tool to help bring an invisible God into the visible realm & help people to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Colossians 1:15 CJB

He is the visible image of the invisible God. He is supreme over all creation,

• Signs at the hands of a believer uncover the glory of God & help people to believe.

John 2:11 NKJV

This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

• Signs help us point to Jesus as The Living Savior.

John 3:1–3 NKJV

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

• Signs help to ignite faith for salvation in those in need of a savior.

1 Corinthians 2:4–5 NKJV

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

“A miracle settles the issue!” – Mike Francen

Just One Thing:

We need the power of God today in signs wonders & miracles! Get desperate for & get filled by God’s supernatural power.

Discussion Questions:

What’s something commonly done that gets progressively weirder the more you think about it?

What has been your perspective of signs & how have you typically interacted, in your Christian walk, with things that could have been a sign?

Please read Mark 16:17-18 & 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 and share what these scriptures say to you and how you respond to them.

What is at least 1 thing you learned from today’s sermon that you can allow to impact your life?