<i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> WELCOME TO <i>GOSPEL TRUTH</i> WITH ANDREW WOMMACK, A TEACHING MINISTRY THAT FOCUSES ON GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE >> AND GRACE. > I LOVE THE STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS AND THE SIMPLICITY THAT... > THAT HE USES TO TEACH. > HIS TEACHINGS ARE VERY SIMPLE > FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND. > IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THIS MINISTRY, > I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WOULD BE. >> AND NOW, HERE'S ANDREW. WELCOME TO OUR MONDAY'S BROADCAST OF <i>THE GOSPEL TRUTH.</i> TODAY I'M GOING TO START A BRAND-NEW SERIES AND I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT <i>HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE.</i> I'LL TELL YOU THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I CAN TRUTHFULLY SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, MY WHOLE LIFE AND EVERYTHING THAT GOD HAS DONE IN ME AND THROUGH ME IT'S BECAUSE GOD HAS SPOKEN TO ME, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THIS ISN'T JUST FOR A FEW PEOPLE. THIS IS FOR EVERY JOE BLOW AND JANE DOE CHRISTIAN. THIS IS THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE AND I...I CAN JUST GIVE YOU A PERSONAL TESTIMONY THAT I GOT BORN AGAIN WHEN I WAS 8 YEARS OLD AND THAT WAS BECAUSE GOD CONVICTED ME AND SO THAT WAS GOD SPEAKING TO ME AND I MEAN I WAS TRANSFORMED AND THE NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL MY FRIENDS ASKED WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME. IT WAS A GENUINE EXPERIENCE, BUT AS A WHOLE I DIDN'T REALLY DISCERN GOD'S VOICE. I DIDN'T HEAR GOD SPEAK TO ME UNTIL 10 YEARS LATER WHEN I WAS 18 AND THAT'S WHEN I HAD THIS MIRACULOUS ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD AND GOD JUST REVEALED HIS LOVE TO ME AND I MEAN SET ME ON FIRE. AND SINCE THAT TIME, IT HAS BEEN A PROGRESSION OF HEARING GOD SPEAK TO ME AND LEAD ME AND GOD HAS LED ME TO DO THINGS THAT IN THE NATURAL, THERE WAS NO REASON TO DO IT. MATTER OF FACT, IT WAS AGAINST ALL REASON. THERE WAS MANY REASONS NOT TO DO THESE THINGS, BUT I REALLY FELT LIKE THIS IS WHAT GOD WAS TELLING ME TO DO. AND BY OBEYING THAT VOICE IT LITERALLY SET MY LIFE ON A COURSE THAT I WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE REBELLED AT GOD TO KEEP FROM BEING WHERE I AM. I MEAN GOD HAS SUPERNATURALLY DIRECTED ME. JUST YESTERDAY I WAS HAVING A BOARD MEETING WITH ANOTHER MINISTRY. AND ANYWAY, WE WERE GIVING THEM SOME ADVICE AND TALKING ABOUT THINGS AND THEY WERE ASKING HOW THINGS IN OUR MINISTRY HAPPENED AND HONESTLY, I...I'M JUST NOT SMART ENOUGH TO DO WHAT I'VE DONE. IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. HE SPEAKS TO ME AND GOD WILL MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD. I MEAN IF YOU CAN HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD... GOD'S WISDOM IS INFINITE. HE CAN SEE OVER THE HILL. WE CAN'T SEE OVER. HE CAN SEE WHAT'S COMING. HE CAN PREPARE US. THERE'S JUST SO MANY ADVANTAGES TO HEARING GOD'S VOICE, BUT THE SAD FACT IS THAT A LOT OF CHRISTIANS TODAY HONESTLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE AND...AND I'M GOING TO BE TEACHING THROUGH THIS SERIES IN JOHN, CHAPTER 10, JESUS SAID, HIS SHEEP DO HEAR HIS VOICE AND THAT THE VOICE OF A STRANGER, THEY WILL NOT FOLLOW. THIS IS NOT ABNORMAL. THIS SHOULD BE THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE IS TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE AND TO HAVE GOD SPEAK TO YOU. IT SAYS, IN JOHN, CHAPTER 16, VERSE 13, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL SHOW YOU THINGS TO COME. JUST THINK ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD BENEFIT YOU IF YOU KNEW WHAT WAS COMING. AND YET THIS IS A MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, BUT ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT ARE DEPENDENT ON YOU BEING ABLE TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE. I TELL YOU THIS IS JUST ESSENTIAL. AGAIN, MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY THAT I...MY LIFE I DON'T HAVE ANY CLUE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF I WAS JUST LEANING ON TO MY OWN UNDERSTANDING AND FIGURING THINGS OUT ON MY OWN. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT GOD SPEAKS TO ME ON A DAILY BASIS. HE CONSTANTLY IS GIVING ME DIRECTION AND IT HAS WORKED OUT TO MY BENEFIT. YOU KNOW, I... THIS IS KIND OF A VISUAL WORD PICTURE. BUT IF YOU COULD IMAGINE A PERSON THAT WAS BLIND THAT WAS TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THEIR APARTMENT OR THROUGH SOMEBODY'S HOUSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND IF A... IF IT'S A BLIND PERSON WELL, THEY...THEY'RE JUST GOING TO RUN INTO WALLS. THEY'RE GOING TO FALL OVER FURNITURE. THEY'RE GOING TO TRIP OVER THINGS, AND THEN WHEN THEY HIT... HIT A WALL, THEY'LL KNOW THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO GO AND SO THEY'LL TURN AND MOVE IN A DI... DIFFERENT DIRECTION, BUT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THEY HIT SOMETHING ELSE AND TRIP AND FALL, HURT THEMSELF. YOU COULD FALL OFF A CLIFF IF YOU WERE BLIND AND COULDN'T TELL WHAT WAS GOING ON. YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY PRETTY DESCRIPTIVE OF THE AVERAGE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM RIGHT NOW THAT YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, AND YOU LOVE GOD. IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN AND IF YOU WERE TO DIE, YOU HAVE AN ASSURANCE YOU WOULD GO TO HEAVEN, BUT THE TRUTH IS YOU DON'T HEAR GOD GIVE YOU DIRECTION. YOU...IT'S HARD FOR YOU TO HEAR HIS VOICE AND YOU'RE VERY SIMILAR TO THAT BLIND PERSON I WAS DESCRIBING THAT YOU JUST GO IN THIS DIRECTION UNTIL YOU HIT A WALL, UNTIL SOME TRAGEDY HAPPENS. AND THEN YOU SAY WELL, I CAN'T GO THAT WAY AND YOU MOVE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND YOU JUST... YOU KNOW IT'S KIND OF LIKE A PINBALL. YOU LAUNCH THAT THING AND IT JUST HITS THESE THINGS AND BOUNCES AROUND AND IT DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS. BUT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THAT. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE SHOULDN'T BE YOU JUST BOUNCING OFF THINGS AND MAKING A MISTAKE HERE AND YOU LEARNING BY ALL OF YOUR HARD KNOCKS AND YOU TRYING TO FIGURE EVERYTHING OUT. GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU. GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU. YOU MAY NOT REALIZE IT, BUT GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT YOU TUNED INTO IT. AND THE LORD IS TRYING TO REACH YOU. GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU, AND HE CAN SPEAK THROUGH PEOPLE LIKE ME AND GET YOUR ATTENTION AND...AND SHARE TRUTHS. LIKE I'VE GOT A SERIES ON THIS IT... WE'RE GOING TO BE ADVERTISING <i>HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE</i> AND YOU CAN USE THINGS LIKE THIS, GOD CAN GET YOUR ATTENTION. BUT ULTIMATELY GOD WANTS TO GET YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE HEARING DIRECTLY FROM HIM AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOMEBODY ELSE. NOW THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT YOU EVER GET SO PROUD THAT I DON'T NEED ANYBODY ELSE. WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER, AND WE NEED TO BE LISTENING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND BE OPEN TO CORRECTION AND RECEIVING INSTRUCTION. BUT ULTIMATELY, WE ARE HIS SHEEP, JOHN, CHAPTER 10, AND WE SHOULD BE HEARING HIS VOICE. AND NOT ONLY VOICE ABOUT DIRECTION IN WHAT TO DO, BUT YOU NEED TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE OF HIM TELLING YOU THAT HE LOVES YOU AND THAT WHEN OTHER PEOPLE REJECT YOU, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE HIM MINISTER TO YOU. YOU KNOW, I JUST RECENTLY HAD SOME THINGS HAPPEN. I HAD A BIG WRITE-UP IN THE PAPER AND PEOPLE TRASH ME AND LIED ABOUT ME AND SAID ALL KINDS OF THINGS AND I HAD SOME PEOPLE ASK ME, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THIS? WELL, THE NUMBER ONE WAY THAT I DEAL WITH IT IS I GO TO THE LORD AND BECAUSE OF MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD, GOD SPEAKS TO ME AND GOD TELLS ME THINGS AND WHAT I HEAR GOD SAY TO ME IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT I HEAR PEOPLE SAY ABOUT ME. IF YOU CAN'T HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP TO WHERE HE SPEAKS TO YOU AND ENCOURAGES YOU WHEN YOU'RE DISCOURAGED, AND WHEN PEOPLE CRITICIZE YOU HE WILL COME ALONG AND COMPLIMENT YOU AND DO THINGS. AND IF YOU DON'T HEAR THAT VOICE OF GOD, IF YOU CAN'T RECEIVE THAT, I GUARANTEE YOU IT JUST IT...IT WOULD MAKE LIFE MISERABLE FOR ME. BUT I CONSTANTLY AM HAVING THE LORD SPEAK TO ME AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM I'M SURE THAT THINK, YOU KNOW THIS ISN'T RIGHT. YOU...YOU JUST CAN'T HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE TO THEM. MAYBE IT'LL HAPPEN FOR SOME PEOPLE. MAYBE S...SOME PEOPLE HAVE A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO HEAR GOD. BUT THE AVERAGE CHRISTIAN, IF YOU WERE TO SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER ASK THEM A SURVEY, YOU KNOW ABOUT, HOW OFTEN DOES GOD SPEAK TO YOU? HOW OFTEN DO YOU HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD? I'M AFRAID THAT FOR MOST CHRISTIANS IT WOULD BE SELDOM OR NEVER. AND THAT IS NOT THE WAY THAT GOD INTENDED IT TO BE. LET ME JUST USE THIS VERSE AND START WITH THIS OUT OF ISAIAH, CHAPTER 30, AND I HAVEN'T GOT TIME TO GIVE THE CONTEXT, BUT HE WAS PROPHESYING THAT BECAUSE OF THEIR REBELLION AGAINST GOD, GOD WAS GOING TO REJECT THEM. THEY WOULD ACTUALLY BE CONQUERED BY A FOREIGN NATION THAT WE NOW KNOW TO BE BABYLON, THAT THEY WOULD BE LED INTO CAPTIVITY BUT EVEN IN THE MIDST OF PRONOUNCING JUDGMENT UPON THE ISRAELITES BECAUSE THEY HAD FORSAKEN GOD, HE TALKED ABOUT HOW THAT THEY WOULD COME BACK. HE WASN'T GOING TO TOTALLY FORSAKE THEM. IT WOULD ONLY BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN HE WOULD BRING THE NATION BACK, THAT HE WOULD RE-ESTABLISH THE NATION, AND HE WAS PROPHESYING THESE THINGS THAT NOW HAVE THEIR FULFILLMENT IN US, THE BODY OF CHRIST. THAT WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND THAT GOD IS SPEAKING TO US AND...AND DOING THESE THINGS AND ANYWAY, RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THIS HE SAYS, IN ISAIAH, CHAPTER 30, AND IN VERSE 21, HE SAYS, AND THINE EARS SHALL HEAR A WORD BEHIND THEE, SAYING, THIS IS THE WAY, WALK YE IN IT, WHEN YE TURN TO THE RIGHT HAND, AND WHEN YE TURN TO THE LEFT. NOW AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A PART OF A PROPHECY THAT HE WAS A GIVE...GIVING BUT IT WAS...IT'S NOW A NEW TESTAMENT FULFILLMENT THAT GOD IS SPEAKING TO US. AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY, EVERY TIME THAT YOU HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE GOD WILL SPEAK TO YOU. GOD WILL SHOW YOU THINGS TO COME, AND WE GET INTO TREMENDOUS PROBLEMS BECAUSE WE DON'T LISTEN TO THIS VOICE AND WE DO THINGS OUR OWN WAY. WE WAIT UNTIL WE FALL OFF THE CLIFF, RUN INTO A WALL, TRIP OVER SOMETHING, AND WE'RE FLAT OF OUR FACE BEFORE WE SAY, OH GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? BUT WE COULD LISTEN TO HIM AND GOD COULD SPEAK TO YOU AND YOU COULD HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GIVE MORE DETAILS AS I GO THROUGH THIS SERIES, BUT I HAVE LITERALLY HAD THE LORD TELL ME NOT TO GO ON A TRIP THAT I ALREADY HAD BOOKED. I ALREADY HAD BOUGHT THE PLANE FARE, AND WHEN I DECIDED TO CANCEL AND THERE WAS NO REASON TO COUNT...CANCEL, DID YOU KNOW THAT PLANE CRASHED AND KILLED THE PEOPLE ON BOARD? GOD SAVED ME BY SPEAKING TO ME THROUGH THAT. GOD HAS SPOKEN TO ME HUNDREDS OF TIMES. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF IT'S NOT THOUSANDS OF TIMES THAT GOD HAS SPOKEN TO ME THAT IT HAS SAVED MY LIFE. IT HAS KEPT ME FROM MAKING MISTAKES. HE HAS SPOKEN TO ME ABOUT PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, I HAVE 650 EMPLOYEES AND...AND THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED IN MY VISION IN ACCOMPLISHING WHAT GOD HAS TOLD ME TO DO, AND GOD SPEAKS TO ME AND GIVES ME WISDOM ABOUT WHO TO PUT INTO POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY AND...AND I DEPEND ON GOD SPEAKING TO ME AND TELLING ME THINGS. AGAIN, I JUST CAN'T OVERSTATE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR YOU TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD, AND I WISHED I COULD TALK TO YOU PERSONALLY RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THERE'S PEOPLE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM THAT YOUR LIFE IS IN A MESS AND YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS. I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU'RE A BAD PERSON. I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU DON'T LOVE GOD, BUT I'M SAYING THAT YOU'VE GOT PROBLEMS. YOUR...THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS HAPPENING BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE IT YOUR WAY. PROVERBS, CHAPTER 3, I BELIEVE IT'S VERSE 5, SAYS, TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART; AND LEAN NOT UNTO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL OF THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS. THAT'S AN ADMONITION THAT YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST LEAN ON OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. GOD DIDN'T JUST CREATE US AND THEN KIND OF WIND US UP LIKE ONE OF THESE ROBOTS OR A TOY AND JUST POINT US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND LET US DO THINGS ON OUR OWN. WE NEED TO BE LISTENING BECAUSE THERE'S... IT'S LIKE A VOICE THAT IS SAYING TURN TO THE RIGHT, TURN TO THE LEFT, DO THIS, DO THAT. THE LORD WANTS TO BE THAT INVOLVED. THE LORD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU THAT CLEARLY, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME OF YOU THAT JUST THINK WELL YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THAT. I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF SCRIPTURES BUT ONE OF THEM IN ACTS, CHAPTER 9, WAS WHERE SAUL HAD SEEN THE LORD ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS AND HAD THIS ENCOUNTER AND THEN HE WENT TO DAMASCUS AND THE LORD CAME AND SPOKE TO A...A CHRISTIAN NAMED ANANIAS AND HE SAID ANANIAS AND ANANIAS JUST SAID BEHOLD, I AM HERE, LORD. AND THE LORD SPOKE TO HIM AND HE WENT AND LAID HANDS ON SAUL. SAUL RECEIVED HIS SIGHT, RECEIVED THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, RECEIVED A PROPHECY ABOUT HIM BEING THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES AND HE WROTE HALF OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. AND YOU AND I ARE STILL BEING AFFECTED TODAY AND ONE MAN JUST SIMPLY HEARD GOD TELL HIM AND HE SAID GO TO A STREET CALLED STRAIGHT, AND ENQUIRE IN THE HOUSE... AND HE GAVE HIM THE STREET, THE PERSON'S HOUSE THAT HE WAS SAYING IN. DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN HEAR GOD THAT... THAT CLEARLY? I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING THIS THAT YOU JUST SAY YOU CAN'T... THAT'S NOT FOR US. THAT DOESN'T WORK THIS WAY TODAY. WELL, IT MAY NOT BE IN... MAY NOT BE MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE HEARING GOD THAT WAY TODAY BUT THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT WANTS TO BE. GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU THAT CLEARLY. GOD IS A PERSON. HE WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU, BUT YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO HEAR HIS VOICE. YOU KNOW, IF GOD SPEAKS TO YOU IN AN AUDIBLE VOICE, IF THERE IS A BLINDING FLASH OF LIGHTNING, IF THERE IS SOME PHYSICAL, TANGIBLE MANIFESTATION, IF IT COMES THROUGH YOUR PHYSICAL EYES OR THROUGH YOUR PHYSICAL EARS, IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH PERCEPTION. BUT DID YOU KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT THE DOMINANT WAY THAT GOD SPEAKS TO YOU. AND I BELIEVE THAT THE REASON FOR IT IS HEBREWS 11:6, SAYS, WITHOUT FAITH IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD. YOU KNOW GOD COULD SPEAK TO YOU IN WAYS THAT TOOK NO FAITH WHATSOEVER. I MEAN IF YOU HAVE AN ANGEL SHOW UP AND YOU PHYSICALLY SEE HIM AND HE TOUCHES YOU AND YOU PHYSICALLY FEEL IT AND ALL OF THESE KIND OF THINGS, IT DOESN'T TAKE A LOT OF PERCEPTION TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THAT. BUT THE WAY THAT GOD SPEAKS TO US PRIMARILY IS JUST IN A STILL SMALL VOICE. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS MORE FROM 1 KINGS, CHAPTER 19, WHERE ELIJAH HAD THESE DRAMATIC THINGS WHERE A...A WIND BROKE THE ROCKS IN PIECES IT WAS SO STRONG. THEN THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE THAT SPLIT THE ROCKS. THEN THERE WAS A FIRE THAT MELTED THE ROCKS. I MEAN IT... THESE DRAMATIC SPECTACULAR MANIFESTATIONS, BUT IT SAYS GOD WASN'T IN ANY OF THOSE. BUT THEN THERE WAS JUST THIS STILL SMALL VOICE. AND WHEN ELIJAH HEARD THAT HE WRAPPED HIS FACE IN HIS MANTLE, HE WENT OUT AND FELL BEFORE GOD. GOD, I DON'T KNOW... IT'S JUST HIS NATURE. HE LOVES TO MINISTER IN WAYS THAT ARE SO DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY THAT WE WOULD DO THINGS. IT TAKES FAITH TO PERCEIVE IT. WHEN JESUS CAME TO THIS EARTH HE COULD HAVE ARRIVED ON, YOU KNOW, THE SPACE SHUTTLE OR HE COULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING, COME IN A CHARIOT OF FIRE AND ALL OF THESE GREAT MANIFESTATIONS. HE COULD HAVE ANNOUNCED THE BIRTH OF JESUS TO THE KINGS, BUT INSTEAD HE CAME IN A MANGER, BORN TO PARENTS, YOU KNOW, THAT WEREN'T ANYTHING SPECIAL IN THE NATURAL. THEY... THEY WERE OUT IN A STABLE. THEY DIDN'T ANNOUNCE THE BIRTH TO THE KING. THEY ANNOUNCED IT TO THE SHEPHERDS. GOD JUST DELIGHT IN DOING THINGS IN AN UNDERSTATED WAY BECAUSE HE WANTS FAITH. FAITH IS WHAT PLEASES HIM. HE COULD HAVE A DOG WALK UP TO ME AND BARK OUT WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO, AND HE COULD SPEAK TO ME THAT WAY. HE SPOKE THROUGH A DONKEY TO BALAAM. HE COULD HAVE A BIRD COME LAND ON MY SHOULDER AND TELL ME A THING, WHISPER THINGS IN MY EAR AND TELL ME TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS. HE COULD HAVE CLOUDS. YOU KNOW, HE COULD WRITE MESSAGES TO ME IN CLOUDS THAT ONLY I COULD SEE. GOD CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT THOSE THINGS, THOSE SUPERNATURAL SPECIAL MANIFESTATIONS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. THAT IS NOT THE NORMAL WAY THAT GOD SPEAKS TO PEOPLE BECAUSE HE WANTS FAITH. HE SPEAKS IN A STILL SMALL VOICE AND I'M GOING TO BE SHARING SOME THINGS WITH YOU THAT I'VE LEARNED THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD THAT HAVE HELPED ME TO UNDERSTAND GOD'S WORD AND HOW TO HEAR HIS VOICE, AND IF YOU CAN RECEIVE THIS, YOU CAN HAVE GOD SPEAK TO YOU ON A DAILY BASIS. YOU CAN HAVE GOD COMMUNICATE WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES. THAT IS NOT JUST FOR A FEW CHRISTIANS. THAT IS FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN. GOD WANTS YOU TO HEAR HIS VOICE, BUT YOU NEED TO LEARN. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LEARN. OVER HERE IN PSALMS, CHAPTER 32, AND IN VERSE 8, IT SAYS, I WILL INSTRUCT THEE AND TEACH THEE IN THE WAY WHICH THOU SHALT GO: I WILL GUIDE THEE WITH MINE EYE. NOW AGAIN, THERE'S MANY WAYS THAT GOD DOES THIS BUT I'M TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HAVING GOD SPEAK TO YOU AND SHOW YOU THINGS TO COME AND TELL YOU THINGS THAT YOU JUST CAN'T KNOW WITH YOUR NATURAL MIND. AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IT'S TALKING ABOUT THAT HE'S GOING TO INSTRUCT US AND HE WILL GUIDE US, BUT THEN IT SAYS, IN VERSE 9, BE YE NOT AS THE HORSE, OR AS THE MULE, WHICH HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING: WHOSE MOUTH MUST BE HELD IN WITH BIT AND BRIDLE, LEST HE COME NEAR UNTO THEE. MAN, THIS IS A GREAT WORD PICTURE. IN OTHER WORDS, HE SAYS I'M AN INSTRUCT YOU AND I'M GOING TO LEAD YOU BUT DON'T BE LIKE A HORSE OR A MULE THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT A BIT IN THEIR MOUTH. YOU KNOW THE REASON THAT YOU CAN DIRECT A HORSE WITH A BIT IN THEIR MOUTH IS BECAUSE THAT BIT HURTS. IF YOU TURN IT A CERTAIN WAY, IT'LL...IT'LL CAUSE PAIN ON THAT SIDE. IF YOU PULL BACK ON BOTH OF THOSE REINS, IT CAUSES PAIN. IT MAKES THEM STOP. IN OTHER WORDS, DON'T BE LIKE A PERSON, LIKE I WAS DESCRIBING THIS BLIND PERSON THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO RUN INTO A WALL. YOU HAVE TO FALL OFF A CLIFF, TRIP OVER SOMETHING AND HAVE TRAGEDY IN YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOU LEARN THAT THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GO. DON'T BE LIKE A DUMB ANIMAL. WE ARE BORN AGAIN. WE ARE GOD'S SHEEP. JOHN, CHAPTER 10, WE HEAR HIS VOICE. GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU, BUT YOU HAVE TO TUNE YOUR HEARING. IT SAYS THIS IN MANY PLACES, ESPECIALLY IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS. PROVERBS, CHAPTER 4, SAYS, ATTEND UNTO MY WORDS... AND IF YOU LOOK THAT WORD ATTEND UP IN THE HEBREW, IT'S TALKING ABOUT A HORSE THAT PRICKS UP ITS EARS. IF ANY OF YOU HAVE EVER HAD HORSES OR MULES, ANIMALS LIKE THAT, OR YOU CAN SEE THIS IN DEER TOO THAT THEIR EARS MOVE NEARLY 360 DEGREES AND YOU CAN BE RIDING A HORSE AND THEIR EARS COULD BE POINTED FORWARD AND IF YOU SAY SOMETHING, BOY, ONE OR BOTH OF THOSE EARS WILL JUST TURN BACK SO THAT THEY CAN HEAR AND LISTEN TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. AND YOU CAN TUNE YOUR HEARING. YOU CAN PRICK UP YOUR EARS. YOU CAN FOCUS ON THE VOICE OF GOD TO WHERE YOU HEAR GOD'S VOICE. AND I TELL YOU GOD HAS AN ANSWER FOR ANY SITUATION THAT YOU'RE IN. SOME OF YOU ARE HAVING FINANCIAL PROBLEMS TODAY. GOD KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO DO TO GET YOU THROUGH THAT FINANCIAL PROBLEM. SOME OF YOU ARE HAVING MARRIAGE PROBLEMS. GOD KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. MANY OF YOU ARE HAVING PHYSICAL PROBLEMS AND SICKNESS AND DISEASE AND GOD KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. YOU JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO HEAR HIS VOICE. WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH LIFE JUST WONDERING AND HOPING THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO OUR OWN THING AND THEN ASK GOD TO BLESS IT. WE CAN HEAR GOD'S VOICE. WE CAN HAVE GOD TELL US WHAT TO DO AND IF YOU ARE HEARING GOD AND IF YOU ARE DOING WHAT HE INSTRUCTED YOU TO DO, YOU DON'T EVER HAVE TO ASK FOR HIS BLESSING ON IT. WHEN GOD COMMANDS YOU TO DO SOMETHING THERE'S ENOUGH ANOINTING AND POWER IN WHAT HE TOLD YOU TO BRING IT TO PASS, BUT THE PROBLEM COMES DOWN THAT SO MANY OF US ARE JUST DOING OUR OWN THING AND HOPING THAT IT PLEASES GOD. BUT WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. I'M TELLING YOU YOU SHOULDN'T BE LIVING YOUR LIFE THAT WAY. I CAN SAY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THROUGH THE THINGS THAT HE'S TAUGHT ME THAT I AM EXACTLY WHERE GOD WANTS ME TO DO. I'M DOING EXACTLY WHAT GOD HAS TOLD ME TO DO. THERE IS ALL KINDS OF PHYSICAL PROOF THAT I COULD POINT TO AND SHOW YOU THAT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THAT ARE BEYOND MY ABILITY, BEYOND MY CONTROL, IT IS GOD THAT HAS MADE THINGS HAPPEN AND IT'S BECAUSE I HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. AND THIS IS NOT FOR ME ALONE. THIS IS FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU. I DON'T CARE WHAT COUNTRY YOU LIVE IN. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR SITUATION IS. GOD HAS A WAY TO BRING YOU INTO A PLACE OF BLESSING, PROSPERITY, JOY, PEACE, HEALING, WHOLENESS, THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED. GOD'S PLANS FOR YOU ARE GOOD. THEY AREN'T EVIL. THEY'RE TO GIVE YOU AN EXPECTED END. A HOPE AND A FUTURE, IN JEREMIAH, CHAPTER 29, VERSE 11. GOD HAS NOTHING BUT GOOD PLANS FOR YOU AND YET THERE'S PEOPLE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM THAT YOU CAN'T SAY THAT YOUR LIFE IS GOOD. YOU CAN'T SAY THAT EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE IS GOING THE WAY THAT GOD WANTS IT TO. AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE GOD DOESN'T WILL TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN YOUR LIFE. IT'S NOT BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE A GREAT PLAN. I WOULD SAY IN THE MAJORITY OF CASES IT'S BECAUSE SOMEWHERE WE HAVE MOVED TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT. WE HAVEN'T BEEN FOLLOWING GOD. WE HAVEN'T HEARD HIS VOICE. OR IF YOU'VE HEARD IT, YOU HAVEN'T OBEYED IT. AND I'M TELLING YOU, YOU CAN FI... YOU CAN FIX THIS. BUT IT REALLY STARTS WITH YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW WHAT GOD'S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE IS. YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU MORE THAN YOU WANT HIM TO SPEAK TO YOU. MATTER OF FACT, THAT'S THE BIG PROBLEM RIGHT THERE IS IT WE JUST AREN'T... WE AREN'T PURSUING GOD THE WAY WE SHOULD. WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT HIM. AS LONG AS YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD AND HAVING HIS GUIDANCE AND LEADERSHIP IN YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL. BUT WHEN YOU REACH A PLACE TO WHERE YOU JUST SAID, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS. I AM NOT MOVING FROM THIS PLACE. THAT'S WHAT MOSES TOLD GOD IN THE...I THINK IT WAS A 34TH CHAPTER, OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS, THE LORD SAID I WILL GO WITH YOU AND I WILL GUIDE YOU IN THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO. AND MOSES, HE SAYS I WAS DEPENDING ON THAT. HE SAYS IF YOU DON'T GO WITH ME, I'M NOT MOVING FROM THIS SP...PLACE. IN OTHER WORDS, HE COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT GOD DIRECTING HIM. HE WOULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT. THE SAD FACT IS MOST OF US HAVE AND CAN LIVE WITHOUT HEARING GOD'S VOICE AND THEREFORE WE DO. BUT IF YOU WOULD JUST TUNE YOUR HEART AND GET TO A PLACE TO WHERE I WANT TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE, GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU. YOU JUST NEED TO LEARN HOW TO RECEIVE AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WHOLE TEACHING THAT I'M GOING TO BE DOING IS AND I BELIEVE IT WILL BE A BLESSING TO YOU. LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET THIS TEACHING. I'VE GOT CDs AND DVDs THAT WERE TAKEN FROM OUR TELEVISION PROGRAM HERE. AND THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE A POWERFUL SERIES. IT COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE, SO LISTEN TO OUR ANNOUNCER AS HE GIVES YOU INFORMATION ABOUT HOW YOU CAN GET THIS TEACHING AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE CALL OR WRITE TODAY TO RECEIVE THIS AND THEN JOIN ME AGAIN TOMORROW AS WE CONTINUE THIS TEACHING ON <i>HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE.</i> >> ANDREW'S COMPLETE TEACHING, <i>HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE,</i> IS AVAILABLE AS A CD OR DVD ALBUM FOR A GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT WHEN YOU CONTACT US. THIS ENTIRE SERIES IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR AUDIO DOWNLOAD ABSOLUTELY FREE FROM OUR WEB SITE. GO TO AWMI.NET TO SEE ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN GET THESE PRODUCTS. THE INDIVIDUAL TOPIC HIGHLIGHTED ON TODAY'S BROADCAST IS AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CD FOR A GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT WHEN YOU WRITE OR CALL. WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GIVE BECAUSE THERE IS A BLESSING IN GIVING, BUT IF YOU'RE SIMPLY UNABLE TO AFFORD IT, ANDREW AND HIS PARTNERS WILL PROVIDE TODAY'S TEACHING FREE OF CHARGE. YOU CAN BECOME A GRACE PARTNER OR ORDER RESOURCES THROUGH OUR WEB SITE AT AWMI.NET. WHILE THERE, YOU CAN DISCOVER MORE PRODUCT DETAILS AND DOWNLOAD ADDITIONAL FREE RESOURCES. OR YOU CAN CALL OUR HELPLINE AT 719-635-1111. OUR HELPLINE IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 24 HOURS A DAY, AND SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. FROM 7:30AM TO 6PM >> MOUNTAIN TIME. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> WE WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ANDREW'S UPCOMING SPEAKING SCHEDULE. MARK YOUR CALENDERS TO COME MEET ANDREW AT ONE OF THESE EVENTS AND LET THE WORD OF GOD TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE. IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, ANDREW WILL BE SPEAKING IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND EL RENO, OKLAHOMA. THEN, COME JOIN ANDREW IN WOODLAND PARK FOR OUR ANNUAL CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE MEN'S ADVANCE. GUEST SPEAKERS AT THIS EVENT INCLUDE HALL OF FAME AND SUPER BOWL WINNING COACH, TONY DUNGY, ALONG WITH JAMES BROWN, EMMY-AWARD WINNING BROADCASTER ON THE CBS AND NFL NETWORKS, AND THE CEO OF ANDREW WOMMACK MINISTRIES AND CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE, BILLY EPPERHART. IN APRIL, ANDREW WILL BE HOSTING A SPECIAL EASTER SEASON PRODUCTION TITLED GOD WITH US IN WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO. GOD WITH US IS THE ORIGINAL LOVE STORY OF A PASSIONATE GOD ON A RELENTLESS QUEST TO RESCUE HIS PEOPLE. ALSO, IN APRIL, ANDREW WILL BE IN WOODLAND PARK TO HOST THE ANNUAL CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE CAMPUS DAYS. AND IN MAY, COME TO CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE FOR THE KINGDOM FOUNDATIONS CONFERENCE WITH SPEAKERS RANDY CLARK AND PASTOR BILL JOHNSON OF BETHEL. FOR MORE DETAILS ON ANDREW'S NEXT MEETING IN YOUR AREA, VISIT OUR WEB SITE >> AT AWMI.NET. >> HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT <i>THE INSIDE STORY</i> YET? IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR YOU TO GET AN INSIDE LOOK OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AT ANDREW WOMMACK MINISTRIES. WITH YEARS OF INTERVIEWS, THERE'S A LOT TO GET EXCITED ABOUT. CHECK OUT THIS MONTH'S FEATURED STORY TODAY, >> ONLY AT AWMI.NET. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN FORMED IN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB, GOD ALREADY HAD DETERMINED A PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE, >> A GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE. > GOD HAS A PURPOSE TO TRAIN YOU IN WHAT YOU'RE CALLED TO DO, AND I TELL YOU, CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE > IS THE PLACE FOR THAT. >> MAN, IF YOU WANT A LIFE-CHANGE, >> COME TO CHARIS. > COME ON TO CHARIS! >> YOU NEED TO TAKE A STEP OF FAITH AND START BELIEVING GOD FOR SOMETHING BIG. GOD MADE EVERY ONE OF YOU >> FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL. > THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS COULD BE THE MOST POWERFUL TIME > OF YOUR LIFE. >> IF YOU SIT UNDER THE WORD FOR FOUR HOURS A DAY, FOR FIVE DAYS A WEEK FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS, I GUARANTEE YOU, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE GOD SPEAK TO YOU AND START REVEALING PURPOSE >> TO YOU. > WE ALL HAVE A PURPOSE AND A DESTINY, AND YOU WILL FIND THAT OUT WHEN YOU ATTEND > CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE. >> EVERY ONE OF YOU WERE CREATED FOR A PURPOSE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT >> THAT PURPOSE IS? <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO PRAY ABOUT BECOMING A PARTNER WITH US. YOU KNOW OUR MINISTRY IS BASED IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT WE HAVE 16 OFFICES AROUND THE WORLD. WE'VE GOT ALL TOGETHER AROUND 70 BIBLE SCHOOLS SCATTERED AROUND THE WORLD. SO, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A GOOD RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A GOOD MINISTRY. IT'LL TOUCH YOU RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE. AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BECOME A PARTNER WITH US TODAY AND HELP US PUT THE GOSPEL OUT ALL AROUND THE WORLD. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> [END]
