Listening to God is in obedience to Gods covenant promises to have us BE STILL and Know That I am God and Matthew 11:15 says those who have ears hear. Prayer of a variety of types is given in Scripture. 1 Timothy 2:1 says First of all then I urge you that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all people. Ephesians 6:18 reminds us to pray at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication.
When I was 42 years old I went back to church and heard a lady say in a women’s group I was in that God spoke to her and said. I was like, O my gosh you hear God speak to you. Yes she said and you can too. I did not know the Bible at all at that time of my life and other ladies helped me with how to grow to know God more.
It took me six months of time with God each morning and reading Scriptures to hear God speak to me for the first time. I wrote about it in my book LEAN IN CLOSER TO GOD BECAUSE YOU CAN
I spoke to a couple of local pastor last month about listening prayer. One Pastor told me that when he as 8 and 14 he had heard God speak to him and he was about 60. Another pastor told me that God says alot of things to alot of people not one thing. I was asking about a group to listen to God for our city together. To create a prayer tapestry from heaven over time while listening together. This kind of prayer is about How to Move Heaven and Earth by slowing down together. Becoming intentional to wait on God and get the cares of the world or weeds as I would call it out of our soul. Detox is needed to get heavens instructions for a city.
Jesus was not happy with some leaders one day when he told them you don’t know the signs and the times. Matthew 16:3 “when its evening you say it will be fair weather for the sky is red and in the morning it will be foul weather for the sky is red and threatening Hypocrites. You know how to discern the face of the sky but you cannot discern the signs of the times. ”
Consider carefully what you hear is given to us by Matthew. I am in a group for prayer with church leaders for ten years and they pray what they call popcorn prayer. You just go around room with petitions, asks, thanks. Many people in the church are mainly familiar with petition and thanks prayers.
When you go to the doctor and lets say God our Father and Jesus and Holy Spirit are our Physician. The doctor says why are you here. Well I am not exactly sure, I think it might be this but it could be that. So you just say everything you know and hope you come upon the right answer.
WHAT IF THERE IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT RHYTHM to pray. It follow the truth of BE QUICK TO LISTEN AND SLOW TO SPEAK. If you have an ear and we have two of them, then how to pray in Intercessory prayer mode or listening prayer mode is to first go before God and praise Him and say, Lord I will wait upon you now to see what you might want to tell me or us about the issue at hand. You wait upon the Lord. Wait in still mode to let your spirit align with Gods spirit to be able to hear what it is the Spirit is saying. Kinda of like getting the Doctors orders !! Heavens prescription . Go in to the ICU and wait until you get exactly surgery needed… Because God says in John My Sheep Know My voice. So be it.
PAGA – is word in Bible for Intercession. Intercession is when you meet with God to listen and then speak. Its an opportune time kind of time. You ask God how should I pray. Jesus is the Intercessor High Priest. Holy Spirit interprets for us. Good book is Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets.
You can do Intercessory prayer for yourself, your family, your church, your city, your county, your nation, the world.
Questions: What questions do you have about Intercessory Prayer or Listening Prayer ?
www.ColoradoPrays.org is a group started ten years ago to join our whole state together in prayer. To make a prayer canopy or tapestry 24 hours a day. I am the new County leader for Jefferson County and we are going to do prayer and a prayer retreat around helping people grow and mature in prayer and obedience to God.
We pray once a month now on first Wednesday at noon. We have a prayer focus with Scripture to start. We have a variety of intercession that goes on by our group which is now about seven people.
Denver Seminary Soul Care Department is going to Lead a half day prayer retreat on disciplines of silence, solitude, and Listening to God for us. We do not have exact date yet.
Have you gone to a prayer retreat that had alot of silence ?
LISTENING PRAYER IS PRACTICING GODS PRESENCE – Leanne Payne has book called Listening Prayer. Learning to hear Gods voice and keep a prayer journal. Page 125 shows us that the true pattern or model for listening prayer is Jesus with the Father. John 88:28-29 “I do nothing on my own but speak just what my Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him. Jesus modeled listening prayer. throughout his earthly ministry. Jesus learned to listen to the Father through obedience as a child. Jesus speaks to us through the Scriptures and we are in a John 17 divine union with God as we wait upon the Lord to hear. One doctrine issue in church is that people are taught you read scripture and repeat it but do not expect God to speak to you. God spoke from the beginning to the end of the Bible. Clearly My Sheep Know My Voice means what it says. Its a discipline to mature into. Of course it has to align with Gods Word.
Other books on hearing the voice of God
Hearing Gods Voice – Henry Blackaby
Listen to God – Charles Stanley
How to Hear Gods Voice – Mark and Patti VIrkler
Action Steps to Take On Considering the spiritual health of our ears to hear God.
Study scriptures on Gods voice, prayer, intercession, ears, eyes.
Read books and take courses on Hearing Gods Voice and be in faith that you will grow in obedience to God to hear
Join a listening intercessory type prayer group.
Attend Prayer Retreats for growing in intimacy with God and quieting our soul
Detox too much cares of the world. Guard our heart and ears eyes.
We are all learning that to go first in our brain to kindness is always the best pathway. So often we can remind ourselves, “Well maybe I do not really understand the bottom line motive of that person that thinks different than me.” Kindness overcomes judging. A fist in someones face does not accomplish anything. A fist in a face can mean you are more full of fear than wisdom or understanding.
2020 has been a year of many opportunities to be humble and become a better listener. God says be quick to listen and slow to speak. I am learning that why God said this about being quick to listen is because that is exactly the way God is. Gods personality is just like Be Quick to Listen and Slow to Speak. The God of heaven and earth is so patient and so kind and always has a hand stretched out to lift us up and care for us.
How have you learned in 2020 to be more kind, and listen more and love more ? Its a great time to move in closer to God because we can. Share with us your journey and where you place your faith this time of year please. Use our Facebook page to share.
Join us each FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH at 7:30 am to 8:45 am to pray for Jefferson County children and families. We must stand with them in prayer to believe for them to break out of the working poor hardships. We meet in the prayer chapel at ST Paul’s Episcopal church at 9200 W 10th Avenue Lakewood CO 80215.
Barbara Moore is calling more frequent prayer gatherings to come forth with Jeffco Prays. She has joined that prayer leadership team with Rick Roberts, Laura Boggs and Mark Barrington. https://www.facebook.com/jeffcoprays/
of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient (shema)!” Exodus 24:7
The word that means “hear or listen,” shema (pronounced “shmah”) is an excellent example of the difference between Hebrew, which stresses physical action and Greek and Western culture that stresses mental activity.
Listening, in our culture, is a mental activity, and hearing just means that our ears pick up sounds. But in Hebrew, the word shemadescribes hearing and also its effects – taking heed, being obedient, doing what is asked. Any parent who yells at their children, “Were you listening?” when they ignore a command to pick up their rooms understands that listening should result in action. In fact, almost every place we see the word “obey” in the Bible, it is translated from the word “shema.”
The word “Shema” is also the name of the “pledge of allegiance” that Jesus and other observant Jews up until this day have said every morning and evening. It is the first word of the first line, “Hear (Shema), O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might… ” (Deut. 6:4-5) By saying this, a Jew would remind himself of his commitment to love God, to dedicate himself to following God and doing his will. Some Jews teach their children the Shema as soon as they learn to talk! It is the central affirmation for a Jewish person of his or her commitment to the Lord. The word “shema” here again means, “take heed!” or “listen and obey!” This gives us a clue of why Jesus says,“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” He is calling us to put his words into action, not just listen.He wants us to be doers of the word, and not hearers only. (James 1:22) We as Westerners put all our stress on what is in our minds, and tend to consider action as “dead works.“ But Hebrews understood that we have not truly put what we have heard into our hearts until it transforms our lives as well.
Eagerly desire the gift of prophesy…. 1 Corinthians 14:1
Dr. Becky Slabaugh of Inner Treasures Ministries and Pastor Barbara Moore provide a two week discussion on biblical principles about prophecy and psychic powers. Gifts are to build up the church. We provide some dialogue to perhaps draw you to decide to study the Word of God on a gift that is for the building up and edification of Gods Church. The spiritual gift of prophecy is an extraordinary and unique gift.
Dr. Becky holds a B.A. in Practical Ministry, a Master’s Degree in Christian Counseling, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Pastoral Counseling. http://www.innertreasuresministries.com.
Dr. Becky’s journey has led her to publish two Number One Best Selling Books on Amazon, “When Dreams and Destiny Collide – God Is Messaging You!” Her most recent Amazon #1 Best Seller book, “The Ultimate Treasure Hunt – 7 Keys To Unlocking Your Destiny” is Volume 2 of the series “When Dreams and Destiny Collide – God Is Messaging You!”
Biblical background in Scriptures:
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:1 to “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” This gift is a blessing to the church and should not be quenched or despised (1 Thessalonians 5:20). Those who have the gift of prophecy differ from the Old Testament Prophets who spoke the authoritative Word of God directly. Their words were recorded as Scripture as they proclaimed, “Thus says The Lord,” whereas the messages from those with the spiritual gift of prophecy must be tested (1 Corinthians 14:29-33; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21; 1 John 4:1-3). In the New Testament the Apostles, not the prophets, took over the role of Scriptural proclamation from the Old Testament Prophets.
The Greek word for the gift of prophecy is propheteia which is the ability to receive a divinely inspired message and deliver it to others in the church. These messages can take the form of exhortation, correction, disclosure of secret sins, prediction of future events, comfort, inspiration, or other revelations given to equip and edify the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:3-4, 24-25). Again, they do not constitute the authoritative Word of God, but are the human interpretation of the revelation that was received. They are spoken in human words through a human mind which is why they must be tested against the Scriptures (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).
The Holy Spirit gives the gift of prophecy to some believers to make God’s heart known and to edify the church. This gift is for the benefit of both believers and unbelievers and is a sign that God is truly among His church (1 Corinthians 14:22-25). Those with this gift are sensitive to both the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the needs of the church body. They should be humble and continually study the Scriptures in order to test these revelations before speaking them. When they do speak, they should allow and even expect others to weigh what is said against the Scriptures and interpret the message accordingly. In this way the church may be continually built up together in unity (1 Corinthians 14:4, 26). See also Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:10, 14:1-5, Ephesians 4:11-12, 1 Peter 4:10-11
God gives all of mankind spiritual gifts. It is up to mankind to distinguish and discern from where we are receiving revelation.
Psychics listen from the soul realm (mind, will and emotions).
Prophets listen from the realm of the Holy Spirit.
Example:
Paul and Silas encounter a woman with the spirit of divination.
Acts 16:16-18, “Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, ‘These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.’
And this she did for many days.
But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit,
‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’
And he came out that very hour.”
The demon was claiming fact, but it was not proclaiming Truth. Paul revealed this was a demon and thus commanded this demon to leave.
What is the difference between Fact and Truth?
Facts can have an ulterior motive or motives to it.
Truth involves motives with fact. Truth cannot be distorted.
Proverbs 16:25, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
Many times something can look good for the moment, which is the Knowledge of the Tree of Good and Evil, however, there is a good element that is not of God.
Why did the devil tell her to proclaim: “These men are the servants of the Most High God who proclaim to us the way of salvation?”
The girl was being ‘set-up,’ for dominion (realm of authority) when Paul would leave. She would be considered the leader and to lead people astray.
What is the gift of prophecy?
The ability to RECEIVE the revelation. It’s not the revelation itself, but the GIFT in having the ability to receive the revelation.
With every gift there is a vacuum. Being lead astray or distorted can fill up the place where God’s gift was to be. (The slave girl).
The spirit of divination will speak facts. The Tree of Evil and Knowledge.
The Holy Spirit will speak Truth. God’s Holy Truth. The Tree of Life.
Matthew 12:25-28, “But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?
Therefore, they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
Are we attributing more power to Satan than to God?
Demons do not know the future, rather only knowledge – not revelation.
Remember: Every gift has a vacuum where Satan can come in and fill up with facts rather than Truth.
Prophets receive spiritual reception from God.
Psychics receive knowledge from demonic intel – observing humans.
Knowledge are things that are disguised as if they were not. When the knowledge comes to pass, they can appear as revelation.
Demons feed the demonic network to give the psychics info. There is a demonic network; demons watch what is going on and tell the information to mediums. For instance, they hear people making future plans and reveal that information to psychics so it appears that psychics can predict the future. If psychics tell you about your future and you agree with it, you just gave the demonic permission to make it happen.
It could be a familiar spirit in operation where knowledge is used as revelation.
Satan is not omnipresent. God is.
If Satan knew the future, He would not have lost the battle.
God won.
God’s prophets display the glory of God.
God is the only Creator; gifts are a creation.
Colossians 1:16, “For by Him all things were created that are in Heaven and that are on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”
James 1:17, every good and perfect gift comes from God. Gifts are spiritual – from God who is Spirit. All gifts come from God, although some people do not use their gifts for God’s purposes.
Satan does not give gifts. He is not a creator. Satan is not a giver or creator.
Psychics have a gift from God, but it is not revelation but information.
Satan’s gift is not a counterfeit gift but a counterfeit usage of the gift. Note the Egyptian magicians: Jannes (rebel and seducer) and Jambres (opponent) and their demonically inspired power.
Satan is not omnipresent. He was kicked out of heaven. Satan will manipulate gifts through the soul realm whereas God release revelation through the realm of Heaven, where His glory resides.
God receives glory by doing what no one else can do: healing, inner healing, and predicting the future, to name a few. To deny prophesy, healing, inner healing/deliverance, and/or dreams is denying God’s glory to Himself.
God’s prophets display the glory of God.
How can we discern the difference between that which is good and that which is of God?
Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 5:14, “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
It is easy to tell God from evil. It can be difficult to tell the differences between good and God.
Genesis 2:7, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
The breath of life refers to life in the physical and spiritual realm. Humanity was intended to live in two different realms, the natural (relating to the Earth) and the spiritual (relating to God).
The dust had no form, so Adam was the form from the dust.
Romans 8:29, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
NOTES FROM TEACHING BY John Piper – preaching link below. This is a message on truths regarding Prophecy by a teaching Pastor , John Piper of www.desiringgod.org The Father Son and Holy Spirit help us to hold to sound teaching and truth.
Scripture judges prophecies. Look at teaching of apostles with the gift of prophecy… if anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual he should acknowledge what i am writing is a command of the Lord. Apostolic word judges prophecy. The word of God is the platform. A sure word to test every claim. Acts 2 is and waiting to receive power. Spirit comes like a wind with flames of fire. Filled with Holy Spirit. Verse 11 visitors hear in our own tongue the mighty works of God. They are saying great things about God and His attributes..Verse 16 is explanation. Peter says they are not drunk in their estacy…it is epic making prophetic fulfilling. Joel is coming to pass before your very eyes.. this has forward fulfillment… a world wide spiritual experience… your sons and daughters shall widespread prophecy…men and women… young and old.. high and low class….and they shall prophecy.. first mark of Holy Spirit outpouring huge out pour… last days are now… this is that which Joel said… after last days is coming of Jesus…it is a long extended period. Jesus is the mark of the last days reigning..
some prophet perhaps said the day of the Lord is at hand… verse one says a spirit…now concerning the coming of Christ we beg you to to be shaken in mind, either by spirit or by word or letter purporting… led no one deceive you.. i don’t care if anyone prophesied the day of the Lord…
Gift of prophecy spirit sustained fallible speak..??
something else…what is it …we must create a category….all mixed up with human error…oh what good is it…its a mess….compare gift of prophecy to gift of teaching… prompted and sustained by HS…spirit is moving to make it happen and good and healthy..prompted and sustained rooted in infallible
THIRD CATEGORY…. sifting idea…sift a prophetic 1 thess 5:19-22 do not quench the spirit do not despise prophecies…. but test everything and hold fast what is good… not a test of prophets but of prophecies… helpful or unhelpful …another kind of speak… useful to church when properly weighed … John Piper message:
Teaching on Daystar Christian TV by John Paul Jackson…
I have seen Christians who are not getting prayers answered or hearts healed from loved ones gone or deep tragedy chose to get some answers from the wrong side – powers of Darkness. Pokemon and Harry Potter are divination light and many people open doors unknowingly when using revelation from those with light masqueraded in darkness. If you do not have any teaching on contacting the dead as described in Bible:
‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying. ‘You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard. ‘You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD. read more.
‘As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam and repeated Balak’s words to him.
“For there is no omen against Jacob, Nor is there any divination against Israel; At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob And to Israel, what God has done!
“You are wearied with your many counsels; Let now the astrologers, Those who prophesy by the stars, Those who predict by the new moons, Stand up and save you from what will come upon you.
“When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. read more.
Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”
Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him.
When they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?
“Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be demoralized within them; And I will confound their strategy, So that they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead And to mediums and spiritists.
The princes of Zoan are mere fools; The advice of Pharaoh’s wisest advisers has become stupid How can you men say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings”? Well then, where are your wise men? Please let them tell you, And let them understand what the LORD of hosts Has purposed against Egypt.
Thus says the LORD, “Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them;
Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.
“But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers or your sorcerers who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’
“For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. ‘For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD.
“They see falsehood and lying divination who are saying, ‘The LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope for the fulfillment of their word. “Did you not see a false vision and speak a lying divination when you said, ‘The LORD declares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?”‘”
“For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the household idols, he looks at the liver. “Into his right hand came the divination, ‘Jerusalem,’ to set battering rams, to open the mouth for slaughter, to lift up the voice with a battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up ramps, to build a siege wall. “And it will be to them like a false divination in their eyes; they have sworn solemn oaths But he brings iniquity to remembrance, that they may be seized.
“Her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ when the LORD has not spoken.
Then the king gave orders to call in the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.
The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean.
Therefore it will be night for you–without vision, And darkness for you–without divination The sun will go down on the prophets, And the day will become dark over them. The seers will be ashamed And the diviners will be embarrassed Indeed, they will all cover their mouths Because there is no answer from God.
For the teraphim speak iniquity, And the diviners see lying visions And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain Therefore the people wander like sheep, They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts.
It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
“The Flood and the Fish Are Coming! You Are Going to Need a Bigger Boat!” by Jo Ellen Stevens, Connersville, IN
This Revival Begins Outside of My House!
“This revival will not be an inside revival but it will be one that begins outside of My house to compel those in the highways and byways to come in! Many things will begin to happen that will cause men’s hearts to turn toward Me and I will be positioning My people who through shaking have been on the sidelines of this river AND ARE NOW FIRMLY PLANTED IN PLACE. As I have healed them, so shall the leaves of these trees of righteousness, heal the nations!
“Yes, they shall carry the living river to the sick, the lame, the mentally oppressed, and bring deliverance to those captives who are bound by drug addictions, sexual addictions, and all that the enemy has held them captive with! For I will cause in this day a hunger for Me in those that are bound – for the living water that flows from My throne and that flows out of the bellies of My people!
“Yes, get ready for the flood of My presence! WHEN YOU SEE THE FLOOD WATERS RISE, KNOW THAT I AM ABOUT TO VISIT THAT REGION WITH MY GLORY AND PRESENCE AND THE OUTPOURING OF MY SPIRIT!
“Be positioned and ready for the fish! Yes, I have STRENGTHENED the nets and strengthened you to catch the biggest fish ever and I have said, ‘GET A BIGGER BOAT!’ Enlarge your thinking, for the harvest is about to be bigger and greater than you have even imagined!”
Listening, in our culture, is a mental activity, and hearing just means that our ears pick up sounds. But in Hebrew, the word shemadescribes hearing and also its effects – taking heed, being obedient, doing what is asked. Any parent who yells at their children, “Were you listening?” when they ignore a command to pick up their rooms understands that listening should result in action. In fact, almost every place we see the word “obey” in the Bible, it is translated from the word “shema.”
