Aligning with the will of God: Hearing the Holy Spirit

Aligning with the will of God: Hearing the Holy Spirit

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. - Colossians 3:15.

After the Holy Spirit prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them. - Acts 16:6,7

The Holy Spirit is a faithful companion through life. He is not a mere spectator from the terraces. He is far from being a silent listener in every conversation. He comes along to equip, coach, and lead you. The Holy Spirit is a member of the threesome nature of God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit) and serves as the Spokesperson and Executive Director. Paul was led by the Holy Spirit on his missionary journeys. As in Acts 16:6, places that also had people who needed to hear the good news were at times avoided in favour of others the Holy Spirit pointed out. Paul would not go where the Holy Spirit was not telling him to go and would keenly go where the Holy Spirit was leading him. That certainly was the secret to his great success.

What must you know about how the Holy Spirit speaks?

The Holy Spirit has a way of communicating which if you ignore you will miss his voice.

1) The Holy Spirit is Gentle. He is a gentle person who does not impose himself on people. He does not override their wills. He may even wait patiently and sadly is often grieved and quenched when he speaks and is not taken seriously (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30). He is as harmless as a dove to God’s people and fire to their sin and enemies. He often speaks in a still small voice which requires attention.  Without listening the voice may be missed. He is also not rushed. They that wait upon the Lord are the ones whose strength is renewed (Isaiah 40:31). Elijah dramatically learnt the gentle voice of God.

Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest (1 Kings 18). The God who would bring down fire to burn the sacrifice on an altar he had rebuilt would be the true God. They did everything possible including cutting themselves as they sought to persuade Baal to bring down fire. They failed dismally and painfully. On the contrary, Elijah despite even pouring water on the Altar prayed a simple prayer and fire came down and consumed the sacrifice. He went on to punish the false prophets by killing them. When King Ahab told his domineering wife Jezebel what had happened to their prophets she was furious and sent a message to Elijah. It read, May my gods deal severely with me if by this time tomorrow you have not suffered the same fate as the prophets you killed.  This message set Elijah on the run. He was so hopeless that lying under a tree and he prayed to God that he may die. He stretched himself on the ground as if ready to depart. He however slept and was woken up by an angel and was served fresh cake and water. He slept and was woken again to the same. With the energy, he traveled to Mt Horeb where God would speak to him. A mighty wind, a great earthquake, and a fire, reminiscent of when God spoke to the people at the same mountain as recorded in the book of Exodus, came but God was not in them (1 Kings 19:11-13). After the fire, he then heard God speak in a still small voice.

2) The Holy Spirit has something to say. He wants to speak to you. He longs for a chance to say something (Luke 10:41-42). His mission is to reveal things that no eye has seen, no ear heard, or mind imagined, that God has prepared for those who love him. God has revealed these to us by his Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).

3) The Holy Spirit is the best communicator. Believe you can hear his voice. Jesus declared that his sheep hear his voice. ‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27)’. He does not lie nor was he mad. His word is truth to be believed. Commit to learning his language. Nurture your relationship with God through listening, personal devotions of prayer, and meditating on God’s word. That is the way to develop the ability to recognise God’s voice. Elijah knew it was God speaking when he heard his voice (1 Kings 19:11). You may not be able to describe the experience but you know when he spoke. You are most familiar with the voices of the people you spend the most time with. The same is true with God. Hearing and understanding the voice of the Holy Spirit is a product of love or a relationship, not just an occasional consultation as is done with a witch doctor.

4) The Holy Spirit can sound crazy to the human mind. It is very easy to brush aside his voice as impossible, illogical, or outrageous. ‘Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days-- You would not believe if you were told (Habakkuk 1:5).’ He speaks to the heart, not to the head. What he says may not follow human logic and requires that you walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)

5) The Holy Spirit Requires openness. He speaks to those who desire and are ready and expect to hear from him.  He speaks to those that are not already set on something else but are open to being led. He speaks to those who are willing to obey. Hearing God is therefore also a readiness to obey.

6) The Holy Spirit needs a word environment (Colossians 3:16). That is why meditating on God’s word day and night is the recipe for success in all things (Psalm 1:1-3). When he speaks to the heart you pick it up through a renewed mind (Romans 12:2).

What are some ways by which the Holy Spirit leads?

>> He blows a whistle..And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. —Colossians 3:15. The peace of God is a referee. He uses his inner peace to mean yes and an inner unsettling, upsetting or ruffling to mean no or wait or exercise caution.

He illuminates scripture. He speaks through the word of God when it is heard, or read. He uses the Bible preachers, literature, and any avenue through which one can hear the word of God.

>> He places a burden or nudge in the heart to do or say something. Often the burden is a call to prayer. ‘Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed (Mathew 26:38-39).

>> He gives a supernatural awareness or knowledge of something just comes. You are looking for something misplaced and bang you decide you should check in the locker. You are not sure what to say and bang the answer comes to mind.

>>He sends people. Believe his prophets ‘Believe in the Lord your God; so shall ye be established. Believe His prophets; so shall ye prosper (2 Chronicles 2:20). He will send a Nathan to challenge your wayward ways. He uses people and sometimes he may even speak through nonbelievers.

>>He orchestrates circumstances and events. He will dry up the water source as with Elijah or cause a storm as with Jonah. God allows certain situations to draw your attention or to confirm his word.

>> He can place a song in your heart to encourage you. I experience this often.

>>He may also speak through an audible voice, visions, and dreams.

What if I get him wrong?

There are ways to test and confirm what you believe God has spoken to you. For example:

·         Alignment with the word of God. The word of God is the first and ultimate test of what you hear. God does not lie.

·         Alignment with his revealed calling and will for your life. Take heed to fulfill his calling. God is not a God of confusion.

·         Alignment with edification. The word says to only speak to others that which edifies (Ephesians 4:29). He cannot be worse than what he requires of us. The Holy Spirit will speak to uplift and redeem. He convicts and does not condemn. He aims to exhort,  comfort, empower and encourage (1 Corinthians 14:3). Any voice that puts you down and says ‘you are a mole’, you are nothing, etc is not his voice.  

·         Alignment with your spouse and key people affected by a decision. He is peaceable.

·         Alignment of several communication avenues. If the word says it, you sense it, your close spiritually mature associates say so, circumstances are lining up, etc then pause and give the message careful consideration.

Exhortation

There is a River that is flowing over your dry and thirsty heart (Psalm 63:1; 46:4) and flowing from you (John 37:38). The question is will you flow with it. The way to follow and flow with the Holy Spirit is by developing a relationship with him so close that you hear his voice and obey it. Flowing with the river means moving in the will of God. It means being led by the Holy Spirit. Ezekiel was led into a river until he was no longer in control as the water carried him and he flowed with it (Ezekiel 47:1 ff).

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. - John 16:13.

In your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed My voice. -Genesis 22:18.

By Kurai Chitima