The Joshua Mission Podcast
Podcast – Weekly, Wednesday, from 18 Sep 2024 for 7 weeks
Updated 24031
THEME TALK
Hearing God's Will for our lives
My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow me – John 10:27
Spiritual Renewal Gathering
Friday, 18 to Sunday, 20 July 2014
Importance of Hearing God
- For who we are
- For how we live
- For what we live for
- Special Note: Knowing oneself is An Integral Part of Knowing God More!
- For walking with GOD
How we Hear God
- The State of Our Walk
- Challenges to Hearing God
- The Bible
- The Spirit
- The Ways
After we Hear Him
- Response of the Heart
- Action
- Follow Up
Session 1 – Importance of Hearing God
At the Whole Life Level
For who we are
Our personal identity is built on God's Word and purpose for us
If we are not hearing Him we may fail to know who we truly are ourselves
For how we live
Whether or not one put God first and seek to hear and obey Him affects how we live
Our perspectives, priorities, behaviours, attitudes, values, etc.
For what we live for
Our life purpose – what we want and choose to live for – what it SHOULD BE – comes from knowing God and His will for us
We to be able to HEAR Him and Obey for this to happen
Special Note:
- Knowing oneself is An Integral Part of Knowing God More!
It is VERY Significant that as one Hear & Obey God for one's life one ALWAYS grows in self-knowledge & understanding
Why this is so will become clearer when we do Session 2 on HOW we Hear
At the Day-to-Day Level
Walking with GOD Day by Day – the following are Elements of How to Do So –
- Seeking His Presence, Leading & Enabling DAILY
- Personal Devotion
- Bible Study, Meditation, Application
- Prayer – for guidance, for enabling
In ALL Decision-Making – Big or Small
Guiding Verses – read Proverbs 3:5,6
Make it A Commitment & Practice that when we are Deciding on Any Matter Big or Small we PRAY for HIS guidance & leading
ALWAYS act by Biblical Wisdom – we need to learn it to use it!
Even as we work towards a Decision – PRAY for His Leading and Listen
- He may not always say something specific BUT If He Does we NEED to listen
- why He may not always give specific direction is because we are Responsible to think and act for ourselves – He did not make us to be robots
- BUT how we choose and decide is an outcome for who or what we worship (put first) and the beliefs, values and priorities we hold – is it biblicaly & godly, or sinful and worldly or even demonic!
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Discovery & Group Questions
In the light of the session's lesson, do a Personal Review of your own walk with God
- What is the state of your walk with God at this time?
- How effective are you in meeting and walking with the Lord daily?
- Consider some Decisions that you have made
- Which were made with His leading and which were not? Why or why not?
- What difference do you see?
Share with each what you learned from your self-examination.
Session 2 – How we Hear God
Basic Factors that Helps us to Hear Him
Walking & Growing Soundly in Christ - the State of Our Walk
- Not walking in Sin
- No known unrepented sin
- True Surrender
- True Discipleship
- Level of Maturity
- Level of Communion with God
- Periodic Self-Examination with the Spirit' Counsel
This may be Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Annually, Every 3, 5 or 10 years
Combine some short-term and long-term reviews
Know & Live the Bible
- Acting on Knowing & Living the Bible
- Constantly live by, think by, decide by, Biblical Truths & Teachings
Relate with the Spirit as our Leader
He Speaks to us Today what the Father & the Son says
How the Spirit may speak – drawn from the Bible and from Christian testimonies –
- Personal or Angelic Appearance
- Visions & Dreams
- Words – audible or visible
- Leadings & Promptings – through prayers, thoughts & ideas, personal devotion
- Bible Reading – through personal devotion, Bible study
- Sermons & Messages – through worship services and Bible classes
- Christian leaders – their guidance, instruction and counsel
- Fellow Christians – through the Gifts of the Spirit or ordinary conversation
- Circumstances – Open or Close Doors; turn of events
- Nature – God speaks through His creation
Principle of Agreement
- He usually speaks in MORE Than One of the above ways
- The Different Ways Agree
Principle of Proportionality
- The More Important the More Intense the Emphasis
- Not every matter requires Very Strong leading
- He KNOWS what we Need to be Sure IF we are Sincere & Trust Him
KEY Principles that enable us to Hear God Well
The MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR
True Surrender to Him – to Truly WANT to Do HIS Will – whatever it may be
This is the MOST IMPORTANT Factor because if it is true, the LORD will be our help – He will Ensure that you get to know His will
All obstacles will be sorted in due course by His grace – persist in seeking Him to obey
If there is No True Surrender, we can fall into deception because of our own flesh, or by worldly pressures, or by the lies and intimidation of the devil
Challenges to Hearing God
These are issues that can block or blunt our hearing Him clearly or rightly
- Sin – calls for True Repentance & Correction
- Our own agendas – needs to be identified and differentiated from God's voice
- Hidden agendas – needs to be identified and differentiated from God's voice
- may be someone or something that always affect the way we think or feel about anything we do – may be due to excessive concern or fear – like a loved one, money, security, career advancement, status, etc.
- Not being clear what it is that we are seeking ourselves – this needs to be sorted first before going further
- Honesty with God and with yourself – correct any self-deception due to ignoring or hiding any of the above factors
- Lack of Faith in Him – His Love or His Wisdom or His Power
- needs to be Admitted and Dealt with Him
The Way to Hear Him
There are times when, without our asking, He speaks to us
- if we have heard, Obey
This section deals with the Situation when you are Seeking to Know His Will but have Not Heard or Want Greater Clarity and Certainty
It is to help us sort out ourselves so that we can Hear Him
It is NOT about sorting God out! He does not need our sorting.
If there is any problem, it lies on our side! Recognise this NOT to condemn or berate ourselves, But to seek His guidance & enabling through PRAYER for HIM to Minister to us & sort us out!
Steps & Process to Hear Him
Identify what it is that you are seeking of Him
- we can start asking God questions without even knowing what it is that we are seeking!If this is so, we are always confused because of our own muddle, not because God is not speaking
- If you Do NOT Know what you are Seeking – START THERE!
- Admit to Him IN PRAYER
- Seek Him to sort you out!
- CONTINUE to PRAY while getting ON with what is in hand
- Trust that He will sort you out in due time
- when you Reach Clarity, then seek Him Further for what's next
PRAY Specifically for what YOU are asking of Him – Not general ideas and general guidance But State As Exactly As you Can what you are Seeking
- Pray IN FAITH expecting His Answer
- WAIT for His Reply
EXAMINE yourself as you Pray, ask for the Spirit to lead & enable you
- what are you asking
- WHY are you asking
- Motive?
- Purpose or Intention?
- Reason?
IF there is something wrong in these areas, you Need to seek Him to Sort it Out FIRST Before proceeding further
WAIT for His Reply - CONTINUE to PRAY & CONTINUE to Do what is In Hand to Do
- identify and sort any of the Obstacles to Hearing noted earlier
- be aware of How He may speak & Be Attentive
- test everything by what the Bible teaches
- if any doubt creeps in or crops up – identify what it is and why and seek the Lord's answer to it – it is USUALLY due to the reaction of our flesh, the pressure of the world, or the wiles of the devil to confuse us
When HE Replies, OBEY – ACT in according with what He says
- His Answer is Always Specific, Clear & Definite
- So If Unsure, DO NOT respond
- Act Only After you are SURE it is HIM
A Useful Approach
If you LIKE to do something – lift it to Him to see if He objects – OR -
If you Rather NOT Do something – lift it to Him to see if He accepts your objection
- set a reasonable time frame to wait for His reply
- remember, He can also respond IMMEDIATELY
- if He objects to what you like accept it and obey – if Not, Go Ahead
- if He accepts what you rather not do, Do Not Do It – if Not, Do It
- if is Open to Him to say Anything He Wants beside yes or no, if so, LISTEN!
- Do According to His Response – but CONTINUE to LISTEN
- however He answers, it is Useful to Ask HIM WHY, if we do not already know why, so that we can learn
Finding OUT God's Life Call for you
Over and above finding God's guidance for different issues and different situations, One Fundamental Need for all of us is to know what is His Life Call for us.
One's Life Call is the Main Purpose or Theme of God's Will for our lives
- when you know what it is, you will have find Clarity, Purpose and Meaning in why He leads you to do the things that you do
- you will have a Definite sense of Direction for your life
- it will Help you to Better Hear Him for the different things He may ask you to do from time to time because these would be related to your Life Call
The Way to Find Out your Life Call, if you do not already know it, is to Apply the “Steps and Process” noted above by making this A SPECIFIC PRAYER you pray for His answer.
As you Obey the Lord STEP by STEP, Issue by Issue, you will Also Get A Progressively Clearer Picture of what His Life Call is for you
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Discovery & Group Questions
In the light of the Session's lessons, do a self-examination of
- how you have heard Him speak to you
- how you have missed hearing Him
- do your best to identify
- what helped you to hear Him better
- what obstacles or problem you have in hearing
- what have you learned that would help you hear better?
Guide Point – Do Not Think In General – Take One Case or Matter at A Time
Share the insights and lessons you gained with the group.
Session 3 – After Hearing Him
What To Do AFTER we have Heard Him?
Response of the Heart
How we Response to what He tells us is Important
- we NEED to be HONEST with HIM and with ourselves
Whether Positive or Negative, we need to Identify it for what it is and Bring it to HIM for His input
Possible NEGATIVE Responses
Examples
Anger, Disappointment, Reluctance, Resistance, Objection, Opposition
ALL Negative Responses that Need further IMMEDIATE & SERIOUS Prayerful Seeking for HIS Ministry & Counsel
POSITIVE Responses
PEACE or JOY enter our heart, mind & spirit when we truly seek to Obey and have Heard Him
CONVICTION & COMMITMENT to OBEY – even if it means paying a heavy cost
Positive Responses lead to Obedience! Go DO IT!
Do NOT Delay! This leads to distraction, forgetfulness, confusion or other negatives creeping in
Action
ACT in according with the Word – this is Obedience
The Kind of Action to take Depends on the Nature of the Word Received
It may be IMMEDIATE, DELAYED, or DO NOTHING
It may be The NEXT STEP or it may be The DECISIVE STEP
Follow Up
Review what happens After you have Acted and Follow Up with the NEXT Appropriate Action Until the Matter is Fully Fulfilled
CONTINUE to Seek the LORD! Do NOT ignore Him because you think it is over. We NEED Continuing Communion with HIM for the WHOLE of our lives
- any act of obedience is One Step within A Whole Life of Obedience!
- A Serious Mistake is to think that we have reached a point when we Do NOT need to refer to God again!
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Discovery & Group Questions
In the light of the Session's lesson, review past situations in your life when you heard from Him and how you responded – consider one case at a time –
- What happened after you responded the way you did?
- What can you learn from this?
- What points of this Session helps you?Why?
Share what you have learned with the group.