1 Kings 9:10b-13 - "a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'"
There really is nothing new under the sun from our modern day culture and society and the times of Elisha when he cried out to God just to hear His voice and His direction. Back then there was and presently there still is such a hunger, desire, and desperation to hear the voice of God speak to us and for our hearts and minds to grasp and understand the voice of God. I come across so many books from "The Voice of God", "Discerning the Voice of God", "Hearing God's Voice", "Hearing the Whispers", "When God Whispers Your Name", all great books to read, but what is it that truly prohibits and blocks our ability to hear God?
What triggered this thought is at my small group for our church we were just closing and had just finished praying over one another. At the very end we got up and were just at the moment of casual talk, when all the sudden one incredible young man at the group, college age student that joined our church about 6 months ago and has been a huge part in building and growing the church, also very faithful and loyal and loves helping and serving the church, asked for another prayer request and shared some thoughts he had. He said he has really struggled in the past month with doubting God's existence. It was interesting because he was saying how for years he's grown up in a christian family and has gone to church, but he's never really heard or had a conversation with God. In his thinking, "Why would we just continue to worship and serve God with everything we have if we don't actually have a personal relationship with God and why does He not speak to us or why can I not hear His voice?"
I will finish how the story ended later, because it's incredible how when there are certain steps we take in the natural, God we speak in the spiritual. He did just that and experience something he's never experienced before... The Whispers of God...
God speaks to you daily and desires so much to have a mutual relationship with you that requires communication from both parties. The only question is, what is the cause to not hear His voice?
There are a great number of factors that will answer this question, however in this day and age of technology and access to an unending amount of information, it really hit home me the other day, there are three flashing neon yellow, pink, orange, and green signs that are pivotal and vital keys to calming the storms and hearing the voice and whisper of God:
1. Media/Technology-
I have nothing against FaceBook, ITunes, Angry Birds, Movies, T.V., Internet, etc. These are all great things and when used right, are weapons and tools to further advance the kingdom of God. Also sometimes a great way to just chill and relax and give a chance for our brain to take a break. But what made me really passionate about this is from my own personal experience when I was doing devotions at my desk. The other night I had my phone next to me, which the IPhone has access to so many ways of communications (Phone, Text, Email, FaceBook, Twitter, and so forth) the phone would go off every 30-60 seconds. And instead of just turning it off and putting it away, I would pick it up and read, listen, respond. Now taking that example, what if you would be in an environment with no music, complete silence, with no distractions? Just you, the Word of God, and Jesus Himself. Instead of the phone, or music, or T.V. being a tool to read, listen, and respond, it would be. "ok Jesus, here I am, I'm ready to read your Word, listen to what you're telling me, and respond to what you want me to do".
What will happen to this generation if we just take the very things that cloud our mind and add noise to the background out of the picture when Jesus speaks to you?
I think of going to concerts or conferences when there are hundreds or thousands of people, and trying to have a conversation with someone. It is definitely not as easy as sitting down at the park with no one around and talking to someone. We have to talk louder and constantly ask them to repeat themselves. I also think about watching T.V. or movies. I think movies are great, depending on the stuff you watch, because that's another thing that will block you from hearing God, but that's a rabbit trail, if you're watching T.V. all day and so engaged and focused on that, you tend to tune out or miss certain things that people are trying to communicate to you. At least that's how I am. I starting to look back and ponder about the times when I heard God speak to me the most and his voice being more clear and evident in my life. It definitely wasn't the times when I had the music blaring, when I had my phone interrupting my times with Jesus, or the times that people were around to distract me from focusing on God imparting to me. There is a little word call "discipline" that none of us like, but when we exercise it and utilize it, God begins to move and speak in many ways!
Discipline put away the phone, discipline to put away FaceBook, discipline to not have to have music playing during quiet times, discipline to go to bed early when you have to wake up early, discipline to not watch certain things or listen to certain things that you know wouldn't be good for your spirit to consume. Discipline can be a tough thing at first, but when we just activate and utilize it, there is an infinite amount of things God is going to download into you.
2. Word of God (Bible)-
Many times I hear kids, teens, college age, and adults that say they can't hear God's voice and are so desperate to hear the word and whisper of God. The next follow up question... What did you read about today in the Bible?
You see, in this Age of Technology it is so common for people to just want things told to them and the answers just given to them. More people have the Bible App on their IPhone (which I love!), than an actual Bible, more people are apt to jot down notes from an incredible message and sermon their pastor spoke on Sunday, but not go home and take more time to let in sink in their hearts. The key to hearing God's voice is reading the very words that he inspired!
Back to my story about our small group, the young man that we prayed for that night and was questioning God, later went home and instead of doing the norm, maybe T.V., internet, basketball, or anything, he decided to read the Bible. He said after he read, he prayed to God and asked God to speak to him. Hours later that night he was telling me that God, for the first time in his life, spoke to him. What God said to him was something complete different from what he was feeling in his heart at that season of his life. God told him to love on a specific person that needs a friend. The reason he knew it was from God because he was at the breaking point of separating himself from him, but God's Word says that we need to "love God and love our neighbor, the two greatest commandments". He was so blown away and had complete heart change that very night and to this day is not the same person. Different countenance, new joy, new peace, new zeal for people, new passion for the church.
I believe 100 percent if he would not have decided to turn off the distracting ambiences, opened the very words of God, and prayed and sought after God, that moment that God whispered to him would have been another null night.
I can't tell you how frustrating it is as a guitar player when you're playing something and writing a cool tune, so excited and enthusiastic about the new cool thing you just wrote, and then you show someone that awesome piece of music "you" wrote and they say, "oh, that sounds exactly like.........".
"The things you feed your mind, will, heart, and spirit will begin to arise and come out like a fountain."
What better way to hear the whispers of God and voice of God than to open up the very words he breathed into existence and very words he inspired. Vital key to calming the storm and hearing the whisper... Read and Meditate on the Word of God... The Bible!!!!
3. Servanthood- The Greatest Gift
Moving from Portland, OR to New York City, NY to help start a church was a big deal in itself. On top of that I was a young, fresh out of high school, never been out of the house up to this point, and never fully grasped the idea of "seeking first the kingdom of God, and everything else will be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). The first couple years were probably the hardest for me. Really getting a rude awakening, but the greatest thing that ever happened to me, about the meaning of "my life is not mine".
I see so many people also desperately seeking God and direction and the next step and counsel and help and "the word", but what I really came to a resolution about is this:
There is something special and new anointing we seek first His kingdom, taking our eyes and will off of ourselves, fully committed with no guile or alternative motive, then God's begins to reveal His true will for our lives.
When my church originally came out here, 20 people were needing jobs. It's an amazing testimony, because after laying down their lives, their homes, their finances, taking time to move the church, help others, and do everything that has to do with the word selfless, everyone of them got jobs within 2 weeks. Now talking to New Yorkers, that does not happen. Can anyone say Miracle!?!
I just love my pastor, Ed Schefter!!! The times when people are needing jobs or answers or clarity or just needed God to put in the missing puzzle, he always has them come in to the church and volunteer their time. It's amazing because, no exaggeration, every time they leave feeling refreshed, fulfilled, encouraged, peace, joy, and ready for all that God has for them. What is it that causes God to want to speak to you when our eyes are not on ourself?
I just think of communicating and speaking to people. Who wants to talk to someone who's taking always taking control of the conversation, always talking about themselves, and looks at everything but the person they are talking to? NOBODY!!!
What's going to happen in this generation when we begin to take our eyes off ourself and focus on God and people? What things is God going to reveal to you when we give him room to talk?
Conclusion:
There are so many factors that cause a blockage with hearing the voice of God, but here are 3, if recognized and utilized, will open up the doors that no man can shut. Let's be a generation and a people that are so desperate for the voice and whisper of God that we are willing to do whatever it takes to calm the storm and hear the whisper.
Elisha sought after God and was so desperate to hear His voice. God's voice was not in the storm, the wind, earthquake, or fire. It was the still small voice... the whisper. God wants to speak to you, He wants to have a mutual relationship with you, He wants his communication to be on a one-on-one personal level. Let's be open to hear the voice....
