Are you a good listener?
There are lots of ways we can be good listeners.
We can listen to others when they need to sound off about their troubles.
We can listen to the advice of our friends and families.
We can listen when someone has something amazing to tell us. Some tale of success or happiness they want to share.
We can listen to that voice deep inside us that tries to keep us from harm.
Some of you probably call this your conscience, your intuition or your subconscious, Buddhists call it "the monkey mind" whilst others may say it is a guardian angel.
For me it is the voice of the Holy Spirit. God's guiding hand over my life.
Until very recently, I have paid little attention to this voice of protection and this has certainly been detrimental to my personal safety, my ultimate success and certainly my happiness and sense of peace.
Towards the end of my time at my previous job, I allowed myself to fall into a dangerous position that could have resulted in a situation that would have been seriously detrimental to my future. It was when discussing the incident with my good friend Basie, the pastor of our church, that I realised how I could have avoided putting myself at risk if only I had listened to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Basie simply asked me if I had felt peace about what I was doing at that point in time. Thinking back and recalling those moments I knew in an instant that I should have listened to that feeling of uneasiness that had crept in the back door.
Now I realise that this was God trying to protect me.
Although there was nothing wrong at all in what I was doing; just taking some of my possessions off the site and borrowing a few small items that I would bring back later; but because of all the uncertainty surrounding my current employment I instantly felt a worry creep in that I was walking a fine line.
As it says in Romans 9:11 "my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit."
"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come". John 16:13
So whether you believe that inner voice is God or not, listen! Do not put yourself in harms way unnecessarily.
As you become closer in your walk with God you will fall under spiritual attack and you will need to ask God for wisdom and discernment in order to ensure that the voice you hear is that of the Holy Spirit and not of evil origin.
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1John 4:1
As God's Word says in Jeremiah 29:11 "I have plans to prosper you and not to harm you", so any voice that directs you towards something that will endanger you or place you in an uncompromising position will not be of God and should be treated with the contempt it deserves.
We must always be vigilant to ensure that what we have heard is more than a feeling but is truly from God Himself. As it says in 1Peter 5:8, "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour".
Dear Lord,
Who reigns on earth and in heaven, you are my father, my friend and my King. You, who so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
I thank you Father that you are patient with us, with not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Forgive me that I do not always follow your light and accept your outstretched hand. Give me wisdom to know your voice and cloth me with the whole armour of God that I may be protected against work of the enemy.
I pray that I will rely on Your Word in all things. I thank you that You are not a God of contradictions or confusion and that You will never guide me into any ways that are in opposition to Your Word. I thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to guide me in all things and that, as Your Word says if I walk by the Spirit, I will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
Thank you Father, thank you Jesus, thank you Holy Spirit, for your protective hand over my life, for your lamp to my feet, for being my fortress to protect me from all danger. I pray that I will always seek you in all I do.
In Jesus' Mighty Name,
Amen.
There are lots of ways we can be good listeners.
We can listen to others when they need to sound off about their troubles.
We can listen to the advice of our friends and families.
We can listen when someone has something amazing to tell us. Some tale of success or happiness they want to share.
We can listen to that voice deep inside us that tries to keep us from harm.
Some of you probably call this your conscience, your intuition or your subconscious, Buddhists call it "the monkey mind" whilst others may say it is a guardian angel.
For me it is the voice of the Holy Spirit. God's guiding hand over my life.
Until very recently, I have paid little attention to this voice of protection and this has certainly been detrimental to my personal safety, my ultimate success and certainly my happiness and sense of peace.
Towards the end of my time at my previous job, I allowed myself to fall into a dangerous position that could have resulted in a situation that would have been seriously detrimental to my future. It was when discussing the incident with my good friend Basie, the pastor of our church, that I realised how I could have avoided putting myself at risk if only I had listened to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Basie simply asked me if I had felt peace about what I was doing at that point in time. Thinking back and recalling those moments I knew in an instant that I should have listened to that feeling of uneasiness that had crept in the back door.
Now I realise that this was God trying to protect me.
Although there was nothing wrong at all in what I was doing; just taking some of my possessions off the site and borrowing a few small items that I would bring back later; but because of all the uncertainty surrounding my current employment I instantly felt a worry creep in that I was walking a fine line.
As it says in Romans 9:11 "my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit."
"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come". John 16:13
So whether you believe that inner voice is God or not, listen! Do not put yourself in harms way unnecessarily.
"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice." Proverbs 12:15
As you become closer in your walk with God you will fall under spiritual attack and you will need to ask God for wisdom and discernment in order to ensure that the voice you hear is that of the Holy Spirit and not of evil origin.
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1John 4:1
As God's Word says in Jeremiah 29:11 "I have plans to prosper you and not to harm you", so any voice that directs you towards something that will endanger you or place you in an uncompromising position will not be of God and should be treated with the contempt it deserves.
We must always be vigilant to ensure that what we have heard is more than a feeling but is truly from God Himself. As it says in 1Peter 5:8, "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour".
Dear Lord,
Who reigns on earth and in heaven, you are my father, my friend and my King. You, who so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
I thank you Father that you are patient with us, with not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Forgive me that I do not always follow your light and accept your outstretched hand. Give me wisdom to know your voice and cloth me with the whole armour of God that I may be protected against work of the enemy.
I pray that I will rely on Your Word in all things. I thank you that You are not a God of contradictions or confusion and that You will never guide me into any ways that are in opposition to Your Word. I thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to guide me in all things and that, as Your Word says if I walk by the Spirit, I will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
Thank you Father, thank you Jesus, thank you Holy Spirit, for your protective hand over my life, for your lamp to my feet, for being my fortress to protect me from all danger. I pray that I will always seek you in all I do.
In Jesus' Mighty Name,
Amen.
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