Listening to God - Psalm 32:8

Title: Listening to God
Date: April 22, 2007
Text: Psalm 32:8

INTRODUCTION

- during the past week a number of people have asked about how we can hear God’s voice
- God is a God who wants relationship with us
- when we invite Jesus into our lives, we want relationship with him
- this relationship involves communication
- when we marry we need communication with each other
- if I spend all my time talking to my wife but only listen to her once or twice a year, I won't have much of a marriage
- it is the same way with God, he wants to speak to me, too
- he wants to have input in our lives
- Psalm 32:8
- we need communication with him, not only in praying to him but in listening to what he has to say
- this morning we are going to look at some aspects of listening to God

1. Why do we need communication with God?

- he tells us where we need to change our ways - John 16:8
- he gives us spiritual instruction - 1 Corinthians 2:12-14
- he tells us things he wants us to do - Abraham (Genesis 12:1-4), Moses (Ex:1-10)
- he gives us comfort - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
- he listens to our prayers and responds - Psalm 34:17-19

2. How does God communicate with us?

- he speaks to us through the Bible - Matthew 4:4
- both "logos" (the written words of the Bible) and "rhema" word (words in the Bible which the Holy Spirit gives life for our particular need)
- but there are other ways in which he speaks to us:
- he speaks to us through circumstances - Acts 16:6-7
- he speaks to us through dreams and visions - Matthew 2:12, 13, 19, 22, Acts 16:9
- he speaks to us quietly, sounding like our own thoughts - 1 Kings 19:12-13
- occasionally he speaks to us audibly - 1 Samuel 3:1-10

3. How do we know it is from God?

- the word can come from three sources, our own mind, the enemy, or from God
- this is why we must evaluate or discern, where the word is coming from
- is the word according to the Bible? - Isaiah 8:19-20, John 17:17
- does the word agree with previous guidance - 1 Cor 14:33
- does the Holy Spirit give us an uneasiness about it, or are we at peace? - 1 Cor 2:13, John 14:27
- have we checked the word with someone who has more spiritual insight? - Proverbs 11:14

4. What can stop us from hearing from God?

- we can be so involved with physical things that we cannot hear the spiritual - Colossians 3:2, Luke 10:39-41
- unconfessed sin can get in the way - Isaiah 59:2
- if we have not submitted to God, pride may keep us from hearing his voice - James 4:6-8
- unbelief will also stop us hearing from God, he wants us to walk in faith -Hebrews 11:6, 10:38

Conclusion

- God desires to be close to his children
- when we draw nigh to him, he will draw nigh to us
- he looks forward to our prayers, and he also looks forward to our listening to what he has to say to us
- remember that God is not the author of confusion, he will make things plain, he will enable us to reach his purpose for us
- stay close to God and he will be close to you