WELCOME
Format
† Open with Prayer
† Sermon
† Prayer / Response Time
† Guest Speaker
† Prayer / Response Time
TO LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
Everyone wants God’s will in their life. Even if they don’t know it!
But to know God’s will we MUST;
† Be Saved (otherwise Salvation is God’s will for you)
It is God’s will that all are saved and come to a knowledge of the Truth (which is Jesus Christ) 1 Timothy 2:3-5
Romans 12:2
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (NEW CREATION THROUGH SALVATION). Then you will be able to test and approve (MEASURE AGAINST SCRIPTURE) what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
† We MUST read the Word of God (we learn God’s character, personality, who He is)
† We MUST pray (this is how we build our relationship with God, by talking to Him)
† Most importantly We MUST listen. (How much have we missed because we were not listening)
Last night: Are you in a relationship with God (Salvation)
Salvation, submission, repenting, God’s grace.
THREE steps to hear the Holy Spirit;
- Reading the Word of God
- Prayer
- Listening
The Bible is the Word of God. The Bible reveals God. God is a living being. He's a person. And because the Bible is the Word of God, because it reveals who God is, it is one of the necessary ingredients for hearing from the Holy Spirit.
We need to spend time reading the Word of God to learn about God.
It may sound simple to say, "Read the Word." But many of us have tried without much success.
I personally have to study the Word.
Not only do we need to read the Word, but we also need to understand it and apply it to our lives.
Understanding is greater than knowledge.
Devil has knowledge of the Word, but no understanding.
Understanding ONLY comes from the Holy Spirit.
This is why Jesus taught parables, so those who did not have the spirit could begin in understanding.
What good is knowledge you do not understand?
Better to understand 1 scripture a day than memorize 10!
We gain so much in reading the Word.
Ephesians 1:17-18 Paul’s Prayer
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation (SPIRITUAL GIFTS), so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you...”
What is wisdom and revelation for? The same thing all of the spiritual gifts are for, building and edifying the body of Christ.
Building and edifying = Closer relationship with God
This is the purpose for the Spiritual Gifts, and the only way they should be used.
Not could be…Should be!
Like Mary said last Sunday, God is the creator, but creations can be perverted.
We can misuse the Spiritual Gifts if we are not careful.
If it was not possible to misuse them, God would not have told us specifically what they are for…building and edifying the Body of Christ.
The Body of Christ is BELIEVERS.
So they may KNOW HIM BETTER.
Prays for the eyes of our heart be open to what God has called us to.
Eyes of our heart will be open or closed to God’s Holy Spirit.
This is the essence of listening.
Do you have a heart that is receiving?
Are the eyes of your heart open?
Reading the word of God can help open the eyes of your heart!
† Discover God’s character
† Discover God’s love
† Discover how God works
† Discover how God speaks
† Measure it all against the Word
Our eyes will then be “enlightened” as Paul calls it, to receive God’s calling on us. His Will.
Another important aspect of hearing from the Holy Spirit besides reading the Word of God, is talking with God.
We do this in prayer.
Reading God’s Word is how we find out about God, and it opens the eyes of our hearts to receive from God, but PRAYER is how we have a personal relationship with God.
But we MUST be saved to pray to God;
John 9:31
“We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.”
Otherwise, the only thing you can pray for is Salvation.
Reading God’s Word makes the connection between us and God, prayer is how we communicate over that connection.
Prayer in the form of talking to God, taking our concerns to Him, our requests, our intercessions for others…
The more time we spend in prayer with God, the closer we grow to Him.
When you want to get closer to someone, you talk with them.
You build the relationship.
In prayer, our conversations with God, sometimes we forget something that is very important when talking with someone, and that is giving the other person a chance to talk as well.
Nothing is worse than a one sided conversation.
I will never forget the first time I heard from God.
The more you read the Word, the better you will recognize God’s words.
The more you pray the closer you will get with God.
Then when you listen, when the Holy Spirit speaks to you, you will know it’s God because you have learned His character and personality from His Word.
You will know it’s God because what He says will line up EXACTLY with the scriptures you have read.
God will never contradict His Word.
And the more time you spend with God, you will know it is Him because you will become familiar with His voice.
Just as a loved one over the phone.
You won’t need caller ID.
God has a will for everyone…to be saved.
After that, God has a will for everyone who is saved…to take the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ into the World.
And God has a will for the steps you are to take to accomplish this task.
The first 2 Wills of God are the same for everyone;
- Salvation
- Preach the Gospel
But the third is where we begin to have confusion in our lives.
God’s will for me to accomplish God’s will of preaching the Gospel may not be the same as yours.
But then again, it could be.
But we as individuals in our relationship with the Lord must seek that out for ourselves.
There are those who trivialize God’s Holy Spirit speaking to us.
I’ve heard well known TV Pastors talk about asking God what tie to wear in the morning.
Personally, I feel that God’s will MUST serve a purpose.
If that tie was going to start up a conversation with someone you would have never spoke with, and a seed is planted because of it, then GREAT!
But God’s will MUST serve a purpose.
We know the 3 wills of God…
- salvation
- preach the Gospel
- How you will preach the Gospel
Tomorrow we will be discussing different witnessing techniques.
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