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Can You Hear Me Now?
by Linda Lariscy Open your ears to God. Daily consecrate both outer and inner ears to God. Remember the Bible declares that you have an inner man. Your inner man has ears. These are the ears that hear God's voice. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man (Eph 3:16KJV). As a matter of fact right now give your ears to the Lord. Ask Him to circumcise your ears that you may hear from Him. Consecrate the members of your body to God both of your inner and outer man. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God( Rom 6:12-13KJV). You may not realize this but the Bible teaches that you can sin with your ears. When you stop your ears from hearing the truth you sin against God. When you strengthen your inner ears by hearing God's voice you also strengthen your outer ears. Your outer ears will become keenly aware of what people say and whether you should receive or reject it. This is important because the world around you can definitely affect you in a negative way if you yield to it. God has many things to tell you and when you are ready to bear it He will speak. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come (John 16:12-13KJV). As you surrender to Him He will make you ready this very moment. The Lord will direct you as you give your whole life to Him. Has it ever dawned on you how many mistakes and pitfalls you could avoid if you were more in tuned to the Holy Spirit? You are like a radio. The cares and worries of life represent the static that prevents you from tuning into God's voice. Getting rid of the static will require you to draw near to the Lord to know Him intimately. Daily communing with Him keeps the static out of your life. You are able to make right choices because you are more in tune with the Father's will and are able to recognize His voice more clearly. I remember the testimony of a young woman who was at work in one of the twin towers when tragedy struck September 11, 2001. CNN briefly interviewed her shortly after the devastation and she told the whole world how God saved her. She said that when the plane hit the building everybody was told not to go down the elevator shaft but to take the stairs. She heard the Lord say "take the elevator" though man was saying take the stairs she heard the voice of the Lord in the midst of a sea of panic to take the elevator. She obeyed God and was immediately led to safety while the others on the stairway were killed. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, "Away with you"(Isa 30:21-22NIV)! How would you have reacted that fateful day if your life was on the line? Unfortunately most people listen to man's reasoning and in essence make human wisdom an idol. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Prov 14:12KJV). How can you hear the voice of God more clearly? You must spend quality time with Him. The Lord wants you to commune with Him. As you commune with Him you will recognize His voice and you will tune out the static in your life. God is speaking and He is warning but are you listening? For God does speak-now one way, now another- though man may not perceive it (Job 33:14NIV). How do you receive anything from God? You must believe. Have you come to the point in your life to believe God is speaking to you? Do you expect to hear Him? Do you take time to observe what is going on in your life the circumstances the confirmations He is giving you? Or do you just go through life dull of hearing? We tune into movies the news the gossip and idle chitchat of our friends and all the while ignore God's voice. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, to turn man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride, to preserve his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword (Job 33:15-18 NIV). Dreams reveal much to you about he mistakes you are making. God speaks to you in dreams warning you of danger. God sends you dreams to correct certain behavior that is hurting you because you are not consciously aware of it. The Lord is speaking but the question is are you listening? Do you believe God is speaking to you? Hearing God's voice requires you to stay very close to Him. God is waiting on you to draw near to Him. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8KJV). By staying close to God you can hear His voice. He speaks sometimes in a whisper. Only His people who remain close to Him can hear Him. And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah (1 Kings 19:12-13 KJV). How can you hear God's still small voice if you are not near to Him? Oh how He longs for you to come under His loving embrace. That was the cry of Jesus' heart over the city of Jerusalem, the city which rejected Him. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate (Matt 23:37-38KJV). Jesus desires you to come under His covering. Come close to Him and listen to His voice. Take heed that your household is not left desolate because you didn't recognize the voice of the Lord. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27NIV). Linda Lariscy is the founder of Holding Forth the Word of Life Ministries of Wrens, Georgia, an apostolic/leadership equipping center for the saints. Please visit her website at www.hfwlministry.com. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |