"God's Spirit has shown you everything. His Spirit finds out everything, even what is deep in the mind of God. You are the only one who knows what is in your own mind, and God's Spirit is the only one who knows what is in God's mind. But God has given us His Spirit. That's why we don't think the same way that the people of this world think. That's also why we can recognize the blessings that God has given us."
(1 Corinthians 2:9-12, Contemporary English Version)
The Message ends this chapter (verse 16) with the following: "Isaiah's question, 'Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what He is doing?' It has been answered: Christ knows and we have Christ's Spirit."
Many of you have asked me lately how to discern the will of God. Satan would have us believe that it is magical, secretive...impossible. But I am here to tell you that the Lord desires for His children to know and obey His will. As a parent, I desire for my children to know and obey MY will. It is the same principle with our Heavenly Father.
But how do we do this?
It begins with KNOWING God.
And it is punctuated by LOVING God.
To love God means to "hold him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed" (Amplified Study Bible). Notice the word affectionate - intimate, loving, crazy-head-over-heels kind of love which produces a reverence that is expressed through worship, adoration, thanksgiving and obedience.
It is imperative that we know the One in whom we have believed if we ever hope to recognize His voice and guidance.
I adore my husband David. I have that crazy-head-over-heels kind of love for him. And you can be sure that when he calls me on the phone he does not have to identify himself. I KNOW that voice. Sometimes I know its him calling me before I even pick up the telephone. How? Because I know him and I know his ways.
Loving the Lord is like that. You must spend time with Him, devour His Word, sing to Him, share everything with Him - even trivial things like finding a great parking place (just ask my kids).
Once you've got the love-connection going on it is very important to understand who you are in Christ. Why? Because, as we have just read, "You are the only one who knows what is in your own mind, and God's Spirit is the only one who knows what is in God's mind. But God has given us His Spirit." He has given us His Spirit through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God within us recognizes the voice of the Lord. The Spirit of God within us recognizes His guidance. God must be true to His Word - He cannot lie. The Spirit of God within us will guide us through the Scriptures in our search to discern the Father's will.
But Satan doesn't want you to know that. Or, at least, he will do his best to make you think it's not worth the effort.
God will never lead you to do anything contrary to His Word.
God will never DRIVE you to do something. He LEADS us like a shepherd, one step at a time.
God will whisper gently to your spirit when you take time to wait on Him and LISTEN.
Listen. That is as much a key as loving Him. Listen.
He will teach you to discern the spirit. Satan wants you to be afraid to trust. Sometimes the enemy of your soul will even hum the Twilight Zone theme song to you because he wants you to believe that LISTENING to the Holy Spirit is somehow weird or fanatical.
No. It is beautiful.
It is relational.
And it is according to the Word of God.
"Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live." (Isaiah 55:2)
Christ knows what the Spirit of God is doing and we have Christ's Spirit within us.
Father, This is such an important message You are giving us. Thank You for teaching us to hear Your voice and to discern Your will. We want to walk in obedience. We want to honor You in all that we do. Help us to squash the voice of the enemy - to remind him that we are Your children and we WILL be led by Your Spirit. Lord, we trust You to correct our steps if we get off the path. Just like a parent teaches his or her child to know what is expected of them, so You do with us. Lead us Gentle Shepherd. Open our ears that we might hear. Give us a hunger for Your Word. Stir up Your Spirit within us. We love You, Father. Blessings and glory and honor are Yours, Almighty God.
Yes, my dear friend! It all starts with a listening ear. One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is in Deut 6. The Shma Jews are taught to repeat by heart. The Lord brought home its significance to me about 5 years ago and since then I've received many reminders of that passage.
ReplyDeletev. 3 *Hear* therefore, O Israel, and *be careful to do* them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
v. 4 *Hear, O Israel*: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
And then comes the commandment to REALLY love Him. We show our love first by listening carefully... and trying to put in practice IMMEDIATELY what we've understood. Of course the results we get will be very imperfect! Just like my toddler cannot do what I do the way I do it... but the fact he tries is so awesome! When I see him really watching and listening
to me and then make his feeble attempts to imitate me, I could smother him with kisses, LOL!
May the following words be true about us:
Isaiah 50:4-5 The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.
I am blessed to be married to a wonderful lady who loves Jesus.If I ever wonder what the love of God is like I just look in her direction and see her wonderful smile and I know that I have a wonderful Heavenly Father who loves me. Yes...I am blest beyond words can Ever say!
ReplyDeleteCarina, I love the analogy you used with your toddler. What a perfect example. I also appreciate the scriptures you shared. I think I feel a "Carina Blog" coming on... :)
ReplyDeleteSweetheart, thank you. You are too precious, my special gift from heaven. I love you!