Voice of God part 1

Hearing the Voice of God
and having our ears tickled !

Distinguishing God's Voice - keeping out the clutter
Isaiah 30:21

"Do you like having your ears tickled or do you like to tickle other people’s ears?

How can we hear and recognise the voice of God? ( Four Keys to Hearing God's Voice - very good practical help)

Well, one way is that the Holy Spirit stirs our spirit as it were, you, ‘feel’, something is the right thing to do or say. After many experiences you more easily recognise this process, I guess. You begin to distinguish the supernatural from your own feelings – which can sometimes be based on fear or insecurity, eg you want to say something to somebody because you think they will like to hear that and they will like you better for you having said it. You want to ‘tickle’ their ears – like it says in the bible somewhere, people like to have their ears tickled!

Something happened to me and my friends about twelve or more years ago. We met regularly to pray and for some months one thing kept coming up for someone, a problem at work. In fact it was a person causing a lot of grief with their behaviour, which was embroiling our friend, dragging him in and causing a great deal of distress. This person was also senior to our friend. Just at the end of one time of prayer, immediately after we had finished, I felt a sort of shiver, what I now recognise as the ‘Holy Spirit on me’ and I blurted out, “this problem will be resolved very shortly, within two weeks” (ie before we next came to pray together). Afterward I was less sure and expressed this . .now I might be a bit more confident . . Within two weeks this individual had died, my friend was very upset and so was I, so I asked my Dad about this. My Dad reassured me that our prayer hadn't caused this individual's death, rather, God was eager to let us know that He had heard our prayers and that He cared.
In our heads we hear our own voice which is easy to recognise. How many of us know though, that when we hear a voice that says, 'you're no good' or something equally negative - thats the evil one! If you spend a quiet time and ask God to speak, you may begin with practise begin to hear another voice. I bet you anything the first thing He says to you is, 'don't be afarid, I love you'! You can then learn to distinguish between these three voices. Also try this: Write a letter to God, really tell Him how you feel. Then write a letter back from God to you. Try to write as yuor feelings flow, rather using your head too much, if you know what I mean.

Smith follows Holy Spirit's Voice
Smith Wigglesworth Sermon, Australia, Published in Latter Rain Evangel p. 19-24 February 1923

It is a great thing to know that God is loosing you from the world, loosing you from a thousand things. You must seek to have the mind of God on all things. If you don’t, you will stop His working. I had to learn that as I was on the water en route to Australia. We stopped at a place called Aden, where they were selling all kinds of ware. Among other things were some beautiful rugs and ostrich feathers in great quantities. There was a gentleman in “first class” who wanted feathers. He bought one lot and the next lot put up was too big; he did not want so many. He said to me, “Will you join me?” I knew I did not want feathers for I had no room or use for them and wouldn’t know what to do with them if I got them. However, he pleaded with me to join him. I perceived it was the Spirit as clearly as anything and I said, “Yes, I will.” So the feathers were knocked down for fifteen dollars. Then I found the man had no money on him. He had plenty in his cabin. I perceived it was the Spirit again, so it fell to my lot to pay for the feathers. He said to me, “I will get the money and give it to one of the stewards.” I replied: “No, that is not business. I am known all over the ship. You seek me out.”
The man came and brought the money. I said, “God wants me to talk to you. Now sit down.” So he sat down and in ten minutes’ time the whole of his life was unhinged, unravelled, broken up, so broken that like a big baby he wept and cried for salvation. It was “feathers” that did it. But you know we shall never know the mind of God till we learn to know the voice of God. The striking thing about Moses is that it took him forty years to learn human wisdom, forty years to know his helplessness, and forty years to live in the power of God. One hundred and twenty years it took to teach that man, and sometimes it seems to me it will take many years to bring us just where we can tell the voice of God, the leadings of God, and all His will concerning us.

Prayer

Dear Lord

You love us and want us to hear your gentle voice speaking to us. You don't want to leave us without hearing our Father's voice guiding, encouraging and speaking your love language into our hearts. Sometimes we are just too rushed and self absorbed to hear from you. Quiet us, we pray. Open our hearts, remove our fears, come in Lord, Come in.
 
Amen
 
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