Hearing God's Voice in Stillness and Action

Devotional

Day 1: Seeking God in Stillness

God often speaks in a still, small voice, requiring us to lean in and listen intentionally. This means tuning out the noise and chaos of the world to hear His subtle promptings. Just as Elijah found God in the quiet, we too must seek Him in the stillness of our hearts. In our fast-paced lives, it can be challenging to find moments of quiet, but these are the times when we are most likely to hear God's voice. By setting aside dedicated time for silence and reflection, we create space for God to speak to us.

In these quiet moments, we can experience a deeper connection with God, gaining clarity and peace that the world cannot offer. It's in the stillness that we can discern His guidance and feel His presence more profoundly. Make it a priority to find these moments of stillness in your daily routine, whether it's through prayer, meditation, or simply sitting in silence. [04:09]

1 Kings 19:11-12 (ESV): "And he said, 'Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper."

Reflection: When can you set aside time today to be still and listen for God's voice? How can you create a habit of seeking stillness in your daily life?

Day 2: Discernment in Hearing God's Voice

It's crucial to discern God's voice amidst the noise of the world. His voice brings peace and aligns with His Word and character. Accusations, fear, and anxiety are not from God. Instead, His voice often comes as a quiet prompting or a sense of peace, guiding us in His ways. In a world filled with conflicting messages and distractions, it can be challenging to distinguish God's voice from other influences.

To discern God's voice, we must familiarize ourselves with His Word and character. By immersing ourselves in Scripture and spending time in prayer, we can better recognize His guidance. Additionally, seeking wise counsel from trusted spiritual mentors can help us confirm what we believe we are hearing from God. Remember, God's voice will never contradict His Word or lead us into fear and confusion. [07:07]

Isaiah 30:21 (ESV): "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."

Reflection: Think of a recent decision you had to make. How did you discern whether it was God's voice guiding you? What steps can you take to better recognize His voice in the future?

Day 3: Building on God's Word

Like Noah, who built the ark before the storm, we must build our faith and thoughts on God's Word, prayer, and fellowship. This intentional preparation helps us stand firm in our faith and discern God's guidance in our lives. By grounding ourselves in Scripture, we equip ourselves with the knowledge and wisdom needed to navigate life's challenges.

Building on God's Word involves more than just reading the Bible; it requires meditating on it, applying its teachings to our lives, and allowing it to transform our minds. Prayer and fellowship with other believers also play a crucial role in strengthening our faith. By surrounding ourselves with a supportive community, we can encourage one another and grow together in our walk with God. [08:42]

Colossians 3:16 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Reflection: How can you incorporate more of God's Word into your daily routine? What steps can you take to build a stronger foundation of faith through prayer and fellowship?

Day 4: Responsibility to Act on God's Revelation

When God speaks to us, we have a responsibility to act on His revelations. This means not just hearing His voice but building our lives on His wisdom and understanding, trusting Him and standing on His promises. Acting on God's guidance requires faith and courage, as it often involves stepping out of our comfort zones and taking risks.

Obedience to God's revelations can lead to significant growth and transformation in our lives. By trusting in His wisdom and following His direction, we align ourselves with His will and purpose for our lives. It's essential to remember that God's plans for us are always good, even if they may not make sense to us at the moment. [10:09]

James 1:22 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

Reflection: Think of a time when you felt God was guiding you to take a specific action. Did you follow through? If not, what held you back? How can you be more obedient to God's revelations in the future?

Day 5: Nurturing and Stewarding Gifts

Each of us has unique gifts from God that require nurturing and stewardship. This involves investing time and effort to develop these gifts, seeking God's guidance, and using them to glorify Him and bless others. Recognizing and cultivating our God-given talents is an essential part of fulfilling our purpose and calling.

Nurturing our gifts means being intentional about honing our skills and seeking opportunities to use them in service to others. It also involves being open to God's direction and allowing Him to shape and refine our abilities. By faithfully stewarding our gifts, we can make a meaningful impact in the lives of those around us and bring glory to God. [29:21]

1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."

Reflection: What are some of the unique gifts and talents God has given you? How can you invest time and effort into nurturing these gifts and using them to serve others and glorify God?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Welcome, everyone! Whether you're part of our church family or a guest, we're grateful you're here. Today, I want to build on Pastor Mike's recent series about hearing God's still, small voice, using the story of Elijah from 1 Kings 19. Elijah, after a great victory, found himself in a deep depression, running from Jezebel. God met him not in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a still, small voice. This teaches us that God often speaks in quiet, subtle ways, requiring us to lean in and listen intentionally.

Just as we need to be intentional in listening to a soft-spoken friend, we must be intentional in our relationship with God. He desires to speak to us, guiding us from glory to glory, and helping us fulfill our purpose. However, His voice isn't found in the chaos of the world but in the quiet moments of our hearts. We need to discern His voice amidst the noise, recognizing that accusations and fear are not from Him. Instead, His voice brings peace and direction.

God's guidance often comes through His Word, sound biblical teaching, and wise counsel. It's crucial to feast on His Word, allowing it to renew our minds and provide discernment. Like Noah, who built the ark before the storm, we must build our faith and thoughts on God's Word, prayer, and fellowship. When we hear from God, we have a responsibility to act on it, building our lives on His wisdom and understanding.

I shared personal stories of how God has guided me in parenting, career decisions, and even small daily choices. Each of my children has unique gifts and callings, and I've learned to nurture and steward these gifts through prayer and intentional action. Similarly, we all have gifts from God that require nurturing and stewardship.

In conclusion, we must always seek to know God, hear His voice, and act on His revelations. Store His truths in your heart, meditate on them, and build your life on His promises. Be bold and courageous, trusting that He has a good plan for your life. Share your testimonies, as they encourage others and glorify God. If you're new here, consider making Harvest your church home. Let's close in prayer and worship, inviting those who need to hear God's voice to come forward for prayer.

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Key Takeaways

1. God Speaks in Stillness: God often speaks in a still, small voice, requiring us to lean in and listen intentionally. This means tuning out the noise and chaos of the world to hear His subtle promptings. Just as Elijah found God in the quiet, we too must seek Him in the stillness of our hearts. [04:09]
2. Discernment in Hearing God's Voice: It's crucial to discern God's voice amidst the noise of the world. His voice brings peace and aligns with His Word and character. Accusations, fear, and anxiety are not from God. Instead, His voice often comes as a quiet prompting or a sense of peace, guiding us in His ways. [07:07]
3. Building on God's Word: Like Noah, who built the ark before the storm, we must build our faith and thoughts on God's Word, prayer, and fellowship. This intentional preparation helps us stand firm in our faith and discern God's guidance in our lives. [08:42]
4. Responsibility to Act on God's Revelation: When God speaks to us, we have a responsibility to act on His revelations. This means not just hearing His voice but building our lives on His wisdom and understanding, trusting Him and standing on His promises. [10:09]
5. Nurturing and Stewarding Gifts: Each of us has unique gifts from God that require nurturing and stewardship. This involves investing time and effort to develop these gifts, seeking God's guidance, and using them to glorify Him and bless others. [29:21]
### [29:21]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:11] - Introduction and Prayer
[01:58] - Building on Pastor Mike's Series
[02:47] - Elijah's Story from 1 Kings 19
[04:09] - God Speaks in a Still, Small Voice
[05:15] - Intentional Listening
[06:33] - Discernment in Hearing God's Voice
[07:37] - The Role of God's Word and Counsel
[08:42] - Building on God's Word
[09:12] - Knowing It's God's Voice
[10:09] - Responsibility to Act on God's Revelation
[11:17] - Renewing Our Minds
[13:11] - Thinking on These Things
[15:23] - Personal Testimonies of God's Guidance
[19:36] - Meditating on God's Word
[22:19] - Insights and Wisdom from God
[23:32] - Parenting and God's Guidance
[29:21] - Nurturing and Stewarding Gifts
[32:56] - Sharing Testimonies
[34:35] - Invitation to Join Harvest
[35:31] - Final Charge and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What were the different natural phenomena that Elijah experienced before hearing God's still, small voice? ([03:34])
According to the sermon, what are some ways God’s voice is often not heard? ([06:33])
How did the speaker describe the importance of peace in making decisions? ([16:28])
What role does the Word of God play in discerning His voice according to the sermon? ([09:12])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God chose to speak to Elijah in a gentle whisper rather than through the wind, earthquake, or fire? ([04:09])
How can we differentiate between God's voice and other voices that bring fear, anxiety, or accusations? ([07:07])
What does it mean to build our faith and thoughts on God's Word, and how can this be practically applied in our daily lives? ([08:42])
How does the speaker’s personal testimony about parenting illustrate the concept of nurturing and stewarding gifts? ([23:32])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt God speaking to you in a subtle way. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? ([04:09])
What are some practical steps you can take to intentionally listen for God's voice amidst the noise and chaos of daily life? ([05:15])
How can you apply the principle of seeking peace in your decision-making process this week? ([16:28])
Identify a specific area in your life where you need to build your faith on God's Word. What steps will you take to strengthen this area? ([08:42])
Think about a gift or talent you have. How can you nurture and steward this gift to glorify God and bless others? ([29:21])
Share a testimony of how God has guided you in a significant decision. How did this experience strengthen your faith? ([32:56])
How can you encourage someone in your small group to listen for and act on God's voice in their life? ([33:50])

Sermon Clips

1. "God's voice often isn't in the ruckus or the noise, the shaking or the flashiest display. His voice isn't in all the clamor of the world. In our news headlines, I don't think you'll hear the voice of God there. In our media, I don't think you'll get the voice of God there. Our gossip at work, no, that's not the voice of God. The pressures or the fear, the angst or anxiety that we hear in us, inside our hearts and our minds, I just want to give you a little bit of discernment. That's not the voice of God." [06:33] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The enemy is an accuser of the brethren. That is not the voice of God. God will work through conviction. He'll bring you into right standing with him. But if there's an accusing spirit on replay in your mind, let me be clear. That is not the voice of God. His voice is often a quiet prompting, a nudge or a sense of peace. The greatest ways the Holy Spirit has spoken to me and directed me throughout my life has been through his word, through sitting in, sound biblical teaching, under sound biblical teaching and sound biblical counsel." [07:07] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We need that gift of discernment. Amen? Like Noah built an ark before there was ever any evidence of a storm, we need to ensure that we are intentional about building our thoughts and our faith through the word of God, through prayer, through fellowship with other believers, and walking with the Holy Spirit. And when you do hear from God, because you do, and you will, how do you know that it's actually God? Has anyone ever had that question? How do I know if this is actually God? Well, let me tell you, God will never speak to you contrary to his word." [08:42] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "When you learn to hear from God, I want to encourage you this morning, this is where I'm driving this point home, when you learn to hear from God, when God speaks to you, you have a responsibility to do something with that revelation. Amen? We all have a responsibility, not just to put it on the shelf, but there's a responsibility that we have to build and to walk out that revelation, to trust him and to stand on his promises." [09:40] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "It matters how we store those treasures of his wisdom in our hearts, what we hold near and dear. And as you walk with him, the Holy Spirit reveals truths to you that are yours to treasure, they're yours to pray out, and they're yours to build upon. We have a responsibility to just not hear God, but to act on what he shares with us. Sometimes our mind wanders from these truths. And God provides, sometimes our minds wander from the truths that God provides, and our thoughts waver, and they become cluttered with concerns, with worry, with distractions, and we find ourselves in a mess." [10:44] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "We need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That means getting back into the word, reminding ourselves what the Holy Spirit has shown us. In 2 Corinthians 10, 5, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity into the obedience of Christ. And what does that look like? It goes, okay, I've got this thought, it's rattling in my mind, does it align with the word of God? Does it stay or does it go? Bringing every thought into captivity, into the obedience of Christ." [12:13] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "I've learned how to hear his voice. I've learned how to store his truth and his leading in my heart. And to keep placing my faith and my confidence in what he said beyond what my circumstances were showing. Amen? And build on those truths. And one of the ways that I've done this is I have made it one of my foundational rules in my life is to follow God. To follow God after peace. To follow hard after peace. Psalms 34, 14 says, depart from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it." [15:57] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "So what I prayed for Caleb, I pray over you. That you would guard your heart. That you would feast on what God has for you and stand firm in it. Church, that you would be a protector, a nurturer, and advocates for the hearts of others. And that you'd be able to share the love of Jesus with them in a powerful way. That you could take people to Jesus. That they would know him. Amen?" [27:10] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "So this morning, as we wrap up, I want to send you out with this charge to always be about knowing God. Always be about hearing him. Trust that he wants to speak to you. Lean into what he has for you. What he reveals to you in his word and through moments of your life where you sense the Holy Spirit entrusting you with a treasure. Because he is good about that. Store the truth of his word in your heart. Cling to it and allow it to be a persistent pondering of your heart. Amen?" [34:35] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "If you're just needing a little bit of encouragement in the Lord, like how do I hear from God? Where those hands were raised? Go ask them for a cup of coffee. Because there is power in hearing the testimonies of others. And church, if you're not sharing those testimonies, I want you to step out in a new boldness because there's power in sharing your testimony. It really puts the enemy under your feet. And it lifts up what Jesus has done in your life, what He's doing and what He will continue to do. And it encourages others." [32:56] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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