Church Online Service | Sun 11:40am | We Get To Hear

Devotional

Day 1: Angel-Opened Doors

Peter lay chained between soldiers when light flooded the cell. An angel struck his side – “Quick, get up!” The chains fell. Sandals strapped, cloak fastened, Peter followed through iron gates that swung open unseen. The praying church didn’t believe their own answered knock. [44:24]

God’s voice dismantles impossible barriers. The same Spirit who opened prison doors now lives in believers. He speaks not just to rescue bodies, but to liberate hearts from fear, addiction, and despair.

You face locked doors today – relational stalemates, financial dead-ends, health crises. Jesus walks through walls to meet you. What chains is His voice commanding to fall right now?

“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. ‘Quick, get up!’ he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.”
(Acts 12:5-7, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal one “impossible” situation where He wants to demonstrate His power today.
Challenge: Write down one “locked door” in your life. Pray over it for 5 minutes at 3 PM.

Day 2: Earthquakes and Staying Put

Paul’s midnight hymn shook foundations. Every prisoner’s chain snapped. The jailer drew his sword, but Paul shouted: “We’re all here!” This mercy opened the man’s heart. Four chapters earlier, Peter fled a similar miracle. Paul stayed to harvest souls. [46:11]

Obedience trumps spectacle. The Spirit’s power serves His redemptive purposes, not our comfort. When God breaks your chains, ask: “Who needs to see this freedom?”

We crave miraculous escapes but miss the greater miracle – transformed lives. Where is God asking you to remain in a difficult place to witness His faithfulness?

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God… Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. The jailer woke up… But Paul shouted, ‘Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!’”
(Acts 16:25-28, NIV)

Prayer: Confess areas where you’ve prioritized comfort over obedience. Request courage to stay.
Challenge: Text one person in a hard situation: “God sees you here. Can I pray?”

Day 3: The Chatty God of Broiled Fish

The resurrected Jesus ate fish in a locked room. He showed scars, spoke peace, breathed Spirit. This tactile Savior who cooked breakfast for fishermen still speaks through Scripture, impressions, and Spirit-prompted believers. [41:33]

God communicates through the ordinary – fish, friends, flickering thoughts. Pentecost unleashed His voice not just in temples, but in kitchens, prisons, and supermarket aisles.

Your daily routines are divine appointment slots. What mundane moment this week might become holy ground if you ask: “Jesus, what’s on Your heart right now?”

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
(Jeremiah 33:3, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for three ordinary parts of your day. Ask Him to speak through one.
Challenge: Set a phone alarm labeled “Chatty God Check-In” – pause and listen when it rings.

Day 4: Night Watchman’s Journal

Rhoda doubted answered prayer at the door. The prophet didn’t trust his own ears. Even seasoned believers second-guess God’s voice. That’s why we need daily practice: read His Word, ask questions, journal responses. [01:00:05]

Scripture trains our ears. Like Samuel learning to recognize Yahweh’s voice, we grow through repetition. The more we immerse in biblical language, the clearer God’s fresh words cut through static.

Open your Bible to Psalm 143:8. Read it aloud. Now ask: “What specific guidance do You have for me today?” Wait. Write the first thought – test it against Scripture later.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
(2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve neglected Scripture. Ask for hunger to hear Him.
Challenge: Underline every “God says” verse in Psalm 119:105-112 during your next Bible reading.

Day 5: ABC Prophecy

An angel told Peter “Get up” – affirming his calling. Paul quoted Scripture to the jailer – biblical authority. Jesus showed scars before commissioning – Christ-like vulnerability. Every true word from God strengthens, never shames. [01:04:50]

Test impressions against three filters: Does this affirm God’s goodness? Align with Scripture? Reflect Jesus’ heart? When unsure, say: “I sense God might be saying… please test this.”

Who needs strengthening today? A coworker, child, or cashier? Ask Jesus: “What true thing about You do they need to hear?”

“But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.”
(1 Corinthians 14:3, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to bring someone to mind who needs an affirming word. Listen for details.
Challenge: Before sunset, tell one person: “I believe God sees your courage in…”

Sermon Summary

The voice of the Lord breaks in and things change. Creation hears let there be and there was. Atmospheres shift. Matter moves. Since Pentecost, the Spirit opens that voice to ordinary people. A chatty God speaks and intends his people to hear. Jeremiah 33:3 throws open the door. Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. That promise stirs hunger to hear and to speak what he says.

The early church treats hearing like breathing. Peter is busted out of prison and runs to the prayer meeting that is asking for his release. Paul is busted out and does not run. He stays for the jailer. Human wisdom would sprint. Spirit wisdom listens. The difference is not technique. The difference is the voice of God. Joel’s word lands at Pentecost. Sons and daughters prophesy. Jesus had already prepped them. Do not worry what to say. The Spirit of your Father will speak through you. Prophecy is the Spirit’s revelation carried on human lips.

Paul directs the churches to eagerly desire gifts, especially prophecy. The gift is for strengthening, encouraging, and comforting. It edifies the church. It even lays bare the heart of the outsider so that worship rises and God is confessed as present. The gift is available to all, but it is not Scripture. So it is tested and weighed in humility. When the Lord’s voice is spoken, cultures and communities bend toward transformation.

The gift is not meant to be quarantined inside the building. Prophecy also serves evangelism. A simple, gentle approach in a supermarket can crack open the question God sees me. That door opens when someone is listening and courageous. Intentional practices train the ear. Scripture tunes the conscience to what God would and would not say because he does not contradict himself. Simple daily questions help: Who do you want to be to me today? What do you want me to know? What do you want me to do? Then ask if a word is for prayer or for sharing.

Opposition will come. It should not surprise anyone. Authority in Jesus is enough. Guardrails keep ministry pastoral. No dates, no mates, no babies. Keep to the ABCs. Make it affirming. Keep it biblical. Keep it Christ like, not just in content but in tone, with the end in mind for the person. Humility sounds like I sense the Lord might be saying and invites others to weigh. As God’s voice is spoken to and through his people, unsearchable things surface and the world around starts to change.

Key Takeaways

1. The Lord’s voice reshapes reality [40:19] The word of God does not inform situations, it reforms them. Creation began with speech that became substance, and the same voice still moves atmospheres and hearts. Confidence in prophecy grows from confidence in the God who speaks and acts, not from the intensity of the hearer. Dependence on that voice is how faith stays concrete rather than abstract. [40:19]
2. Prophecy builds up and draws in [50:19] Paul ties prophecy to strengthening, encouragement, comfort, and the conviction that makes outsiders say God is really among you. The gift is pastoral and missional at once, not a party trick for spiritual elites. When revelation meets love’s aim, edification becomes normal and repentance becomes possible. The church becomes intelligible presence, not noisy spectacle. [50:19]
3. Listening is learned through daily practices [56:39] Scripture trains the ear to the tone and character of God’s voice, safeguarding against contradictions. Simple questions asked daily create space for the Spirit to lead with specificity and timing. Journaling and quiet watchfulness turn crickets into clarity over time. Patience forms discernment, and discernment forms courage. [56:39]
4. Guardrails keep words Christ like [01:04:15] No dates, no mates, no babies protects people from presumption while faith grows. Affirming, biblical, Christ like sets both the content and the manner of delivery, with Jesus’ end-goal for the person in view. Humble phrasing and communal weighing turn revelation into safe ministry, not control. Truth married to tenderness carries the King’s imprint. [64:15]
5. Expect resistance, stand in authority [01:03:30] The enemy resists any practice that brings transformation, so pushback should be expected, not feared. Jesus’ name carries real authority to quiet spiritual backlash and clear the air. Opposition often confirms the ground being taken. Steadfastness under fire matures both the hearer and the word. [63:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[36:57] - Formative prophetic word in youth
[40:19] - The voice that changes realities
[41:33] - A very chatty God and Pentecost access
[42:31] - Call and answer in Jeremiah 33:3
[44:24] - Peter released while the church prays
[45:07] - Paul stays for the jailer
[47:28] - Joel fulfilled and Jesus’ promise
[49:49] - Eagerly desire gifts, especially prophecy
[50:05] - Strengthening, encouraging, comforting, edifying
[53:57] - Prophecy for evangelism beyond church walls
[56:39] - Learn his voice in Scripture
[58:41] - Three daily questions for listening
[62:01] - Expect opposition, exercise authority
[64:15] - ABC guardrails and wise boundaries
[66:28] - Humility and weighing words
[67:35] - Invitation to receive and practice

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

Acts 2:17-18 (ESV)
“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.”

1 Corinthians 14:1-5, 24-25 (ESV)
“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For the one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation… But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.”

Observation questions

According to 1 Corinthians 14:1-5, what are the three specific purposes of prophecy listed?
In Acts 2:17-18, who does God say will receive the ability to prophesy after the Spirit is poured out?
The sermon contrasts Peter’s response to being freed from prison (Acts 12) with Paul’s response (Acts 16). What key difference is highlighted in their actions? [46:11]
Jeremiah 33:3 includes a promise about God revealing “great and hidden things.” What condition is attached to this promise?

Interpretation questions

Why might Paul emphasize prophecy as a gift to be “eagerly desired” (1 Corinthians 14:1) more than other spiritual gifts? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on prophecy’s transformative power?
The sermon mentions that prophecy can “lay bare the heart of the outsider” (1 Corinthians 14:24-25). How might hearing God’s voice through another person lead an unbeliever to worship? [50:19]
The early church treated hearing God’s voice “like breathing” (sermon example). What risks or challenges might arise if hearing God’s voice becomes too routine or casual? [46:51]
The ABC guardrails (Affirming, Biblical, Christlike) are suggested for prophecy. Why is humility in phrasing (e.g., “I sense the Lord might be saying…”) important when sharing prophetic words? [01:06:28]

Application questions

The three daily questions suggested for listening to God are: Who do you want to be to me today? What do you want me to know? What do you want me to do? Which of these questions feels most challenging to ask consistently, and why? [58:41]
Think of a recent situation where you felt prompted to encourage someone but hesitated. How could the “Is this for prayer or sharing?” filter help you respond next time? [59:32]
The sermon warns that opposition often comes when stepping into prophetic ministry. What practical step could you take this week to stand in Jesus’ authority if fear or resistance arises? [01:03:30]
The ABC guardrails include avoiding “dates, mates, or babies” in prophecy. Why might these topics require extra caution, and how can you test such words biblically? [01:04:15]
Describe one intentional habit (e.g., journaling, Scripture meditation) you could adopt to better recognize God’s voice. How might this habit address distractions or “crickets” in your listening? [01:00:05]
The sermon shares an example of a prophetic word opening a door for evangelism in a supermarket. Who in your life might need a simple, affirming word from God right now? What courage would it take to share it? [54:26]
Reflect on a time when God’s word reshaped a situation in your life (e.g., a relationship, decision, or fear). How does that experience fuel your desire to hear Him more? [40:19]

Sermon Clips

Now isn't it fascinating that we have two stories four chapters apart about a miraculous release from prison? But one of the people runs and the other stays. Why? Because it seems to me that in in in human wisdom, if you were miraculously released from prison, you would run. You would disappear straight away. This is the lord. He sent this earthquake so that we could escape. Let's go. Right? But Paul doesn't. And the text doesn't tell us why, but I dare say there's really only one good reason because he was listening to the voice of God. [00:46:00] (42 seconds)

Because if you can hear the voice of the Lord and you can speak out the voice of the Lord, then what happens? Things change. Atmospheres change. People's lives change. Cultures change. Communities change. The voice of the Lord brings change. It brings transformation. And so he's saying, this is what I want for you to engage in. This is what I want for you to eagerly desire more than the other gifts. And so he he is speaking about this concept of a of a revelation from God that is given to be spoken out to other people. [00:51:13] (34 seconds)

Now if you're that person and you're receiving that word and it's spot on, that person may not even believe in God, and all of a sudden, they're having to ask the question, god sees me? God sees me and wants to speak to me? God sees me and wants to speak to me and sent a person to come and speak to me who's a stranger, who knows things about me that they can't possibly know? All of a sudden you see a door is open in the heart of somebody. And what does it require? It requires someone who has the courage to speak out the word of God when he places it on their heart. [00:54:40] (38 seconds)

There will be opposition from the enemy when you step into this area. They will. Don't be afraid of it. You have the authority in Jesus to rebuke it so that you can do what the Lord has called you to do in this area. And just before we finish, I think it would be prudent just to put a couple of guardrails onto how we prophesy, how we use prophecy. If the Lord is wanting to speak something to us to be spoken out through us for somebody else, we need to make sure that we are being pastoral and caring about their needs. So please, no dates, no mates, no babies. Yeah? [01:03:30] (45 seconds)

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Church Online Service | Sun 11:40am | We Get To Hear | The Gift Of Prophecy