How & Why God Speaks Chapter 3

Hearing the voice of God • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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God speaks uniquely

God speaks to everyone differently. He speaks in a manner that we will understand what He is saying. It is kind of like how we speak to others. Some people we have to speak harshly to in order for them to take action. Others we must speak to encouragingly lest we break their spirit. God knows us and how best to communicate to us. He created us and knows how to speak so we will respond.

For example, the way He spoke to Paul was much different than the way He spoke to Isaiah.

3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” Acts 9:3-6

2 It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), 3 and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was, 4 that the Lord called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.” So he went and lay down. 6 The Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he [b]answered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him. 8 So the Lord called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” 11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them. 14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.” 1 Sam. 3:2-14

19 Thus Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and let none of his words [c]fail. 1 Sam. 3:19

Paul and Samuel were two different people with two different purposes. Paul was strong an aggressive and was prohibiting the growth of the church. Samuel was meek and young and could not recognize the voice of the Lord, but God needed a person to pronounce judgement. God knocked Paul off a horse but spoke quietly to Samuel.

God knows you personally and situationally and will speak to us accordingly.

God Speaks Personally

Often times we seek a word from the Lord to prove that He exists. God does not speak to us for this purpose. God speaks to us based on our relationship to Him. If we are not walking with and seeking Him, He will not speak to us. God speaks to us based on our relationship with Him.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

God speaks in the context of our relationship. The closer we are to God the better we can hear His voice.

When we find ourselves in times of crisis, we will call out to God. If we do not have a close relationship, it will be difficult to hear His voice. This is why we must be dedicated to establishing and growing our relationship with the Lord.

God Speaks Progressively

When God speaks to us initially it may be in a grand form. However the closer we get to the Lord, the less necessary it is for Him to speak to us in a grand manner. For example, When Jesus first spoke to Paul He knocked Him to the ground and spoke to him through a bright light. Scripture does not record Jesus speaking to Him in that grand of a fashion again. Instead we see God speaking to him in day to day, moment by moment conversation.

Jesus spoke to Paul to let Him know the next assignment. Paul had to complete the task Jesus commanded Him before He got the next communication.

This is the way God speaks to us. Perhaps you remember the day of your salvation. God spoke in a grand way to lead you to salvation. Going forward perhaps God hasn’t spoke to you in such a grand fashion. He leads you to follow Him from one assignment to the next. We must complete the task at hand before He gives us further direction.

God Speaks Consistently

God speaks consistent with His Character and His Word. Because God is Holy, He will never direct you to do something unholy. God will also never instruct you to do something that is contrary to His word.

God Speaks Faithfully

“Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand” (Isa. 14:24 NIV). Those are God's words. From the beginning of creation God established the pattern for his Word: “God said…It was so…(Gen. 1). The Bible consistently demonstrates the reliability of God's Word. If God predicts a certain event, that event will happen exactly as he said, “For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? (Isa. 14:27). When God makes a vow, he keeps it (Isa. 55:10–11). God's promise of military success for the Israelites was a certainty, no matter what condition their army was in or how fierce their opponents were. Victory was a given—all that remained was to see how God worked out the details.

Blackaby, Henry; Blackaby, Richard. Hearing God's Voice (p. 44). B&H Publishing. Kindle Edition.

God Speaks Unmistakably

When God speaks it is with clarity and purpose. You will not mistake the voice of the Lord.

The problem is not that we don’t know the voice of the Lord, the problem is we don’t like what He has to say. Consequentially we do not obey God. It requires tremendous faith when you hear the voice of God and doing what He speaks.

God Speaks Diagnostically

was born (Luke 1:19–20). Gabriel's message to Mary, namely that she was to bear the Messiah, was equally inconceivable (excuse the pun). It was a physical impossibility, as Mary knew, yet her humble response has been a model for generations of believers: “Consider me the Lord's slave, May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). When God speaks, neutrality is not an option. A response is unavoidable, and the condition of peoples' hearts is revealed in that response.

Blackaby, Henry; Blackaby, Richard. Hearing God's Voice (p. 45). B&H Publishing. Kindle Edition.

Why God Speaks

God Speaks to reveal His character

As you study the names of God you will find that they are based on a person’s experience with God.

Who is God to you? El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)

El Elyon (The Most High God)

Adonai (Lord, Master)

Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)

Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)

Jehovah Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)

Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)

Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)

Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)

Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)

El Olam (The Everlasting God)

Elohim (God)

Qanna (Jealous)

Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)

Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)

Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)

It is one thing to be told that God is Holy and a whole different thing to experience the holiness of God.

God Speaks to reveal His purposes

God is on mission to redeem a lost world. His purposes are to draw us to himself and to help us become increasingly more like his Son. When he speaks, it is against this backdrop. Therefore, when we seek to promote ourselves or when we ask God to make our plans successful, we will not always hear what we want to hear in response. However, when we ask him for guidance according to what is on his heart and when we ask how we can adjust our lives to his plans, the Bible says we will hear him clearly.

Blackaby, Henry; Blackaby, Richard. Hearing God's Voice (p. 46). B&H Publishing. Kindle Edition.

God speaks to reveal His ways

God shows us His ways so that we don’t have to depend on our own opinions. God gives concrete ways on the way things should be done. He reveals these ways through the principles He has established in His word. He gives consequences for engaging in sin but also gives promises for those who walk in righteousness.

The issue comes when our way does not line up with God’s way. We will sometimes go down our own path and God will let us. However, He will also allow the natural consequences of our decision to come as well.

There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Prov 14:12

We must listen to the voice of God and He will show us His ways

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalms 16:11

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Prov. 3:5-6

Questions

1. Do you believe God keeps his word? Are you presently waiting for God to fulfill a promise? What is it?

2. Do you agree that the problem most often is not that people don't know what God is saying to them but that they are unwilling to obey what they do know God is saying? Why or why not?

3. What has God been revealing to you about his character, his purposes, and his ways?

4. Has God spoken to you specifically? What did he say?

5. When you ask God to guide you, do you really believe he will? Why or why not?

6. Could it be that God has been speaking to you but you have not recognized his voice? Why or why not?

7. Have you been diligent to obey everything you know God has told you to do to the letter?

8. What are some specific directions you are presently seeking from God? What are you doing to find God's will in the matter? Are you prepared to do whatever he tells you?

Blackaby, Henry; Blackaby, Richard. Hearing God's Voice (pp. 59-60). B&H Publishing. Kindle Edition.

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