from the heart

Hearing the Voice of the Spirit

It's amazing isn't it?  That God has promised we can hear the voice of His Spirit?  That we can actually be guided and led by Him through life?  Below is an outline of how, exactly, that takes place.  I condensed it from a recent message I preached that people have asked about, from Acts 16:6-10.

                              

A recent billboard asks, “Do you have the slightest idea where you’re going?” -God.   Most people are clueless when it comes to direction, but Christians should NEVER be clueless!  The quiet leadings of the Holy Spirit changes our lives!  

When is it time to hear the voice of the Spirit of God?

*It is always time to hear the voice of the Spirit.   Are we listening?  What does our anticipation say?   Read bible?  Hear message?   Do we tune God out?  God speaks to who is listening!  

*When we have come to a time of completion.   

*When we find a closed door, and need new direction.   

*When we sense God is beginning something new.    

 

How do we recognize what the Spirit is leading us to do?

1 – He stops us when the doors of opportunity close.   Acts 16:6-7

   Reasons for closed doors:   1.  To protect us.    2.  To open a greater door.     3.  To position us to hear Him better. 4. To delay us until the right time.  (God’s delays are NOT God’s denials.)   

2 – He allows us when doors of opportunity are opened.  v. 8   The one direction left to go in - he went, and it was open.     

3 - He leads us to see a need and have a burden.    v. 9   The Spirit says, “LOOK.”  Not every need and burden constitutes a call to US, but should always constitute a call to PRAYER.  When prayer turns into conviction that YOU are to do something - DO IT.    

4 – He leads when we get affirmation from others.   v. 10        The Spirit says,  “AMEN.”   Proverbs 11:14   

5 – He  leads by unexplainable prompting.   Acts 11:12   The Spirit says, “GO.”   Acts 13:1-2  Ideas are temporary...convictions linger on until we act on them.   

6 – He leads by thoughts that fit God’s revealed will.   Acts 15:28   Simplest of all...”thinking” that falls into principle, commands and the already known will of God – AND affirmed by others.  What SEEMS best?  The Spirit says, “GOOD.”    

7 – He leads when Scripture speaks to us plainly and clearly..   Pro.8:33-34     The Spirit says, “LISTEN.”   “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.”

How do we respond to the voice of God?  Acts 16:10-11    "Immediately", and "straight course" are good phrases that help us know how to respond.  

TRUST – OBEY – BE BLESSED

 

NEWS FLASH: World's Greatest Church Tells Secret

In a surprising news release, the leaders of what many are saying is the most effective church in the history of Christianity, gave incredible insight into the success of the church. The report was actually written by a physician who was closely linked to the key leaders. 

The church, comprised of nearly 4000 active attenders, was actually quite new at the time of the report. Somehow the leaders, most of them young and none of them seminary-trained, learned early in their ministry the keys to effective church growth. Surprisingly, their methods do not include what many would consider necessary for building a successful church. And the leaders themselves do not fit the model of what most of us would say are leadership essentials.

The report stated that the leaders determined that three very clear priorities would be established from the inception of the new church. 

First, they would insure that the congregation would take of pressing physical and spiritual needs in a spirit of love - even designating a group of laypeople to see that this would take place.

Second, the leadership themselves decided to place an unusual amount of importance on the study of Scriptures so that they might be able to teach effectively.

Third, the leaders devoted themselves to large amounts of prayer. 

Apparently, this three-fold focus has produced overwhelming results, with thousands coming to faith and being baptized.  The congregation itself sees to it that the message of the church just keeps spreading from person to person and from neighborhood to neighborhood. 

This simple, but powerful formula has been overlooked by the many thousands of churches that aspire to see the kind of results that these leaders have experienced. 

The church really doesn't have a marketable name - they are simply called the church in their particular geographical location - Jerusalem. 

The physician is Luke. 

The report is found in Acts 6:1-7.

The Basics of Leadership

When someone asks me what great book on leadership I am currently reading, I nearly always answer with a book in the Bible...Nehemiah, for example. What a picture for leaders...

The leadership of Nehemiah gives us a powerful pattern:

1. He aligned himself with God’s agenda.

Note the sensitivity to the heart of God. "I sat down and wept..." This really says more about where Nehemiah already was…he was in tune with God's heart. Nehemiah actually grieved with God. Are we really fit to lead if we are not passionate about the people we'd want to lead? If we aren't grieved by need? It is a good test to determine whether you are ready to hear the direction/vision of God for your life. Do you share the burdens and the concerns of God as exhibited in the Scripture?

Note the searching for the will of God. Look at how he did this. "...I was fasting and praying..."

Road map to knowing the will of God for your life...

Bathe the entire process in prayer (James 1:5). A neat thing...the prayer of Nehemiah is in total agreement with God...about who He is, who we are, what He has said, what He desires to do. Prayer is the antidote to the flesh...we may have all kinds of ideas but only through prayer do we gain the convictions of God's vision for our lives. Prayer weeds out every other idea. I've found I cannot continue in prayer for something I don't sense God is in!

• Allow the Scripture to give direction (Psalm 119:105).
• Discern your gifts and passions (1 Peter 4:10).
• Recall how God has already used you or how He has ministered to you (2 Corinthians 1). This may even include a sordid past that God has delivered you from...He's uniquely equipped you...
• Secure agreement with your family (Ephesians 5:31). "two shall become one..."
• Stay in touch with God’s authorities over you (Romans 13).
• Get godly counsel from others in the body…(Proverbs 15:22).

2. He allowed for a sense of divine timing. Verses 1-5 of chapter 2 cover four months of prayer and fasting. And THEN come the 52 days of wall-building. Is there a lesson here?
Here are some thoughts while we wait...

"God’s delays are not God’s denials."
"Waiting time is not wasted time."

While my tendency is to tackle something right away, the truth is, if I let God work it out in His timing…He will. I'd interfere. What do I do while I wait?

• Grow in the KNOWLEDGE of God.
• Grow in your EQUIPPING for ministry.
• Grow in your RESOURCES for the vision.
• Grow in your PRAYER for effectiveness. (2:2b, 4b)

"When the time is right, God will make it obvious." So many are afraid they'll miss God's open door, but God won't open a door and then keep it a secret. If we're looking, it will be there.

3. He arrived at a place of confident faith. ..."the God of heaven will give us success." (2:20) This was more than mere belief. He'd moved to a place of absolute confidence...moving from ASKING GOD to ASKING MAN, and later DECLARATION.

As I become more intimate with my Heavenly Father, I have a confidence/boldness with Him in my prayer life!

John 14:13-14 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask everything in My name, I will do [it]."
John 16:23 "Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you."
Matthew 21:22 "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

When I get the basics down, I lead much, much more effectively.