Hearing the Lord and Prophecy

[Karl Peters]

Generally, when we think about the prophecy recorded in the Bible we think about the "Woe" to man kind type of thing, and rightfully so. There is of course the Prophecy of salvation with new and better lives, but there seems to be a lot more of things like:

Rev 6:8 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Those types of verses get us curious, cause us to wonder, and we like to think and speculate about the meaning of it. We think - did it happen, or is it happening, or when is it going to happen? But in doing all that we miss the whole point of the prophecy to begin with!!

The point was to get men to turn to the Lord, seek His voice, and listen to Him!!! We men don't do that like we should and that is why the prophecy to begin with!! All the prophecy is set up to try and get us to turn to the Lord and listen to Him, and so the cause of the prophecy like that is because men don't turn back to Him and listen. That is the whole theme to the entire Bible. Salvation for those who do turn to Him and destruction because men don't turn to Him!

Each church was written this: ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

We not only don't hear what the Spirit has to say, we don't even let other hear what the Spirit has to say!!!! WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT ABOUT OURSELVES (THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES - ALL OF THEM!)

You can't solve the problem unless you first realize that you have the problem, and we do have the problem as evident by those prophecies!

Deut 8:20 “Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God.

So I am going to go over a very quick explanation about how to hear the Lord:

First, God is spirit! Therefore, He does not speak to you with sound waves but via His Holy Spirit talking to your spirit. He also does not talk to you via a book/Bible, because God is a person. (actually 3 persons in One God - but this forum doesn't like to cover that so ok) Never-the-less, when you hear from the Lord you hear from a person. He talks to you!! You might talk to a person at the bank, or store, or at church, and the only difference is that when you talk to the Lord is that He (God) is spirit!! Therefore the Word of God we preach is found in our hearts - and often even coming out our mouth because when we don't pay attention too well - the words the Holy Spirit speaks to us wind up making there way out our mouth before we even understand that He is speaking to us! We can and generally should pick up what the person of the Holy Spirit is saying to us before it just pops out our mouths, but sometimes it needsto happen that way.

Rom 10: 8 But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,

Now we find it written that if we seek we find, so the seeking the Lord is the best way to get into a conversation with the Lord. That is to say - ask our Lord Jesus Christ what He has to say and then listen in your spirit and you will get an answer, if you care to believe it!!!

Now the Lord has asked me over the years to work in a number of ministries for Him (five years in a Chrisian healing ministry, a hospital visitation ministry, and some other prayer ministries) which require that I hear from the Lord and get others also trying to hear from Him. IT IS REMARKABLY EASY TO GET OTHER PEOPLE HEARING FROM THE LORD!!

In most of those ministries, we find people that need to forgive others. But to make sure and to know who they need to forgive we simply lead them in a prayer that goes something like: "Jesus Christ is there anyone I need to forgive?"

It is not hard to get someone to ask the Lord that, and it is easy for them to believe Him for and answer to that. The real amazing thing is how the Lord is able to show Himself with this simply prayer.

In a typical example: The Lord might bring up there mother or father - which doesn't surprise them much. Then perhaps a friend, which surprises them a little. Then the Lord might tell them that they need to forgive themselves, which had never occurred to them and surprises them. Then they realize that they are indeed talking back and forth in a conversation with the Lord their God!!

It happens to fast and easy that about that time I usually comment something like: "Wow, you are pretty good and hearing the Lord!" Then they start to think about what just happened. Often they comment that they had never heard from the Lord before - but there they are having a conversation with God Almighty!!

I said i would make this quick, so I will stop there - but I will note that there is of course a lot more to know about when it comes to hearing the Lord. Still, if you get started in a personal relationship with the Lord, He can certainly cover all the other stuff better than I can. So the key is to start seeking Him, as you can, and you can!!

Then you get to those other types of prophecies like -

Rev 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

 

[Randy Kluth]

I agree--a lot of Christians have come to know the Lord in the form of a spiritual renewal in their lives. They carry around a certain "joy" in their lives, and find a "skip in their step."

However, over a few years there is a tendency to find routine stronger than guidance, and the difficulty in getting direct guidance leads to disenchantment with spiritual living. This is where we need to learn to "hear the Lord," as you say.

After lots of years under my belt I can say that God does seem to withdraw His guidance at times, perhaps to see what choices we will make without His "coercion." Times of trial are going to come to test to see what metal we are made of.

It is critical that we hear the voice of God *in our conscience* at those times because God really is still speaking to us. He is just not giving us what we "expect," and thus seemingly not answering our prayers.

But we need to persist in righteousness, in good times and in bad times. That's the lesson of Job. It sets us apart, if we are successful, from those who are in it only for themselves, for their reputation, for their lust for things.

Yes, we can secretly be after "things" when we serve the Lord because God often answers our prayers and gives us things. We need to be careful not to put those things before God, and to put His righteousness above all things.

Prophecy can indeed sound negative, but behind it all is that scene in heaven with the glorious praise of angels. We'll get there if we "faint not!" Let us not grow weary in well doing. Let's earn a good reward, along the way, as we approach heaven's gates?

 

[Karl Peters]

Everyone tends to hear from the Lord better sometimes than others. Still He is always there for us. He is always there to talk to us. To advise us. So the problem is not that He is not there, but the problem has a lot to do with the battles we have with the dark spiritual forces of this world and our lack of faith that He is indeed there for us. I did mention in the OP"

course a lot more to know about when it comes to hearing the Lord. Still, if you get started in a personal relationship with the Lord, He can certainly cover all the other stuff better than I can.

So He needs to cover the battle with the dark spiritual forces, and how our faith gets blown around in the wind - and more. Still always remember that He is there and it is written that all those who seek find! Remember that everyday call TODAY, and you will hear Him everyday called "TODAY"!

Frankly - I have not heard Him much today. I heard Him tell me to write on this very early this morning. A bit later I was thinking about getting some cinnamon rolls for breakfast and decided to check with Him first, and He said it was ok. Then just before writing this He asked if I thought anyone would have responded to the thread. I told Him that I didn't think so. There are some things I can write that I know people like to jump in on, but hearing Him sadly in not one of them. But He convinced me to talk a look, and someone had written. It was a good honest post that Randy Kluth wrote. It was full of insight about how we actually are, but don't like to think about.

Anyway - I do want to encourage any Christian who has not heard from the Lord today to actually seek Him. Prophecy is something He can give you, even for your own personal life, but normally talking to Him is just like talking to a good friend. :)