<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 IS THE BEGINNING OF MY SECOND WEEK TEACHING ON <i>HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE.</i> I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW LONG THIS TEACHING IS GOING TO GO, BUT I MAY BE ENDING THIS THIS WEEK. THAT WOULD BE ONLY TWO WEEKS. NORMALLY I TEACH THREE OR FOUR WEEKS ON A SERIES LIKE THIS, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE GET THIS MATERIAL. THIS IS REALLY POWERFUL. IF YOU CAN'T HEAR GOD'S VOICE, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO MISS OUT ON SO MUCH. I'VE USED A LOT OF GREAT SCRIPTURES ALREADY. ONE THAT REALLY HAS MINISTERED TO ME IS JEREMIAH 10:23, WHERE IT SAYS, O LORD, I KNOW THAT THE WAY OF MAN IS NOT IN HIMSELF: IT IS NOT IN MAN THAT WALKS TO DIRECT HIS STEPS. THAT JUST MEANS THAT GOD GAVE US THE CHOICE. WE CAN RUN OUR OWN LIVES, BUT THAT'S THE WRONG CHOICE. THE RIGHT CHOICE IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE. WE NEED TO BE LED BY GOD. WE NEED TO HAVE HIS WISDOM. AND SO, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. I'VE...I'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT GOD WANTS TO TALK TO EACH ONE OF US. I USED THIS VERSE LAST FRIDAY. I DIDN'T POINT THIS... THIS EXACT POINT OUT, BUT LOOK AT THIS IN JOHN, CHAPTER 10, AND IN VERSE 2, IT SAYS, 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. NOW I DIDN'T POINT THIS OUT ON LAST FRIDAY. I WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT SHEEP...THAT WE, AS GOD'S SHEEP, WE DO HEAR HIS VOICE, BUT NOTICE IT SAYS, HE CALLS US BY NAME. WHAT THIS MEANS IS IT'S PERSONAL. IT'S NOT JUST GENERIC. IT'S NOT LIKE THAT THE WORD OF GOD JUST GIVES US BASIC INSTRUCTION. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND THERE IS A GENERIC, BASIC INSTRUCTION FOR EVERYBODY. LIKE GOD DOESN'T WANT ANY OF US TO MURDER AND KILL. HE DOESN'T WANT US TO GO COMMIT ADULTERY. HE DOESN'T WANT US TO LIE. HE DOESN'T...YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT APPLY JUST TO EVERYBODY IN GENERAL, BUT HE CALLS HIS SHEEP BY NAME. THAT MEANS IT'S PERSONAL. HE WILL GIVE YOU PERSONAL GUIDANCE. HE WILL SPEAK TO YOU DIRECTLY. HE KNOWS YOU BY NAME. HE KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU. AND SO, YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT GOD WANTS TO HAVE THIS PERSONAL INTERACTION AND COMMUNICATION WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. YOU HAVE TO SEEK IT. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN JUST AUTOMATICALLY. THE LORD DOESN'T FORCE HIMSELF UPON YOU. YOU HAVE TO INVITE HIM INTO YOUR LIFE. YOU HAVE TO WELCOME HIM TO SPEAK TO YOU. I BELIEVE HE SPEAKS CONSTANTLY, BUT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO RECEIVE IT, YOU HAVE TO OPEN UP, YOU HAVE TO PURSUE IT, AND I USED MANY SCRIPTURES ABOUT YOU HAVE TO SEEK WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART AND THAT'S WHEN YOU FIND. THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE, AND I'M GOING TO BE SHARING A LOT OF THINGS FROM SCRIPTURE WITH YOU THAT WILL HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND SOME THINGS AND...AND RECEIVE THIS, AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TO HAVE SOME DOWN TIME OR OPEN UP YOUR HEART SO THAT YOU CAN BE STILL AND LISTEN TO GOD. TURN OFF ALL OF THE NOISE AND THE THINGS THAT IS DROWNING OUT THE VOICE OF GOD AND GET TO WHERE YOU LISTEN TO GOD. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT FIRST OF ALL, AND THEN ON LAST FRIDAY'S BROADCAST, I BEGAN TO START COMMUNICATING THAT GOD SPEAKS TO US SPIRIT TO SPIRIT AND YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT JUST HAS THE MIND OF CHRIST IN IT. 1 CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 16, SAYS, BUT WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST. THAT'S AN AMAZING STATEMENT. THAT'S NOT TALKING ABOUT UP HERE IN YOUR BRAIN. WITH YOUR MIND YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING THAT JESUS KNOWS, BUT IN YOUR SPIRIT, IT SAYS, IN COLOSSIANS 3:10, PUT ON THE NEW MAN, WHICH IS RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE AFTER THE IMAGE OF HIM THAT CREATED HIM. YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT HAS A MIND IN IT. IT'S THE MIND OF CHRIST. IT'S BEEN RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE, AND 1 JOHN, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 20, SAYS, THAT YOU HAVE AN UNCTION FROM THE HOLY ONE, AND YOU KNOW ALL THINGS. THAT'S NOT TRUE UP HERE IN YOUR BRAIN. BUT IN YOUR SPIRIT, YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT KNOWS ALL THINGS. IT'S THE MIND OF CHRIST. EVERYTHING THAT JESUS KNOWS, YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT KNOWS. AND SO THE REASON THAT I'M SAYING THIS AND THE REASON IT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE SEEKING WISDOM FROM GOD, GOD, WHAT DO I DO? ONE OF THE WAYS HE CAN... WELL, LET ME SAY, THE DOMINANT WAY THAT HE COMMUNICATES WITH YOU, HE...HE...AND YOUR SPIRIT, JESUS AND YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT ARE ONE. 1 CORINTHIANS 6:17, SAYS, HE THAT IS JOINED UNTO THE LORD IS ONE SPIRIT, AND THAT WORD, ONE, DOESN'T MEAN SIMILAR. IT DOESN'T MEAN COMPARABLE. IT MEANS IDENTICAL. YOU ARE IDENTICAL TO JESUS IN YOUR SPIRIT BECAUSE GALATIANS, CHAPTER 4, I BELIEVE IT'S VERSE 6, SAYS, GOD HAS SENT FORTH INTO YOUR HEARTS THE SPIRIT, CRYING, ABBA, FATHER, THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON. YOU HAVE HAD JESUS IMPARTED UNTO YOU. ROMANS, CHAPTER 8, VERSE 9, SAYS, NOW IF ANY MAN HAVE NOT THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE IS NONE OF HIS. IF YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, YOU HAVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON, THAT HAS BEEN SENT INTO YOUR HEART CRYING, ABBA, FATHER, AND THAT BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT HAS THE MIND OF CHRIST, IT'S BEEN RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE, IT HAS AN UNCTION FROM THE HOLY ONE AND IT KNOWS ALL THINGS. SO YOU'VE GOT THIS KNOWLEDGE IN YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT, AND WHEN YOU ARE SEEKING TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD, IT DOESN'T COME FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, IT COMES FROM THE INSIDE OUT. GOD IS IN COMMUNION WITH YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT AND YOU JUST KNOW THINGS. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS THIS ANY BETTER. SO I KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO PROBABLY OFFEND SOMEBODY BY SAYING THIS. PLEASE GIVE ME MERCY. I'M JUST TRYING TO GET MY POINT ACROSS. I'M NOT ENDORSING ANY DOCTRINE THAT'S OUTSIDE OF SCRIPTURE OR ANYTHING, BUT IN AN EFFORT TO GET THIS ACROSS, IT'S LIKE IT'S TELEPATHIC. IT'S LIKE GOD'S SPIRIT COMMUNICATES WITH YOUR SPIRIT, NOT NECESSARILY IN WORDS, CERTAINLY NOT AUDIBLE WORDS, BUT IT'S JUST... YOU JUST KNOW THINGS. YOU KNOW, I HAD A MAN THAT DIED IN ONE OF MY SERVICES IN KANSAS CITY. THIS HAS BEEN 30 SOME YEARS AGO AND HE DIED WHILE I WAS PREACHING, ONE OF THE RUDEST THINGS ANYBODY EVER DID IN ONE OF MY MEETINGS, AND ANYWAY, I JUST... THEY TOLD ME ABOUT IT AND I LED THE WHOLE GROUP IN PRAYER. THEY PULLED HIM OUT INTO THE HALL, AND I LED THE GROUP IN PRAYER, BUT THEN I KEPT PREACHING AND SO A FEW PEOPLE WENT OUT THERE, AND ANYWAY, THIS GUY CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD, AND THE NEXT NIGHT HE GOT UP AND GAVE HIS TESTIMONY AND HE WENT TO HEAVEN. HE APPEARED ON THE 700 CLUB AND HE GAVE THIS TESTIMONY IN A NUMBER OF PLACES. BUT ANYWAY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS WANTING TO COMMUNICATE THROUGH THIS, HE SAID THAT WHEN HE FOUND HIMSELF OUT OF HIS BODY, HE SAW HIMSELF LEAVE HIS BODY AND HE SAW HIS BODY DOWN ON THE GROUND AND PEOPLE AROUND HIM PRAYING AND HE JUST FLOATED UP THROUGH THE CEILING. AND ANYWAY, HE...HE HAD THIS THOUGHT, HE DIDN'T SAY IT VERBALLY, BUT HE JUST THOUGHT, HE SAYS, AM I DEAD. AND HE DIDN'T HEAR AN AUDIBLE VOICE, BUT JUST... INSTANTLY, HE JUST KNEW, IT SAYS, MY PEOPLE DON'T DIE, THEY TRANSFER. AND ANYWAY, THE POINT I'M BRINGING OUT IS HE HAD A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS AND EVERY TIME HE WOULD THINK, WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT IS THIS ABOUT, HE DIDN'T HEAR AN AUDIBLE VOICE, HE JUST KNEW. ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S LIKE, AGAIN, EXCUSE ME IF THIS OFFENDS ANYBODY, BUT IT WAS TELEPATHIC. IT WASN'T IN WORDS. IT WAS JUST THEY KNEW IN THEIR HEART CERTAIN THINGS, AND HE SAYS... AND WHEN HE CAME BACK AND HE GAVE HIS TESTIMONY, HE SAYS, THAT'S THE WAY THEY COMMUNICATE IN HEAVEN. THEY JUST...YOU JUST HAVE A THOUGHT AND BEFORE YOU'RE EVEN THROUGH WITH THE THOUGHT, YOU ALL OF A SUDDEN KNOW THE ANSWER AND THINGS LIKE THIS, GOD JUST COMMUNICATES. WELL AGAIN, WHETHER YOU LIKE THAT USING THE WORD, TELEPATHIC, OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW, BUT...BUT THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT IS. THAT YOUR BORN AGAIN SPIRIT HAS THE MIND OF CHRIST, IT'S RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE AFTER THE IMAGE OF HIM THAT CREATED HIM. IT'S...YOU KNOW ALL THINGS IN YOUR SPIRIT, AND WHEN YOU HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE, YOU'RE ASKING GOD FOR WISDOM, IT DOESN'T COME FROM THE OUTSIDE AND GOD DOESN'T SAY, ANDREW, HERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO, BUT I'LL JUST SAY, GOD, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? AND THEN, BOOM, ALL OF A SUDDEN IN MY SPIRIT I KNOW WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO. AND IF I'M NOT CAREFUL, IF I'M WAITING ON AN AUDIBLE VOICE THAT USES MY NAME IN THE THIRD PERSON, LIKE, I WANT YOU TO DO THIS, IF THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, I COULD MISS JUST THIS KNOWING THAT COMES IN MY SPIRIT BECAUSE WHEN I HEAR IT FROM MY SPIRIT, IT'S NOT, YOU GO DO THIS. IT'S, I WANT TO DO THIS. IT'S MY BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT COMMUNICATING. I DON'T KNOW IF I GOT THAT ACROSS PROPERLY OR NOT. BUT I TELL YOU, THIS HAS REALLY HELPED ME TO RECOGNIZE THAT GOD ISN'T COMMUNICATING WITH ME FROM THE OUTSIDE IN. HE'S COMMUNICATING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. WHEN I GOT BORN AGAIN, JESUS HIMSELF LIVES ON THE INSIDE. HIS SPIRIT AND MY SPIRIT ARE ONE, THEY ARE IDENTICAL, AND WHEN I HAVE KNOWLEDGE OR WHEN I ASK FOR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SOMETHING, MY SPIRIT JUST KNOWS THINGS. GOD JUST IMPARTS IT TO ME, AND I JUST KNOW CERTAIN THINGS. I JUST KNOW IN MY KNOWER. I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO SAY IT, BUT GOD SPEAKS TO ME. NOW, LET ME PUT SOME QUALIFICATIONS ON THIS. THIS IS SOMEWHAT SUBTLE AND IT'S SUBJECTIVE. HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'RE FEELING AND WHAT YOU'RE DESIRING IS TRULY THE THINGS OF GOD? LET ME TURN OVER TO A PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE HERE IN PSALMS, CHAPTER 37, AND SHARE THIS VERSE WITH YOU. IN PSALMS, CHAPTER 37, AND IN VERSE 4, IT SAYS, DELIGHT THYSELF ALSO IN THE LORD; AND HE SHALL GIVE THEE THE DESIRES OF THY HEART. NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT THIS MEANS GOD WILL JUST GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU DESIRE. IF YOU DESIRE A MILLION-DOLLAR HOME, IF YOU DESIRE SOMEBODY ELSE'S WIFE, IF YOU DESIRE TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE GREATEST FOOTBALL PLAYER THAT EVER WAS, AND YET YOU'RE A HUNDRED-POUND WEAKLING, THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. AND THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT JUST THINK, GOD WILL GIVE ME WHATEVER I DESIRE. WHAT THIS IS SAYING IS THAT WHEN YOU DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD, GOD PUTS HIS DESIRES IN YOUR HEART. IT DOESN'T SAY THAT HE'LL JUST GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU DESIRE BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE DESIRING SOMETHING THAT'S NOT FROM GOD. YOU MIGHT DESIRE SOMEBODY ELSE'S WIFE. NO, THIS IS SAYING THAT GOD WILL PUT HIS DESIRES IN YOUR HEART, AND DID YOU KNOW, PROBABLY EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO HAVE TRULY COME INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS AND YOU'VE BEEN BORN AGAIN, YOU'VE EXPERIENCED THIS, THAT AT ONE TIME YOU MIGHT HAVE DESIRED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, GO OUT ON THE TOWN AND...AND HAVE SEXUAL IMMORALITY AND THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT YOU DESIRED. YOU MAY HAVE DESIRED TO BE AN...AN ALCOHOLIC AND...AND DRINK. YOU MIGHT HAVE DESIRED DRUGS. YOU MIGHT HAVE DESIRED ALL KINDS OF THINGS. BUT WHEN YOU GET BORN AGAIN, BOOM, JUST GOD CHANGES YOUR DESIRES AND THINGS THAT YOU USED TO THINK YOU COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT, THAT...THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT WAS, YOU'VE BEEN CHANGED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. HE GAVE YOU HIS DESIRES. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. WHEN YOU NEED TO HEAR A WORD FROM GOD AND YOU'RE SAYING, GOD, A... YOU'RE ASKING GOD FOR SOMETHING, HE WILL JUST PUT THE DESIRE IN YOUR HEART FOR THE RIGHT THING. HE WILL SHOW YOU WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A QUALIFICATION ON THAT. IT SAYS RIGHT HERE, DELIGHT YOURSELF ALSO IN THE LORD; AND HE SHALL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART. IF YOU AREN'T TRULY DELIGHTING YOURSELF IN THE LORD, IF YOU ARE LIVING AFTER THE FLESH, IF YOU'RE CARNAL AND SEEKING UNGODLY THINGS AND IF YOU'RE READING MAGAZINES WITH PORNOGRAPHY AND SMUT NOVELS AND YOU'RE WATCHING MOVIES THAT PORTRAY ALL OF THIS JUNK AND IF YOU AREN'T SEEKING GOD, YOU CERTAINLY CANNOT DEPEND UPON THESE DESIRES THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HEART, AND SO THIS NEEDS SOME QUALIFICATION. YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE ANY DESIRE AND SAY, WELL, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS MY BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT LEADING ME WHAT TO DO. YOU NEED TO CHECK. ARE YOU TRULY PUTTING YOUR DELIGHT IN THE LORD? IS HE FIRST PLACE IN YOUR LIFE? BUT IF YOU ARE, WELL THEN, YOU CAN TRUST THAT GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU THROUGH THIS, AND THAT YOU JUST KNOW SOME THINGS. YOU KNOW, I WAS ON RADIO. I STARTED ON RADIO IN 1976, AND I GOT TO WHERE I WAS ON LIKE 120 RADIO STATIONS AND MY GOAL WAS TO COVER, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S 6,000 CHRISTIAN RADIO STATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND MY GOAL WAS TO COVER ALL OF THOSE RADIO STATIONS, AND THEN SOMEDAY I KNEW THAT EVENTUALLY I WOULD GO ON TELEVISION, BUT I HAD NO DESIRE FOR TELEVISION. THE ONLY REASON I KNEW I WOULD EVENTUALLY BE ON TELEVISION IS BECAUSE GOD JUST TOLD ME TO...TO REACH THE WORLD, THAT IT WOULD BE A WORLDWIDE MINISTRY AND IT WOULD REACH OUT, AND...AND IT JUST MADE SENSE THAT TELEVISION HAD TO BE A PART OF THAT. BUT I WASN'T EXCITED ABOUT TELEVISION BECAUSE COMPARED TO RADIO, TELEVISION IS SUPER, SUPER EXPENSIVE. I MEAN, YOU CAN GO ON NEARLY ANY RADIO STATION IN THE UNITED STATES FOR MAYBE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AT THE MAXIMUM, BUT WHEN YOU GO ON TELEVISION, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. IT'S JUST A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE. SO EVEN THOUGH I SAW THAT THAT WAS IN MY FUTURE, I HAD NO DESIRE FOR TELEVISION. I ACTUALLY HAD PEOPLE THAT OFFERED TO MAKE TELEVISION PROGRAMS FOR ME, AND I TURNED THEM DOWN. I MEAN, THEY WERE GOING TO PAY FOR ME TO PRODUCE THEM BECAUSE I JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE DESIRE TO DO IT. AND SO I WAS ON RADIO FROM 1976 UNTIL I THINK IT WAS 1998. AND SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN 22 YEARS I WAS ON RADIO AND I WAS JUST... I KNEW TELEVISION WAS OFF IN THE FUTURE SOMEPLACE, BUT I HAD NO DESIRE FOR IT. AND THEN ONE DAY I WAS LOOKING AT THINGS AND PRAYING, AND AS I MEDITATED ABOUT IT, AND I JUST KNEW THAT SOMEDAY TELEVISION WAS COME, BUT I WOULD ALWAYS PUSH THAT OFF INTO THE FUTURE. ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT TELEVISION I JUST WANTED TO BE ON TELEVISION. PRIOR TO THAT TIME, I...I DIDN'T WANT TO BE ON. I KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE, THAT IT COULD RUIN EVERYTHING THAT HAD TAKEN ME DECADES TO BUILD, AND I JUST WAS A LITTLE AFRAID OF IT. ALL OF A SUDDEN I WANTED TO BE ON TELEVISION AND I ACTUALLY DESIGNED THE SET. IT WASN'T EXACTLY THIS SET, BUT IT WAS A SIMILAR TYPE SET. I KNEW THAT I WOULD BE SITTING AND TALKING. IT WOULDN'T BE IN A THREE-PIECE SUIT. I MEAN, I SAW EVERYTHING, AND FOR TWO OR THREE NIGHTS I GOT SO EXCITED THAT I COULDN'T SLEEP, AND I DREW OUT THE SET AND I DREW ALL OF THESE THINGS AND MY DESIRES CHANGED SO RADICALLY. I MEAN, BEFORE THAT TIME I DIDN'T WANT TO BE ON TELEVISION, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S NOT ONLY DID I WANT TO, I HAD TO BE ON TELEVISION. I WAS JUST COMPELLED TO DO IT, AND IT WAS SUCH A DRASTIC CHANGE. I MEAN, A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DEGREE TURN FROM THE WAY I WAS GOING THAT IT GOT MY ATTENTION AND I SAID, GOD, IS THIS YOU SPEAKING TO ME? IS THIS YOU PUTTING THIS DESIRE IN MY HEART LIKE IT SAYS IN PSALMS 37:4? AND I PRAYED ABOUT IT FOR A FEW DAYS, AND BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A BIG DECISION, I ASKED FOR SOME CONFIRMATION, AND THE VERY FIRST CONFIRMATION I GOT WAS FROM MY WIFE BECAUSE PRIOR TO THAT TIME JAMIE IS SUPER CONSERVATIVE. I'M JUST THE KIND THAT'LL, YOU KNOW, RISK EVERYTHING. I'M A RISK-TAKER. I LIKE LIVING ON THE EDGE. IF YOU AREN'T LIVING ON THE EDGE, YOU'RE TAKING UP TOO MUCH SPACE. JAMIE IS THE KIND THAT SHE JUST LIKES EVERYTHING TO BE AS SAFE, AS SECURE, SHE'S AN ACCOUNTANT TYPE MENTALITY, WHICH IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF THE WAY THAT I AM, AND SO IN THE PAST, EVERY TIME I MADE A MAJOR EXPANSION, THAT I HAD DONE SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING TO COST A LOT OF MONEY, BOY, JAMIE WAS VERY HESITANT ABOUT IT, AND SOMETIMES SHE DIDN'T EVEN AGREE WITH ME. BUT JAMIE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE KIND THAT IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT GOD SPOKE TO YOU, THEN I'LL FOLLOW YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, AND SO SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN WITH ME. AND SO WHEN I SHARED THIS WITH JAMIE ABOUT MY DESIRE TO GO ON TELEVISION, I...I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE EXPENSES. I...I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO PUT THE MINISTRY AT RISK AND I ANTICIPATED PUSH BACK, AND YOU KNOW, PUTTING HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE ABOUT THIS, AND IT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE. SHE SAYS, THAT'S GOD, IMMEDIATELY. I MEAN, SHE JUST SAYS, THAT'S GOD. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON TELEVISION. THAT WAS A HUGE CONFIRMATION. BUT EVEN AFTER THAT I CONTINUED TO PRAY ABOUT IT. I WENT TO THIS MINISTERS' CONFERENCE AND I HAD TWO OF MY BEST FRIENDS, TWO OF MY BOARD MEMBERS COME UP TO ME AND THEY SAID SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER AND FROM ME... I DIDN'T BRING IT UP OR ANYTHING, THEY JUST CAME TO ME AND THEY SAID, GOD SPOKE TO ME AND TOLD ME THAT IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO ON TELEVISION. SO I HAD AT LEAST THOSE THREE CONFIRMATIONS AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. AND SO...BUT THE POINT I...THE REASON I BROUGHT ALL THIS UP IS TO SAY THAT I NEVER HEARD AN AUDIBLE VOICE. GOD DIDN'T SAY, I WANT YOU TO GO ON TELEVISION. IT WAS MY DESIRE. IT WAS MY SPIRIT COMMUNICATING WITH ME. MY SPIRIT HAS THE MIND OF CHRIST. IT'S BEEN RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE. IT KNOWS ALL THINGS AND FOLLOWING THE LEADING OF MY BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT IS NOT INFERIOR TO... OR IT'S NOT ANY DIFFERENT THAN FOLLOWING THE LEADING OF GOD BECAUSE THAT SPIRIT IS BORN OF GOD. I'M ONE WITH THE LORD, AND GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH OUR SPIRIT. SO HE SPEAKS SPIRIT TO SPIRIT, AND I THINK THAT BECAUSE MANY TIMES IT COMES TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU FIN... WHEN IT FINALLY REGISTERS WITH YOU, YOU THINK, THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO. AND YOU JUST IMMEDIATELY DOUBT, WELL THAT COULDN'T BE GOD. BUT IT DEPENDS WHETHER IT'S YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT OR WHETHER IT'S YOUR FLESH. MAN, I HAVEN'T GOT TIME TO DEFINE THOSE AND SEPARATE THEM, BUT THE SCRIPTURE MAKES A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN THINGS THAT ARE IN YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT, THAT ARE TOTALLY FROM GOD, AND THEN THE LUST AND THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH. HOW DO YOU JUDGE BETWEEN THAT? MAN, LET ME TURN OVER AND USE THIS VERSE OUT OF HEBREWS, CHAPTER 4, AND IN VERSE 12, IT SAYS, FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK, THAT MEANS ALIVE, AND POWERFUL, AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWOEDGED SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVIDING ASUNDER OF SOUL AND SPIRIT, AND OF THE JOINTS AND MARROW, AND IS A DISCERNER OF THE THOUGHTS AND THE INTENTS OF THE HEART. DID YOU KNOW YOUR SOUL IS YOUR MENTAL, EMOTIONAL PART? IT'S YOUR PERSONALITY PART. YOUR SPIRIT IS DIFFERENT THAN THAT. EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS YOU HAVE A PHYSICAL BODY. EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS YOU HAVE A PERSONALITY, AN EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, INWARD PART, BUT MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ANOTHER PART TO YOU. THAT'S YOUR SPIRIT AND IT'S YOUR SPIRIT THAT GETS BORN AGAIN. IT'S YOUR SPIRIT THAT GETS CHANGED AND IT'S YOUR SPIRIT THAT HAS THE MIND OF CHRIST NOW. SO REALLY IT'S AS SIMPLE AS DISCERNING, IS THIS COMING OUT OF MY BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT, OR IS THIS JUST A LUST OF MY FLESH? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT I'M DESIRING JUST IN MY OWN NATURAL ABILITY, OR IS THIS THE BORN-AGAIN PART OF ME? HOW DO YOU DISCERN THAT? RIGHT HERE, THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK, AND POWERFUL, SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVIDING ASUNDER, SEPARATING SOUL FROM SPIRIT. DESIRES THAT COME FROM JUST YOU THAT ARE COMPARED TO DESIRES THAT COME FROM THE SPIRIT AND THE WORD WILL DIVIDE BETW... AND BE A DISCERNER BETWEEN THE THOUGHTS AND THE INTENTS OF THE HEART. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHETHER THIS FEELING, THIS IMPRESSION, THIS DESIRE THAT YOU HAVE IS FROM YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT OR IF IT'S A LUST OF YOUR FLESH? THE WORD OF GOD WILL TELL YOU, AND SOME OF YOU ARE THINKING, WELL, HOW'S THAT? WELL FIRST OF ALL, IF IT'S FROM GOD, IF IT'S THROUGH YOUR SPIRIT AND IF IT'S COMING FROM YOUR SPIRIT MAN, YOUR SPIRIT WILL NEVER VIOLATE THE WORD OF GOD. YOUR SPIRIT WILL... IT'S IN TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH GOD AND GOD IS THE ONE THAT BREATHED THIS WORD. THIS WORD IS A REFLECTION OF WHO HE IS, HIS TRUE NATURE AND CHARACTER, HIS VALUES AND EVERYTHING, AND IF IT IS COMING OUT OF YOUR SPIRIT, IT WILL CONFORM TO THE WORD OF GOD PERFECTLY. LET ME SAY SOME THINGS HERE, THAT IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE WORD OF GOD, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME DISCERNING BETWEEN SOUL AND SPIRIT AND THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF THE HEART. WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SCRIPTURAL KNOWLEDGE, YOU REALLY NEED A MENTOR. YOU NEED SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN IN THE WORD OF GOD AND WHO HAS THEIR MIND RENEWED THAT YOU CAN BOUNCE THINGS OFF OF AND THAT YOU CAN GET SOME COUNSEL FROM THEM BECAUSE YOU COULD SIT THERE AND THINK THAT GOD IS WANTING YOU TO DIVORCE THIS PERSON AND GO MARRY THIS PERSON. THAT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE WORD OF GOD, BUT THAT...YOU MAY FEEL IT REAL STRONGLY. YOU MAY BE IN A BAD RELATIONSHIP AND YOU JUST MAY REALLY DESIRE TO GET OUT OF IT AND YOU SEE SOMEBODY ELSE AND THINK, OH, THEY WOULD BE GREAT. BUT SEE, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO JUDGE IT BY THE WORD OF GOD. IT WILL NEVER CONTRADICT THE WORD. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE WORD, THEN YOU ARE GOING TO BE HARD PRESSED TO BE ABLE TO DISCERN BETWEEN SOUL AND SPIRIT AND DISCERN THE THOUGHTS AND THE INTENTS OF THE HEART, AND YOU NEED SOMEBODY MATURE AROUND YOU TO HELP YOU. BUT AS YOU GROW IN THE LORD AND AS YOU GET THE WORD OF GOD, THE WORD OF GOD WILL JUST SHOW YOU EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING THAT IS FROM YOUR FLESH, THAT IS FROM YOUR UNRENEWED MIND, YOUR NON BORN-AGAIN PART OF YOU, IT IS GOING TO SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER BE SELFISH, IT WILL PROMOTE YOU, IT WILL GLORIFY YOU, AND THINGS LIKE THIS. THE THINGS THAT COME FROM YOUR SPIRIT WILL ALWAYS GLORIFY GOD AND IT'LL DENY YOUR OWN SELF AND STUFF. I'M OUT OF TIME TODAY, BUT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE ON THIS TOMORROW. I'VE GOT A LOT MORE TO SHARE. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE GET THIS TEACHING. THIS COULD REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR LIFE, <i>HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE,</i> AND WE HAVE THAT IN CD AND IN DVD, SO PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR ANNOUNCER AS HE GIVES YOU THIS INFORMATION, AND PLEASE CALL OR WRITE TODAY. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</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. WE WANT TO SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE GRACE PARTNERS OF ANDREW WOMMACK MINISTRIES. YOUR GIFTS MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO PUT FREE MINISTRY MATERIALS INTO THE HANDS OF MANY PEOPLE IN NEED. IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY A GRACE PARTNER, WE ASK YOU TO PRAY ABOUT BECOMING ONE TODAY. 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> <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 CHURCH. FOR MORE DETAILS ON ANDREW'S NEXT MEETING IN YOUR AREA, VISIT OUR WEB SITE >> AT AWMI.NET. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> VIEW THE AMAZING TRUE STORIES OF FIVE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE CONSIDERED TO BE LOST CAUSES. YET IN THEIR DARKEST HOURS GOD SHOWED THEM HIS AMAZING LOVE AND GRACE. DISCOVER FOR YOURSELF THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE GOSPEL WITH OUR GRACE ENCOUNTERS VOLUME 2 DVD. TO PURCHASE YOUR DVD TODAY GO TO >> AWMI.NET/GRACEENCOUNTERS. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> ANDREW'S BIBLE COLLEGE, CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE, HAS OVER 60 EXTENSION SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD. GO TO CHARISBIBLECOLLEGE.ORG TODAY, TO FIND A SCHOOL NEAR YOU. TRANSFORMING LIVES. TRAINING LEADERS. CHANGING THE WORLD. >> CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> AT THE TIME THAT I ENROLLED IN CLASSES I WASN'T ABLE TO MOVE ALL THE WAY TO COLORADO AND, YOU KNOW, UPROOT MY LIFE. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> THE FLEXIBILITY OF CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRAWS FOR ME TO ENROLL. I COULD GET THINGS DONE THROUGHOUT THE DAY THEN I COULD GO HOME AND...AND DO MY LESSONS. IT'S BEEN SUCH A BLESSING FOR ME, FOR MY FAMILY, JUST TO SEE WHAT GOD CAN DO IN A PERSON'S LIFE WHEN THEY JUST SURRENDER AND SAY, OKAY, GOD, I'LL FOLLOW YOU. MY NAME IS MASIE AND I WAS A FIRST-YEAR >> CORRESPONDENT STUDENT. >> YOU CAN COMPLETE YOUR FIRST YEAR OF CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE AS A CORRESPONDENT STUDENT. GO TO CHARISBIBLECOLLEGE.ORG >> TO LEARN MORE. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> [END]
