Hearing God's Voice: Cultivating Divine Conversations
Summary
In today's sermon, we embarked on a new teaching series titled "God Conversations," which is designed to permeate not only our Sunday gatherings but also our life groups. This series is inspired by Tanya Harris's work, "The Church that Hears God's Voice," and aims to equip us to discern and respond to God's voice in our lives. We delved into the importance of hearing God's voice, not only for our personal growth but also for the direction of the church.
We explored the historical tension between those who believe God only speaks through Scripture and those who claim every thought as divine. The reformers, for instance, pushed back against abuses of "God conversations" in the Catholic Church, emphasizing Sola Scriptura. However, this stance inadvertently stifled the personal aspect of hearing God's voice. We must find a balance, recognizing that while Scripture is our standard, God also speaks through His Spirit in ways that may not be explicitly detailed in the Bible.
We examined biblical examples of God conversations, such as Peter's vision that led to the Gospel being shared with Gentiles, Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, and Paul's vision that directed him to Macedonia. These accounts highlight the early church's expectation and reliance on hearing God's voice.
I shared a personal testimony of a vision God gave me during a difficult season in my marriage, which foretold the birth of my children despite seemingly impossible circumstances. This God conversation provided hope and direction at a critical time.
As we move forward in this series, we will learn to discern God's voice, test what we hear against Scripture, and understand that not every thought is from God. Our goal is to cultivate a church that listens and responds to God's voice, transforming our relationship with Him from mere religion to a dynamic, communicative relationship.
Key Takeaways:
1. The ability to hear God's voice is not confined to the pages of Scripture. While the Bible is our ultimate standard for truth, God also speaks through the Holy Spirit in personal and unique ways to each believer. This communication can come in the form of visions, dreams, or an inner knowing, and it is essential for us to learn to discern and test these against the truth of Scripture. [30:48 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
2. Historical examples from the early church demonstrate that God conversations were expected and sought after. The apostles and early Christians experienced God's guidance through direct communication, which significantly influenced the spread of the Gospel. Our expectation should be no less; we should seek and be open to God's voice in our lives today. [20:27 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
3. Personal testimonies of God conversations can be powerful and transformative. Just as my vision of future fatherhood provided hope and direction, so too can the experiences of others encourage and build faith within the church community. Sharing these stories can inspire others to seek and trust in God's personal communication with them. [48:09 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
4. Discerning God's voice requires a balance between skepticism and openness. We must avoid the extremes of dismissing all personal revelation or accepting every thought as divine. Instead, we should engage in a process of testing and confirmation, seeking the counsel of mature believers and aligning what we hear with the character and promises of God. [10:11 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
5. Our relationship with God is deepened through two-way communication. Just as in any healthy relationship, we must not only speak to God but also listen. This series will challenge us to cultivate a listening posture, recognizing that our spiritual journey involves an ongoing dialogue with the Divine. [06:16 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: "God Conversations"
#### Bible Reading
1. John 10:27 - "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
2. Acts 10:9-16 - Peter's vision and God's voice leading to the Gospel being shared with Gentiles.
3. Acts 16:6-10 - Paul's vision directing him to Macedonia.
#### Observation Questions
1. What are some ways the early church experienced God's guidance through direct communication? (Acts 10:9-16, Acts 16:6-10)
2. How did Peter respond to the vision he received while on the roof? (Acts 10:9-16)
3. What was the outcome of Paul's vision in Acts 16:6-10?
4. According to John 10:27, what is the relationship between Jesus and His followers?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important to discern and test what we hear against Scripture? How does this balance skepticism and openness? [10:11]
2. How did the early church's expectation of hearing God's voice influence the spread of the Gospel? [20:27]
3. What can we learn from the personal testimony shared in the sermon about the impact of God conversations on individual lives? [48:09]
4. How does the concept of two-way communication deepen our relationship with God? [06:16]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God was speaking to you. How did you discern whether it was truly God's voice? What steps did you take to test and confirm it? [10:11]
2. The sermon mentioned the historical tension between relying solely on Scripture and claiming every thought as divine. How can you find a balance in your own spiritual life? [13:49]
3. How can you cultivate a listening posture in your daily life to better hear God's voice? What practical steps can you take this week to improve your two-way communication with God? [06:16]
4. Think about a personal testimony or experience where you felt guided by God. How did it impact your faith and actions? How can sharing this story encourage others in your small group? [48:09]
5. The sermon emphasized the importance of community in discerning God's voice. How can you involve mature believers in your process of testing and confirming what you hear from God? [10:11]
6. How can you remain open to God's voice in unexpected ways, such as through visions, dreams, or an inner knowing, while still grounding yourself in Scripture? [30:48]
7. Identify a specific area in your life where you need God's guidance. What steps will you take this week to seek and listen for His direction? [49:30]
This guide is designed to help your small group engage deeply with the themes of the sermon, encouraging both personal reflection and communal support in discerning and responding to God's voice.
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing God Beyond Scripture
God's voice transcends the written Word, speaking to us through the Spirit in personal ways that guide and affirm our faith journey. This divine communication can manifest as visions, dreams, or an inner conviction, and it is crucial for believers to learn to discern these experiences. By doing so, we can ensure that what we perceive aligns with the truth of Scripture, which remains our ultimate standard. It is a delicate balance to maintain, but one that enriches our spiritual lives by allowing us to experience God's guidance and presence in a more intimate manner. [30:48]
"Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." - Joel 2:28 ESV
Reflection: Recall a moment when you felt an inner conviction or experienced a dream that you believed was from God. How did you discern its authenticity, and what steps did you take to align it with Scripture?
Day 2: Anticipating Divine Dialogue
The early church not only welcomed but expected divine conversations, understanding that such guidance was pivotal for the mission of spreading the Gospel. Today, we too should maintain an anticipation for God's voice in our lives, recognizing that He still communicates with His people. This openness to spiritual dialogue can lead to significant moments of direction and purpose, much like the apostles who were led by the Spirit to break new ground for the Kingdom. [20:27]
"And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia." - Acts 16:6 ESV
Reflection: How can you cultivate a greater expectation for hearing God's voice in your daily life, and what practical steps can you take to become more attuned to His guidance?
Day 3: The Power of Personal Testimony
Sharing personal experiences of God's communication can profoundly impact both the individual and the community. These testimonies serve as beacons of hope and direction, encouraging others to seek and trust in God's personal engagement with them. Just as a vision provided reassurance during a challenging time, our stories can bolster the faith of others, reminding them that God is actively involved in our lives and willing to guide us through every season. [48:09]
"And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, 'Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent.'" - Acts 18:9 ESV
Reflection: Can you think of a time when God's guidance became evident in your life through a personal experience? How might sharing this story encourage someone in your community today?
Day 4: Discerning the Divine Voice
Discernment is key when it comes to identifying God's voice. It requires a balance between healthy skepticism and openness to the Spirit's leading. Believers are called to test personal revelations, seeking wisdom from mature Christians and ensuring that what is heard reflects God's character and promises. This process of discernment strengthens our faith and helps us avoid the pitfalls of either dismissing God's voice or accepting every thought as divine. [10:11]
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." - 1 John 4:1 ESV
Reflection: What is one thought or impression you've had recently that you need to test? How can you seek wise counsel and use Scripture to discern its origin?
Day 5: Cultivating a Two-Way Relationship with God
A dynamic relationship with God involves both speaking to Him and listening for His voice. This series challenges us to adopt a posture of listening, recognizing that our spiritual journey is a dialogue with the Divine. By engaging in this two-way communication, we deepen our connection with God, moving beyond mere religious practice to a living, breathing relationship with our Creator. [06:16]
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." - John 10:27 ESV
Reflection: What are some ways you can improve your listening posture in prayer? Consider one change you can make today to be more attentive to God's voice.
Quotes
1) "We need to find The Sweet Spot we need to find that place of balance we need to find the truth between believing that the Bible is it and that God no longer speaks to his people and believing that everything that comes through our minds is God speaking and therefore holds the same place as scripture those two extremes are dangerous." [14:27 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
2) "Holy Spirit lives and dwells within us and holy spirit is God's voice to us and just like Joshua and zerubabel there will be things in our lives where oppressors have come where people and things and situations are pushing back are restricting us and we need Holy Spirit to peel back the curtain so that we can see who our accuser really is." [43:29 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
3) "I had a vision I had a god conversation and the vision was this me sat in a hospital room with Marie in a bed next to me me on a salmon colored high backed chair holding a child with Marie holding another child at this point we still believed we couldn't have children at this point we weren't even together we were separated yet the vision was so powerful for me I knew it was God." [45:30 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
4) "I want to challenge everything so that I know I I I I come down I filter down so that I'm only listening to God's voice so I know as my old Pastor used to say I know in my knower that it's God speaking I can recognize his voice the way we do that is by challenging it and asking how do you know it's God." [10:11 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
5) "The ability to hear God's voice is not confined to the pages of Scripture. While the Bible is our ultimate standard for truth, God also speaks through the Holy Spirit in personal and unique ways to each believer. This communication can come in the form of visions, dreams, or an inner knowing, and it is essential for us to learn to discern and test these against the truth of Scripture." [30:48 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
6) "Each of these accounts and there are so many others show that the early church the apostles had no issue with God conversations they expected they wanted they were prepared to obey and stand on the voice of God Holy Spirit Whispers." [20:27 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
7) "Imagine for a moment that you're in a theater the music is starting to to get louder the buzz behind the curtains on the stage you can start to feel it and then all of a sudden the curtains start to open the cast and the stage setup it start is revealed before you. One of the reasons that God has conversations with us is so that he can peel back the curtain on a realm that we don't see." [34:26 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
8) "God peeled back the curtain and said it doesn't matter what it looks like naturally right now... I have said you will and I have shown you what will take place but you need to hold on to that word that picture and I held on to that picture and now I have two bundles of Joy faith and an N God conversations are hugely important we need them because it's where God reveals what's actually going on." [48:09 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
9) "I want to know the voice of God because I need to know the voice of God because if I want to be a man of integrity that walks in the will of God I need to recognize every moment that Holy Spirit wants to have a god conversation with me and I want us as a church to recognize every moment that God wants to have a conversation with us." [11:31 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
10) "The gospel first came to the Gentiles to us as non-jews after Peter is sat on the roof of where he staying and has a vision and hears God's voice... it was because of this God conversation that the gospel was first delivered to the Gentiles." [15:46 <1zlvjfYxOqQ>]
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