How did Jesus do what He did on earth? How did He raise the dead, heal the sick, set captives free? Some would simply say, “He did those things because HE is God”. True, I agree, but is this missing the point? What I mean is, could such an answer serve as cover for justifying why we do not do “greater things than these”? Would you agree that Jesus was tethered to the Father? That He spoke nothing save that which the Father spoke. That He did nothing save that which He saw the Father doing?
Have you ever stopped and asked yourself what did “that” tethering, dependence upon the Father look like on a daily basis? Let’s say a man named Gamaliel came to Jesus after a teaching and asked Him a question. What was going on in Jesus mind and spirit in the brief interlude before he gave a response? Have you ever wondered if Jesus ran all His thoughts, words and deeds through a screening process with the Father.
“Father, Gamaliel is asking a question. What is behind it? What does he need to hear? Is he ready to hear the truth? Is he looking for the truth? Is he sincere? Is he speaking for someone else? What principality and or power is at work behind the scene? Do I speak or act? Provide an illustration or explain doctrine? Am I to be silent? Is something blocking his understanding? What is blocking his understanding? Is it a lie, a hurt, a spiritual entity? Who else is thinking the same thing? What exactly should I say? What exactly should I do?”
I am not sure if Jesus asked all these questions, but I am sure he and the Father were on the same page. What I do know is, if Gamaliel asked me a question, and Jesus was standing with me, I would be asking Jesus those questions and a few more before I responded. I would likely defer the whole question to Him and be happy to listen and learn with Gamaliel.
Ah…and this is where I get hung up. Jesus is not physically standing next to me. I can ask him these questions and feel the need to, yet my confidence in the communication process is strained to say the least. I seldom hear the voice of Jesus with my physical ears and I struggle “hearing” the answer spiritually. It is like a very bad cel phone connection. If I struggle hearing answers for a single question, how can I effectively hear Jesus’ voice in the midst of a conflict against supernatural enemies?
Which brings me to four questions I would love to hear your thoughts on:
- In what ways do you receive answers from God? Do you sense them? See them? Hear them?…
- What helps you “hear” from God more clearly?
- How do you know you are hearing from God?
- Would you like to have a conversation about this on a deeper level at a section meeting?
March 25, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Some 40 years ago I began to “give God the benifit of the doubt.” That is, When I thought I heard from God, I would first run it by the Scriptures as I knew them (and getting to know the leading of God is totally about getting to know the God of the Scriptures)and then ask myself one question. “What have I to loose if I act on my intuition?” If my self answers back, “You stand to embarass the Gospel and missrepresent the God of Truth.” then I back off. If I answer back to myself, “You stand to look like a fool for your faith.” then I carefully and prayerfully proceed to be a fool for Christ. I ask God to stop me if I am wrong, but understand that not to proceed in faith may be disobedient, but to proceed asking Him for “in course adjustments” may result in “good works that glorify the Father.”
I wish I could say that I have been always obedient these 40 years, however, some of the time I’ve got it right. I have also sometimes looked rather foolish. Oh well….
God Bless,
Greg
April 6, 2010 at 1:35 pm
I believe hearing from God is a learning process. Habakkuk 2:1-3
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
The LORD’s Answer
2 Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.
3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
(1)We need to keep a time to stand and wait.
(2)We need to keep our spiritual eyes open to see
(3) We need to write it down
(4)And be ready to pass it on