Jeremiah 9:24

Let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:24)

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Recognizing God’s Voice

      We know God’s voice because we know Him. Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me”(John 10:14 NIV). We recognize God’s voice because we recognize Him, the better we get to know God the more clearly we will recognize His voice. God’s voice is His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love, so the voice of God is the sound of Love. The actions of love are accomplished when we put God’s benefit and the benefit of others before our own benefit. God’s voice, His Holy Spirit will always lead us in the direction of love.
      The greatest love is to lay down your life for another; God is always leading us into laying down our own life so that we may experience His life. Jesus says, “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Mat 10:38-39 NKJV) The cross is a painful experience, but it is worth going through the cross to experience the resurrection into eternal life, the cross is temporary but the resurrection is forever.
      God always leads us into humility and out of pride. Humility is part of the process of dying to self. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Phil 2:5-8 NKJV) 
      Pride is sin, and all sin causes a hardening of our heart toward God, which causes us to become less sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Walking in humility and purity of heart causes us to hear God’s voice more clearly by being more sensitive to the Holy Spirit He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. (Psa 25:9 NIV)
      In our prayer life (as in all areas of life) it is critical that we hear God’s voice and are led by His Holy Spirit in what to pray. Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. (Eccl 5:1-2 NIV God is not Santa Claus, it is spiritual immaturity to come to God with your list of selfish wants. If the Lord is your Shepard you shall not want, because He will take care of your needs as you walk in love toward Him and other people. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Mat 6:33 NKJV) 
      Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” (Mat 6:9-10 NKJV)  The first thing we do in prayer is to recognize that God is our Father, He is our source of everything and He knows our needs. The first request we make of God is that His name is made Holy on the earth, that His kingdom advances, and that His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. These should be our priorities in prayer.
      When we abide in Jesus so that His Spirit and His words can flow through us, then we can ask what we desire because our desires will have been conformed to His desires, His will. This is how we glorify God on earth; this is how we increase His kingdom. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15:7-8 NKJV)  Our body is the temple of God and He calls His house a house of prayer. Every Christian should be a house of prayer, praying without ceasing, constant communication with God. Effective prayer in faith comes through hearing from God and then praying His will on the earth as it is in heaven.
      Jesus never tells you to go some place that He has not been before, in fact He never tells you to go to a place where He is not already there waiting for you. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love always draws you to Love, and therefore always draws you to God, because God is Love. I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. (Hosea 11:4 NKJV)
      Jesus asks us to walk in His steps and come to where He is. The Holy Spirit always draws us, He pulls us; He never pushes us. We are to follow Jesus and be led by the Holy Spirit. There is a yearning of the Spirit in you calling you to do some thing or go some place, this is the voice of God in you.
      The Lord goes before us preparing the way, and He goes with us on the journey. When we are following in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit we walk in the presence of God; experiencing His love, joy, and peace, even in the worst of circumstances. And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. (Deut 31:8 NKJV) 
      God is always drawing you into His presence, when you meet Him at the place that He has called you to; it is there that you will experience an intense anointing to serve Him. That is the place that you can worship Him in Spirit and in Truth; for to obey God’s voice is worship. Worship is expressing love to God and Jesus says, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15 NIV) 
      Jesus is always calling His sheep to follow Him; He is always calling His sheep to Himself. Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”(John 10:27 NKJV) Remember when Jesus separates the sheep from the goats the sheep are the ones that came to Him and served Him. “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. …And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”(Mat 25:34-40 NKJV) 
      As Christians we must be aware that what we say and do to others we say and do to Jesus. When dealing with other Christians focus on Jesus in them, appeal to Jesus in them, communicate to Jesus in them, and do unto Jesus in them. Since all people are created in the image of God we should do the same for all people, because God’s love compels us to love even our enemies. 
      When we please Jesus by obeying His commands of love we then experience His Joy. Jesus says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”(John 15:9-12 NIV) 
      As mentioned above we have the mind of Christ, which means that through the Holy Spirit we have access to the will of God, the thoughts of God, and the emotions of God. Just as we can experience God’s joy through actions of love we can also experience God grieving through our actions that hurt people. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Eph 4:29-30 NKJV) We have all said things that have hurt others and then we immediately felt bad inside. What we need to recognize is that is that the “bad feeling” inside was God feeling bad because of our sin; it was the grieving of the Holy Spirit in us. This is God’s voice communicating with us directly, not with just words, but His very emotions.
      We know that God’s love, God’s joy, and the peace of God in your heart is an indication that you are hearing and obeying the voice of God. For you will go out with joy, And be led forth with peace; (Isa 55:12 NASB) When there is a lack of God’s peace in your heart it means that your relationship with Him is lacking. The Holy Spirit will then try to guide you back into a righteous relationship with God, and if you follow His leading you will once again experience the peace of God through the Holy Spirit in you.
      And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. {15} And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. {16} Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. {17} And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Col 3:14-17 NASB) 
If you feel that God is speaking a message to you but you are not really sure if it is from God here are some good questions to ask your self about the message.
1)     Does it line up with the Holy Bible, the written scriptures?
2)     Does it lead you into a closer relationship with God, a greater unity with Him?
3)     Does it lead you into expressing love, which is putting God’s benefit and the benefit of others before your own benefit?
4)     Does it lead to a dying of yourself and a greater manifestation of Christ life in you?
5)     Does it cause greater humility in you, and a greater dependence upon God?
6)     Does it cause greater love, joy, and peace from God in you?
1 (John 15:16)  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
2 (Luke 12:47-49)  "And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. {48} "But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. {49} "I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
(John 10:2-5 NKJV)  "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."