Voices: Hearing God Through The Chaos

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Voices: Hearing God Through The Voice of Others

Ultimate Pentecostal Fails

After a lady finished praying for a girl, she said, “You know, I would really like it if you married my son.”

"I really feel like you are having a boy!" I didn't even go down for pray about my baby. I already knew I was having a girl. She told me to go get another sonogram.

"Shut up and quit praying. You need to listen to what I am praying over you."

I remember when a man told a girl "God loves you even though everyone else thinks you're gross"

Someone I had never met turned to me at the alter once and told me to "stop it" and asked me if I "wanted to go to Hell?"

There was an evangelist that came to my old church and prayed that God would stop time. He then asked anyone that was wearing a watch to come down to the altar if their watch stopped. He then prayed for people to miraculously receive oil on their hands.

A teenager was visiting a church for ministry purposes. He tried to cast a demon out of a man he had never seen before. That someone just happened to be the pastor of the church.

So without question, there are times that people try to speak for God… and miss it.

Let me share a few times though that God spoke clearly through a person:

Praying about moving from Bihar to Gurgaon. James Fields called out of the blue. Again when considering leaving India to go to SAGU. And again when leaving SAGU to go to Springfield.

Peter shared a powerful revelation about Jesus that helped everyone better understand who Jesus was. Let’s read it together:

Matthew 16:13–20 NIV84

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

This helps us understand that God does in fact speak to people and through people.

God Speaks To People.

God Speaks Through People.

However, some time later, in the very next paragraph, Peter hears Jesus telling that He was about to be crucified and die.

This time Peter does not do so well. Let’s read.

Matthew 16:21–23 NIV84

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

So the first time Peter spoke truth from the Holy Spirit. +1

The next time Peter spoke temptation from Satan. -10

I think Peter ends up with a pretty negative score.

So we come to understand this:

Even those who are closest to Jesus can be used by God one minute and become a voice piece for satan the next.

What made the difference?

In the first moment we see several facts that help us understand why Peter was on track:

Peter was focused on Jesus

Peter was glorifying Jesus

Peter was lead by the Holy Spirit

In the next episode Jesus rebukes Peter saying that Peter was focused on the things of man. In other words, Peter’s thinking probably went something like this:

Jesus is the man. He is the Messiah. He is gonna be the ultimate world ruler and I will be his right hand man. Woo-wee. Life is gonna be good. Bring it on baby. Fame. Fortune. I will follow Jesus alright. This is the good life.

If Jesus dies, Peter’s dynasty dies with him. Peter’s hopes for global advancement die.

We come to understand why Peter failed in the 2nd episode:

Peter was focused on self

Peter was seeking glory for self

Peter was lead by Satan

I don’t know about you, but that almost gives me whiplash. The great man of God, Peter himself, the Powerful Preacher of Pentecost, goes from speaking for God to speaking for satan so quickly.

When it comes to hear God’s voice through other people, here a few suggestions:

Expect God To Speak

Evaluate What Is Spoken

Examine the Motives

Encourage Believers To Speak For The Lord

Expect God to speak

1 Corinthians 14:29 NIV84

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

Note what he says: Let 2 or three prophets speak. These were not the apostles who wrote the Bible. These were the believers in the local Church.

1 Thessalonians 5:20–21 NIV84

do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good.

We should honor and encourage prophecy. But we should also test everything.

Evaluate what is spoken

Note what this verse instructs:

Don’t dishonor prophecy. It is good. It is needed.

Test everything. This implies that prophets can be mistaken and prophecy can be mistaken sometimes. Some say true prophecy will never be incorrect. Then why did the Bible teach us to evaluate prophecies.

Maintain a humble attitude. Don’t try to force your message or control other people.

Acknowledge you could miss it. I am always scared to listen to a person who never admits to having missed God. If a person does not have enough humility to acknowledge their owns sins and failures, I am not sure they have enough humility to speak for the Lord. A proud spirit cannot preach a humble gospel correctly.

Chart of 5 Approaches to Speaking For God

Deny God speaks through people

Doubt God will speak through you

Humbly share a message submitted to Godly oversight

Proud that to be used by God to speak a message, resistant to oversight

We think we are God, defiant to oversight

Compare the message to:

The Word of God

The counsel of Wise believers

What the Lord is already speaking to your heart

A Professor had a young lady approach him and tell him that he was supposed to be a missionary to China. He gently assured her that going to China was not his calling, and asked her if perhaps God was calling her. She said she did feel called to China but did not feel qualified to go. He prayed with her and helped her find confidence to trust God and live out her calling.

Don’t try to force people to agree or believe. It may be too early for them to understand. It may be wrong. It may be that your word will prompt them to deal with issues in their life.

Admit you could be wrong. Be humble.

Faith and humility are not enemies. They are the most wonderful of companions.

Humility is not a lack of faith in God. It is an acknowledgment of your own humanity.

Texas Catfish: Chew the fish. Eat the meat. Spit out the bones.

Weigh carerfully: evaluate. What does this mean? The prophets could get it wrong.

Examine the motives

Ask these Questions

Does this seek inappropriate control over another person?

Does this exalt a person?

Does this stem from a selfish motive?

If this answer to any of these is yes, then there is a good chance this is not a word from the Lord and it should be rejected.

Does it glorify Jesus?

Does it encourage the believers?

Does it come from a humble spirit?

If the answer to these questions is yes, then it probably is a message from the Lord and should be accepted.

The challenge: sometimes speak a message that glorifies Jesus, encourages the believers in a seemingly humble way, but their real motive is to get attention and glory for self. The message in this case is not usually from the Lord. It will often be redundant and bland and generic. While this kind of message may not need to be corrected, it is important to emphasize that the use of the gifts of the Spirit are to bring glory to God, not man because it can divert the direction of a worship service away from worshipping God.

Encourage believers to listen and to speak the Lord’s message

Failure is fine.

I would rather have failure than fearful silence.

Speak out in humility. Be prepared to be corrected. Learn and grow together. If you are humble and willing to be corrected, you will learn and grow quickly into an effective messenger for the Lord.

KCS Bible Study: New believers and perhaps even seekers were used by God.

Teaching Mercy to ride. When she fell down I did not scold her and tell her never to do it again. She was teachable. I was encouraging. We worked together until one day she could ride that bike all by herself without falling. We should be the same way in learning to speak for the Lord.

-Those who speak should be teachable and humble, accepting correction.

-Those who evaluate should be encouraging and gentle.

Seek to encourage others, not glorify self.

Luke 16:10 NIV84

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

Faithfully using the gifts we have develops the character inside of us to be used by God in greater ways.

In summary:

People can speak for the Lord.

People can speak from the devil.

People can speak from themselves.

People can project personal convictions on the broader community of Christ.

Not playing football in High School. God may lay a conviction on your heart that provides specific guidance for your life. This is wonderful. However, it does not give you the authority to bind the rest of the body of Christ by the personal convictions God has laid on your heart.

Some feel they should not watch TV. Fine. Don’t watch.

Some feel they should not wear certain kinds of clothing. Don’t wear them.

Some feel they should not watch football. Probably burned Cowboy fans. It is better that they not watch.

We should not add to the word of God. Personal convictions are just that: personal. If God didn’t say it, don’t say He did. If He said it to you in your heart, then don’t try to force everyone else to do it.

Gossiping prayer warrior in India. Friend had a dream: she gave him a drink that poisoned him. It can be very difficult to understand when someone is used by God but is also disobeying the word of God.

Remember:

If God did not use broken, sinful people, He could not use anyone.

Being used by God once, does not mean our other actions are right.

Speaking for God once does not mean every word we say has divine authority.

In fact, being used by God creates a terrible temptation to get proud- making a person susceptible to temptation and rebellion.

Why LifeGroups?

It is a perfect place to:

Listen

Learn

Love

Live

Closing:

Jogging in Waxahachie. Heard a part and felt isolated and lonely.

LifeGroups at James River: went the first night. Noelle asked if we could do this again.

-Hospital visitation

-Prayer

-Encouragement

Empowering the body to minister, not just the pastor.

I would really love to see every member of this Church get involved with a LifeGroup.