Hearing God's Voice: Faith Before Sight
Summary
In this sermon, I was reminded of the importance of hearing God's voice before seeing His actions. The speaker emphasized that we must be willing to hear God's voice before we see His movements in our lives. This is particularly relevant in our current society where we are programmed to see anything we want to see through various social media platforms. This has handicapped us as a church, making us think that we must see God move before we hear Him move. The speaker also highlighted the importance of recognizing when we need God to rain in our lives. If our hearts are dry, turned off, or in contempt towards God, we need the abundance of rain.
The speaker also emphasized the importance of not giving up on God. He used the example of Elijah and his servant, where the servant was sent seven times to look for rain before he saw a small cloud. This teaches us to not give up when we pray once and God doesn't answer immediately. The speaker also highlighted the importance of repositioning our vocabulary. Instead of saying God is about to do something, we should say God is already doing something. This is because God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Key takeaways from this sermon include:
- The importance of hearing God's voice before seeing His actions. This is a reminder to cultivate a relationship with the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. ([03:52])
- Recognizing when we need God to rain in our lives. If our hearts are dry, turned off, or in contempt towards God, we need the abundance of rain. ([05:12])
- The importance of not giving up on God, even when we don't see immediate answers to our prayers. ([06:46])
- The need to reposition our vocabulary. Instead of saying God is about to do something, we should say God is already doing something. ([15:54])
- The importance of pouring out everything we have in worship and praise, and not being afraid of exhausting God. ([21:00])
Study Guide
Bible Passages:
1. 1 Kings 18:41-46
2. Matthew 7:7-8
3. James 5:16-18
Key Points from the sermon:
1. We must be willing to hear God's voice before we see His actions.
2. Our relationship with God and our faith should not be dependent on what we see, but on what we hear from Him.
3. Persistence in prayer and faith is crucial in our walk with God.
Observation Questions:
1. What does 1 Kings 18:41-46 tell us about Elijah's faith and his relationship with God?
2. What does Matthew 7:7-8 promise about seeking God?
3. How does James 5:16-18 describe the power of prayer?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Elijah's faith in 1 Kings 18:41-46 apply to our lives today?
2. What does it mean to seek, ask, and knock as described in Matthew 7:7-8?
3. How can we apply the principles of prayer from James 5:16-18 in our daily lives?
Application Questions:
1. How can we cultivate a habit of listening to God's voice in our daily lives?
2. In what areas of our lives do we need to persist in prayer and faith?
3. How can we encourage each other to seek, ask, and knock in our relationship with God?
Devotional
Day 1: Hearing God's Promises Before Seeing Them
God's promises are not always immediately visible to us. Sometimes, we must trust in His word and wait patiently for His promises to manifest in our lives. This can be a challenging process, but it is a crucial part of our faith journey.
Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
Reflection Question: Reflect on a time when you heard God's promise but didn't see it manifest immediately. How did you keep your faith strong during this waiting period?
Day 2: Persisting in Prayer
Prayer is a powerful tool in our relationship with God. Even when we don't see immediate answers, we are called to persist in prayer, trusting in God's perfect timing and His plan for our lives.
Luke 18:1 - "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."
Reflection Question: Can you recall a prayer that you've been praying for a long time without seeing an answer? How can you continue to persist in this prayer, trusting in God's timing?
Day 3: God's Blessings are on the Horizon
God's blessings may not always be immediately apparent. Sometimes, they seem small or distant, but as we draw closer to Him, they become larger and more significant.
Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Reflection Question: Can you think of a time when God's blessing seemed small or distant, but as you drew closer to Him, it became larger and more significant? How can you reposition yourself closer to God in your current situation?
Day 4: God is Already at Work
Even when we are waiting for a specific answer to prayer, God is already at work in our lives. We can celebrate His presence and work in our lives every day.
Philippians 2:13 - "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."
Reflection Question: Can you identify ways in which God is already at work in your life, even if you're waiting for a specific answer to prayer? How can you celebrate His presence and work in your life today?
Day 5: Living an Upside Down Life for God
Living for God often means living an "upside down" life, pouring out more in worship, praise, and service, trusting that He will fill us up again.
Matthew 20:16 - "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
Reflection Question: Reflect on your life. Are there areas where you can pour out more in worship, praise, and service to God? How can you live a more "upside down" life for God, trusting that He will fill you up again?
Quotes
1. "Before God moves on you and I individually and as a body, we've got to be willing to hear something before we see it. You've got to be able to hear revival before you see revival. You've got to be able to hear God say, pray for the sick before you pray for the sick." - 03:16
2. "God wants to saturate us so much that we can't help but to stay wet in his glory. Maybe there's something that you've just been keeping you from hearing the abundance of rain. You ain't been able to hear the thunder in the distance because you ain't been able to see the glory of God that's after on the horizon." - 37:11
3. "God's not about to do something. God is doing something. We need to reposition our vocabulary. We need to stop saying God is about to and God is already is. Stop thinking tomorrow when I'm here today. Stop thinking I'm showing up tomorrow when I'm already knocking on the door today." - 14:08
4. "I pray we become an upside down church. The poor is it all out. The poor is it out in worship. The poor is it out in praise. The poor is it out during the preaching. The poor is it out in the old church. The poor is it out when we go outside of these walls. I pray we become the upside down church. The God has called us to be." - 21:00
5. "Don't let your enemy get closer to the reign of God than you are. Don't let the devil keep you from seeing the reign that God has for your life. Don't let people around you try to talk you out of and say, well that's just emotion. You just went to church, got all emotional. No, I went to church and got rained on." - 31:34
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