Listening to God's Spirit

Psalm 42:1–2 ESV

1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalm 42–43 ESV

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah. As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

What voices are we listening to?

(Daily Bread) March 9, 2018

Upward,Downward, Inward, Outward

Spiritual growth is the result of the conversations we have throughout our lifetimes.

(1) My conversations with the Holy Spirit

John 3:5 ESV

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

John 3:6

John 3:5

John 3:7 ESV

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

John 3:6 ESV

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Ephesians 2:1 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

1 Timothy 4:1–2 ESV

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,

Psalm 42:5 ESV

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation

Psalm 42:6

Psalm 42:6 ESV

and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

John 4:24 ESV

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

(2) My soul’s conversations with my spirit

(2) My soul’s conversations with my spirit

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Psalm 42:5 ESV

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation

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Psalm 42:6 ESV

and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

Two keys to overcoming worry, anxiety, and discouragement: Praise God and Remember (His character and his actions)

(3) My soul’s conversations with others

(3) My soul’s conversations with others

Do not make friends with an angry person

Proverbs 22:24 ESV

Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,

Proverbs 22:24–25 ESV

Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

Bad company corrupts good morals

Bad company corrupts good character

1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Jonathan encouraged David

Resist gossip

Proverbs 18:8 ESV

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

Proverbs

Seek a spiritual family relationship

Matthew 26:41 ESV

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Jonathan encouraged David

1 Samuel 23:16 ESV

And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.

David encouraged himself

David encouraged himself

1 Samuel 30:6 ESV

And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

- Why so downcast o my soul

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Worship in spirit and truth

I need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the word of God. I need to fill my spirit in such a way that I can use the word of God to speak to my soul.

And you have been made alive -

Ephesians 2:1 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins