Hearing God's voice
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
thanks for joining us for part 2 of our series Deepening your Relationship
in part 1 we studied the importance of recognizing true christianity is NOT a religion, but a relationship with the creator of heaven and earth
for the remainder of the series we’re going to focus on how to deepen that relationship
today we want to take on part 2, we going to focus on Hearing God’s voice.
Like any relationship communication is key.
Imagine being married to a person you never talk with.
pretty empty, pretty shallow
not a relationship anyone would want
But unfortunately, many Christians today have never developed that basic part of their relationship with God
Pray is nothing more than giving God a wish list of things you want Him to do for you.
and when those prayers go unanswered, we begin to doubt God, and His love for us.
Can I show you a better way?
Can I teach you how to prayer prayers that get answered?
Prayer is 2 way communication
Prayer is 2 way communication
Prayer is a two-way communication between us and God.
It’s not just about presenting our requests, thoughts, and concerns to Him, although that is part of it
but also about taking time to listen for His response His Heart, His desires.
As we speak to God, we should also quiet our hearts to hear His voice,
whether through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, insights from Scripture, or a sense of peace and guidance in our hearts.
This reciprocal exchange deepens our relationship with God, reminding us that prayer is a dialogue where we both speak and listen, aligning ourselves with His will.
Telling God what we want or what we want Him to do, is driven out of our perceived needs and desires.
We recognize a need, or a desire and take it to God.
Yes God wants to grant your desires, but there’s a catch
4 Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
what’s the catch, if you want God to give you the desires of your heart....
we must first delight our selves in the lord
What does it mean to Delight yourself in the Lord?
Delighting ourselves in the Lord means finding deep joy, satisfaction, and contentment in our relationship with God.
It means chasing after Him instead of the things of this world that do not satisfy
It involves making Him the source of our greatest pleasure and fulfillment,
rather than seeking satisfaction in worldly things.
To delight in the Lord is to prioritize His presence, His Word, and His will above all else, allowing our hearts to be captivated by who He is.
It’s about aligning our desires with His and trusting that He will shape and fulfill the desires of our hearts in ways that honor Him,
So for God to grant the desires of our heart. Those desires must first be in accordance with His Will
So How do you know His Will?
by hearing what He has to say you.
By recognizing when He is speaking to you.
1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.
2 It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well),
3 and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was,
4 that the Lord called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.”
5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
6 The Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he answered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him.
8 So the Lord called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that the Lord was calling the boy.
9 And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.
Introduce the theme:
As followers of Christ, we are called to know and discern God's voice in our lives.
Its on us to take the time to listen, and discover His method on How He communicates with you
10 times God spoke audibly in the Bible
10 times God spoke audibly in the Bible
The Bible records several instances where God speaks audibly to individuals, though such occurrences are relatively rare. Here are some key examples:
Adam and Eve – God spoke directly to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:9-19).
Noah – God gave Noah direct, audible instructions about building the ark (Genesis 6:13-21).
Abraham – God spoke to Abraham multiple times, including calling him to leave his homeland (Genesis 12:1-3) and during the covenant (Genesis 17:1-21).
Moses – God audibly called Moses from the burning bush (Exodus 3:4-10) and spoke to him frequently during the Exodus (e.g., the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 19:19-20:1).
Samuel – As a child, Samuel heard God's voice calling him audibly at night (1 Samuel 3:1-14).
Elijah – God spoke to Elijah in a "still, small voice" after a dramatic display of wind, earthquake, and fire (1 Kings 19:11-13).
Job – God spoke audibly to Job out of a whirlwind, questioning and instructing him (Job 38-41).
Jesus' Baptism – God’s voice was heard from heaven, affirming Jesus as His Son (Matthew 3:17).
The Transfiguration – During Jesus’ transfiguration, God’s voice was heard from the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5).
Saul (Paul) on the Road to Damascus – Jesus spoke audibly to Saul during his conversion experience (Acts 9:3-7).
These examples show that while God has spoken audibly at various times in biblical history, it was often in extraordinary moments to communicate His will, guidance, or correction.
Maybe you’ve never Heard God’s audible voice like Samuel did that’s OK
I promise you God speaks to you in many ways
27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
This is Jesus speaking.
We are the Sheep in this analogy
We hear His voice, and He gives us directions for us to follow
God Speaks to Elijah
God Speaks to Elijah
11 So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
12 After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.
13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Although you may want God to speak audibly to you, He will speak in many other ways to you.
I. How God Speaks
I. How God Speaks
A. Through His Word (The Bible):
A. Through His Word (The Bible):
The primary and most reliable way God speaks to us is through Scripture.
The the rule we have
God will never contradict Himself
He will never tell you something that doesn’t line up with His written Word
B. Through the Holy Spirit:
B. Through the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit dwells in us and prompts us with guidance, conviction, and comfort.
Application: Share examples of the Spirit’s leading in everyday situations.
I was taking a group of kids home from a Youth Bible Study
something I did on a regular basis
one time I turned down a side road
only to discover later that if I went the regular way, I would have been involved in a muti-vehicle collision
C. Through Circumstances and Creation:
C. Through Circumstances and Creation:
God uses life events and His creation to reveal His will and nature
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Application: Reflect on how God may be speaking through circumstances in your own life.
World Trade Centre 911 23 years ago on Sept 11 this Wednesday
2977 People lost their lives day - worst tragedy in American History
50,000 People worked in the WTC
on average 140,000 visted the site every day
that’s less than 1.5% ACR
only 20 suvivors were pulled from the rubble
there were only 17,000 of the 50,000 avg workers who showed us to work that day
I remember hearing story after story from people who normally worked, suddenly didn’t go into work that day
kid was sick
wife got called into work, so husband had to work fom home to watch the kids
call wouldn’t start
missed the train
Story after story of people saying why they didn’t go in that day
I beleive God uses circumstances and situations to lead us.
don’t believe me?
What about Jonah....
God told Him to God to Ninevah
He declined and got on a ship heading the opposite direction
a storm caused Jonah to be thrown into the sea, then swallowed by a big fish, and then puked up on the Beach right beside Ninevah
God had a job for Jonah to do, He was’t going to let Him out of it becasue there were many people who needed to hear his saving words in Ninevah
D. Through Other Believers:
D. Through Other Believers:
God often uses other Christians to speak wisdom, encouragement, or correction into our lives
14 Where there is no guidance the people fall,
But in abundance of counselors there is victory.
Application: Highlight the importance of being in Christian community and accountability.
We’ve all faced diiferent things, and as a result we have learned from them......at least I hope
part of being in a cimmunity is sharing those experiences so we can all learn from them.
E. Through Visions and Dreams
E. Through Visions and Dreams
In both the Old and New Testaments, God spoke to people through visions and dreams, offering guidance, revelation, or prophecy
17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;
5 Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
6 He said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have had;
7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
8 Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,
12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”
F. Through Angels
F. Through Angels
Although rare, there are instances in the Bible where God spoke audibly to individuals,
such as Moses, Samuel, and Jesus’ disciples
4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
4 that the Lord called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.”
5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
6 The Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he answered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him.
8 So the Lord called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that the Lord was calling the boy.
9 And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”
2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
II. Discerning God's Voice Among the Noise
II. Discerning God's Voice Among the Noise
A. Knowing the Difference:
A. Knowing the Difference:
God's voice is often gentle, consistent, and aligned with His Word.
It does not bring confusion, fear, or contradiction
33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
Illustration: Compare God’s voice to the calm amidst life's chaos, like Elijah hearing the still, small voice.
B. Practical Discernment:
B. Practical Discernment:
Evaluate whether what you’re hearing aligns with Scripture and the character of God.
Consider whether it brings peace and conviction rather than anxiety or impulsivity.
III. The Role of Silence and Solitude in Hearing God
III. The Role of Silence and Solitude in Hearing God
A. Learning to Be Still:
A. Learning to Be Still:
Just as Elijah found God in the stillness, we must quiet ourselves to hear His voice.
It’s difficult to discern His voice in the hectic pace of Life
take time to quiet yourself
Application: Encourage the practice of silence and solitude in a world full of distractions
soaking
10 “Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
B. Creating Space to Hear God:
B. Creating Space to Hear God:
Set aside intentional time in your daily routine for undistracted prayer and listening.
Application: Offer practical tips, such as setting time limits on devices or finding a quiet place for reflection.
IV. Practical Steps for Listening to God
IV. Practical Steps for Listening to God
A. Daily Devotion and Prayer:
A. Daily Devotion and Prayer:
Consistency in prayer and scripture reading helps attune our hearts to hear God’s voice.
Application: Develop a habit of listening in prayer, not just talking.
B. Journaling to Track God's Voice:
B. Journaling to Track God's Voice:
Writing down thoughts, impressions, and scriptures that stand out can help clarify God’s messages over time.
Application: Encourage the congregation to begin journaling as a tool to listen and reflect.
Conclusion
Recap the ways in which God speaks and the importance of discerning His voice in our lives.
Challenge the congregation to intentionally create space in their lives to listen for God this week.
Reassure them that, as His sheep, they can trust that God desires to speak and guide them.
Closing Prayer
Pray for heightened spiritual discernment for the congregation.
Ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit to help everyone hear and respond to God's voice in their daily lives.