5 Things I Wish You Knew About God
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You CAN hear the voice of God.
You CAN hear the voice of God.
1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.
26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
How Does He Speak to Us?
How Does He Speak to Us?
5 . Statements to Help You Remember
1. Commanding Scripture
1. Commanding Scripture
The Feast of Dedication – What is it?*
The Feast of Dedication is a Jewish festival mentioned in John 10:22–23. It says, "At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon" (John 10:22–23). Today, this Jewish festival is perhaps better known as Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights.
This winter holiday is an eight-day festival observed starting on the 25th of Kislev, which occurs in late November or December depending on the lunisolar Jewish calendar. During the Feast of Dedication, Jews celebrate the dedication of the second temple as recorded in the books of First and Second Maccabees in the time between the Old and New Testaments.
The history behind this holiday begins in 198 BC when the Syrian empire with King Antiochus III took over Judea and Samaria. Antiochus III was fairly tolerant of the Jews and allowed them to continue to live according to their custom. However, in 175 BC, his son Antiochus IV ascended to the throne. In 168 BC, he massacred many Jews, outlawed Judaism, and looted the temple. The following year, in 167 BC, Antiochus IV went so far as to erect an altar to Zeus in the temple and defile it by sacrificing pigs there. The remaining Jews were horrified, so Judah Maccabee (meaning Judah "the Hammer") led a revolt. In 165 BC, Judah Maccabee and his followers were successful in recapturing the temple and began the Hasmonean Jewish kingdom, which lasted until 63 BC when Jerusalem fell to Roman rule.
When Judah Maccabee recaptured the temple, he ordered it to be cleansed, a new altar to be built, and new holy vessels to be made. After these steps, the temple was rededicated to the Lord. However, unadulterated, undefiled, pure olive oil with the seal of the high priest was needed for the menorah (or lampstand) in the temple, which was required to burn throughout the night every night. Unfortunately, only one flask was found with only enough oil to burn for one day. Yet when the Jews poured in the oil and lit the menorah, it burned for eight days! Of course, eight days is the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of kosher oil for the menorah. It is this miracle that is commemorated during the Feast of Dedication.
Today, this festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum (or menorah) with nine branches, called a hanukkiah. Each night, one candle is lit by the special shamash candle until all eight other candles are lit on the final night of the holiday remembering the eight days the oil lasted at the rededication of the second temple. The recitation of Psalm 30:1–12 is also an important part of the Feast of Dedication because of its themes of God-given victory over enemies and the replacement of mourning and sorrow with hope and joy. Other Hanukkah festivities include playing dreidel and eating oil-based foods such as doughnuts and latkes.
The Feast of Dedication has been observed for thousands of years celebrating God's protection and the victory He gives His faithful people who are willing to bravely continue to worship Him in the face of persecution. Since it is also referred to as the Festival of Lights, let us remember that Jesus declared himself "Light of the World" in John 8:12; and Revelation 21:23 says that in the New Jerusalem "… has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb." This holiday can remind Christians of the faithful, light-giving God we serve.
*The Feast of Dedication – What is it? (compellingtruth.org)
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
2. Constant Spirit
2. Constant Spirit
Oil represents the Spirit
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
He WILL speak & He WILL tell you
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
3. Counsel of the Saints
3. Counsel of the Saints
14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
22 Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established.
When the Roman eagle cast its shadow over the nations of the ancient world, her military tactics were what enabled the legions to march largely unimpeded to victory. As opposing armies neared each other there would be the inevitable crash of the two armed groups. Here the Roman soldiers' long practiced discipline of fighting as a cohesive unit, rather than as individuals, contributed significantly to their victory.
While their enemies often would storm against the Roman line, the legionnaires would "lock shields," forming a seemingly impenetrable wall of steel. The frenzied enemy would attempt to penetrate that formation by getting a legionnaire out of position, either by pulling him from the front rank, isolating him from his cohort where he could be overwhelmed and thus opening a breach in the line, or by taunting him, inciting him to rush forward in anger or bravado and thereby compromise the integrity of the unit.
It is not hard to imagine then how crucial it was for these legionnaires to do whatever was necessary to maintain their integrity as a fighting unit. Some have depicted legionnaires even gripping the leather harness of the soldier immediately in front of them to prevent that soldier from being yanked out of the line or foolhardily rushing forward to face the enemy alone. No doubt such means, accompanied by communication and encouragement, were keys to military success.
This imagery presents us with an excellent example of how the militant church of God is to operate. As a spiritual cohort, Christians are to be clad in the armor of God (Ephesians 6). As a congregation, we are not to operate independently but to lock our shields of faith together forming a defensive wall representing "the unity of faith"
10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
While this "shield wall" of faith collectively confronts the enemy, extinguishing the fiery darts of unbelief, the congregation should deploy across the entire body the "two are better than one" principle of Ecclesiastes 4:10, 12. Like Roman legionnaires, we need to keep a firm hold of one another, encouraging each other to "hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works ... exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching"
(Source: "In the Multitude of Counsellors" | Christian Library (christianstudylibrary.org))
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
4. Common Sense (Knowing)
4. Common Sense (Knowing)
This is of course based on God’s Word being written on your heart.
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Illustration: If there’s anything I can do.....buy dinner!
Sometimes you don’t need another Word from the Lord. You just need to do what you already know.
Sometimes you don’t need another Word from the Lord. You just need to do what you already know.
8 But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.
Sometimes you just know that you know.
Sometimes you just know that you know.
The Word of Knowledge is the Gift of the Spirit
5. Confirming Signs
5. Confirming Signs
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18 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.”
19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
1. There Will Be Clarity on How to Apply the Word of God to Your Situation When God Is Giving You Confirmation
2. The Multiple Necessary Circumstances that Need to Happen Will Happen When God Is Confirming Something for You
3. When You Are Making the Right Decision, You Will Experience Biblical Emotions as Confirmation
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.