I have been saying for some time that “God is on the Move.” I can tell when God is doing something among us because of the excitement generated in my soul around the things of God. My worship, prayer time, and Bible reading stir something in me to hear what God is doing and what He is requiring of me with regard to participation in His will.
I will then notice that others are hearing the same things I am hearing in my time with the Lord. I receive confirmation when I hear God speak the same thing through someone else that I received in my quiet time.
We are created to hear from God. So why do so many people say they don’t?
One reason people don’t hear from God is they do not wait to hear. We pray and speak, declare, and cry, but do not wait and listen. “I rise before the dawning of the morning, And cry for help; I hope in Your word. – Psalms 119:147
The Psalmist made God a priority, and His word was his hope. My soul [waits] for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning--[Yes, more than] those who watch for the morning. - Psa 130:6 NKJV
Our priority must be to seek the Lord at the rising of our day. Making God our first priority will open our soul to receiving His voice.
Time and again, we see a theme of rising early, praying, crying, and waiting. The Bible tells us that those who wait on the Lord will have their strength renewed; they will not grow weary or faint. The words “wait on the Lord” appear several times in the Bible, and each time, they are connected to a promise.
I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. – Psalms 40:1
To wait on the Lord is to endure with hope in Him, having confidence that something good and beneficial will come out of our situation.
Another reason people do not hear from the Lord is that they don’t read the word of God so they cannot know when He is speaking or if it is Him when they do hear. Our faith is built up when we hear the word, read it, and meditate on it. Our faith is also built up when we pray in the Holy Spirit.
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. – Jude 20
We are called to overcome adversity by abiding in the love of Christ. He is not only our hope for eternal glory but our hope in days of tribulations. Jesus said that everyone would have trouble but that we should be of good cheer because He has already overcome them.
God has prepared a way of escape for everyone who is in Christ Jesus, but we must be willing to search for it and abide in Him until we reach the other side of a trial. We must abide in God through Jesus Christ if we are to quench the fiery darts of the evil one that constantly comes at us through various trials.
Either God, the devil, or your voice is constantly being released. If you can quiet your mind long enough, you will discern the difference between the voices. Whenever another spirit is trying to counterfeit the Holy Spirit, you must be able to tell the difference. The enemy will try to counterfeit God’s voice by trying to get you to find a shortcut through the trial. But God wants you to be in His likeness, which means He is developing your character in the process.
Transforming your thinking and renewing the spirit of your mind is a mandate towards bearing the image of Christ. It involves a sanctification process, and processes take time.
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, [you] will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. - 2Pe 1:5-8
These are wise words to live by. Don’t stop at believing, but add to your faith the character of God, and if you do, you will never be unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. You will know what is required of you when troubles come. You will know God is with you on the journey. You will learn how to defeat the enemy and take the territory. If you endure, you will thrive on your Jesus journey.
Let’s pray,
Heavenly Father, thank You for the lessons I have endured over the years. Thank You for always making a way of escape when I thought I might not make it. I pray for Your continued strength on my journey in life. When I am tempted to believe the lies of the enemy that You are not speaking or that I cannot hear You, please quicken my spirit to know that You are with me and will not leave nor forsake me. In Jesus name, Amen