Lesson 4 - A God of Communication . Hearing His Voice

  From the desk of Roy Roden: Every week I will be posting an overview of the teachings of the "Basic Training for the Gift of Prophecy” course we are doing in Belfast every Wednesday at 6:00pm.

Today’s Lesson: A God of Communication

   It is written from the very beginning; God spoke and brought all things into existence by the power of His Word.

  By this, we see that our Father is a God of communication. All that He speaks to brings forth new life, light where there is darkness, prosperity and blessings.

  He then created Adam and Eve in His image and likeness. It was His creative intention for mankind to be drawn into a deep relationship with Him.

  The main goal for hearing His voice is to draw us into a deeper relationship with Abba Father and with one another.

  In the Garden Adam and Eve HEARD “The voice” of the Lord God walking in the Garden (Genesis 3:8). By this we see that the Word walked in the Garden as a “voice.”

  In the New Testament, you are the garden of the Lord, a temple for the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. It is written, “As God has said, I will dwell in them and WALK in them, and I will be their God and they shall be My people” (2 Cor. 6:16).

  As God’s garden, He walks as a “voice” in every area of your being – heart, mind, soul and spirit. We thus must learn to know the Holy Spirit better.

   It is natural for you to hear God’s voice.  Because you are a believer, hearing from God is part of your identity and inheritance. It is God’s great pleasure to share His heart and mind with you. Most believers understand that true prayer is more than petitioning God with a request list, but communicating with our Father in heaven.

  In John 1:1, Jesus is called “The Word of God.” Again, fundamental to God’s nature, is that He is a God of communication.

   Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow Me” (John 10:27). Our call is to hear His voice that we may follow Him.

  Jesus also said that the Holy Spirit would speak that which He hears and reveal the things of Christ to you. Prophecy in its basic form is simply hearing from the Holy Spirit and repeating what He has heard.

   Jesus said, “He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says” (Mathew 11:15, Revelation 2:29). The difference between those can hear His voice from those who are deaf is how open we are to hear Him speak.

Spiritual Discernment

   Although God can speak speaks to us in an audible voice, he has chosen to speak to us by His Spirit. Thus, in order to hear His voice, our spirit needs to tune in to His frequency.

“That we might know the things that is feely given to us of God” (1 Cor. 2:12).

 “Which things also that we speak, not which man’s wisdom teaches, but that which the Holy Spirit teaches…For the natural man cannot comprehend the things of the Spirit of God… because they are SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED” (1 Corinthians 2:13-14).

  To discern means to distinguish between. The word “spirit” can mean the human spirit, angels, the Holy Spirit, as well as principalities and powers such as witchcraft and demonic influences. 

   To discern then, is the ability to recognize and distinguish between the different types of spirits and their activity.

    Because our spirit is awakened to discern the spiritual realm, there are four voices that can speak to us from the Spirit realm. They are:

• The Holy Spirit.
• Our Spirit.
• Evil Spirits.
• Angels

To further clarify,

 The Holy Spirit: The Spirit of God that dwells within who leads us, guides, and empowers us for the work of ministry.

  Our Spirit: We are a spirit with a body with the ability to hear from the spirit realm. “God has quickened (made alive) you who were once dead in sin” (Eph. 2:1, 5).

  Evil Spirits: Just as Satan spoke to Adam and Eve in the Garden, and spoke to Jesus in the wilderness, these evil spirits can speak to Christians.

  Angels: Created by God, angels are sent forth to minister to believers as well as to reveal to us the things of God.

   Because God is a Spirit the Holy Spirit in always present to teach us His language - that which is spirit. 

   Jesus said, “The Holy Spirit will teach you all things…”(John 14:26). John said, “The same anointing that abides in you, shall also teach you all things” (1 John 2:27).

How God Speaks

  Most people think when God speaks, it has to be something spectacular, such as by an open vision or being caught up in the spirit to heaven. Although God can speak to us this way, He most often speaks to us in every way that we are created to receive information.

   Such as by His thoughts that permeate our thoughts, His heart that touches our heart, His feelings impressed upon our feelings, and His Spirit that refreshed our spirit with the life of His presence.

  In the following teachings, we are going to discover how God speaks through,

• Prophetic Impressions – such as to our thoughts and emotions
• The Five Senses – sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.
• His Voice -The still small voice and the audible voice of the Lord.
• The Higher Levels of Revelation - open visions, dreams, angelic visitations, trances and being caught up in the Spirit.
• Interpreting Revelation – the 3 step process: Revelation, Interpretation and Application.
• Symbols and much, much more.

Our next session is called “Spiritual Perceptions.” Are you a seer, knower, hearer or feeler?