You’ve certainly had the experience of hearing what someone speaks to you and then later on discovering they meant something completely different than what you understood. An uncomfortable feeling typically!
So what about when God speaks? How can you be sure you understand exactly what God says?
Fortunately God has eliminated the confusion. That being said, we may add the confusion back in, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Here’s why:
When God speaks to you – you may hear words or you may not. Either way you will receive an impression in your spirit that conveys the meaning to you. In fact, when you get the meaning, you may actually have difficulty putting it into words.
If you journal as you receive words/thoughts from God it will be easier – regardless you will receive the original meaning within your spirit. Other people may read your written words and get some other idea but you’ll have the true meaning within you.
That’s why God’s way of communication is far better than anything we could come up with.
God’s way doesn’t require any interpretation or second guessing or even second opinions! Communicating with God doesn’t require learning a new language. Anyone and everyone can do it.
I John 2:19-21
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (KJV)
Strong’s Dictionary gives this definition for “unction”
the special endowment (“chrism”) of the Holy Spirit:
That “special endowment” is the Spirit of God within you that understands perfectly what God is saying to you. You may choose to have absolute confidence in that. Choosing to doubt, fear and question is up to you.
If you will simply practice being still and tuning in to that Spirit of God within you, you will not be confused.
This isn’t what you’ve been taught probably. If you’re experience is anything like mine you’ve been handed a set of rules, a God in a box and told that everything outside that box is wrong, bad and guaranteed to get you a one way ticket to hell.
There’s just one thing wrong with that teaching. It doesn’t work. You and I know it doesn’t work. We knew it didn’t work when it was given to us. I know I did. I accepted it because I didn’t know what else to do and couldn’t find the answers I needed to prove otherwise.
I didn’t know to look within. I didn’t know that God was within and had all the answers I needed. I thought I had to find someone out there who had all the answers.
That’s why life is a journey. We don’t figure it all out at once. You’re reading this because you’re still on the journey. You’ve already got everything you need but you may not know it yet. You’re still discovering, expanding, growing! And it’s awesome!
Jesus didn’t come bringing a bunch of extra stuff for us to take on. He came pointing people within. He pointed to the thoughts and intents of the heart. He pointed to beliefs and faith.
People didn’t understand because they were looking for external stuff. Prophets and kings and kingdoms and physical manifestations and all the other stuff that keeps people looking out there somewhere for the next solution to their problem. People are still looking out there.
Stop. Be Still. Know God.
It really is that simple.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
You are correct at saying I am on a journey; and it is indeed an awesome one. I wouldn’t take nothing for it. I am still discovering, learning and embracing the goodness of the Lord. When God speaks to me, I know for sure now that it is Him.
Thank you for this website.
Rachel
I’ve tried to hear God’s voice using your course,but, I still don’t hear it. I think the words that I hear are my thoughts-I make them up. What do I do next. I’m a born again Christian.HELP.
Thanks
Can you unpack the imagery of “looking-in” a little more? I think that phrase is a common one in our day and age. The idea of God-in-you. I think about the prophet who talks about Jesus as Immanuel, the God who is with us, or the With Us God. And we have lots of scripture that talks about His spirit, which is his essence, being in us, and dwelling. We even have Paul who who points to our bodies being the temple of the Lord. So all of those are images, of what it is, but what is that process of actually looking in?
Fact: We are still looking for truth in society and material existence.
Problem: While the rules and laws of society (be it legal, mere norms, formal or informal, and otherwise) provide us with a security blanket and a sense of identity, it limits you grossly! How so? It limits the very relationships you may have with others around, God included. Example: old Church doctrine (be it medieval or modern). Fire and brimestone sermonizing does not build faith and confidence in God and yourself. It scares you into submission. Submitting and humbling yourself to God’s will is both necessary and proper–> getting there via fear is not the path. Submission through surrender and affirmation of faith is vastly superior to fear.
Fact: Fear is a common agent used to control people. Read any history for any country or time, and you will find this reoccuring theme. Fear galvinizes cooperation. While it may temporary unite a people, it will ultimately divide and alienate people. I’m thinking of 20 century facsism or Counter-Catholic reformation. We can recognize fear at work on a micro level as well. Possessive parents, critical friends, ect.
Fact: We live in a world where sharing is for infants.
We guard everything from time to friends to our thoughts and actions. What do we let in? Only we can be identified and controlled. If our mental constructions can find a place for a thing or thought, then our existence maintains its comfort and our egos are appeased.
Problem: If you want to grow in the image of God, then you will have to surrender your mind, ego, illusory desires and fears. As long as you are doing the planning and controlling outcomes as best as you can, then you will make only slight progress.
As Robert underscored and my prolix response attempts to distill further, The Word (Christ) emphasized the kingdom of God is not among mere man, human civilization and its feeble cooperative efforts but within you.
Read Chruch history and the Roman Empire, and you will see how humans have the tendancy to use institutions to exact obedience and material cooperation (labor, taxes, defense). Religion was deviced to be the opium of the masses (Karl Marx). Noticed that institutionalized religion (which was allied with the state) was centered on a form of social class control. It was a great hinderance to true relationship with God. It was the box Robert mentioned. History concurs with this view point.
While the old Church may be gone today, its teachings still presist abeit greatly reformed, many other social constructions and falsehoods stir in our mainstream conciousness. For instance, Hollywood makes a prime example. Movies are the apex of ego. Very few Hollywood films count as art and yet actually tell a story of heart and soul. Popular music is another medium of falsehood and entanglement. Is there a popular genre not celebrating the ego? Listen to the lyrics and hear the pride coming for these “artists”.
What celebrates God?
You. Only you. It is in your soul and affirming experience that gives glory!
Our minds can be impediments to true worship of the Divine. God is great, he will use your falsehoods and egoistical life to humble and forge out the Truth that is eternal and right. As Paul says, it is better to be wet clay and easily formed, than dry, hard clay which breaks!
Don’t be an easy target for mass media, secular values and falsehood of man’s promise. Humble yourself before God. Pride is why you are hard to listen–it is not only your pride but pride of man period. Humility and love!
(As you can tell God is my favorite topic, bar NONE!)
Rachel,
I’m glad you’re experiencing God. It doesn’t get any better than that and it gets better and better! Make sense?
Blessings,
Robert
Bob,
What we think is the problem. To communicate with God and hear God’s voice we need to still our mind. There are some tips for that scattered throughout this site.
Practice stillness and stop judging the thoughts that come to you – and relax. I haven’t written much about that yet but it’s important as we practice stillness to relax and sense the peace of God’s presence.
Don’t let your born again status along with the sense that you can’t hear God make you think something is wrong. Let go and let God – let go of your thinking, your notions of what God will speak, how God will speak, etc. Be still and expect to receive, ask God to speak and then entertain the possibility that what you receive is from God. “According to your faith be it unto you”.
You’re doing fine.
Blessings,
Robert
Nick,
Some people speak of “going within”. I think it’s the same thing.
I see it as being still. For me it’s the same thing. Be still and know that I am God the scripture says. In stillness we quiet the physical and the mind and sense the spiritual more perfectly.
Have you read “Be Still and Know That I Am God“? I feel this is the essence of looking in or going within.
Hope this helps,
Robert
Yes that does make sense. Each feeling is always better than the feeling the day before. It’s brand new!! Falling in love with God is best/greatest thing I have ever done.
Rachel