Subscribe to Every Post:Listening to God’s Spirit
God speaks to us today predominantly through his living word (the Bible). The Scriptures are his love letter to us and God’s word has authority in our lives. God also speaks to us in other ways besides the Bible. He speaks to us through our circumstances, through our conscience, through dreams, through promptings in the heart, through creation, through the voices and actions of others around us to name a few. God speaks to us when we open our Bibles and read his word. God does not stop speaking to us, however, after we close our Bibles. He speaks to us in various ways all throughout our day. The only question is are we listening or are we sensitive enough to discern the promptings of the Spirit in our lives.
Over the last year God has challenged me to allow the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Godhead) a greater role in my life. This means seeking to be more Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, sensitive to the Spirit’s promptings, and mindful that his Spirit is communicating to me throughout my day. For me, my Christian life has been more about learning the principles of the Bible and then trying to live out biblical decisions. It would certainly be wrong, unbiblical, and unwise to devalue that. We need more people who are willing to flesh out the doctrine and life principles of the Bible.
While nothing can or should replace rote obedience to Scripture, if we are not careful our Christian life can become a mechanical practice of using the Bible as simply a manual for life. When this happens we can tend to simply look up answers and then go try to implement them without an intimate and dependent relationship with God. God wants us living out his word by not only obeying his commands but also by living in the Spirit. This requires an attitude of prayer throughout the day, living out biblical principles, listening to the promptings of the Spirit throughout the day, and following those promptings.
For example, I felt God lay it upon my heart to call and encourage someone the other day. Normally I would let that thought go by unfulfilled. However, I followed through on that prompting and God blessed it tremendously. God speaks to us and prompts us in different ways throughout our day, but are we listening? I know I have a long way to go, but I am trying to grow in this area.
Yesterday in our church service all eight of our elders/overseers took a few minutes each and shared what God placed on their heart about our church family and our future as they prayed for God’s promptings. We shared a few general principles about listening to the Holy Spirit or engaging in what some call a prophetic ministry (discerning God speaking to us in ways other than the Bible). Here they were:
Guiding Principles regarding impressions from God
1) God can speak to us in many ways (e.g. circumstances, dreams, creation, conscience, through others, etc.)
2) Impressions are always submissive to and never contradict Scripture
3) Humility is required: “I am not sure, but I think God is saying to me …”
4) Being led by the Spirit encourages greater sensitivity to impressions from God
None of the elders knew what each would say ahead of time. I had some people say to me before Sunday, isn’t it dangerous to let 8 different leaders speak about the future of the church without having any idea what any of them might say? From a human perspective that is incredibly risky and probably not too bright. However, if all eight of them genuinely seek God and say only what God has prompted them to say, there is absolutely no risk.
Often faith requires risk. We had faith that God would speak to all eight, but if he didn’t, or if one of them wasn’t listening or simply wanted to use the time to get their own agenda through, it would be a disaster.
Well, if you attended, or if you listened online afterward, you know that God blessed our faith and spoke to our church family in absolutely amazing ways. I was blown away. It was incredibly encouraging, challenging, and affirming.
After the elders all spoke we communicated the truth that God doesn’t just speak to the leadership of the church, but he speaks to every follower of Christ who has the Holy Spirit living in him/her. We then took some time and allowed everyone to share with someone sitting at their table or next to them what God has placed on their heart regarding our church family. I would love to hear what some of those things were. If you or someone around you shared something you would be willing to share with the rest of us, please post a comment here at the bottom of this blog.
We would love to hear how God is speaking to many people in our body about the future of our church family and what God is doing and is going to do.
Try this week to be more sensitive to the Spirit’s promptings and follow through on what you believe he lays on your heart to do or say as you relate to others around you.
April 27th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Yesterday I had invited some friends to visit our church. Before they came I told them that there probably wouldn’t be a sermon because we were having the elders of the church speak. Our friends belong to a “denomination” church so I wasn’t sure how it would go since it is so different. After the service had ended we invited them to our house for dinner and to talk about the service. They loved it and looking forward to coming back. I not sure what that means…since they loved it and Chris didn’t do a sermon?? Sorry Chris had to throw that in there. Anyway they stated that the friendship and fellowship they received there was so much different then anything they experienced before. They even took their 3 yrs old to the childrens program, when they went to pick her up she was crying because she had so much fun she didn’t want to go. Instead of the “church” telling them how or what to believe in it showed them that they can be good Christian people without following a script of what to believe. Both of the families commented on the great music and the friendliness of everyone. They were a little apprehensive about being the “visitors”, but they said they didn’t feel that way at all. They want to try it out for a couple of months to see how things go, but really enjoyed themselves. Again I don’t know what this says about Chris since they are giving it a couple of months. So if they like it and decided to continue coming to Grace and Chris wasn’t there preaching what happens when he comes back? Again I am joking. They actually met you and looking forward to your return. Our thoughts are with you and pray God blesses you this journey.
April 29th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Can I go to your church? Pleeeease??
How refreshing to see people actually TRUST in the holy spirit’s active work of unity-through-diversity of gifts & understandings. That’s earthshaking in church, even if its somewhat normal christian living elsewhere.