Elements City Church
Got Prayer? We know we’re to make prayer a part of our lives in following after Jesus and his example. We will never stop growing in our journey of prayer. How do we engage more in it so we hear from God? We’re spending this year – this summer in particular – trying to grow in prayer. These messages and the practices we learn together will deepen our understanding of prayer and strengthen our relationship with God.
Stories of Guides...
Guides make a BIG difference – and we serve a God who didn’t set this world up and walked away. He’s not a ‘set it and forget it’ kind of Creator.
He’s active, tuned in, alert & near – God is a guiding God...if you’ll let him.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
God is a Guiding God. He doesn't leave people on their own, unattended to & not communicated with.
If we want to be a people who HEAR from God, we have to learn how to recognize when God is speaking to us & ways in which we can tune in.
Story of Samuel - (1 Samuel ch. 3)
'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'
Here is what I want to point out.
-God was speaking to Samuel in this story.
-Samuel knew he was being addressed.
-He did not know it was God.
He actually had to learn how to recognize God was speaking to him.
In other words: it is possible for God to speak to someone and for that person to know something is going on, but they don't know it's God.
Communication is about guiding somebody else's thoughts. When someone is communicating with you, all they're doing is causing you to think certain thoughts you would not otherwise be thinking. Those thoughts are going on in your head. They're your thoughts, but somebody else is prompting them. = That's communication.
*Dallas Willard book: Hearing God
*Prayer is not just me talking with God. God can also talk back.
To commune relationally - involves communication. Jesus says about his people: (John 10) "When he"—the Good Shepherd—"has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice."
Isaiah 55:10-11
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Friends, we want to learn to ‘tune in & lean in’ to His voice more and more.
7 love languages God uses to communicate with us: (Mark Batterson)
1. Scriptures
2. Desires
3. Doors
4. Dreams
5. People / Nature
6. Promptings
7. Pain
I want to look at 2 predominant ways: Scriptures and H.S. Promptings
2 Timothy 3:15-17
…the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training (greek word: padia = parenting) in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
=not just informed to know; but equipped to do something with what we now know.
"God's directive voice doesn't not usually come to us out of the blue."
-Dallas Willard
*God speaks most clearly to those who are meditating on his Word most consistently.
Quotes:
"The Bible is not only a book, which was once spoken, but a book which is now speaking." -A.W. Tozer
“The (written) Word is the wire along which the voice of God will certainly come to you if your heart is hushed and your attention fixed.”
–Fredrick B Meyer
“It cannot be stressed too much that the permanent address at which the word of God may be found is the Bible. More of God’s speaking to me has come in conjunction with the study (reading) and teaching of the Bible than with anything else.” -Dallas Willard
God will also speak through promptings from the Holy Spirit within us.
As a follower of Jesus – you’ve been saved by grace AND sealed by the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus said, “whoever has ears, let him hear.” It was an exhortation to listen not only once, but twice! It’s in the gap between the first hearing and the second hearing where we discern the promptings of the Holy Spirit’s leading.
John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Friends:
God still speaks. The Spirit still guides. His promptings still unfold. God’s Scriptures still convey His heart and truth. To all who have EARS TO HEAR
Stay engaged in His Scriptures:
God speaks most clearly to those who are meditating on his Word most consistently.
Practice SOLITUDE – tune in the stillness; attune yourself to voice of the Holy Spirit, his promptings and act on them / respond to them as you hear
Thanks for tuning in with us. We are praying that your prayer life will grow this summer friends. Join us again next weekend as we lean into How to Hear from God.
couple book recommendations:
Possibility of Prayer (by John Starke)
Hearing God (by Dallas Willard)
*REMINDER: if you ever have to miss a Sunday but still want to watch online service, just go to www.elementscitychurch.org and click the WATCH button to join us Sundays at 5pm online. Also by Tuesday evenings the entire service will be pushed out in our app, website, on vimeo, & youtube.
Have a blessed week everyone!