CHRISTIANS ARE ALWAYS ON THE MOVE BUILDING GOD’S KINGDOM

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When God called Abraham, he didn’t say, “You need to ascribe to these commandments, right principles, and correct beliefs.” Instead, God told Abraham, “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” How did Abraham respond?

“So Abram went, as the Lord had told him.” Genesis 12.4

He didn’t say a word. He got his feet moving.

When it came time for Jesus to assemble the men who would become His apostles and disciples, he didn’t command them to discern and discover all of the scriptural rules and laws to govern their conduct and learn what they should believe. No, Jesus called them and what was their response?

“Immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.” Matthew 4:22

They got their feet moving and so should we.

In the three short years that Jesus ministered on this earth, Jesus walked over 3000 miles. He was a man on the move. He was a man of imminency and intention.

Jesus took ordinary people, made by and in the image of, his Father, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, turned them into a community, a family, of fervent and dedicated apostles, disciples, and students, thereby launching the greatest social movement in human history.

By Jesus’ death and resurrection, He made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, to indwell the Spirit of every person who repents of their past rebellion against God and given their life to Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Submitting to baptism in water they have shown they have died to their old life and been born again by the Holy Spirit into a new life in Christ.

It is possible to be born again by the Holy Spirit and yet we quench His work in our lives thereby grieving Him.

The detailed message we are given of how Elijah heard from God is tremendously important.

What did Elijah hear after the wind, earthquake, and fire?

“And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12

How did Elijah respond to the “still small voice“? He “went out..”. He got his feet moving.

“And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out…” 1 Kings 19:13

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

It is obvious from this Scripture that it is possible to grieve the Holy Spirit and we are told that we quench His work in our lives when we ignore His “still small voice“. I know in my own life that I often am distracted by worldly attractions and miss God’s best for me which means I miss the joy that we get from serving Him.

Prayer is the way we stay in touch with God, Human beings were made to be in fellowship with God. Adam and Eve’s disobedience severed the link but thank God He asked His Son, Jesus, to restore the link. What does God do for those that relate to Him in love? The Psalmist puts it well when he said,

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalms 16:11

If we are obedient and get our feet moving when He asks us to go, He will guide our steps.

“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him because we keep his commandments and do what pleases Him.” 1 John 3:21-22

GOD HASN’T QUIT SPEAKING

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God hasn’t quit speaking; He is opening our hearts and minds to hear His voice in new ways. He does this so that we will continue to grow progressively in our relationship with Him. He doesn’t want us to become locked in to the same patterns of hearing Him. God’s goal is a real, live relationship with us.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27

Image result for picture of God talking to Elijah still small voice

Here are a few scriptural examples, which portray the multitude of ways the Spirit has used to speak to people:

  1. A dream or vision (see Job 33:14-18)
  2. A voice in a trance (see Acts 10:9-16)
  3. The voice of many angels (see Rev. 5:11)
  4. The voice of the archangel (see 1 Thess. 4:16)
  5. The “sound of many waters” (Rev. 1:15)
  6. The sound of the Lord walking in the garden (see Gen. 3:8)
  7. The sound of the army of God marching in the tops of the trees (see 2 Sam. 5:23-25)
  8. The audible voice of God (see Ex. 3:4)
  9. God “speaking peace” to His people (Ps. 85:8)
  10. God’s written Word (our primary source of His voice and our chief reference point) (see Ps.119:105)
  11. Wonders in the sky and on Earth (see Joel 2:30-31)
  12. Visions and parables to the prophets (see Hos. 12:10)
  13. Words and physical metaphors to the prophets (see Jer. 18:1-6)
  14. The Holy Spirit speaking to a group (see Acts 13:2)
  15. Men, moved by the Holy Spirit, declaring God’s voice (see 2 Pet. 1:21)
  16. Heavenly experiences in which one is brought up before the Lord (see 2 Cor. 12:1-4)
  17. The Holy Spirit bearing witness to our spirit (see Rom. 8:16)
  18. A dumb donkey speaking with the voice of a man (see 2 Pet. 2:16)
  19. One person speaking the revelatory counsel of the Lord to another (see James 5:19-20)
  20. God’s own Son (see Heb. 1:2)

This list is not exhaustive, but it gives a bird’s-eye view of some of the ways God has chosen to speak to (and through) His people. I have been surprised over the years at both how God speaks and what or whom He chooses to use, invariably the most unlikely person.

God is not limited in His attention-getting techniques. He wants to be heard, and He has plenty of approaches He can utilise.

Sadly for me, one of the ways God gets my attention is with an earache in my right ear. To me, it’s like Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”. I invariably have taken myself away from God’s best for me, doing my own thing, and I know it. As soon as I get back on track, and step out to do what God has for me to do that day, the earache is gone. I have to step out, expecting God to turn up and equip me for the task. On several occasions, the earache has gone before I reach the set of lights about 500 metres/yards from my home.

God wants us to hear His voice in all of its manifestations so that we can bear much fruit—fruit that will remain.

We must not forget that ultimately this is not about us. It is about our being transformed into the image of His glorious Son, Jesus. By the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us, you and I will be changed into the image of God’s Son. According to Psalm 29, we will shout praises together as we are changed from glory to glory: “Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” Psalm 29:2

Based on an article by James Goll: God has a Word for Us; No more Boxes! Charisma Magazine.