Hearing God

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Hearing God

• 5 The Still Small Voice

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1 Kings 1911-12

• The Lord said, Go out and stand on the mountain
  in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is
  about to pass by.

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1 Kings 1911-12

• Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains
  apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord,
  but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind
  there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in
  the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire,
  but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the
  fire came a gentle whisper.
• NIV

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The Ways God Speaks in the Bible

• A phenomenon plus a voice
• A supernatural messenger
• Dreams and visions
• A human voice
• The human spirit the still small voice

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Focus

• A phenomenon plus a voice
• A supernatural messenger
• Dreams and visions
• A human voice
• The human spirit the still small voice

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Why not the more spectacular signs?

• The more spectacular is generally for the less
  mature.
• Signs are not the reality. They point to the
  reality.
• God is building a relationship with each of us.
  Relationships are built on real, personal
  interaction. This is his purpose in
  communicating with us to build a relationship.

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Personal Communication from God

• God can address us in any way he chooses.
• God usually addresses those who walk with him in
  a mature, personal relationship using an inner
  voice.
• Some who often interact with Gods voice may not
  recognize it as special.
• They may be reluctant to speak about it.
• Thats normal. Who tells everyone about their
  most intimate conversations?

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Focus

• A phenomenon plus a voice
• A supernatural messenger
• Dreams and visions
• A human voice
• The human spirit the still small voice

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A Human Voice

• The primary way that God addresses us from
  outside our minds or personalities is through the
  voice of another human being.
• This fits Gods purpose. It engages us as free,
  intelligent beings who love one another and work
  together in Gods work as his friends and
  co-laborers.

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Exodus 412

• Now go I will help you speak and will teach you
  what to say.
• NIV

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Acts 413

• When they saw the courage of Peter and John and
  realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,
  they were astonished and they took note that
  these men had been with Jesus.
• NIV

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The still, small voice

• This is the most personal and private way that
  God speak to us.
• He speaks through our own thoughts and spirits
  and feelings.
• This fits Gods purpose. It engages us as free,
  intelligent beings working together with God as
  his friends and co-laborers.

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Relational Significance

• In the still small voice, we receive a message
  that bears Gods personality in a way that we can
  learn to recognize
• John 10 Jesus sheep know his voice.
• It is not biblical to expect fireworks from
  heaven as the normal way God will speak, and the
  fireworks would not fit Gods purpose, anyway.

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Job 2614

• And these are but the outer fringe of his works
  how faint the whisper we hear of him!
• Who then can understand the thunder of his power?
• NIV

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1 Corinthians 29-10

• However, as it is written
• No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
• no mind has conceived what God has prepared for
  those who love him
• but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The
  Spirit searches all things, even the deep things
  of God.
• NIV

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1 Corinthians 212-13

• We have not received the spirit of the world but
  the Spirit who is from God, that we may
  understand what God has freely given us. This is
  what we speak, not in words taught us by human
  wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit,
  expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
• NIV

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John 1425-26

• All this I have spoken while still with you. But
  the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
  will send in my name, will teach you all things
  and will remind you of everything I have said to
  you.
• NIV

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John 1726

• I have made you known to them, and will continue
  to make you known in order that the love you have
  for me may be in them and that I myself may be in
  them.
• NIV

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Proverbs 2027

• The human spirit is the lamp of Yahwehsearching
  the deepest self.
• New Jerusalem Bible
• The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord,
• Searching all the inward parts of the belly.
• King James Version

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Gods candle shines on our deepest
self-awareness renew your mind.

• Family
• Possessions and money
• Work and Career
• Health
• Fears death
• Thoughts and attitudes toward God, toward
  others, sexuality, preoccupation with reputation
  or appearance

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Practice

• Start by making a conscious effort to recognize
  that God might speak to us as he spoke in the
  Bible to others.
• Those people were generally like us.
• Not me! or I cant do it! doubt is normal
  faith is needed.
• Generally, God does not compete for our
  attention. (Consider Saul as an exception.)

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Jeremiah 2913

• You will seek me and find me when you seek me
  with all your heart.
• NIV

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For Memorization

• 1 Kings 1911-12
• Exodus 412
• Acts 413
• Proverbs 2027
• Jeremiah 2913