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Category Archives: Hearing the Spirit


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Receiving the New Wine

Receiving the New Wine

I’ve been putting up videos on YouTube full of powerful truths that I pray your heart knows, for as you live in them they produce a fruitful vine in your life. If you haven’t watched the recent videos, I encourage you to go watch them in order, as truth builds.

Previously, I talked about the wedding of Cana and how that event is symbolic of the time we are in. John 2 At this wedding, Jesus conducted the first miracle of His ministry, which was creating new wine. It was a wine far better than the old. It symbolized the old covenant versus the new covenant. Once again, at His return His first miracle is creating new wine. He is filling those prepared to receive the wine, those with new wineskins, with the promises of the new covenant. Partake of this wine, which is His ever deepening truths encompassed in power, and watch what happens in your life. Isaiah 25:4-8

To embrace this new wine you have to let go of the old wine, thus a static finite understanding of His truths. Let me explain.

God is truth. Truth is infinite. Thus, truth is established layer upon layer fitting together perfectly as God is perfect, and our knowledge of truth expands as God is infinite. It’s God who assembles His truths in us as a Master Craftsman. Ephesians 2:10 Any understanding we have of a concept of God can go deeper; much deeper. When I started to be instructed by God Himself; the truths I learned started broad, and as I continued to seek they grew more and more detailed. The concepts I have understood from Him have always proven true, yet as I continue to seek they have constantly deepened and expanded. You can see this dynamic by going back to my old posts. The truths has always built and deepened.

For any truth of God, it’s like looking at a forest. First, all you see is a forest. As you continue to seek His instruction, your understanding deepens. Following the analogy of the forest, you learn there are different types of trees in the forest, then you see each of the trees have leaves and bark, then you start seeing the details of the leaves. All is true, yet as you are instructed by God your understanding of truth deepens. This is why you have to be careful of thinking what you learned at any one time is a full understanding of that truth. It always goes deeper as God Himself is infinite. This deepening nature occurs with the characteristics of God Himself as well as with the words of the Bible that reflect those characteristics. This is why you can continue to read the Bible year after year and continue to learn more and more.

To obtain the new wine, we have to let go of our expectations of how the word of God plays out in our lives and in the world, thus a static understanding. God’s thoughts are far above ours, thus we can’t imagine what He has in store for us. Isaiah 55:8-9 We can know the promises, but how those are fulfilled and manifested we don’t know until it happens. Thus, if we hold onto a fix picture of what lays ahead in our lives or for the world, it will inhibit our understanding, thus our faith.

In my own life, I never imagined my life would be what it is. Yet, I see how God has been faithful to answer my prayers and fulfill His promises to me, just not in how I expected. I couldn’t imagine what He had in store because He directs my steps not me. Jeremiah 10:23 The path to the fulfillment of those promises and what those promises look like in my life are far more perfect and beyond what I could have imagined in my limited understanding. If I forced and clung to my expectations of how I thought those promises would play out, then I would have missed the tremendous blessings that came from letting Him direct my paths perfectly. We have to leave the means of how His promises are fulfilled up to Him. Psalm 62:5

This outlook of setting our expectations aside is how we must proceed in what lays ahead for the end of days as Christ comes to reign in righteousness. We know the promises, but how they are going to play out and what that fulfillment will actually look like in reality we can’t know or imagine until it starts happening. Thus we have to be teachable and let God show and teach us taking us deeper into understanding as He wills and let go of fixed understandings. We have to let go of set images of how He will return and let Him teach us and show us the new wine. Otherwise, we will unknowingly reject it.

The Bible presents a rough outline of the depth of truths that it holds. Only the Spirit of God can teach you all that lies beneath each passage, verse and word. It’s like these posts. I share words with you, but the understanding behind them that I hold is much more detailed. His truth is very vast and far beyond words on a page, yet those words of the Bible will always reflect the truth. It is like looking at a picture of Italy verses going there. As you begin to experience the deepening reality of those truths; you will understand this dynamic. If you stay at the level of seeing a forest believing that is all there is and never enter into it to understand its depths you won’t experience it. Let God teach you by taking you deeper and deeper into your understanding of His truths, for this is how you come to experience more of Him and all He has in store for you.

Some are embracing this new wine; some are clinging to the old. This division is causing a separation among professing believers. Be one who receives the new wine.

For those being united to Christ, as Christ unites His spirit to ours, our understanding of His truths is deepening at accelerated rates. Along with that understanding is power as those truths are now starting to reign as the reign of wickedness is being cast down. This power of Christ infusing the truths we hold is significantly transforming our inner lives, thus all around us. May this light shine into the world showing the mercy, love and perfection of our heavenly Father.


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Learning Spirit to Spirit

Learning Spirit to Spirit

 

1 Corinthians 2:13-14
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

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God is Calling to You

God is Calling to You

Are You Listening; Do You Hear?

 

John 3:21 “But he who DOES the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been DONE In GOD.”

God’s voice comes to us from deep from within. His call is to follow His ways, which lead us from an existence of torment, angst, pain, and suffering and into green pastures and still waters. His wisdom leads to rest; internal and external rest (for the two are deeply intertwined). If you are in Him, you have His wisdom and your physical life reflects that gift, power, and peace.

If You Are Listening …

If you follow God’s leading, your life reflects His presence. You are ever increasing in wisdom, truth, knowledge, understanding, compassion, forgiveness, peace, blessing, protection, favor, health, loving kindness and the purest of love for all. This is how you know you are in Him. Your life testifies to it. And in these days this growth is accelerating for those who are following Him because Christ is gathering those who love Him to Him. He is truth.

The truth, Christ, is here, calling from within. The stone has been rolled back from the well of living waters. Truth is gushing out and meeting you where you are at, in your soul where His seed is sown. At first, you’ll perceive His leading as a good/cleansed/renewed conscience, which in time becomes apparent is His voice. You’ll be prompted to let go of bad habits and thoughts and embrace new ones. To forgive, to let go, and to give mercy instead of judgment. You’ll change your ways, priorities, and how you live. You’ll leave some friends and embrace others. Honor will grow for all people. You’ll start to care for the temple, your body, as His precious vessel. A loving spirit will replace a judging and adulterous one. Wisdom will fill your decisions and choices; thus creating paths of peace instead of angst/hardship. As you follow these promptings, your desires will start to change until they are in unity with His. Then you will abide in total freedom as a child as you no longer have a battle in your mind, because your desire is His. Mark 10:15 Then your entrance is granted into the kingdom of heaven as you are adorned in light. 2 Peter 1:10-11

This transformation occurs because you are moving deeper into truth; the mind/body of Christ. Your soul will become adorned with garments of light (truth/righteousness). Revelation 3:5 These garments of light are your protection from the increasing evils of the days, as light repels darkness. They hide you from the enemy, for they allow you entrance into the kingdom of heaven, which is the ark of safety, rest and peace. Revelation 3:10 As you listen to the voice of truth teaching you good from evil, for until now many have called what is evil good and what is good evil, God’s presence will engulf you leading you out of the pit. He’ll “rapture” you from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light (truth). It is a “rapture” of the mind and spirit. With the faith of God, you create life for He is life. Without these garments of truth, you can’t enter into the kingdom of heaven (light) for the kingdom is truth. You have to become it, to be in it. Once you start to become as Christ, then you truly start to see Him as He is. With spiritual truths, you only know them when you become them and they are a part of you.

If You AREN’T Listening …

By our faith, we create.

Those who DON’T listen to the Great Shepherd’s voice calling from within for whatever reason (religion, ways of world, thinking He is coming from outside them, Matthew 13:1-8) will continue to follow the paths of death. With their minds, they are creating the paths they walk. If your mind is full of darkness that is what you create. If it is full of life, then that is what you create. The works of your hands (beliefs) judge you because they manifest in your life and you have to live by them. If darkness, then suffering. If light, then peace and rest.

As the truth springs out of the earth, it will reveal all the works of darkness. Those souls who have walked contrary to God will manifest what they have chosen; paths that have no wisdom. As God’s mercy is lifted all will be revealed for what it is as the works are exposed for what they are. Wisdom will flee from their lives increasing the hardships. The will will become uncontrollable as darkness consumes it. Thus, they will create their own reality of strife, hardship, pain and suffering as they chose what wasn’t of the true God, His truth. This is their judgment inflicted by their own hands. Ezekiel 24:14

This depravity is a downward spiral, for the more angst you have in your life, the harder it is to follow the truth. God’s voice comes as a still small voice. When our souls are in a peaceful state it is easiest to hear Him. This is why the morning is the best time to seek truth and the voice of God, for your mind is the most peaceful. But as lives grow in travail, the anxiousness of people’s minds will make it harder to discern, hear, and trust that voice from within. Fear drives us with a horrific compulsion, which once strong in us it rules us to follow it to its demise. We all have had those times when our soul is stressed and how much harder it is to hear God. Imagine that amplified. In this state, to turn to God’s ways (true repentance) and stop the increasing strife will be harder. True repentance = in the moment of decision; choosing to following God’s prompting instead of any other drive/motive. This is why it is so important to seek the truth of God now. For when you listen and follow God it creates rest and peace, which allows more rest and peace to manifest.

Yet, this growing angst in people’s souls isn’t without perfect purpose by a loving God. It will serve them who think they are rich and don’t need to trust God or have a false image of God. Revelation 3:17 In time, by the salvation of God in the power of Christ’s love, their eyes will be opened to see the depravity of their ways, though great shame will follow especially for those who followed a false image of God. This awareness will bring them to truly becoming poor in spirit. The rich can not enter the kingdom of heaven (and there are many forms of riches), but God knows how to make a spirit poor. Matthew 19:23-26 He is The Creator. Their ways and strongholds of false powerless idols will be revealed for what they are. This awareness is a great gift for it in many will truly desire to cease walking in their ways and embrace the wisdom of God, which is His perfect will.

What to do?

Create a place and time of stillness, peace and quiet in your life. Some will have to make a lot of changes to their daily habits. Start to listen to Christ, the truth, calling to you with bands of love from within. Follow His promptings in our situations and in how He teaches you to think. Feast on Him. Eat His body, truth, and drink His blood, spirit. John 6:53 In the union of these two; spirit and truth, spiritual life is born. Seek to find the pearl of wisdom, Christ’s spirit in you, and you know when you have found it for you sell all else (all other things that direct/influence your soul; religion and ways of world), and embrace the presence of God wanting to fill and enrapture you into His marvelous kingdom of peace.


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Growing in the Mind of Christ

Growing in the Mind of Christ

1 Corinthians 2:16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God–and righteousness and sanctification and redemption–

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Masquerading as Voice of Truth

Masquerading as Voice of Truth

Most people believe they can detect a lying spirit, but given the abundance of religions and denominations in those religions … we better take another look at our surety in this matter.

Proverbs 14:15 The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps. 

1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 

1 Timothy 4:2  Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

We are to believe God’s words to us from His Holy Spirit above ALL others’ words. Do you do this? Do you spend time with God listening and learning from His Spirit to be able to place His words of life above all others?

If you do, it’s your greatest defense and protection. It will lead you down paths of life (rest, peace, joy and righteous love).

If you don’t, it’s your greatest downfall. It will lead you down paths of hardship, affliction, pain and suffering.

What does your life reveal about what path you are on? Your life is your testimony.

Sovereignty of God’s Words

In abiding in the sovereignty of God’s words, I’m not talking about your pastor or favorite teacher giving their opinions about God’s Word and truth. I’m talking about what YOU have learned YOURSELF from God directly about God, you, others, His truths, and this world.

Make a list of your beliefs. Then next to them write where you learned that belief from (e.g. heaven, hell, salvation, end times, anti-christ, surrender, worship, service to God, relationship to God, love, forgiveness).  You should be moving to learning from God Himself in all things. 1 John 2:27

We are to put God’s words to us; words spoken to our spirit by the Holy Spirit above all others regardless of what “authority” or position they hold in this world. God desires to lead us down the paths of life, but if don’t heed His word above all others we won’t travel very far with Him. Putting other’s words first can and often does lead to great bondage and damage to our souls. For this reason, we have the Holy Spirit. But our part is to listen to and follow Him.

When it comes to God, we’ve been ill-taught to rely on others in a way we were never meant to. We put people in authority and put their words over the promptings of our heart. We put the masses concepts of God over seeking to know Him as He is from God Himself. Surely that many people can’t be wrong … really? Mark 13:22

Especially in these days, if we haven’t developed a strong connection with the source of truth we have a high propensity to be greatly led astray. 2 Thess 2:10

Masquerade as Angel of light

It’s easy for Satan to masquerade as an angel of light; to mimic the words and appearances of what we deem good and loving, for he has manufactured those images. 2 Corinthians 11:14 He is the designer of the sheep’s clothing and over the thousands of years has gotten quite good at it; the external humble, loving, and good person.

If we don’t have a solid foundation of truth and built our house (soul) upon the Rock, it will be easy to fool us for he knows the scriptures better than most professing believers who spend very little time seeking and learning from the Holy Spirit. He knows how to twist them just enough to keep us blinded and sending us into bondage. Scriptures people don’t know because haven’t been taught them one-on-one by the Holy Spirit. The very words that can free us if we would trust God to teach us, he uses to bind us with a few twists and misinterpretations. He has created false doctrines.  He has created a false image of God; how to serve Him, worship Him, and how He works. Question is, if you haven’t sought to know about God from God Himself, then who do you really know and worship? He gives signs and wonders, like healings, to misled people and more deeply ensnare them into his doctrines of death.

Some masqueraders are caught in their hypocrisy, but many continue to mislead because those listening to them lack a love for truth and thus fall for their false doctrines that keep them bound in lies and out of abundant life.

Beware of the images you hold of “godly” people, and putting your trust in them because of that image. Instead seek to know God as He is and His truth.


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God is Speaking; Are you Listening?

God is Speaking

Are you Listening?

 

I’ve been seeking God for a long time and this year I’ve experienced a newness of life which continues to grow and expand … God is speaking … and He is pouring out transforming words of life leading to a rebirth to those who listen; words that usher you into His Kingdom on earth. Matthew 6:10

1 John 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

There is a voice of truth within you, if you will listen. Hebrews 8:10-11, John 18:37 It’s the voice of God directing you into eternal abundant life. Isaiah 30:21 It’s telling you how to think, act, and live in the smallest detail. If heeded, it establishes your thoughts to be thoughts of life, which causes true life to grow in you and around you. Proverbs 16:3 Its counsel is perfect, powerful and of the purest love. It’s not about religion, mankind’s contrived images/doctrines of God. It’s about you and your Creator and your connection to Him grounded in truth and spirit.

If you listen, believe, and follow you will experience growing rest, peace, joy and righteous love in your life for it directs you to this type of life. John 10:10, Matthew 11:29

If you don’t listen and continue to give other voices authority, you will see growing unrest, angst, suffering, afflictions and hardships.

The Day of the Lord is Dawning

This voice of truth will guide you in these days and the tribulation upon us. It will transform you into a new creation by the makeover of your mind as words of life take root within you. It will lead you into your deepest desires without corruption and in perfection. Psalm 37:4

If you listen, it will teach you the scriptures leading to life. 1 John 2:27 It will speak loudly through the prophets and their adamant instructions, warnings and guidance to what is happening in these days.  It will show you the great mysteries of God. Its truth will protect you for it will keep you from the traps, snares and pits of the enemy. Psalm 18:30 It will teach you what is happening beyond the physical layer of life into the spiritual. As it does, it will morph the spiritual world with the physical and thus you will start to experience the kingdom of heaven on earth in a new power and presence.

It will protect you from the spiritual warfare; the raging battle for the souls of mankind. It will provide a haven from the fire (God’s chastening and judgment) as it will guide you out of the lies and into truth. It will purge the idols and false images from your life so you don’t get consumed in destruction and intense darkness that are coming upon them. It will create in you true love and life. Ezekiel 34:12

There should be no greater authority in your mind; not family, friends, spouse, religious leaders, experts, PHDs, doctors, government, and any form of media.

Courage

It requires immense courage to follow this voice of truth from within, because it’s contrary to this world’s philosophies and religion. God’s ways are not our ways. It will push you out of your comfort zone. It will cause division with some. Luke 12:51 It will unite others. Yet, as you follow bit by bit, the wisdom and perfection of this voice and the effect on your life (rest, peace, joy and love) will motivate you to press on. It’s establishing a righteous love in this earth. A love unlike anything this world has experienced. It starts by righteous love abiding within you, which brings you into a greater state of honor, forgiveness, compassion, and mercy.

How do you hear God more clearly?

  1. Do what God has asked, seek His face above all others. Matthew 6:33,  Amos 5:4,  2 Chronicles 7:14  Seek Him like your life depends on it, for it does. Put Him FIRST. Rev 2:4 This is abiding in His presence, talking, listening and trusting Him to teach you all things. John 14:26
  2. Put away ALL other teachings about God for at least 7 weeks. Spend time with God and learn only from His Spirit through creation, the Bible, and your circumstances.
  3. Let Him teach you the Bible, what it truly says. Have no other commentary, books, teachers, teachings, church … nothing. In this 7-week sabbatical, you will learn to trust God and not another to show you truth, and this will be your deliverance these days. 2 Thess 2:10 Not reading the Bible as it has been taught by others, but the Bible taught to you by the Holy Spirit.
  4. Converse with God through writing. Pour out your heart, ask questions, and write what you believe He is telling you. Listen and obey in the small things.

These are the truest acts of worship.

Ask God …

  1. To make your desires to be His desires.
  2. To know God as He is, especially as Righteous love – sum of all commandments.
  3. To reveal and purge the lies your mind is holding on to, then be willing to learn something new.  Pray to be protected from deception.

The Kingdom of God is at hand, and those listening are entering in. To remain on the outside, the kingdom of darkness, is to be with those who partake in weeping and gnashing of teeth, which is self-destructing. Matthew 13:50, Matthew 8:12, Matthew 24:51, Matthew 25:30

Those who listen will be separated unto the Kingdom of God, those who don’t will be separated into darkness. Chose your path.


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Tips for Hearing the Holy Spirit

Tips for Hearing the Holy Spirit

 

1 Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

God wants you to hear Him. He calls you to seek His counsel, wisdom and guidance, thus you have to hear it … how do you hear unless you take time to listen?

God speaks in many ways and can use anything. There are two key mediums God uses to speak to us. One is through the Bible because in the truth is where we learn to hear the Voice of truth. He speaks when verses stand out to you, verses speak to your situation, and you learn truths of a passage that He confirms in other areas of the Bible and in your life.

The second significant medium God uses to speaks to you is through writing or journaling. In this dynamic, you receive powerful instruction, counsel and wisdom as you write with a listening ear. The two mediums complement each other, work together and feed upon one another.

God gives abundant wisdom and understanding, yet how can you receive those priceless life-altering gifts unless you are listening? How do you hear God who is spirit? How do you tune into that still small voice?

1. Create a quiet outward environment to be with God alone. If your area is full of distractions it will be very hard to hear. Turn off the phone, shut the door, shut down the computer, and give Him your full attention. Give Him nothing less than the best and your total focus. In that quiet space as you read and pray, focus on listening to God as you would a close friend.

2. Seek to know God as He is beyond ALL the images. Your motive during this time should be to know God in truth and spirit … beyond what you’ve been taught by others … beyond the images. When we filter our communion with God through false images of Him (from families, religion, false teachings, worldly teachings), it hinders our communication because it affects our understanding of Him. But if we seek to know God as He is realizing we have those false images, He rewards that desire with the truth. Hebrews 11:6 Little by little the lies and false images are discarded and replaced with the truth. The more truth you know of God, the more you experience Him.

3. Focus on having a conversation with God. This time is about fellowshipping with God; a back and forth interaction. Whether, you are reading or praying, remember you are having a conversation with God. This focus helps to move you into hearing His voice because you are tuning in. Therefore, it isn’t a task or “study”, but a relationship you are cultivating. Many are good at speaking, but not so much listening, especially in the spirit; yet hearing Him is invaluable for He is your teacher, counselor, and guide.

4. Write in a journal as you read and pray. Have a pen in hand during your entire time with God. Writing helps to focus your thoughts. Through that focus God can help you tune in to Him. As you write, He will use that writing to counsel you.

Write whatever comes to mind; thoughts about what you’ve read; impressions that come to mind; issues/concerns and thoughts about those issues; ask questions. Remember it’s a conversation with God so keep that in mind while you write. At first you’ll wonder if it’s your voice or God’s voice but continue the practice and in time you will learn to discern. God speaks spirit to spirit. His voice comes as thoughts, impressions … a voice in your head. But it speaks on a very deep level, directly to the spirit. His voice is gentle, confident, loving, patient, and authoritative. It always harmonizes with the Bible. If what you write or hear is from fear, angst, worry, guilt … it isn’t God’s voice.

5. Practice quieting your mind. To hear God, you need not only a quiet external environment but more importantly a quiet inner one. Most people need practice in quieting their mind. Here is a suggestion, at the end of your time with God, for 5-10 minutes focus on quieting your mind. When “to-dos” come to mind, write them on a piece of paper and refocus on God. Set a timer because for some 5 minutes will seem like forever at first. Focus on characteristics of God or verses that have stood out to you during your time with Him. Be still internally. Have a pen in hand and simply write whatever comes to mind. Don’t write to put perfect thoughts together, just let it flow, no inner critic. Then at the end read over what you wrote. Ask God to confirm things to you in His Word.

6. Above all ask God to show you how to listen and hear Him.  Your time with God is about a relationship, and developing a trust and ability to directly learn from and commune with God. He wants to show you. It’s easier than you think, but different than what most are use to. Be patient and give Him the space and time to teach and show you. Persist; never give up. In time, you’ll be amazed at what you hear.

Journal Speaks

Through my pen flows words of life
Setting my soul free from strife

So sweetly You speak to me
Feeding me from the Living Tree

A jot focuses my distracted mind
Bringing it to submission and I find

Counsel and wisdom filling my awareness
Breathing in life; manifesting Your fullness

Your voice I’ve learned through communion
Spending time forming our union

Your Word taught me to recognize
A still small voice once disguised

Ears masked by abundant lies
You opened to hear Your voice on high

Daily I write to hear from You
The Voice of Truth; all others subdued

Gently in righteous love You renew
Setting my thoughts on what is true

What a joy to hear
The voice I hold most dear

For it creates true life in my soul
A power long ago foretold.

~ Rachel DiPaolo
March 4, 2012


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Don’t Quench the Spirit

Don’t Quench the Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.

How do you NOT quench the Holy Spirit? You cultivate a framework of truth within your soul.

At the gym, I saw a woman who I hadn’t seen in a while. I use to see her just about every time I was there. She looked great! She noticeably had still been coming. I felt a little prompting in my spirit to tell her how good she looked; to tell her the hard effort was paying off. Though, I had seen her many times, we had never exchanged words. The regulars at the gym know each other. We may not always say much, but we know who we are. I walked over and said something like, “I just wanted to tell you, you look great, I mean really good.” She smiled and said, “Thanks”. Then I went on with my workout and she hers. A week later, I saw her again. She handed me a card. She thanked me for what I had said to her. She had been struggling and I said exactly what she needed to hear. By her eyes, there was a lot behind that simple statement. For her to take time to write a note, it must have meant a lot. I thought I was giving a simple and obvious compliment. I’m learning that following a little prompting can manifest something much bigger.

We’ve all felt that little nudge in our spirit to do or say something. Sometimes we listen. Sometimes we don’t.

Why do we listen to some nudges and ignore others? This may seem like a superfluous issue, but it’s important to spend sometime contemplating it. If it’s the Holy Spirit leading us, we want to be responsive to Him and not ignore Him. Following His lead is the life we are to walk. Following His lead takes us down the paths of abundant life. When we listen and respond to Him, our ability to hear Him grows. If we don’t; it diminishes.

So why?

As we seek God’s face in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit, a framework of truth is established in our soul. This framework enhances the voice of the Holy Spirit because it’s a support system for His words. It allows Him to dwell more fully in us. Imagine your mind as a vast place. It’s filled with lies and truth. Whichever one is more predominant affects your ability to hear the Spirit, the voice of truth, at any one time and in certain areas. In the areas you know truth; you are more likely to hear Him. In the areas you don’t, you are less likely. In other words, if what He says is in line with your beliefs, His voice is more likely to be supported and acted upon. If what He says contradicts what you believe, it’s more likely to be ignored. This is why gaining the truth from the Bible by the instruction of the Spirit is critical.

For example, if you believe that compliments are great encouragements to others no matter how big or small, when the Spirit prompts you to give one you are more likely to. If you believe that they don’t really make a difference, you are more likely to ignore Him.

If we believe something contrary to God’s truth, it will be much harder to hear and thus respond to the Spirit’s leading. As soon as it enters our head, the lies start to quench His voice. Thoughts derived from fears, laziness, or irrelevance begin to smother the prompting.

For example, suppose we are part of an unhealthy fellowship and God wants to move us into a healthy one, so His Spirit starts nudging us. If we are untrained by the Word in this area, then we will be quick to dismiss the prompting. At that nudge, a flood of thoughts will pour into our minds about fear of being excluded, fear of appearing judging, justification that no fellowship is perfect, the lie that there’s no where else to go, and fear of losing friends and that little voice is suppressed. Without an accurate framework of truth about a healthy fellowship, we are more likely to dismiss the prompting to better pastures, because there is nothing to support His leading. Conversely, if we have been abiding in the Bible and building truth, then we are more likely to respond. When we do, then we move into a place where God wants us to be.

The key to walking in truth and following the Spirit’s prompting is to read, abide, and meditate on the ENTIRE Bible trusting the Holy Spirit to teach us. When we understand the lies that abound, then we realize our need for the truth. Truth breeds life, lies breed death. Thus whatever we are following, lies or truth, will manifest death or life in our lives.

Everything in the Bible is for our instruction. It’s the tool by which the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. Over time, as we abide in His instruction, a framework of truth is constructed in our soul. This framework guards us from deception and allows our spirit to flourish. Then as He prompts us to act, we have the support system within us to respond to His nudges and to follow them. This is how we begin to walk in wisdom, truth and abundant life.

How many times I haven’t followed those promptings, but justified them away. This post has been truly convicting and enlightening to me. But the past is done. It’s time to press forward and persist in cultivating the framework of truth in our souls so we don’t quench the Spirit, but listen and act. When we do, we will become a useful tool of God. We are able to walk in His will of life and not ours of death. We are able to walk in a unity with God. We are able to impact others in ways we’ll never thought we could because the Spirit is moving through us.


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Holy Spirit as Our Teacher

Blog Talk Radio:  Holy Spirit as Our Teacher

 

20150224_141008A new PODCAST (click here to listen)is available on trusting the Holy Spirit as our Teacher. It’s an important topic for us all to consider and to examine our lives by.

Overview: An essential element to cultivating a deep and real relationship with God is trusting God to teach us about Himself. Believers have been given the Holy Spirit to teach them all things. But often we lack trust in this perfect teacher. In this audio, I talk about the Holy Spirit as our teacher and why it is critical to trust Him in this role in our lives.


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How to Hear the Holy Spirit in Your Life

How to Hear the Holy Spirit in Your Life

 

I posted a couple of videos on How to Listen to the Holy Spirit about a month or so ago. I was  a bit verbose, so here is a more concise version. We’re all busy afterall 🙂

In the video I cover:  1. The importance and requirement of having a foundation of truth based on the Word of God in order to hear the Spirit’s voice 2.  Steps to how to practice listening to the Holy Spirit.