The Kingdom of God - Part 2
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| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
June 23, 2022
In our previous message we shared a short summary of the major aspects related to the kingdom of God. In this message, after a short review, we want to share more about how we can be enabled to walk and live in God's kingdom. Our starting scripture is Matthew 6:33:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
A kingdom means the domain of a king - wherever the king has dominion. The kingdom of God is where God rules. "Kingdom" speaks of sovereignty rather than a territory.
The ruler of a kingdom is a king. If there is no king then there is no kingdom. The existence of a kingdom implies that the king has entities in his kingdom which are subject to the authority, power, rule, and headship of the king. That implies that the king must make known his rules or his will to his subjects.
There is no explicit definition of the kingdom of God in the Bible. Perhaps the closest definition is found in Romans 14:17.
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
Our righteousness, peace, and joy are totally dependent upon what God has already done! In essence, the kingdom of God is where the will of God is always done. That has been done and can be done only in Christ Jesus. Only Christ can live the Christian life. The kingdom of God is the central message of both the New Testament and the Old Testament. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
The kingdom of God is in the heavens, over the earth; is universal; is eternal in duration; and is the special subject of Old Testament prophecy. The kingdom is a theocracy instead of a democracy or a monarchy, and we qualify for entrance according to His standards. The kingdom of God that Jesus taught about is a nurtured condition of our heart in its relationship to the Word and Spirit of God. It is the strait (difficult) gate and the narrow way that comparatively few souls will find.
The word "kingdom" is translated from a word that properly means "royalty." Royalty seems to convey the same thought that the overcomers are a church within a church, and that the difference is a difference in the heart condition of those involved. The word royalty seems to "put a handle" on the subject of the kingdom of God, and helps to understand that the kingdom is in our midst today. Some Christians are in it, while other Christians are still moving toward it.
There are two aspects to the kingdom of God. There is the present reality of the kingdom that we need to walk and live in. The kingdom of God is presently within those who are making Jesus the LORD of their lives - the royalty of God. There is also the establishing of the literal kingdom of God on earth when Christ returns (Luke 22:28-30). It consists of a qualified people who have continued to walk with Him.
Jesus said to Nicodemus, in John 3:3,
The kingdom of God is in the heavens, over the earth; is universal; is eternal in duration; and is the special subject of Old Testament prophecy. The kingdom is a theocracy instead of a democracy or a monarchy, and we qualify for entrance according to His standards. The kingdom of God that Jesus taught about is a nurtured condition of our heart in its relationship to the Word and Spirit of God. It is the strait (difficult) gate and the narrow way that comparatively few souls will find.
The word "kingdom" is translated from a word that properly means "royalty." Royalty seems to convey the same thought that the overcomers are a church within a church, and that the difference is a difference in the heart condition of those involved. The word royalty seems to "put a handle" on the subject of the kingdom of God, and helps to understand that the kingdom is in our midst today. Some Christians are in it, while other Christians are still moving toward it.
There are two aspects to the kingdom of God. There is the present reality of the kingdom that we need to walk and live in. The kingdom of God is presently within those who are making Jesus the LORD of their lives - the royalty of God. There is also the establishing of the literal kingdom of God on earth when Christ returns (Luke 22:28-30). It consists of a qualified people who have continued to walk with Him.
Jesus said to Nicodemus, in John 3:3,
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Then in John 3:5, Jesus said,
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
Those are necessary, but not sufficient conditions to enter the kingdom of God. After we acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and have been baptized in water and baptized by Jesus in the Holy Ghost, we then enter the journey for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. We are then equipped to become that which God desires for us to become. We become candidates for the kingdom of God, but entrance is not automatic. We must qualify.
That strikes squarely at the root principle of our human lives - the very nature we were born with. The axe is laid to the root of the tree. The process is controlled by each one of us, in ratio to our co-operation with the Spirit of God. When He touches an aspect of our life, if we respond favorably, the process continues. One "no" from us, and the process stops until and unless we repent. The Word must become flesh within us ... Christ in you the hope of glory! Acts 14:22 says that we must through much tribulation (or pressure) enter into the kingdom of God.
The price of character refinement seems unreasonable to some of us. We cannot comprehend the need for such a stringent heart condition and life style. Therefore, we have either failed or refused to submit ourselves to the searing heat required to separate ourselves from ourselves.
Although believers have trusted God for initial salvation, the sinful tendencies of the flesh still remain in us, so we continue to vacillate between the desires of the flesh and those of the Spirit. We will never be satisfied until the Lord is satisfied with us!
The parables of Jesus pertain to the kingdom of God and NOT to salvation. Those are two different subjects - separate and distinct from one another. Salvation is free; kingdom stature is very costly ... it costs us our self-life.
That strikes squarely at the root principle of our human lives - the very nature we were born with. The axe is laid to the root of the tree. The process is controlled by each one of us, in ratio to our co-operation with the Spirit of God. When He touches an aspect of our life, if we respond favorably, the process continues. One "no" from us, and the process stops until and unless we repent. The Word must become flesh within us ... Christ in you the hope of glory! Acts 14:22 says that we must through much tribulation (or pressure) enter into the kingdom of God.
The price of character refinement seems unreasonable to some of us. We cannot comprehend the need for such a stringent heart condition and life style. Therefore, we have either failed or refused to submit ourselves to the searing heat required to separate ourselves from ourselves.
Although believers have trusted God for initial salvation, the sinful tendencies of the flesh still remain in us, so we continue to vacillate between the desires of the flesh and those of the Spirit. We will never be satisfied until the Lord is satisfied with us!
The parables of Jesus pertain to the kingdom of God and NOT to salvation. Those are two different subjects - separate and distinct from one another. Salvation is free; kingdom stature is very costly ... it costs us our self-life.
Luke 16:16. The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
We are not required to press into salvation. It is free for the accepting.
The kingdom of God is not the same as the Church. We inherit the kingdom, but not the Church.
Even the disciples before Pentecost had difficulty separating salvation and the kingdom. The degree of lordship is part of the criteria that determines the difference between Christian and Christian.
The kingdom of God is a condition entirely within the heart of every individual believer. It is something that each individual Christian has or does not have, depending entirely upon what the Lord sees in our life. We either meet His requirements, or we don't. It has nothing to do with obtaining or maintaining salvation.
Almost all of the New Testament is dedicated to instructions and qualifications for entrance into the kingdom of God, rather than to salvation. The Sermon on the Mount primarily contains instructions about how to conduct our lives after we are saved.
Jesus died so that we could leave the kingdom of self and live in the kingdom of life. The question is: Do we really want to follow Jesus? If so, we must be willing to "deny our self." Our old self-life must be put off, denied, rejected, crucified. It must die because it cannot be reformed and will not die of its own accord.
Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21). Our words and actions are always an attempt to get what we value. What controls our heart will control our behavior. Either we have attached our inner life and sense of well-being to the earth-bound treasures of the kingdom of self or to the heavenly treasures of the kingdom of God.
In order to live a God-centered life, the number one priority in our life must be to cultivate an intimate walk with Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit working within us, we can all attain to kingdom stature. Sadly, many Christians will not press on into the kingdom of God, either because of ignorance or apathy or idolatry, such as murmuring and complaining.
Law is outward or external demands; principles motivate, inform, and restrain from within. The principles Jesus taught in Matthew 5-7 are the measuring rod by which we judge our spiritual growth in Christ. These principles can be implemented only by the Holy Spirit in response to our obedience. Guided by the principles of the sermon on the mount and enabled by the Holy Spirit, we are to become sons of the kingdom of God. We are to be a kingdom people, prepared and qualified to live and walk in His kingdom.
There can be no kingdom without principles. A principle is that which is built within a person that governs his life, conduct, and behavior. God's principles are designed both to make us free and to bring us to the place of spiritual usefulness and abundant life. There are many kingdom principles, such as humility, meekness, purity of heart, faithfulness, obedience, fruit-bearing, dependence on God and His ability and provision, and holy and godly living. All of God's principles are being worked within us as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit.
Humility is a quality of our mind and of our will. 1 Peter 5:6, says,
"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time."
Humility is a decision that we must make daily. Humility and meekness are not the same. Meekness is a quality of our spirit. Meekness is the spirit in which all the fight has been taken out - no more retaliation, self-defensiveness or revenge. We are not born meek. We have to be divinely processed.
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Psalm 24 asks the question, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully."
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Psalm 24 asks the question, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully."
Our burden must be the appropriation of kingdom substance and reality into our lives. It is to see the church rise up out of its carnality and earth-bound condition and to fulfill its call to kingdom status, so that a proper impact can be made on the nations and on the powers that rule them. God is preparing to do something fresh and we must be ready. We cannot overemphasize the importance of preparation.
The Lord's desire is that we might be consumed with a passion to perceive and to participate in His kingdom. In other words, we must desire the will of God to be done within and through me. The vision of a kingdom prepared for Jesus to deliver to the Father must become the central reality in our lives.
Now let us be a little more specific in terms of our responsibility pursuant to the kingdom of God. In order to walk in the kingdom of God we must know what the will of God is in each situation. That means we must be able to hear His voice. In early Bible times Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and many others heard the voice of the Lord for themselves. They did not have the benefit of a Bible, Bible commentaries, good Christian books, or wonderful pastors and teachers to help to guide them. They had to depend upon what the Lord told them. The Bible does not explicitly state HOW they heard or in what form His voice was communicated.
After the fall of man, the disobedience of Eve (first) and Adam in the garden, Adam and Eve still heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden.
The Lord's desire is that we might be consumed with a passion to perceive and to participate in His kingdom. In other words, we must desire the will of God to be done within and through me. The vision of a kingdom prepared for Jesus to deliver to the Father must become the central reality in our lives.
Now let us be a little more specific in terms of our responsibility pursuant to the kingdom of God. In order to walk in the kingdom of God we must know what the will of God is in each situation. That means we must be able to hear His voice. In early Bible times Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and many others heard the voice of the Lord for themselves. They did not have the benefit of a Bible, Bible commentaries, good Christian books, or wonderful pastors and teachers to help to guide them. They had to depend upon what the Lord told them. The Bible does not explicitly state HOW they heard or in what form His voice was communicated.
After the fall of man, the disobedience of Eve (first) and Adam in the garden, Adam and Eve still heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden.
Genesis 3:8-10. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Scripture clearly indicates that man in his natural state can still hear the voice of the Lord, thanks to the grace of God. Abraham and Moses are also prime examples of this fact.
Numerous scriptures speak of the Lord answering us when we call upon Him.
Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3
The word "call" means a heart cry from our innermost being.
And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, 1 will hear. Isaiah 65:24
And [the Lord] said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Exodus 15:26
However, the children of Israel continued their murmurings, so we see in scripture a gradual decline of hearing the voice of the Lord.
From Exodus 19:8-9, the Israelites said,
"All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord."
What presumption! All of the people said, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." Shortly after their declaration,
18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood far off.19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. Exodus 20:18-19
The Lord honored their request. Hearing the voice of the Lord for one's self became a lost art. It remains so, in general, even today. Most denominational churches and even "charismatic" churches hire pastors to tell them what the Lord is saying. Scripture also indicates that there is no excuse for not hearing the voice of the Lord.
Why has hearing the voice of the Lord become a lost art? for a variety of reasons: lack of understanding the ways of the Lord and self-centeredness are certainly two such reasons. We also have hardened our hearts.
Hebrews 3:7-8. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: ...)
In addition, Christians have become rather lazy, being inundated with good Christian books, Bible commentaries, and good Bible teachers. To hear the voice of the Lord for yourself takes more individual effort. It also takes a right spirit. Many Christians are not willing to pay that price.
When it comes to our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the most important word that any Christian minister could ever impart to a new believer in Christ is "how to hear the voice of the Lord for yourself." This is an area that I personally struggled with for a few years after the Lord sovereignly and dramatically apprehended me. I do not recall anyone who ever provided me with any word on how to hear the voice of the Lord for myself.
I used to sit in church services, have a word come into my mind, and then sit there wondering whether or not that was just my fleshly, carnal mind or whether the Spirit of God had brought that word to my mind as a word that I should share with the other believers present. By and large, I would inevitably "sit on the word," afraid that it might simply be a product of my own, natural mind. I suspect that some other believers have struggled in this same way. How do I know (or even, CAN I know) that the Lord is speaking to me?
I personally believe that when time is no more, the excuse that "my bishop (or elder) told me to do thus and so, or my pastor (or priest) told me to do thus and so" will not be a valid excuse. It is imperative that each believer be able to hear the voice of the Lord for him/herself. Perhaps the best example, from scripture, of the importance of hearing the voice of the Lord, is contained in 1 Samuel, Chapter 3. Hannah had told Eli, the priest, that Samuel, Hannah's son, was to be "lent unto the Lord as long as he (Samuel) lived." And so Eli undoubtedly taught Samuel many things about the priesthood, the law, and all of the Jewish customs and traditions.
My old Bible contains dates on almost every page for the different events that are recorded in the Bible. If those dates are correct, then Eli taught Samuel for a period of six years. That seems like a long time! Surely in six years, Eli taught Samuel many things. But the only thing that is actually recorded in the Bible is that Eli taught Samuel to hear the voice of the Lord for himself. This may have been the most important thing that Eli did in his life. 1 Samuel 3:1 says that "the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli." Then, in 1 Samuel 3:3-10,
3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;4 That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.6 And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
In verse one of this Chapter, Samuel ministered unto the Lord BEFORE he knew the Lord and BEFORE the word of the Lord was revealed unto him. It was a form, a ritual, with no real significance in Samuel's life. Eli undoubtedly taught Samuel many things concerning the law up to that point in time, but NONE of those things are recorded in scripture.
Eli told Samuel that if the Lord called him again, Samuel was to say, "Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth." Note that after the Lord called to Samuel again, Samuel actually said, "Speak; for thy servant heareth." Samuel did not say, "Speak, Lord." After Samuel had told Eli of the vision he had received from the Lord, Eli confirmed, "It is the Lord" (1 Samuel 3:18). More mature ministers today have the same responsibility to confirm (or disconfirm) to younger Christians whether they have heard the voice of the Lord. From that time on, Samuel knew the Lord and knew His voice.
This chapter speaks volumes on the importance of hearing the voice of the Lord. In the seventh year, Samuel started his ministry on earth as one of the major prophets in history. And [the Lord]
"did let none of his [Samuel's] words drop to the ground" (1 Samuel 3:19).
Each one of us makes decisions every day. Most of those decisions are trivial, but other decisions can greatly affect our lives, such as whom, if anyone we should marry, what job we should take, etc. A major characteristic of decision-making is that we never know what the "other road" would have been like. We must depend upon God. Therefore, since He knows what is best for us at every juncture in our life, we need to hear His voice to guide us in the way that we should walk and trust Him completely.
I believe that the Lord wants us to hear His voice more than we want to hear His voice. Toward that end, I believe that the Lord speaks to us in a variety of different ways. Certainly not everyone has heard the audible voice of the Lord. But He speaks to us through scripture, through other believers, through non-believers, through circumstances, and, I believe, in many other ways. The question is, are we sensitive to whatever way that the Lord speaks to us?
How does a new believer learn to hear the voice of the Lord? First of all, I believe we have to have the right equipment. This means we need to be born again and baptized in (into) the Holy Spirit. We need to have spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears to hear. In each word to the seven churches, as recorded in Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, we find these words: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." How do we receive ears to hear His voice? by His grace through faith.
Can God speak to those who do not have this foundation? Of course! God is sovereign. But as a general rule, non-believers do not hear the voice of the Lord. We also need to feed on the written word of God and hide it in our hearts.
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee. Psalms 119:11
The Spirit and the Word agree. We need to diligently read the written word and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the meaning of the word. When we believe we have heard a word from the Lord, we should always ask ourselves whether it agrees with the written word of God.
Next, we need the proper motivation. We need to sincerely want to hear the voice of the Lord. Of course, God knows our hearts. He knows when we are sincere. He also knows when we are self-seeking or if we are seeking only to bring glory to God. We must have a right relationship to Him. Closely related to wanting to hear the voice of the Lord is that we need to ask the Lord to show us His will for us, both overall and in individual circumstances that arise. Also, it is important that whatever we ask of the Lord should be consistent with the plan and purposes of God as revealed to us at the particular point in time.
Third, we must act in faith.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23).
We must believe that what we hear is from the Lord. A major way to confirm what we believe we hear is to ask if it is consistent with the written word. Let us look at the place of faith in this whole process. Whenever a word comes to my mind to do something or say something, there are two ways that I can look at the event. I can say to myself (as I did far too many times as a new believer), "well, I better not say or do that because it might just be my carnal mind." That is the negative approach, which I do NOT advocate. On the other hand, I can say, "Lord I accept by faith that you have brought this idea to my mind. Therefore, I am going to take one step, by faith, in that direction. If I am wrong, please close the door or make it clear to me in some way that my step is not what you will for me at this point." That is the positive approach, and the one that I DO recommend. Further, as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him, we should expect that more and more of our thoughts are actually imparted to us through His Spirit. Psalms 37:4 says,
"Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
The Lord will actually implant the desire itself in our hearts. What kind of desires does the Lord want to put into our hearts? Those desires that are consistent with the written word of God; the desire that God may be glorified in all things; the desire that He might be glorified in all that we say, do, and become. The condition to "delight thyself also in the Lord" speaks of our motivation.
It may be a good idea to confirm (or disconfirm, as the case may be) what you believe you are hearing with another believer whom you believe has some maturity. For a period in my life, there were times that I would deliberately seek out other believers who I thought would be the most likely to disagree or disconfirm that which I believed that I was hearing. If that person confirmed my belief, then I felt on very safe ground in proceeding. The word says
It may be a good idea to confirm (or disconfirm, as the case may be) what you believe you are hearing with another believer whom you believe has some maturity. For a period in my life, there were times that I would deliberately seek out other believers who I thought would be the most likely to disagree or disconfirm that which I believed that I was hearing. If that person confirmed my belief, then I felt on very safe ground in proceeding. The word says
"in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."
2 Corinthians 13:1
When we were very young believers in the house church in our area in the 1970's, the common interpretation of that verse was that if I believed I had heard a word from the Lord then I should have the word confirmed by Tom Smith and Mary Jones (two or three other people). I have no problem with that interpretation for new believers. However, I also believe there is a higher interpretation of that scripture. Jesus said,
17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.18 I am one that bear witness of Myself, and the Father That sent Me beareth witness of Me. John 8:17-18
So the two or three witnesses, IF you can receive it, are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
In addition, if you are married, then I strongly suggest that you and your spouse pray about and agree upon any major decisions in your life. The objective is that each believer needs to be able to hear the voice of the Lord for him/herself. The objective is NOT to hear the voice of the Lord through your pastor, elder, or another believer, although that may well be a stepping stone in your walk.
Many years ago, I was in Miami, Florida, attending a spiritual conference. The speaker one night said some things which really made a very deep impact on me. Since it was rather late at night I went to bed. Early the next morning I asked to listen to the audiotape that had been recorded from the previous night's meeting. I did not want to "lose" that critical word that I heard the minister share. I played the tape TWICE. The word I was so desirous of hearing again was NOT ON THE TAPE! What I had heard did NOT come through the minister but from the Lord Himself!
Moreover, what the Lord is saying to you may have NO relationship to the words being spoken by the minister. Many years ago, I went to a Friday night meeting of believers. The host, an elder in the house church of which we were a part, had invited an elder (who I will call Sam) from another charismatic fellowship to minister the word. Just prior to the time for the teaching, we believers began to praise and worship the Lord by singing with the spirit.
The church fellowship of which Sam was a part did not believe in singing with the spirit in public meetings, so he tried his best to cut off our worship of the Lord in the spirit, and finally succeeded. Then he started teaching on the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I looked around the room and wondered why he had chosen that topic because everyone there was already baptized in the Holy Spirit. However, his attitude was far worse than his topic selection. He obviously was trying to teach us a thing or two. His approach was quite harsh and condescending, and certainly not in the right spirit. He displayed an attitude of, "you guys are all wrong; let me teach you something." The host never interrupted Sam. After he finally stopped his tirade, the host told Sam, "I have heard that your daughter is going to have open heart surgery next Tuesday. May we pray for her now?" Sam agreed, so we all prayed for his daughter. Then the meeting ended. A few days later another elder in the house church of which we were a part called me and asked me what had happened during the Friday night meeting. He said that he was not there but that he had heard many negative reports about the word (and attitude) that was shared that night. I said, "I thought it was one of the best meetings I have ever been to. The visiting minister was indeed out of order in both what he said and how he said it. But what he received in exchange for his tirade was the love of God, when we prayed for his daughter." Evidently almost everyone else at that meeting had only seen the negative, using their natural eyes and ears. But the Lord allowed me to see the REAL teaching going on, which was outstanding! I heard the Lord during that meeting say,
Moreover, what the Lord is saying to you may have NO relationship to the words being spoken by the minister. Many years ago, I went to a Friday night meeting of believers. The host, an elder in the house church of which we were a part, had invited an elder (who I will call Sam) from another charismatic fellowship to minister the word. Just prior to the time for the teaching, we believers began to praise and worship the Lord by singing with the spirit.
The church fellowship of which Sam was a part did not believe in singing with the spirit in public meetings, so he tried his best to cut off our worship of the Lord in the spirit, and finally succeeded. Then he started teaching on the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I looked around the room and wondered why he had chosen that topic because everyone there was already baptized in the Holy Spirit. However, his attitude was far worse than his topic selection. He obviously was trying to teach us a thing or two. His approach was quite harsh and condescending, and certainly not in the right spirit. He displayed an attitude of, "you guys are all wrong; let me teach you something." The host never interrupted Sam. After he finally stopped his tirade, the host told Sam, "I have heard that your daughter is going to have open heart surgery next Tuesday. May we pray for her now?" Sam agreed, so we all prayed for his daughter. Then the meeting ended. A few days later another elder in the house church of which we were a part called me and asked me what had happened during the Friday night meeting. He said that he was not there but that he had heard many negative reports about the word (and attitude) that was shared that night. I said, "I thought it was one of the best meetings I have ever been to. The visiting minister was indeed out of order in both what he said and how he said it. But what he received in exchange for his tirade was the love of God, when we prayed for his daughter." Evidently almost everyone else at that meeting had only seen the negative, using their natural eyes and ears. But the Lord allowed me to see the REAL teaching going on, which was outstanding! I heard the Lord during that meeting say,
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matthew 5:11-12
Allow the Holy Spirit to develop within you a sensitivity to hear His voice through whatever means He may choose. I knew a man many years ago who said that he had heard the voice of the Lord at different times through observing place mats, a man's hat, a man's pants, window blinds, and a dog. Quite a strange variety! But do not limit the Holy One of Israel!
Finally, we must practice this process in order that we may be able to discern the will of God in our lives. The author of the book of Hebrews says that the recipients of that epistle are "dull of hearing" (Hebrews 5:11). The author also says that Christian maturity belongs to
"those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14).
Obviously, the senses referred to here are our spiritual senses, so we need to exercise (practice) our spiritual senses to discern the will of God from that which is "good." The natural man simply tries to discern between good and evil. Indeed, that is the only distinction that natural man can make. The natural man still partakes of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but has never partaken of the tree of life (Jesus Christ).
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).
In Genesis 2:17, God told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of GOOD and evil.
Many years ago, my wife, Linda, had a rather serious physical problem. Both my wife and I believed that we knew what the physical problem was. We also believed that the Lord wanted to heal Linda all by Himself. We were very young Christians at that time. A prevalent teaching in the house church of which we were a part at that time was that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word should be confirmed." So we did not want to act on the word that we had personally heard from the Lord without that word being confirmed by two or three other people.
We never told anyone what we believed the physical problem was. I asked numerous people to pray for Linda and see what they heard from the Lord. The only thing I ever told anyone was that Linda had a serious physical condition. I also called a woman who, I believed, had a ministry of healing. During this time period two apostles and one prophet of the Lord happened to be in town at the same time (a rare occurrence), so I asked all three of them to come over to our house one Saturday afternoon. Again, I never shared what we believed the specific problem was. I had assumed that surely one of these three spiritual giants would have a word from the Lord for us. None of them had any such word for us. When they left, I was very angry. I did not understand why none of those men had a word for us. (A few weeks later the Lord revealed to me that He had sovereignly closed their ears and mouths because He wanted me to hear the voice of the Lord for myself.) In addition, I called for the elders of the church (of which I was one) and asked them to come over to our house one evening. After a few minutes the elders anointed Linda with oil in the name of the Lord and pronounced her healed. Isn't that what the word says in James 5:14?
I did not witness to the action taken by the elders, but I said nothing. Then all of the elders went home, having followed the letter of the word (but I believed missed the Spirit). The next day, one of the elders who had been in our home the previous evening called me. He said that he had not witnessed to what the elders had said and done the night before, but he had said nothing because he did not want to create any confusion. However, he continued, that as he was driving over to our house that evening, he asked the Lord, "what is wrong with Linda?" He told me that what he heard during those five minutes was that Linda had a cyst on her right ovary (a rather specific word of knowledge). Furthermore, he said that the Lord told him that if Linda went to a medical doctor that the Lord would honor that course of action but that the Lord wanted to heal Linda all by Himself. That was precisely the physical problem that we believed existed and it was precisely what we believed we should do about it; i.e., let the Lord heal Linda all by Himself! That is precisely what we did and the Lord precisely healed Linda very quickly all by Himself! From all of the many believers we had contacted, we heard everything from A to Z concerning Linda's physical problem. One man, other than us, heard the word of the Lord.
There is no such thing as instant maturity. Just be patient. Yes, you will make a few mistakes along the way as you practice hearing the voice of the Lord. But do not get discouraged. God looks on our hearts, not on our outward appearance. In addition, we need to remember that God does not speak to us every minute of every day. Years ago, I heard a true prophet of the Lord say that he did NOT hear from the Lord every day! By practicing hearing the voice of the Lord, one day we wake up and say, "How marvelous it is that the Lord chooses to speak to me directly." He is faithful to those who show themselves full of faith toward Him.
Hearing the voice of the Lord for ourself is crucial! It is necessary but not sufficient. James 1:22 says,
Many years ago, my wife, Linda, had a rather serious physical problem. Both my wife and I believed that we knew what the physical problem was. We also believed that the Lord wanted to heal Linda all by Himself. We were very young Christians at that time. A prevalent teaching in the house church of which we were a part at that time was that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word should be confirmed." So we did not want to act on the word that we had personally heard from the Lord without that word being confirmed by two or three other people.
We never told anyone what we believed the physical problem was. I asked numerous people to pray for Linda and see what they heard from the Lord. The only thing I ever told anyone was that Linda had a serious physical condition. I also called a woman who, I believed, had a ministry of healing. During this time period two apostles and one prophet of the Lord happened to be in town at the same time (a rare occurrence), so I asked all three of them to come over to our house one Saturday afternoon. Again, I never shared what we believed the specific problem was. I had assumed that surely one of these three spiritual giants would have a word from the Lord for us. None of them had any such word for us. When they left, I was very angry. I did not understand why none of those men had a word for us. (A few weeks later the Lord revealed to me that He had sovereignly closed their ears and mouths because He wanted me to hear the voice of the Lord for myself.) In addition, I called for the elders of the church (of which I was one) and asked them to come over to our house one evening. After a few minutes the elders anointed Linda with oil in the name of the Lord and pronounced her healed. Isn't that what the word says in James 5:14?
I did not witness to the action taken by the elders, but I said nothing. Then all of the elders went home, having followed the letter of the word (but I believed missed the Spirit). The next day, one of the elders who had been in our home the previous evening called me. He said that he had not witnessed to what the elders had said and done the night before, but he had said nothing because he did not want to create any confusion. However, he continued, that as he was driving over to our house that evening, he asked the Lord, "what is wrong with Linda?" He told me that what he heard during those five minutes was that Linda had a cyst on her right ovary (a rather specific word of knowledge). Furthermore, he said that the Lord told him that if Linda went to a medical doctor that the Lord would honor that course of action but that the Lord wanted to heal Linda all by Himself. That was precisely the physical problem that we believed existed and it was precisely what we believed we should do about it; i.e., let the Lord heal Linda all by Himself! That is precisely what we did and the Lord precisely healed Linda very quickly all by Himself! From all of the many believers we had contacted, we heard everything from A to Z concerning Linda's physical problem. One man, other than us, heard the word of the Lord.
There is no such thing as instant maturity. Just be patient. Yes, you will make a few mistakes along the way as you practice hearing the voice of the Lord. But do not get discouraged. God looks on our hearts, not on our outward appearance. In addition, we need to remember that God does not speak to us every minute of every day. Years ago, I heard a true prophet of the Lord say that he did NOT hear from the Lord every day! By practicing hearing the voice of the Lord, one day we wake up and say, "How marvelous it is that the Lord chooses to speak to me directly." He is faithful to those who show themselves full of faith toward Him.
Hearing the voice of the Lord for ourself is crucial! It is necessary but not sufficient. James 1:22 says,
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
In other words, we must ACT, by faith, on the word that we hear from the Lord.
Lord, work within us that which is well-pleasing in your sight that we may more and more enter into your kingdom and experience your abundant life. Amen.
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