Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to hear from God?
We all wish we could get God's perspective on many issues in our lives. We feel like, if we knew God's mind, we'd know what to do. And we'd know God is backing us up!
Well, thankfully, God in His infinite mercies, speaks to us through many different ways. It is up to us to discern what God is saying.
Remember these comforting and reassuring words from Isaiah: Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go" (Isa 30:21)
One important step to achieve this is to understand the difference between a general statement--as we might read in the Bible or hear in a sermon, and what God is saying to us specifically!
Speaking to Many, speaking to one.
In verse 1 of Luke 5, the crowd pressed to hear the word of God as was being spoken by Jesus. In verse 3 of Luke 5, Jesus taught the multitude God’s word from Peter’s boat.
But in verse 4 of Luke 5, after he had finished speaking to the crowd, Jesus spoke specifically to Peter saying “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch”.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Luke 5:1-4 (NIV)
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)…He spoke yesterday, He is still speaking today, and He will speak tomorrow. And knowing what He is saying is key to walking in dominion. We see that dominion manifest in Peter.
After Peter and his companions had toiled all night, Jesus told him to let down his net for a catch. Peter obeyed and the result of his obedience was a catch of a great number of fish (Luke 5:6), so much that his nets began to break.
This instruction was not to the multitude of people Jesus was preaching to, it was for Peter and his crew. In other words, it was specific.
Walk in Dominion, seek your specific word from God
The general word can come to us (and it does come) in many diverse ways. Like that multitude on the shore in Luke 1, we may hear many inspirational messages, read many books and even talk with many believers.
But it is the specific instruction, when obeyed, that brings about manifestations of dominion. Without this specific instruction for our exact situation, we may struggle to know what to do.
In other words, we will not know to "cast our nets out for a catch"
Hearing, and obeying specific Instructions leads to Dominion
The obedience mentioned earlier is key! To walk in dominion, not only should we hear God’s word, we should do it. The Bible in James 1:22, instructs that we be not only be hearers of the Word, but be doers.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He spoke yesterday, He is still speaking today, and He will speak tomorrow. And knowing what He is saying is key to walking in dominion.
And Isaiah 1:1:19a reiterates that “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land”. But the question might have come up in your mind - "how do I get a specific instruction from God?" Or "how can I be obedient if I don't what instructions to obey?"
To hear from God, you must show up in His Presence
The best way to be able from God is to have regular consistent time in prayer and worship. From this time, we will begin to develop an "ear" for God's voice. This voice will always align with Scripture. In fact, many times God will speak to you directly from The Bible!
Once you get that inspiration, continue in prayer daily opening up to Him. He will strengthen your faith and make the instructions clearer to you.
Remember these comforting and reassuring words from Isaiah: Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go" (Isa 30:21)
And one very interesting way God does that is through others.
To hear from God, show up in fellowship with other believers
In many of the testimonies that come out in our services, testifiers talk about how they hear "confirmations" of inspiration they received in their private time with God from the mouth of others. Sometimes this is the preacher, but not always. Sometimes, they even get answers and inspirations from listening to the testimonies of other believers in church!
This is one way we "sharpen" each other.
If you have been praying and worshipping God consistently, you will start to hear His voice. And when you add fellowship with other believers, He will often use them to confirm that inspiration.
May the Spirit of the Lord quicken us hear His voice so that we may exercise our God given mandate to walk in dominion all the days of our lives in Jesus name, Amen!
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