by Ted Budd
October 17, 2009
I don't doubt God, his goodness, or his leading. However, I often doubt my level of clarity in perceiving his Word and his subsequent leading though prayer. We all could probably list Christians who have done foolish things with the best of intent, thinking they were doing what the Lord wanted them too. Perhaps we'd even call some of those actions, not faith-filled, but a little weird sometimes. Several years ago pastor Charles Stanley preached a series on Listening to God. The subject is a fascination of mine in hopes that whatever I learn helps improve my accuracy, clarity, and confidence in listening to him. My following few blogs will post some of my notes from the series. These are great for me to review and I hope you enjoy them.
Ten Ways God Gets Our Attention
- A restless spirit. (Esther 6) Restlessness brewing in one’s own spirit. Stop and ask God if He is trying to say something. It is often a gentle way He tells us need to change directions or that we are headed in the wrong direction.
- Speaking to us through someone else. (I Samuel: Eli directed Samuel to hear the Lord)
- Blessing us in an unusual way. (Romans 2:4) Spiritual, financially, vocational.
- Unanswered prayer. (II Sam 12) Sometimes there is something in our life that needs to be dealt with. Closed doors don’t always mean it isn’t God’s will.
- Disappointment. (Numbers 14) How do we respond to it?
- Something unusual happens. Look for the handiwork of God in everyday circumstances and events. (Exodus 3:1) Moses was a strong-willed man who had to be broken.
- Failure & humiliation. (Joshua 7) At promised land first responsibility is to conquer Jericho. God did it. Israel got cocky with Ai, which was smaller, and were subsequently humiliated, due to arrogance, theft of booty. There's a difference between failing and being a failure.
- Dries up our finances. (Judges 6) Israelites cried to the Lord only after they lost everything. Then he blessed them.
- Tragedy. (Numbers 21). Mentioned in John 3. II Chronicles 32:22 (blessing… then illness due to pride).
- Healing & Sickness.
