study notes: hearing God
by donna jordan

hearing God - a basic right
Hearing the voice of God is the basic right for every believer. You have every right to hear your Father's voice and to be led by the Holy Spirit who lives within us. Romans 8:14-28

"My sheep listen to My voice; and I know them and they follow Me." John 10:27

"He who belongs to God hears what God says." John 8:47

"The Lord takes the upright into His confidence." Proverbs 3:32

God communicated with men and women, who walked and talked with Him, and gave them very detailed instructions (Acts 9:10-12)

He hasn't changed. It is we who have changed. We have relied on our own thinking and man's opinions. The voice of others is so strong.

Jesus is our model. He showed us how to live and how to die.

He only did what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19-20,30)

He only spoke as the Father told him to speak (John 8:28-29;12:49)

 four voices we can hear

1. Our Own Voice
   We must die to our own ideas, imaginations, desires and give them to Him
   • "Lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5-6
   • "He who trusts in himself is a fool." Proverbs 28:26; Isaiah 5:21
   • When we walk close to the Lord, His desires become our desires. Psalm 37:4

   Give Him our burdens

   • 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 68:19; Phil.4:6
      
2. Voice Of Others
   Parents, teachers, media, pastors, friends all may have something to contribute; but only look to others as much as they look to Jesus and His Word.
    
3. Voice of the enemy
   Stand against him in the all-powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the "sword of the Spirit," the Word of God.
   • "Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
   • "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:10
   • "Resist the enemy and stand firm in the faith." 1Peter 5:6-11
      
4. Voice of God
   The purpose of prayer is communication, and that leads to relationship.
   We are His children (Romans 8:16)
    
   • His sheep listen to His voice (John 10:3,4,10)
   • "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8
   • The basis of our belief that He will speak to us comes from the knowledge of His character. He longs to communicate with us and lead us and guide us. (Isaiah 50:4-5)
   • God will always make a way for those who believe and obey. His truth will always set us free. (John 8:32; Psalm 84:11)
   • We must walk in obedience to what He has said. If we love Him, we will obey. (John 14:15,23)

 preparation for listening to God

In order to hear God's voice clearly we must have surrendered, clean and Spirit-controlled lives. It's a way of life.

1. Affirm Jesus's Lordship. Jesus must be Lord of your life. (Romans 10:9-10). Are you willing to do whatever He says, before He says it? " We are called to do His will, not ours. (Romans 12:2; 2Cor 5:15)
2. Create in me a clean heart. Up to the knowledge you have, your heart must be right before God.
   • "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." Psalm 66:18
   • "We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does His will." John 9:31
      
3. Quieten yourself before God, and ask Him if there is anything hindering you from hearing from Him. He will show you by His Spirit. Tell Him how much you love Him. We need to learn to be still.
    
4. Die to your desires and ideas as to what you want to hear. Give Him your burdens and anxieties
    
5. Submit to God, resist the enemy and he has to go. (James 4:7)
    
6. Ask the Holy Spirit to come and fill you. He will reveal truth to you. (Luke 11:13; John 16:12-14)
    
7. By faith receive what He has to say to you. The righteous live by faith. Faith to believe that God does want to speak to you and faith to believe what He says. Walking with God, and fellowshipping with God, will not happen without faith.
   • Faith is based on the character of God and the Word of God. Faith always includes an action.
      
8. Thoughts will come into your mind, write them down. Don't argue with God or He will stop speaking, until you are finished.
    
9. Be prepared that He may speak through His Word (Psalm 119:105); or through the eyes of your heart - a vision. (Eph.1:18; Hab 2:1)

 testing the word you have received

1. Does it go according to God's Word? (Acts17:11; 2Tim 3:16-17)
    
2. Does it glorify Jesus and bring you closer to God our Father? (If prophecy exalts anyone but Jesus, be careful.)
    
3. Does it witness in your spirit and with the Spirit of God? (Romans 8:6,16) He gives us a peace beyond our understanding (Phil 4:7; Jn 14:26-27)
    
4. Does it witness in the spirit of others who are in right relationship with God and who are showing the fruit of the Spirit?
    
5. God speaks…truth (He renews our thinking, that we are loved and that He wants the highest good for us). He speaks with clarity (not complicated), gently, instilling hope and establishing intimacy.

Donna Jordan and her husband Peter are founders of YWAM Associates International. Donna teaches extensively in conferences, churches, women´s retreats and Discipleship Training Schools around the world. The main focus of her teaching is that every Christian can hear God´s voice and be led by His Spirit. Her study guides and DVD teachings on hearing God are available from the ministry.

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