Introduction:

Time for Preparation of things to come. This is our season of preparation. Seize the opportunity during the life time of the opportunity.

God told us not to look to the world or even to the church for directions for this ministry, but only to look to Him, because he alone knew what we were to do and how and he would show us.

Vitally Important: I believe that as time goes on it get more and more vitally important that Gods people learn to hear his voice.

As our world gets more and more wicked our very lives may become dependent on our being able to hear his voice.

I really do believe God is summoning his people to press hard and use this time to practice and sharpen our listening skills.

I. Always been the will of God for His people to hear His voice.

Before the fall of Adam and Eve God walked and talked with them in cool of the day. He had communication with His newly created man.

Even after the fall God talked to Adam and His family. Genesis 4:9 God asked Cain where his brother Abel was and Cain answered Him.

Then he talked to Noah and Abraham, to Moses and all the people of Israel.

In Duet 18:15-18 The people of Israel said they were afraid of God when He spoke to them and asked that Moses hear God and tell them what He said and God agreed with that and said that he would speak to the people through prophets.

So God spoke to His people through prophets.

 

II. Today God still speaks to His people. He speaks to us individually and He still uses prophets.

1. One way God made His will clear that he wishes to communicate to us is by the gifts of the Spirit.

Eph. 4:8 Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN."

6 of the 9 gifts of the Spirit are hearing gifts:
Gifts of the Spirit : tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discernment, (miracles, healing, faith)

2. He gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell inside us. He makes the will of God known to us. John 16:13-15

3. Jesus: Our example, listened, watched and obeyed God.

John 5:30 I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and my judgement is righteous, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me.

John 8:28-29- Then Jesus said the them. "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as My father taught Me, I speak these things and He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left me alone, for I always do those things that please Him"

John 5:19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

If we are going to accomplish Kingdom things, then we have to be like Jesus and seek to hear and line our own will up with His, then we will see miracles,
that is when our own lives will change and the lives of those that God wants to touch through us.

If Jesus had to live this way, how much more do we need to live this way. We truly must become one with God in every way.

III. How do we set ourselves to hear from God?

1) The key is intimacy with God. Spending that time with Him. John 10: 1-16 Sheep knows the voice of the shepherd and follows him. Jesus is the great shepherd and we are his sheep we must likewise know His voice and follow Him. This is accomplished by spending time with his just as the sheep learn their shepherd by spending time with him.

2.) Submit our will to His totally just as Jesus did. Come to the end of ourselves and realize that the very best that we have is not enough. Why will He talk to us if he knows we don't really care what He thinks. We have to settle it that it is his way.

3.) Don't just talk to God but listen. Ex. Jesus prayed then choose the disciples. His choice was Gods choice.

4.) Watch to see where and how God is moving. Be attentive. Use discernment.

5.) Pray and ask God to help us to hear, to discern and to see what he is saying and doing.

6.) Believe! Expect to hear and see.

IV. IN WHAT WAYS CAN WE EXPECT GOD TO SPEAK OR DIRECT?

1) Out loud externally. Mt. 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
Never happened to me before, rare, but don't rule it out.

2.) Knowing: comes up from your gut. You know something that you have no explanation for knowing except that is has to be from the Lord. You don't actually hear words formed. No natural reason for the knowledge. Revelation.

3) Still small voice: God spoke to Elija this way. 1 Kings 19:12 Comes from your spirit more so than your head. Separate from our own thoughts. Not to say that God won't interject into your thoughts.

Sometimes it is in complete sentences and sometimes it is in single words and impressions.

4.) God may give us a word through another person.

5.) He speaks through His word. The word is alive and active.

6) He can speak to us through situations. We have to be careful about this, we can come to the wrong conclusions and think God is saying something he is not.

7) He can speak through dreams and visions:
Acts 2:17 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;

8) sermons and teaching

God will confirm His words to us if we ask Him, and He does many times even if we don't ask Him to.

Don't be afraid to try to hear God.

V. Closing:

I know this ministry is to be a ministry of power. One of signs, wonders and miracles.

For that to happen we are going to have to walk like Jesus did, totally dependent on God, watching, listening and obeying.

We have to expect God to speak and when he does act in faith. If God says to pray for someone, do it. If he says give someone money or something else do it. If he says to give someone a message from him, do that.

God has told us that this is our time of preparation. I believe this is part of that preparation, pressing in to God to hear and obey.

So we can do that by being like Jesus and getting out among the people and expecting God to set up some divine appointments, to speak to us.

close in prayer by asking God to give us directions and to help us to be bold. Ask God for divine appointments.