STApc
Listening To The Spirit
Sunday Message at St. Andrews Assembly of God
Locations & Times
STApc - St. Andrews Assembly of God
2400 W 15th St, Panama City, FL 32401, USA
Sunday 10:35 AM
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https://www.youtube.com/user/TheStAPCListening to the Spirit
1. Intro
A. Eyesight – peripheral and focused
B. Ever close your eyes to listen.
– You have peripheral vision and focused vision; you also have peripheral hearing and focused hearing.
Text “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
– Eight times in the gospels Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”.
2. You can hear something but are you listening.
– He who has an ear let him ear what the Spirit says to the churches
– In the Gospels when Jesus said “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”.
A. In both passages hearing is in the imperative mood, which means it’s a command.
B. Are you listening?
– If you are just hearing you can miss a lot of what is being said.
– You can hear someone talking but when you listen you are taking it to heart.
– When you listen you are taking it to heart and when you take it to heart you are more likely to act upon it.
C. Are you listening to the Holy Spirit?
3. What does the Holy Spirit sound like?
A. Illustration of a baby identifying his mother’s voice
– Jesus said in John 10 that His sheep hear his voice
B. The Holy Spirit will sound like the Word of God.
C. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit amplifies hearing the Holy Spirit.
– Remember the New Testament was written to a Spirit-filled – Spirit Baptized Church.
– One of the greatest travesties of the church is when they bought into the incorrect teaching in the 4thcentury that the charismata were no longer for the church.
– It IS for today and needed because you cannot understand the Word of God without the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:13–14 (NKJV) — 13These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
D. The problem is when we try to do it in our own power, our own ability.
– You can study the Word of God using all the hermeneutical principles of interpreting the Scriptures, which you should but if you don’t have the Holy Spirit bringing the Word of God to life, then the Bible is no better than just another study text
E. The Word of God is living and powerful! It is alive!
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) — 12For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
F. Therefore you cannot begin to hear the Spirit if you are not getting a steady diet of the Word of God.
G. So the Holy Spirit will be a voice that your spirit will know is familiar and yet remember the Holy Spirit will sound like the Word of God.
4. Test the spirits to see if they are of God.
1 John 4:1–2 (NKJV) — 1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
A. The voice of the Holy Spirit will NEVER distract from Jesus Christ
B. The test if it is the voice of the Spirit is the Word of God.
C. The Holy Spirit will never tell you something that this not backed up by the Word of God.
D. The Holy Spirit will never lead you to rationalize sin!
– “God wants you to be happy to go ahead and commit adultery, go ahead and have sex before you are married. That will never be the voice of the Spirit.
5. How to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit?
A. Sometimes we can look for the Holy Spirit’s voice in the wrong place or wrong way.
1 Kings 19:10–13 (NKJV) — 10So he said, “I have been very zealous for the LordGod of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” 11Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lordpassed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lordwas not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lordwas not in the earthquake; 12and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lordwas not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
B. It appears that Elijah was looking for the voice of God in some grandiose us way.
C. Still small voice of the Holy Spirit
6. How to hear the voice of the Spirit might be better answered by asking why don’t we hear the voice of the Spirit?
A. For some it is sin – sin deafens you spiritually – you’ve hear the voice of the Spirit but you don’t want to obey it so you turn a deaf ear to Him.
B. We’re too busy to be still long enough
– We’re too distracted because of our busyness
God said in Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) — 10Be still, and knowthat I am God;
– “Know” is much deeper than cognitive knowledge – it’s inner knowing – it’s knowing God through the Holy Spirit.
Luke 10:38–42 (NKJV) — 38Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
– Martha was distracted not by sin but by life –
– Jesus wasn’t rebuking her for her service but her priorities.
– Seek FIRST the KOG and all these things will be added to you.
C. I would say that the number reason why we don’t hear more of the voice of the Spirit is our distractions and busyness.
D. Even if you are not busy you can still be distracted, it’s called apathy
CLOSING He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says
1. Are you going to listen to what the Spirit is saying?
A. You can hear but are you listening?
– Are you taking it to heart?
– Are you acting upon what you’ve taken to heart?
B. We’re being asked to do something that isn’t easy because we are habitually busy.
– Are you are hungry for to hear from God?
– Do you yearn to hear the voice of the Spirit?
2. If you are hungry, if you yearn to hear from the Spirit of God then ask yourself these questions.
A. Have you used your busyness as an excuse of why you don’t have time to be still and know that He is God?
B. Let your hunger and yearning desire for more the Spirit in your life move you to repent of your busyness and distractedness.
– Let your hunger motivate you to reprioritize your life to be as Mary and seek first the Kingdom of God….
– Take the time to “be still and know that He is God.”
3. Is there known sin that you have been either ignoring or justifying?
A. As a sinner you can hear the voice of the Spirit.
B. The voice of the Spirit is calling you to repent.
C. The voice of the Spirit is calling out your sins.
D. The voice of the Spirit is telling you how much God loves you.
E. The voice of the Spirit is telling you how much God will forgive you and heal you.
4. A prodigal can hear the voice of the Spirit but prodigal are you listening?
– How long will you walk away from the Father that loves you so much?
– How low will you have to go into sin and degradation before you come to yourself, repent and return to the Father?
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says
5. Results of listening, taking to heart, to the voice of the Spirit
1 Corinthians 2:9–10 (NKJV) — 9But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
Next time we continue by seeing what the Bible says about “Walking in the Spirit”.
1. Intro
A. Eyesight – peripheral and focused
B. Ever close your eyes to listen.
– You have peripheral vision and focused vision; you also have peripheral hearing and focused hearing.
Text “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
– Eight times in the gospels Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”.
2. You can hear something but are you listening.
– He who has an ear let him ear what the Spirit says to the churches
– In the Gospels when Jesus said “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”.
A. In both passages hearing is in the imperative mood, which means it’s a command.
B. Are you listening?
– If you are just hearing you can miss a lot of what is being said.
– You can hear someone talking but when you listen you are taking it to heart.
– When you listen you are taking it to heart and when you take it to heart you are more likely to act upon it.
C. Are you listening to the Holy Spirit?
3. What does the Holy Spirit sound like?
A. Illustration of a baby identifying his mother’s voice
– Jesus said in John 10 that His sheep hear his voice
B. The Holy Spirit will sound like the Word of God.
C. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit amplifies hearing the Holy Spirit.
– Remember the New Testament was written to a Spirit-filled – Spirit Baptized Church.
– One of the greatest travesties of the church is when they bought into the incorrect teaching in the 4thcentury that the charismata were no longer for the church.
– It IS for today and needed because you cannot understand the Word of God without the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:13–14 (NKJV) — 13These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
D. The problem is when we try to do it in our own power, our own ability.
– You can study the Word of God using all the hermeneutical principles of interpreting the Scriptures, which you should but if you don’t have the Holy Spirit bringing the Word of God to life, then the Bible is no better than just another study text
E. The Word of God is living and powerful! It is alive!
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) — 12For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
F. Therefore you cannot begin to hear the Spirit if you are not getting a steady diet of the Word of God.
G. So the Holy Spirit will be a voice that your spirit will know is familiar and yet remember the Holy Spirit will sound like the Word of God.
4. Test the spirits to see if they are of God.
1 John 4:1–2 (NKJV) — 1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
A. The voice of the Holy Spirit will NEVER distract from Jesus Christ
B. The test if it is the voice of the Spirit is the Word of God.
C. The Holy Spirit will never tell you something that this not backed up by the Word of God.
D. The Holy Spirit will never lead you to rationalize sin!
– “God wants you to be happy to go ahead and commit adultery, go ahead and have sex before you are married. That will never be the voice of the Spirit.
5. How to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit?
A. Sometimes we can look for the Holy Spirit’s voice in the wrong place or wrong way.
1 Kings 19:10–13 (NKJV) — 10So he said, “I have been very zealous for the LordGod of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” 11Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lordpassed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lordwas not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lordwas not in the earthquake; 12and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lordwas not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
B. It appears that Elijah was looking for the voice of God in some grandiose us way.
C. Still small voice of the Holy Spirit
6. How to hear the voice of the Spirit might be better answered by asking why don’t we hear the voice of the Spirit?
A. For some it is sin – sin deafens you spiritually – you’ve hear the voice of the Spirit but you don’t want to obey it so you turn a deaf ear to Him.
B. We’re too busy to be still long enough
– We’re too distracted because of our busyness
God said in Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) — 10Be still, and knowthat I am God;
– “Know” is much deeper than cognitive knowledge – it’s inner knowing – it’s knowing God through the Holy Spirit.
Luke 10:38–42 (NKJV) — 38Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
– Martha was distracted not by sin but by life –
– Jesus wasn’t rebuking her for her service but her priorities.
– Seek FIRST the KOG and all these things will be added to you.
C. I would say that the number reason why we don’t hear more of the voice of the Spirit is our distractions and busyness.
D. Even if you are not busy you can still be distracted, it’s called apathy
CLOSING He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says
1. Are you going to listen to what the Spirit is saying?
A. You can hear but are you listening?
– Are you taking it to heart?
– Are you acting upon what you’ve taken to heart?
B. We’re being asked to do something that isn’t easy because we are habitually busy.
– Are you are hungry for to hear from God?
– Do you yearn to hear the voice of the Spirit?
2. If you are hungry, if you yearn to hear from the Spirit of God then ask yourself these questions.
A. Have you used your busyness as an excuse of why you don’t have time to be still and know that He is God?
B. Let your hunger and yearning desire for more the Spirit in your life move you to repent of your busyness and distractedness.
– Let your hunger motivate you to reprioritize your life to be as Mary and seek first the Kingdom of God….
– Take the time to “be still and know that He is God.”
3. Is there known sin that you have been either ignoring or justifying?
A. As a sinner you can hear the voice of the Spirit.
B. The voice of the Spirit is calling you to repent.
C. The voice of the Spirit is calling out your sins.
D. The voice of the Spirit is telling you how much God loves you.
E. The voice of the Spirit is telling you how much God will forgive you and heal you.
4. A prodigal can hear the voice of the Spirit but prodigal are you listening?
– How long will you walk away from the Father that loves you so much?
– How low will you have to go into sin and degradation before you come to yourself, repent and return to the Father?
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says
5. Results of listening, taking to heart, to the voice of the Spirit
1 Corinthians 2:9–10 (NKJV) — 9But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
Next time we continue by seeing what the Bible says about “Walking in the Spirit”.