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Ways God Speaks
By Ron Horner
Numbers 12: 6-9
6 Then He said, "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.
7 Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house.
8 I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant
Moses?"
9 So the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed.
VISIONS (v.6) -- 4 types of visions:
- OPEN VISION – You see something as if you are a bystander watching it happen. You are fully conscious.
Gen 15:1-2 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said,
Lord GOD….
- CLOSED VISION – Seen in the mind like a TV picture. You are conscious, but caught away.
2 Cor 12:2-3 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one
caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
- TRANCE – the senses are suspended while you are shown the vision (Acts 10:9-16 Peter's vision of the sheet with the animals on it)
Numbers 24: 4 He [Balaam] hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
- NIGHT VISION – also referred to as a dream
Joel 2: 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream
dreams, your young men shall see visions:
DREAMS (v. 6) (also referred to as a night vision)
Job 33:14 For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds….
Daniel 2:19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
MOUTH TO MOUTH (v.8) Face to Face (Audibly)
Exodus 33:11
And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.
Exodus 3: 4
So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."
DARK SAYINGS (v.8) Riddles, or a message not immediately understood. i.e. parables
Example:
Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin (Daniel 5)
- TONGUES & INTERPRETATION – the New Testament counterpart Jesus often spoke in parables. Only listening ears could catch
what He was really saying.
THE WRITTEN WORD
Psalm 119: 105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Deuteronomy 5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them,
Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
I Cor 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by
prophesying, or by doctrine?
THE STILL SMALL VOICE
I Kings 19: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
PROPHETICALLY – foretelling, forthtelling in the language of the hearer.
I Cor 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by
prophesying, or by doctrine?
TONGUES & INTERPRETATION – equivalent of prophecy when combined together.
One of the benefits of praying in tongues is the ability to interpret to yourself what has been prayed…thus understanding mysteries.
Romans 8: 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
I Corinthians 14:2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
WORD OF WISDOM – a revelation giving divine insight or solution
1 Cor 12: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, Jesus speaking to the Pharisees about tax
collection. Matt 22:18-22
WORD OF KNOWLEDGE – supernatural revelation concerning a past, or present event, situation, thing, person, or condition.
1 Cor 12: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, Jesus ministering to the woman at the well.
WORDS OF ANOTHER
Acts 13: 43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas:
who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
2 Samuel 12:1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
Is there a Nathan in your life?
THROUGH ANGELS
Gen 22: 11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES
Deuteronomy 11: 2
And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the
LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,
3 And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land;
THROUGH THE INNER WITNESS
A "knowing" in your "knower".
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IT'S RIGHT?
The umpire of PEACE & the checklist of the Word!
Philippians 4:7 And God's peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.
THE CHECKLIST OF THE WORD:
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without
hypocrisy.
IS IT...
- PURE – it is what Jesus would do
- PEACEABLE – it gives peace, possesses peace
- GENTLE/CONSIDERATE/PATIENT – is not pushy. It will be secure, but not pushy.
- EASY TO BE ENTREATED/SUBMISSIVE – (willing to yield) it can endure questioning without getting defensive.
- FULL OF MERCY & GOOD FRUIT – it will result in good fruit and express the mercy of God
- WITHOUT PARTIALITY – impartial
- WITHOUT HYPOCRISY; IT IS SINCERE – It is not haughty
Does what you are hearing or seeing meet these seven criteria.
Will it glorify Jesus?
Is it in line with the spirit and nature of God and His Word.
Though what you hear may not be directly in the Word, it will line up with the nature of God.
REMEMBER: WWJD
TO DEVELOP SPIRITUAL HEARING...
1 - Submit the issue to Christ's lordship.
2 - Believe that God will speak to you by His Spirit.
- Submit the issue to God
- Declare the kingdom of God to come & the will of God to be done concerning this matter
- Maintain a spirit of expectancy and faith
- Commune with God...pray in the Spirit
- Open your heart to hear what He says
3 - Receive the message being transmitted.
4 - Test the spirits.
5 - Wait for the peace of God.
6 - Refuse to "go" when you don't "know"! If you don't know, don't go!!!
7 - Seek & receive counsel.
8 - Wait for God's timing.
9 - Obey BOLDLY!
THE HARBOR LIGHTS:
All three must line up for clear sailing into the harbor.
1. Circumstances…is God speaking through your situation?
2. The Inner Witness…what is the Holy Spirit saying to you?
3. The Word of God…does what you feel God is speaking line up with the Word?
For a printable version, click here.
Ways God Speaks by Ron Horner – LifeSpring International Ministries – Wilson, NC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright © 2007, 2008
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