<i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> WELCOME TO <i>GOSPEL TRUTH</i> WITH ANDREW WOMMACK, A TEACHING MINISTRY THAT FOCUSES ON GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL >> LOVE AND GRACE. >> HE'S HELPED ME TO TRANSFORM... TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO THE IMAGE OF GOD, WHICH IS GOD'S PURPOSE >> FOR MY LIFE. >> I HAVE THE FAITH NOW TO BE ABLE TO STAND THROUGH ANYTHING THAT I GO THROUGH. I KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO COME OUT VICTORIOUS ON THE OTHER SIDE BECAUSE OF WHAT I'VE LEARNED >> THROUGH HIS MINISTRY. >> AND NOW, HERE'S ANDREW. WELCOME TO OUR FRIDAY'S BROADCAST OF <i>THE GOSPEL TRUTH.</i> TODAY IS MY LAST DAY IN THE FIRST WEEK OF TEACHING ON A SERIES I'VE ENTITLED, <i>HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE,</i> AND THIS WEEK I BASICALLY ON MONDAY JUST ESTABLISHED HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE ABLE TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE AND THAT THIS ISN'T FOR THE SUPER-DUPER. THIS IS FOR EVERY SINGLE CHRISTIAN. GOD WANTS TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU PERSONALLY AND TALK TO YOU PERSONALLY, AND YOU GOT TO BELIEVE THAT. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE THAT THIS JUST ISN'T AVAILABLE TO US. THAT GOD IS DISTANT, AND THAT'S NOT TRUE. HE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU PERSONALLY. HE WANTS TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO YOU. AND THEN I TALKED ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE TO SEEK THE LORD. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN UNLESS YOU SEEK THE LORD. IT DOESN'T JUST... THE LORD DOESN'T CHASE YOU DOWN. YOU HAVE TO SEEK HIM. AND I USED JEREMIAH, CHAPTER 29, VERSES 11 THROUGH 13, TO SHOW THAT YOU HAVE TO SEEK WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART. OR ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING IT IS THAT AS LONG AS YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD, YOU WILL. BUT WHEN YOU GET TO WHERE YOU JUST SAY, NO, I WILL HEAR THIS. I AM GOING TO SEEK UNTIL I FIND, THEN YOU WILL FIND, AND GOD WILL REVEAL HIMSELF TO YOU. I ALSO SHARED THAT YOU ALSO HAD TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE AND I USED THAT FROM 2 PETER, CHAPTER 1, THAT EVERYTHING THAT PERTAINS UNTO LIFE AND GODLINESS, COMES THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM THAT HAS CALLED US TO GLORY AND VIRTUE. AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO GET INTO THE WORD OF GOD AND LEARN SOME THINGS. GOD'S WORD TEACHES US HOW TO HEAR HIS VOICE. AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS HOW THAT YOU HAVE TO BE STILL. YOU HAVE TO GET... YOU HAVE TO DECREASE THE VOLUME OF THE WORLD AND THE CARES OF THIS LIFE AND THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES AND THE LUSTS OF OTHER THINGS THAT ENTER IN AND IT CHOKES THE WORD OF GOD. YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME QUIET TIME TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE LORD, AND NOT JUST QUANTITY OR... QUALITY, BUT QUANTITY OF TIME. AND I REALLY THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT. I COULD AMPLIFY ON EACH ONE OF THOSE THINGS, BUT I'M GOING TO MOVE ON. THOSE ARE THE FOUR THINGS THAT I'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED IS THAT FIRST OF ALL YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW THAT GOD WANTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU MORE THAN YOU WANT HIM TO COMMUNICATE. YOU'VE GOT TO SEEK IT. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE FROM THE WORD OF GOD, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME DOWN TIME, BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD. DIMINISH THE NOISE THAT IS COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE. BOY, THOSE ARE INTRODUCTORY THINGS BUT THOSE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. LET ME SHARE THESE VERSES OUT OF JOHN, CHAPTER 10, THIS IS JESUS SPEAKING, AND HE SAID IN VERSE 1, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, HE THAT ENTERETH NOT BY THE DOOR INTO THE SHEEPFOLD, BUT CLIMBETH UP SOME OTHER WAY, THE SAME IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER. BUT HE THAT ENTERETH IN BY THE DOOR IS THE SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP. TO HIM THE PORTER OPENETH; AND THE SHEEP HEAR HIS VOICE: AND HE CALLETH HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME, AND LEADETH THEM OUT. AND WHEN HE PUTTETH FORTH HIS OWN SHEEP, HE GOETH BEFORE THEM, AND THE SHEEP FOLLOW HIM: FOR THEY KNOW HIS VOICE. AND A...THE STRANGER THEY WILL NOT FOLLOW, BUT WILL FLEE FROM HIM: FOR THEY KNOW NOT THE VOICE OF STRANGERS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS POWERFUL WHAT HE'S SAYING, BUT REALLY THIS IS OPPOSITE OF MOST CHRISTIAN'S EXPERIENCE. I'VE HAD CHRISTIANS COME TO ME BY THE HUNDREDS AND I'LL SAY THAT GOD TOLD ME TO DO THIS. GOD SAID THIS OR SOMETHING, AND I'VE HAD CHRISTIANS COME UP AND SAY, HOW DO YOU HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD? THE DEVIL TOLD ME THAT I'M NEVER GOING TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. THE DEVIL SAID THIS. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM HEARING THE VOICE OF THE STRANGER, BUT THE VOICE OF GOD, MANY CHRISTIANS JUST SAY THAT I JUST CAN'T CLEARLY HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. JESUS WAS SAYING JUST THE OPPOSITE. THAT HIS SHEEP HEAR HIS VOICE AND THE VOICE OF A STRANGER THEY WILL NOT FOLLOW BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HIS VOICE. THIS IS EXACTLY OPPOSITE MANY CHRISTIAN'S EXPERIENCE, AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT GOD INTENDED IT TO BE. WE ARE NOT LIVING IN THE ABUNDANCE AND... AND HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD. I TELL YOU, IF YOU COULD HEAR GOD SPEAK TO YOU AND TELL YOU THINGS, MAN, IT WOULD JUST TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE. YOU KNOW I'VE HAD THIS THOUGHT BEFORE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE...WHEN YOU DRIVE, YOU HAVE STRIPES ON THE ROAD AND IT TELLS YOU THAT YOU CAN'T PASS HERE AND IT'S USUALLY BECAUSE THERE'S A CURVE COMING UP OR THERE'S A HILL OR SOMETHING AND YOU CAN'T SEE OVER THE HILL OR AROUND THE CURVE. BUT WHAT IF YOU HAD SOMEBODY THAT WAS IN AN AIRPLANE UP ABOVE THAT COULD SEE AROUND THE CURVE AND SEE OVER THE HILL AND THEY COULD TELL YOU WHETHER SOMETHING WAS COMING, WHETHER IT WAS OKAY TO PASS OR NOT. NOW I'M NOT TELLING YOU THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO IGNORE THE...YOU KNOW, THE LAWS OF THE LAND AND THE...AND THE MARKINGS THAT THEY HAVE ON THE ROAD, BUT I'M JUST USING THIS AS AN EXAMPLE THAT IF...IF GOD COULD SEE OVER THE HILL AND AROUND THE CORNER AND COULD TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO THIS AND YOU CAN DO THAT, YOU COULD DO THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE COULDN'T DO JUST BECAUSE OF THAT PERSPECTIVE. AND YET, THIS IS A... THIS IS REAL TO US AS CHRISTIANS. GOD KNOWS THE END FROM THE BEGINNING. AND HE KNOWS WHAT'S OVER THE HILL, AROUND THE CURVE. HE KNOWS WHEN YOU CAN DO THINGS. THERE ARE TIMES THAT GOD HAS TOLD ME TO DO THINGS THAT MAKE ZERO SENSE IN THE NATURAL. YOU KNOW, WHEN THE LORD FIRST SPOKE TO ME ABOUT GIVING ALL OF MY MATERIALS AWAY, WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE PUT A PRICE ON LIKE THESE...THESE MATERIALS TODAY THEY WILL ADVERTISE AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM THAT IT'LL HAVE A SUGGESTED DONATION, AND WE DO THAT BECAUSE I USED TO JUST GIVE EVERYTHING AWAY AND NEVER TELL A PERSON WHAT IT WAS WORTH OR ANYTHING. AND I HAD PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, COME TO ME A LOT OF TIMES AND SAY, WELL, WE WANT TO BLESS YOU, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU NEED. WHAT DO YOU NEED? JUST GIVE US AN IDEA. SO NOW WE'LL SAY THAT IT'S FOR A SUGGESTED DONATION. BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT... WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT SENT IN A BUTTON. THEY DON'T SEND ANY MONEY. ALL THEY HAD IS A BUTTON AND WE'LL SEND IT TO THEM. WE HAVE PEOP...YOU KNOW, THE VAST MAJORITY, 53...I THINK IT'S 53%, THE LAST I HEARD, OF THE PEOPLE WHO REQUEST MY MATERIALS DON'T GIVE A BLOOMING THING AND WE SEND IT TO THEM ANYWAY. SO I'VE GOTTEN TO WHERE I'LL SAY IT'S A SUGGESTED DONATION. THERE'S A FEW THINGS, SOME OF THE LARGER TICKET ITEMS THAT WE DO PUT A PRICE ON AND IF A PERSON DOESN'T GIVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT, WE DON'T SEND IT TO THEM BECAUSE WELL, WE'VE JUST DECIDED TO DO IT THAT WAY, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY... I'VE GIVEN AWAY LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF BOOKS, CDs, CASSETTE TAPES, THINGS LIKE THAT, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS. AND THIS ISN'T INCLUDING OUR WEB SITE WHERE WE HAVE OVER A MILLION DOWNLOADS PER MONTH AND PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THINGS FREE. BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT PHYSICAL PRODUCT LIKE THIS THAT WE PUT OUT, WE HAVE PUT OUT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF PRODUCTS, AND OVER 50% OF THOSE PEOPLE DON'T GIVE A THING AND WE GIVE IT TO THEM ANYWAY. ANYWAY, MY POINT IN BRINGING ALL THAT UP IS TO SAY THAT WHEN THE LORD FIRST SPOKE TO ME AND TOLD ME TO GIVE MY MATERIALS AWAY, I GUARANTEE YOU, IT DID NOT LOOK SMART. I DIDN'T HAVE HARDLY ANY MONEY, AND HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU GIVE THINGS AWAY? I JUST FINISHED A TEACHING ON OUR TELEVISION PROGRAM WHERE I GAVE AWAY... AND I EVEN...I DIDN'T SAY FOR A SUGGESTED DONATION OR ANYTHING. I JUST GAVE AWAY THIS BOOK, CDs, DVDs ON <i>FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP.</i> AND AT THIS TIME I'M MAKING THE PROGRAMS, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, WE GAVE AWAY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF THOSE THINGS. IF YOU JUST FIGURE $15 FOR AN ALBUM AND TIMES 10,000, THEN THAT'S...MAN, WHAT IS THAT? THAT'S $150,000 I THINK, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ANYWAY, IT'S A BUNCH OF MONEY THAT I JUST GAVE AWAY. AND TO THE NATURAL MIND IT DOESN'T LOOK SMART. AND YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE BEGINNING WHEN WE WERE SMALL, I STRUGGLED FINANCIALLY AND I HAD MANAGERS THAT WOULD COME IN AND TAKE OVER OUR MINISTRY AND THE FIRST THING EVERYONE WOULD DO IS YOU NEED TO QUIT GIVING THINGS AWAY. YOU NEED TO START SELLING THIS. I'VE EVEN HAD PEOPLE COME AND PROPHESY TO ME IN THE NAME OF THE LORD THAT I NEED TO SELL EVERYTHING AND PUT A PRICE ON IT AND IF THEY DON'T SEND IN THE MONEY, I DON'T GIVE IT. TO THE NATURAL MIND IT LOOKS WRONG. BUT SEE IT'S LIKE THAT EXAMPLE I WAS USING THAT GOD CAN SEE OVER THAT HILL. GOD CAN SEE AROUND THAT CURVE. EVEN THOUGH THIS DOESN'T LOOK SMART TO THE NATURAL MIND, THIS IS A...THIS IS A DEPARTURE FROM THE WAY MOST PEOPLE DO IT. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE REASON WE HAVE PROSPERED SO MUCH IS BECAUSE I HAVE SOWN SO MUCH. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT. I BELIEVE IT'S A BIG PART OF IT. AND SO, GOD LED ME TO DO THINGS THAT TO THE NATURAL MIND DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. BUT WHEN YOU CAN HEAR GOD'S VOICE, WHEN GOD TELLS YOU TO DO SOMETHING, HE KNOWS WHAT'S OVER THAT HILL. HE KNOWS WHAT'S AROUND THE CURVE. HE CAN SEE AND... AND IT'S TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE SMARTEST THINGS THAT I EVER DID, AND IT WASN'T BECAUSE I FIGURED IT OUT AND SAW THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING GOOD. YOU KNOW I NOW LOOK AT IT LIKE A FREE SAMPLE, AND WHEN I GIVE SOMETHING TO PEOPLE AND DON'T PUT ANY MONEY ON IT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE STUDIED THIS AND WE'VE GOT SOME RESEARCH AND SOME STATISTICS ON THIS. BUT PEOPLE THAT GET THINGS FOR FREE FROM US WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT LENGTH OF TIME, BUT SIX MONTHS OR SOMETHING, THEY LISTEN TO THOSE MATERIALS OR WHATEVER, THEY READ THE BOOKS, AND THEN THEY GET HOOKED AND THEY START GETTING OTHER MATERIALS AND THAT THEY BECOME GIVERS. AND SO, LIKE I SAID, 53% OF THE PEOPLE THAT CONTACT US GET OUR MATERIALS FREE IN THE BEGINNING. BUT THEN OUT OF THAT 53% THAT TOOK IT FREE, THERE IS OVER 50% OF THOSE THAT ACTUALLY WIND UP BECOMING PARTNERS WITH US AND GIVING ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND SO, IF YOU CONSIDER ALL THESE THINGS, THAT KNOCKS IT DOWN TO THERE'S ONLY LIKE 20-SOMETHING, 25% OR SO THAT ACTUALLY JUST TAKE THE MATERIALS AND NEVER GIVE ANYTHING FOR IT. AND WE...WE GET, I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING. WE GET OVER $5 MILLION A MONTH IN INCOME, AND YET WE GIVE MOST EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AWAY FREE. IT'S THE WISDOM OF GOD AND IT'S THE VOICE OF GOD. GOD TOLD ME TO DO THAT AND IT WORKS. NOW IF HE DOESN'T TELL YOU TO DO THAT AND YOU TRY AND DO WHAT I DO WITHOUT HEARING FROM GOD, IT MAY NOT WORK FOR YOU. BUT I'M SAYING GOD SPOKE TO ME AND IT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE SMARTEST THINGS THAT I'VE EVER DONE. YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. AND HE SPEAKS TO YOU IN THIS STILL SMALL VOICE, AND AS I WAS READING HERE, YOU'RE HIS SHEEP. YOU DO HEAR HIS VOICE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY FOR ME WHEN THE LORD SPOKE TO ME ABOUT GIVING EVERYTHING AWAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY FOR ME TO JUST DISMISS THAT AS, THAT THOUGHTS NOT FROM GOD. I REBUKE THIS IN THE NAME OF JESUS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I JUST RECEIVED IT. I BELIEVE THAT GOD SPEAKS TO EVERY ONE OF US, BUT MANY TIMES WE REJECT IT BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED PATTERNS OF THINKING IN OUR MINDS AND IT JUST DOESN'T CONFORM TO WHAT WE THINK, AND SO WE DISMISS THOSE THOUGHTS. LET ME ASK YOU THIS, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER... YOU KNOW, HAD A DECISION TO MAKE AND SO YOU PRAY ABOUT IT AND YOU KIND OF LEAN IN ONE DIRECTION, BUT YOU GO AND YOU GET COUNSEL AND EVERYBODY TELLS YOU, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY, YOU NEED TO DO THIS. AND SO, ANYWAY, YOU GO AHEAD AND FOLLOW THE COUNSEL OR THE CIRCUMSTANCES JUST DICTATE THAT YOU DO SOMETHING, AND YOU MAKE THIS DECISION. YOU HEAD IN THAT DIRECTION AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE THE WRONG THING AND IT TURNS INTO A DISASTER. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER DONE THAT? AND WHEN IT HAPPENS YOU COME BACK AND YOU SAY, I KNEW I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. I KNEW I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO THIS OTHER THING. I BET YOU THAT EVERY PERSON WATCHING THIS PROGRAM HAS HAD THAT HAPPEN WHERE YOU'VE BEEN... EITHER BEEN AT A CROSSROADS BECAUSE OF JUST NATURAL WISDOM OR COUNSEL...EXCUSE ME, FROM OTHER PEOPLE YOU'VE DECIDED TO GO THIS DIRECTION, BUT YOU DIDN'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT AND AS SOON AS YOU WOUND UP MAKING A MISTAKE AND IT DIDN'T WORK OUT, YOU SAID, I KNEW I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO THIS OTHER DIRECTION. I BET YOU NEARLY EVERY PERSON HAS DONE THAT. YOU KNOW I REMEMBER AN INSTANCE WHEN I WAS PASTORING IN PRITCHETT, COLORADO, AND I WAS ONLY IN MY 30s THEN. I WAS YOUNG. AND I CAME INTO THIS CHURCH AND THEY ONLY HAD 12 MEMBERS IN THE CHURCH. WHEN I GOT THERE, WE SAW A MAN RAISED FROM THE DEAD AND...AND THE CROWD JUMPED UP TO 100. AND I MEAN, THIS IS IN A TOWN THAT ONLY HAD 144 PEOPLE IN IT. I MEAN IT WAS AMAZING WHAT GOD WAS DOING. BUT THE...THAT CHURCH WAS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE WHEN I CAME THERE, AND THEY HAD... THEIR ELDERS THAT WERE OVERSEEING THAT CHURCH WERE CUSTOM COMBINERS. AND SO, THEY WOULD FOLLOW THE WHEAT HARVEST AND THEY WOULD BE GONE ABOUT SIX MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR AND THEY WOULD GO ALL THE WAY FROM DOWN SOUTH TEXAS ALL THE WAY UP TO WYOMING, AND THEY WOULD BE GONE. AND SO, WHEN I FIRST GOT THERE, THEY WERE THERE AND THE CHURCH BEGAN TO GROW AND THEY FELT LIKE WE NEEDED AN ELDER THAT WOULD BE THERE WITH ME WHILE THEY WERE GONE ON THEIR CUSTOM WHEAT HARVEST COMBINING. AND SO, THEY...THEY PICKED THIS PERSON THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I WAS IN MY 30s. THIS PERSON WAS IN THEIR 60s, WHICH AT...AT THAT TIME I THOUGHT WAS ANCIENT. NOW THAT I'M LOOKING IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR AT 60, DOESN'T LOOK SO ANCIENT. BUT THIS GUY WAS A MATURE MAN. HE WAS ONE OF THE ONES WHO RECEIVED MY TEACHING THE FIRST AND HE WAS A FRIEND TO ME. AND EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM, HE SEEMED TO BE MATURE. HE EMBRACED WHAT I WAS TEACHING, EVERYTHING. IT SEEMED ALL GOOD AND THERE WAS NO REASON IN THE NATURAL NOT TO MAKE THIS GUY AN ELDER. THEY WANTED TO PUT HIM IN PLACE SO THAT WHILE THEY WERE GONE ON WHEAT HARVEST THAT HE WOULD BE THERE TO HELP ME. AND I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE... YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE FINE TO HAVE AN ELDER, BUT WHEN I PRAYED ABOUT IT, I JUST FELT, NO, THIS GUY IS NOT THE RIGHT GUY. AND I TOLD THEM, AND THEY SAID, WELL, WHY? AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GENERALIZATION. IT CERTAINLY ISN'T TRUE ALL OF THE...ALL THE TIME, BUT WOMEN, AS A WHOLE, TEND TO BE MORE INTUITIVE AND OPERATE OFF OF IMPRESSIONS AND FEELINGS. GUYS TEND TO BE LOGICAL. YOU GOT TO HAVE A REASON FOR SOMETHING. AND SO ANYWAY, I PRAYED ABOUT IT AND I JUST DIDN'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS GUY BEING AN ELDER AND I MENTIONED IT, BUT THEY SAID, WELL WHAT'S THE REASON? I DIDN'T HAVE A REASON. EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM, EVERYTHING I KNEW WAS GOOD. AND SO ANYWAY, WE DISCUSSED IT A LITTLE WHILE. I PRAYED ABOUT IT. I HAD RESISTED THEM ON SOME OTHER THINGS, AND I DIDN'T HAVE A LOGICAL REASON NOT TO MAKE THIS GUY AN ELDER, SO AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS, I JUST AGREED. WE PUT HIM IN AS ELDER AND THESE OTHER ELDERS LEFT ON THEIR WHEAT HARVEST AND LEFT, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAS LEFT ALONE WITH THIS GUY, AND I MEAN THIS GUY TURNED INTO THE DEVIL PERSONIFIED. HE TOLD PEOPLE I WAS STEALING MONEY FROM THE CHURCH, WHICH I DIDN'T EVEN TAKE A SALARY FROM THE CHURCH. I DIDN'T TAKE A PENNY OUT OF THAT CHURCH. HE TOLD PEOPLE I WAS COMMITTING ADULTERY. HE TOLD PEOPLE I WAS DOING DOPE, THAT I WAS GETTING DRUNK. HE JUST LIED ABOUT ME. HE CAME OUT AGAINST ME AND ATTACKED ME IN EVERY WAY HE POSSIBLY COULD. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED, I SAID, I KNEW I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THIS. I DIDN'T KNOW IT INTELLECTUALLY. I DIDN'T KNOW IT BY ANY... THERE WASN'T ANY REASON IN THE NATURAL. BUT IN MY HEART, I JUST KNEW. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WAS? THAT WAS THE VOICE OF GOD. AND HERE'S ONE OF THE POINTS THAT I'M REALLY WANTING TO GET ACROSS, THAT GOD DOESN'T COMMUNICATE TO YOU HEAD TO HEAD. HE DOESN'T SPEAK IN AN AUDIBLE VOICE. NOW HE CAN DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BUT IF HE SPEAKS TO YOU IN AN AUDIBLE VOICE, IF YOU SEE HIM, THEN YOU DON'T NEED A LOT OF INSTRUCTION ABOUT HOW TO RESPOND TO THAT. BUT I BELIEVE THAT AS A... AS A WHOLE, GOD SPEAKS FROM SPIRIT TO SPIRIT, HEART TO HEART. HE COMMUNICATES IN FEELINGS, IMPRESSIONS. AND I'M GOING TO GET INTO THIS MORE IN DETAIL ON OUR PROGRAMS NEXT WEEK, BUT HE WILL GIVE YOU PEACE IN A CERTAIN AREA AND HE WOULD...HE WILL GUIDE YOU BY THESE SPIRITUAL EMOTIONS AND DISCERNMENTS AND THINGS, AND THAT'S THE DOMINANT WAY THAT GOD SPEAKS TO YOU. SO AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE THAT I TOLD YOU ABOUT, AND I REALIZED THAT MAN, I MADE A MISTAKE, I JUST DROVE A STAKE IN THE GROUND RIGHT THEN, AND I SAID, NEVER AGAIN. IF I DON'T FEEL PEACE ABOUT SOMETHING, I AM NOT GOING TO JUST DO IT BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE THE THING TO DO. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY CHANGED MY LIFE BACK IN THE BEGINNING WAS I WAS IN MY FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE AND I WAS IN COLLEGE JUST GOING THROUGH AND TAKING COURSES BECAUSE YOU KNOW, COLLEGE WAS NOT AN OPTION IN OUR FAMILY. YOU HAD TO GO TO COLLEGE. YOU HAD TO BE EDUCATED. AND SO I WAS DOING IT AND EVERYBODY IN MY FAMILY WAS A TEACHER AND SO I WAS JUST GOING TO BECOME A TEACHER. NOT BECAUSE I FELT LIKE THAT'S WHAT GOD TOLD ME TO DO OR WHAT I WANTED TO DO. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS I WAS GIVEN. SO I WAS IN MY FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE AND WHEN I HAD THIS ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD AND GOD TOUCHED ME AND I MEAN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, I LOST MY DESIRE TO GO TO COLLEGE. AND I MEAN, I... GOD SPOKE SOME THINGS TO ME, AND THIS STARTED MY LIFE DOWN A PATH THAT JUST TOTALLY CHANGED EVERYTHING. I MEAN, I LOST SUPPORT FROM FAMILY MEMBERS, FROM FRIENDS, FROM THE CHURCH THAT I WAS ATTENDING. I ACTUALLY HAD...I WAS TOLD BY ONE OF THE MINISTERS AT OUR CHURCH THAT YOU CAN'T BE A CHRISTIAN AND SAY GOD TOLD YOU TO QUIT SCHOOL. I MEAN, THAT'S HOW STRONG... THE CHURCH I WENT TO WAS KIND OF A HIGHBROW BAPTIST CHURCH AND WHEN THEY HAD A VACANCY IN THE PULPIT, THEY HAD THE...THE PROFESSORS FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY COME AND FILL IN. I MEAN, THEY WERE EDUCATED TO THE MAX. AND ANYWAY, THEY LITERALLY TOLD ME THAT YOU COULDN'T SAY GOD TOLD YOU TO QUIT SCHOOL. THEY JUST THOUGHT THAT GOD WOULD WANT EVERYBODY TO GET THE MOST EDUCATION THEY COULD. AND YET GOD SPOKE TO ME TO QUIT SCHOOL. SO I GOT IN TROUBLE OVER ALL OF THESE THINGS. I LOST MY DEFERMENT FROM THE DRAFT. I LOST MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT THAT WAS MY DAD'S SOCIAL SECURITY THAT WAS PAYING FOR MY COLLEGE AS LONG AS I STAYED IN SCHOOL. I MEAN, IT JUST CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS AND IT STARTED ME DOWN A PATH. I WENT TO VIETNAM AND I... YOU KNOW THAT... I DIDN'T CHOOSE VIETNAM. I CHOSE GOD AND GOD TOLD ME TO QUIT SCHOOL AND SO I DID WHAT HE TOLD ME, BUT THAT CAUSED ME TO BE DRAFTED AND SENT TO VIETNAM. AND IN VIETNAM, I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS WAS HAPPENING, BUT WHEN I WENT TO VIETNAM, I WAS A BAPTIST. WHEN I CAME OUT OF VIETNAM, I WASN'T A BAPTIST. I DIDN'T INTENTIONALLY CHANGE. IT WASN'T ON PURPOSE. I JUST GOT INTO THE WORD AND I RECEIVED THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, SPEAKING IN TONGUES, AND THE BAPTISTS DIDN'T WANT ME ANYMORE. THAT DIDN'T FIT THEIR THEOLOGY AND SO THEY KICKED ME OUT OF THE CHURCH. AND SO ANYWAY IT JUST... HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD CHANGED THE DIRECTION OF MY LIFE DRAMATICALLY. AND IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT I HEARD WITH MY AUDIBLE EARS. IT WASN'T SOMETHING I SAW WITH MY PHYSICAL EYES. IT WAS JUST AN IMPRESSION. GOD SPEAKS SPIRIT TO SPIRIT. AND I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME ON TODAY'S PROGRAM. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE THIS NEXT WEEK, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING I WANT TO AMPLIFY ON BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE WHEN THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM GOD, THEY THINK GOD IS GOING TO SAY, ANDREW, OR WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS, YOU GO DO THIS, YOU GO DO THAT. BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY HE TALKS. HE COMMUNICATES SPIRIT TO SPIRIT. AND YOUR SPIRIT JUST DISCERNS AND KNOWS THINGS FROM GOD. AND THEN WHEN YOU HEAR IT, WHEN THE THOUGHT COMES TO YOU, IT'S NOT, ANDREW, I WANT YOU... BUT IT'S, I WANT TO DO THIS. AND IF YOU AREN'T CAREFUL, YOU WILL DISMISS THAT AND JUST THINK, WELL, THAT'S JUST ME. NO, IT'S YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT. IT'S GOD COMMUNICATING. AND YOUR SPIRIT HAS THE MIND OF CHRIST IN IT, 1 CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 16. YOU HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST. AND IT SAYS THAT YOU KNOW ALL THINGS. 1 JOHN, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 20, WE HAVE AN UNCTION FROM THE HOLY ONE, AND YOU KNOW ALL THINGS. YOUR SPIRIT IS IN COMMUNION WITH GOD THE FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND YOUR SPIRIT WILL GIVE YOU GUIDANCE, BUT IT WON'T SAY, YOU DO THIS. IT'LL SAY, I WANT TO DO THIS, YOUR SPIRIT. AND IF YOU AREN'T CAREFUL, YOU WILL DISMISS THAT AS JUST YOUR NATURAL REASONING AND YOUR MIND, BUT NO, IT'S YOUR SPIRIT. NOW THERE ARE SOME QUALIFICATIONS ON THIS YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO JUDGE IT BECAUSE YOU NOT ONLY GET IMPRESSIONS FROM YOUR SPIRIT. YOU CAN GET IMPRESSIONS FROM THE DEVIL. YOU CAN GET IMPRESSIONS FROM OTHER PEOPLE, AND THINGS LIKE THIS, AND SO YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO JUDGE AND RIGHTLY DIVIDE BETWEEN ALL OF THESE THINGS AND I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORE NEXT WEEK. BUT ONE OF THE POINTS I WANTED TO GET ACROSS IS THAT GOD SPEAKS TO YOU SPIRIT TO SPIRIT. YOUR SPIRIT JUST KNOWS THINGS. IT HAS KNOWLEDGE, AND IF YOU WILL ALLOW IT, YOU CAN LET YOUR SPIRIT, YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT, BEAR WITNESS AND SHOW YOU THINGS AND THAT IS THE VOICE OF GOD. GOD SPEAKS TO YOU THROUGH YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT. AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUST DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT. THEY DON'T DISCERN IT. JUST LIKE THAT EXAMPLE I GAVE, I KNEW IN MY HEART THAT I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO MAKE THIS MAN AN ELDER, BUT I DID IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANY LOGICAL REASONING FOR NOT MAKING HIM AN ELDER. AND AS SOON AS IT FELL APART AND PROVED TO BE THE WRONG THING, I KNEW IN MY HEART. HOW DID I KNOW? THAT WAS THE VOICE OF GOD SPEAKING TO ME THROUGH MY SPIRIT. AND GOD HAS DONE THAT EXACT SAME THING TO YOU. THERE ARE SOME OF YOU RIGHT NOW THAT ARE FACING DECISIONS AND IN YOUR HEART YOU HAVE A REALLY STRONG IMPRESSION, A KNOWING, BUT THAT...YOU CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. THERE ISN'T A LOGICAL REASON. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THOSE IMPRESSIONS. WITH SOME QUALIFICATIONS YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO JUDGE IT, AND I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT NEXT WEEK. ALSO, I'VE GOT ALL OF THIS IN THIS CD SET AND THIS DVD SET. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LISTEN TO OUR ANNOUNCER AND HE'LL GIVE YOU INFORMATION ABOUT HOW YOU CAN RECEIVE THIS PRODUCT, AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE GO TO THE EFFORT. I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU THINK, WELL, I'VE HEARD YOU TEACH HERE ON THE TELEVISION SET. IT'S IN MUCH MORE DETAIL, PLUS YOU NEED TO GO BACK OVER IT. SO LISTEN TO OUR ANNOUNCER, AND THEN PLEASE CALL OR WRITE TODAY TO RECEIVE THESE MATERIALS. >> 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. 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. TO WRITE US, USE THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN. WE APPRECIATE YOUR GENEROSITY AND HOPE TO HEAR >> FROM YOU TODAY. I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING AT THE ENCOUNTER EV...EVENT IN OKLAHOMA CITY. I'LL BE THERE WITH MARIO MURILLO, ALSO, RICH VAN WINKLE, AND THEN MY NIECE, REBEKAH CUNNINGHAM, AND HER HUSBAND, STEVAN, ARE PUTTING THIS ON, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT TIME. IT'LL BE ON THE 5TH AND THE 6TH OF MARCH, IN OKLAHOMA CITY, AT VICTORY CHURCH. I BELIEVE YOU WOULD BE REALLY BLESSED, SO PLAN TO BE WITH US MARCH THE 5TH AND 6TH, VICTORY CHURCH IN OKLAHOMA CITY. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> MAN, BEFORE I CAME TO CHARIS, >> I WAS SO BROKEN. > I DEALT A LOT WITH ANXIETY > AND DEPRESSION. >> I DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE I COULD HAVE AN ACTUAL >> RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. > WHEN I CAME HERE, I STARTED TO SEE GOD LIKE, YOU KNOW HE JUST WANTS TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH ME. IT TOTALLY TRANSFORMED > THE WAY I LOOK AT GOD. >> GOD LONGS TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP >> WITH YOU. > THIS IS WHERE FAITH COMES FROM. IT'S NOT JUST HEAD KNOWLEDGE, BIBLE SCHOOL KNOWLEDGE. IT'S REVELATION KNOWLEDGE > THAT CHANGES YOU. >> JUST BEEN SET FREE FROM A LOT OF THE BONDAGE >> I WAS IN. > I HAVEN'T BEEN DEPRESSED > IN SO LONG. >> IT'S PRETTY AWESOME HAVING THAT JUST WEIGHT LIFTED >> AND PUTTING ON JESUS' YOKE. > YOU COME HERE, AND YOU MEET GOD PERSONALLY, AND THEN HE GIVES YOU > A WHOLE NEW DIRECTION. >> THIS IS A TIME, THIS IS A SEASON OF YOUR LIFE THAT GOD'S WANTING TO SHOW YOU WHO YOU REALLY ARE AND WHAT HE'S WANTING TO DO >> IN YOUR LIFE. > IF YOU HAVE A DESIRE FOR BIBLE COLLEGE, GOD'S THE ONE > THAT PUT IT THERE. >> IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING COMING TO CHARIS, I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS YOU'VE MADE >> IN YOUR LIFE. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> YOU KNOW, THE LORD HAS GIVEN ME A HUGE VISION AND WE'VE BEEN BLESSED UP TO THIS POINT, BUT I'VE STILL GOT SO MUCH THAT GOD'S LEADING ME TO DO. I'M BELIEVING GOD FOR 10,000 NEW PARTNERS. WE'VE ALREADY GOT OVER $120 MILLION WORTH OF BUILDINGS IN JUST THE LAST NINE YEARS, BUT I'VE GOT AT LEAST A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH, MAYBE 200 MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF BUILDINGS STILL IN MY HEART FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR AN ACTIVITY CENTER, WE'VE GOT A NEW STUDENT HOUSING THAT WE'VE GOT A PRELIMINARY DRAWING OF THAT IS SHOWING YOU A LITTLE IDEA OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. THIS ONE WOULD HOUSE ABOUT 120 PEOPLE. OUR OTHERS ARE GOING TO BE SMALLER WITH MAYBE SOMEWHERE AROUND 40 PEOPLE PER DORM, BUT WE NEED THIS STUDENT HOUSING, AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO BECOME PARTNERS. I'M BELIEVING FOR 10,000 NEW PARTNERS. I WOULD ASK YOU TO PRAY ABOUT IT AND IF THE LORD SAYS SO, JOIN WITH US AND HELP US CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES THROUGH CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> ANDREW HAS MANY CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS AROUND THE GLOBE EACH YEAR. FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON ANDREW'S COMPLETE SPEAKING SCHEDULE, VISIT OUR WEBSITE >> AT AWMI.NET/EVENTS. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BECOME A BIG THING IN MOST PEOPLE’S LIVES, BUT SAD TO SAY, A LOT OF IT IS REALLY NEGATIVE. WELL, WE’VE GOT SOME POSITIVE SOCIAL MEDIA. I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. WE’VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD NEWS TO SHARE, SO CHECK IT OUT, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ANDREW WOMMACK MINISTRIES. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> [END]
