<i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> WELCOME TO <i>GOSPEL TRUTH</i> WITH ANDREW WOMMACK, A TEACHING MINISTRY THAT FOCUSES ON GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL >> LOVE AND GRACE. > IF IT WASN'T FOR ANDREW'S TEACHINGS, I WOULD NEVER BE WHERE I AM TODAY. I WOULD NEVER HAVE VICTORY. I WOULD BE LIVING > A LIFE OF DEFEAT. > IT WAS ANDREW'S TEACHING THAT ALLOWED ME TO DEVELOP > THAT FAITH. >> AND NOW, HERE'S ANDREW. WELCOME TO OUR TUESDAY'S BROADCAST OF <i>THE GOSPEL TRUTH.</i> TODAY I'M CONTINUING MY TEACHING ON <i>HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE.</i> I TELL YOU, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO HAVE GOD ALMIGHTY TALK TO US PERSONALLY. YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T THE WAY THE LORD THINKS, BUT IT JUST AMAZES ME THAT GOD THAT HAS A UNIVERSE TO RUN AND THERE'S BILLIONS OF PEOPLE CRYING OUT TO HIM AND JUST, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HE DOES, AND YET HE WANTS TO TALK TO US INDIVIDUALLY. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS, I AM POOR AND NEEDY; YET THE LORD THINKS UPON ME. BOY, WHAT AN HONOR IT IS. AND I WAS USING A VERSE YESTERDAY OUT OF JOHN, CHAPTER 10, I BELIEVE IT WAS VERSE 3 THAT SAYS, HE KNOWS HIS SHEEP AND HE CALLS THEM BY NAME. THAT MEANS THAT IT'S PERSONAL. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE HE JUST GIVES ORDERS TO PEOPLE IN GENERAL. HERE'S MY WILL FOR THE HUMAN RACE, BUT HE HAS A PERSONAL WILL FOR EACH ONE OF US. HE KNOWS US BY NAME. HE TAILOR MAKES IT. HE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU, AND I'VE BEEN FOCUSING A LOT OF WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING ABOUT HOW HE WANTS TO GIVE YOU GUIDANCE AND HELP YOU MAKE DECISIONS, MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT HE JUST WANTS TO TALK TO YOU. HE WANTS TO VISIT WITH YOU. HE WILL HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU, AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO OR WHERE HE WANTS YOU TO GO OR SOMETHING. HE'LL JUST MINISTER TO YOU. HE'LL ENCOURAGE YOU. I PERSONALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE TALK ABOUT BEING LONELY. YOU KNOW, DURING THIS COVID SHUTDOWN AND ISOLATION AND STUFF, THEY SAID THAT CALLS TO HO...TO SUICIDE PREVENTION THINGS HAVE GONE UP, I THINK IT'S FIVE TIMES IS WHAT I'VE HEARD, AND THAT THE SUICIDE RATE HAS GONE UP, AND A LOT OF IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ISOLATED AND THEY'RE ALONE. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT GOD MADE US TO BE SOCIAL PEOPLE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS SOMEWHAT OF A PROBLEM. BUT HONESTLY, I JUST CAN'T RELATE TO A PERSON THAT FEELS LONELY. AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU MAY CRITICIZE ME, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO CONDEMN ANYBODY WHO DOES. I'M JUST SAYING THAT I HAVE THIS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD AND WHEN I'M BY MYSELF, I JUST HAVE AN AWESOME TIME WITH THE LORD AND I TALK TO HIM, HE TALKS TO ME. HE ENCOURAGES ME. IT'S AMAZING HOW... HOW GOD HIMSELF, ALMIGHTY, MAKES HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO US AND YET PEOPLE DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. I JUST CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE LIVING MY LIFE THAT WAY. I'M NOT SAYING I DO IT PERFECTLY. I HAVEN'T ARRIVED BUT I'VE LEFT, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT MAN, MY PERSONAL TIME WITH THE LORD IS JUST AWESOME. GOD SPEAKS TO ME, AND WHEN I'M BY MYSELF, I JUST LOVE BEING BY MYSELF BECAUSE I'M NEVER BY MYSELF. I'M ALWAYS WITH THE LORD AND IT JUST ALLOWS ME TO FOCUS ON HIM WITHOUT DISTRACTION. YOU KNOW, LET ME SHARE THIS LITTLE STORY WITH YOU THAT WHEN JAMIE AND I FIRST GOT MARRIED, ACTUALLY EVEN BEFORE WE WERE MARRIED, BUT RIGHT AT THE TIME WE WERE GETTING MARRIED AND STUFF, WE WERE A PART OF KATHRYN KUHLMAN'S MINISTRY. EVERY TIME SHE WOULD COME TO THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH AREA, I KNEW SOME PEOPLE AND I WOULD VOLUNTEER TO BE AN USHER. AND SO I WOULD GO TO HER MEETINGS AND I WOULD USHER. AND ANYWAY, I REMEMBER JAMIE AND ME BOTH GOING TO ONE OF THE MEETINGS AND I HAD ACTUALLY TAKEN A PERSON OFF OF A STRETCHER THAT THIS WOMAN WAS LIKE ONLY 60 OR 70 POUNDS. SHE WAS DOWN TO LIKE A HOLOCAUST VICTIM, JUST SKIN AND BONES, AND I HAD TO TAKE HER OFF OF HER STRETCHER AND PUT HER INTO A SEAT BECAUSE OF FIRE CODES. WE HAD TO CLEA... CLEAR THE AISLES, AND THEN AFTER I DID THAT AND USHERED, I WENT AND SAT DOWN WITH JAMIE AND THIS WOMAN THAT I HAD TAKEN OFF OF THE STRETCHER THAT SHE COULDN'T EVEN LIFT HER HAND, SHE WAS CLOSE TO DEATH, SHE CAME RUNNING DOWN THE AISLE PUSHING HER STRETCHER AND JUMPED UP ON THE STAGE, AND THIS WOMAN WAS HEALED. I MEAN, EVEN IF SHE HAD BEEN TOTALLY HEALED OF WHATEVER IT WAS THAT PUT HER INTO THAT CONDITION, IN THE NATURAL, IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN MONTHS OF REHABILITATION FOR HER TO GET TO WHERE SHE COULD WALK BECAUSE SHE HADN'T... I MEAN, SHE...SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MUSCLES. HER...I COULD PUT MY HAND AROUND HER THIGH LIKE THAT. THAT'S...THAT'S THE SIZE OF HER THIGH. THE MUSCLE WAS GONE, AND YET HERE WAS THIS WOMAN RUNNING AND JUMPING UP ON THE STAGE. AND JAMIE AND I WERE JUST SO OVERWHELMED THAT AFTER THE MEETING WAS OVER AND EVERYBODY LEFT, WE WERE JUST SITTING THERE. WE WERE THE LAST PEOPLE IN THE AUDITORIUM. THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO COME TELL US TO LEAVE, BUT WE FELT LIKE WE WERE ON HOLY GROUND, AND WE WERE JUST SITTING THERE PRAISING GOD AND THINKING WE SAW A MIRACLE. WE SAW A LOT OF MIRACLES. AND ANYWAY, I REMEMBER THAT FEELING TO THIS DAY REAL WELL. AND I WAS IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA, AND I MINISTERED AND I FORGOT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I THINK WE SAW SOME BLIND EYES OPEN, DEAF EARS OPEN, BUT WE SAW SOMETHING MIRACULOUS THAT HAPPENED AT THE MEETING, AND AS I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE, I LOOKED OUT AND THERE WAS PEOPLE JUST SITTING THERE LIKE A DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS, YOU KNOW, JUST... AND I COULD TELL THAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED AT KATHRYN KUHLMAN'S MEETINGS. PEOPLE HAD SEEN THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THEY WERE JUST SITTING THERE SOAKING IT IN AND PRAISING GOD, AND AS I WAS DRIVING TO MY HOTEL...I WAS BY MYSELF AT THAT TIME, AND AS I WAS DRIVING TO MY HOTEL, I REMEMBER JUST PRAISING GOD AND SAYING, THANK YOU, FATHER. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, AND I WAS PRAISING HIM FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF MINISTERING TO PEOPLE LIKE THAT AND I KNEW WHAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING, AND I WAS JUST PRAISING GOD. AND AS I WAS PRAISING GOD, THE LO...I SAID, THANK YOU, FATHER. I REMEMBER HIM SAYING, WELL, THANK YOU, ANDREW. AND DID YOU KNOW THAT THE FIRST TIME I HEARD THAT...NOW I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD HEARD HIM SAY THAT TO ME. IMMEDIATELY I THOUGHT, THAT CAN'T BE GOD. GOD WOULDN'T THANK ME. I MEAN, HE MIGHT USE ME BECAUSE HE LOVES SOMEBODY ELSE SO MUCH, BUT TO THINK THAT HE WOULD THANK ME AND STUFF? IT WAS JUST... MY RELIGIOUS CONCEPT WOULDN'T LET ME THINK THAT, AND AT FIRST IT STARTLED ME AND I HAD TO PRAY ABOUT IT, AND AS I WAS PRAYING AND SAYING, GOD, IS THAT YOU? HE...HE JUST SPOKE TO ME, AND HE SAYS, IF I LOVED YOU ENOUGH TO DIE FOR YOU, DON'T YOU THINK I WOULD LOVE YOU ENOUGH JUST TO SAY THANK YOU? AND GOD IS A GRACIOUS GOD. I MEAN, GOD IS A MERCIFUL GOD. HE'S MEEK AND LOWLY IN HEART. AND THE POINT I'M TRYING TO BRING OUT THROUGH THIS IS, SEE, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUST DON'T HEAR GOD SPEAK TO THEM LIKE THAT. HE NOT ONLY WILL SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO, BUT HE WILL EDIFY YOU, HE WILL BUILD YOU UP, HE WILL ENCOURAGE YOU. AND SAD TO SAY, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WON'T LET GOD SPEAK TO THEM THAT WAY. HE DOESN'T FORCE IT UPON YOU. PSALMS, CHAPTER 35, VERSE 27, SAYS, YEA, LET ALL THOSE WHO FAVOR MY RIGHTEOUS CAUSE SAY CONTINUALLY, LET GOD BE MAGNIFIED, WHICH HAS PLEASURE IN THE PROSPERITY OF HIS SERVANT. YOU HAVE TO LET GOD BE MAGNIFIED. IF YOU ARE RESISTANT TOWARDS IT, IF THE LORD WAS TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU DID AND HOW HE WAS ABLE TO USE YOU TO TOUCH SOMEBODY ELSE, AND IF HE TRIED TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU, AND YET YOUR RELIGION WOULDN'T ALLOW YOU TO ACCEPT THAT, HE WON'T DO IT. HE WON'T FORCE IT UPON YOU. HE'S NOT GOING TO OFFEND YOU. YOU KNOW, I GO TO DIFFERENT CULTURES, AND YOU GO TO FRANCE, AND MAN, THEY KISS EACH OTHER ON BOTH CHEEKS. AND YOU GO TO SOME OTHER PLACES, AND I'VE...I'VE BEEN IN A SERVICE WHERE THEY KISSED EACH OTHER ON THE MOUTH, WHICH CERTAINLY WASN'T THE WAY THAT I WAS BROUGHT UP AND NOT THE WAY I WAS TAUGHT. BUT I'M SAYING I'VE BEEN IN PLACES WHERE THEY HAD DIFFERENT WAYS OF SHOWING AFFECTION. AND SO EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME AND THE SCRIPTURE EVEN SAYS, GREET ONE ANOTHER WITH A HOLY KISS, DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T DO THAT IN SOME CULTURES. THAT IS VERY OFFENSIVE TO PEOPLE. AND SO I'VE JUST LEARNED THAT IF A PERSON... IF I GO TO FRANCE AND THEY KISS EACH OTHER ON BOTH CHEEKS, I'LL KISS THEM ON BOTH CHEEKS. IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. I'M FINE WITH THAT, BUT I DON'T DO IT HERE IN THE STATES. YOU DON'T FORCE ON SOMEBODY SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO MAKE THEM UNCOMFORTABLE. AND IF GOD TELLING YOU THAT HE LOVES YOU AND THAT HE APPRECIATES YOU AND THAT HE THANKS YOU FOR ALLOWING HIM TO USE YOU, IF THAT'S ABHORRENT TO YOU, IF YOUR RELIGION IS AGAINST THAT AND THAT GOD WOULD NEVER TREAT YOU THAT WAY, HE'S NOT THAT INTIMATE WITH YOU, IF THAT'S OFFENSIVE TO YOU, GOD WON'T SAY IT TO YOU. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT GOD IS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE TO US ALL OF THE TIME, BUT WE HAVE THINGS THAT WE... WE WILL ALLOW AND THINGS THAT WE WON'T ALLOW AND IT'S NOT THAT GOD ISN'T SPEAKING, IT'S THAT WE AREN'T LISTENING. WE AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO IT. AND SO YOU NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT GOD SPEAKS CONSTANTLY TO US. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NEVER A TIME THAT WE NEED HIS GUIDANCE THAT HE'S NOT THERE TO GIVE IT, BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS LISTEN. AND I'VE ALREADY BEEN... I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR OVER A WEEK. SOMETIMES HIS STILL SMALL VOICE AS IN 1 KINGS, CHAPTER 19, IT'S JUST OVERWHELMED. IT'S...THERE'S SO MUCH NOISE COMING FROM THE WORLD AND OUR CARNAL MIND AND OUR FEAR THAT IT DROWNS OUT THIS STILL, SMALL VOICE. SO WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS BE ABLE TO TUNE OUT THESE OTHER THINGS AND TUNE OUR HEARING TO HEAR THE LORD, AND IT JUST COMES THROUGH RELATIONSHIP. IT COMES THROUGH EXPERIENCE. YOU KNOW, JAMIE AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED NOW FOR 48 YEARS. WE...THIS 2021 WILL BE OUR 49TH YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN MARRIED. AND BECAUSE OF IT, I JUST KNOW JAMIE. I KNOW HER VOICE, AND THERE COULD BE DOZENS OF WOMEN IN A ROOM. I COULD HAVE MY BACK TURNED SO THAT I'M NOT LOOKING, AND YET I COULD PICK HER VOICE OUT OF ALL OF THE OTHER VOICES JUST BECAUSE OF EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD HER SO MUCH. AND IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THE LORD THAT YOU START OFF AND AT FIRST, WE AREN'T SURE IF THIS IS THE LORD, BUT YOU STEP OUT AND YOU, BY FAITH, SAY, GOD, I BELIEVE THIS IS YOU. IF YOU'RE MAYBE TOO INSECURE, YOU ASK GOD FOR CONFIRMATION, YOU GO AND SHARE WITH SOMEBODY ELSE WHO'S MORE MATURE AND THEY HELP YOU, AND AFTER YOU BEGIN TO START HEARING GOD'S VOICE, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME YOU GET TO WHERE YOU RECOGNIZE IT. YOU RECOGNIZE NOT JUST THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE BECAUSE THE THING I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS THAT GOD SPEAKS SPIRIT TO SPIRIT. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IN VERBAL THINGS. IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN THINGS. BUT AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME YOU GET TO WHERE YOU RECOGNIZE THE WAY GOD SPEAKS. TO ME, GOD ALWAYS SPEAKS IN WAYS THAT CHALLENGES ME FOR MORE. I WAS TALKING WITH JESSE DUPLANTIS NOT LONG AGO AND HE WAS PLANNING FOR THE NEW YEAR AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT HE WAS BELIEVING FOR, AND HE WAS TALKING TO THE LORD AND TELLING HIM, I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE THIS MUCH AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, AND HE SAID THAT THE LORD JUST SPOKE TO HIM AND SAID, SO YOU WANT ME TO BE UNEMPLOYED THIS NEXT YEAR? AND JESSE SAYS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? HE SAYS, YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING RIGHT HERE WITHOUT ME. HE SAYS, WHY DON'T YOU BELIEVE FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO GET ME INVOLVED, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A MIRACLE TO SEE IT COME TO PASS? AND SO JESSE JUST IMMEDIATELY INCREASED HIS BELIEVING. AND ANYWAY, WHEN HE SAID THAT, THAT'S THE WAY THAT GOD SPEAKS TO ME. IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO ON MY OWN, IF THIS IS JUST NATURAL AND IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, ORGANIC GROWTH, BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE ANY SUPERNATURAL FOR IT TO COME TO PASS, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S GOD. GOD IS ALWAYS STRETCHING ME, AND...AND ANYTIME I FEEL LIKE I'M SUPPOSED TO DO SOMETHING, IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S BEYOND MY ABILITY. I'VE JUST LEARNED THAT THAT'S THE WAY THAT THE LORD SPEAKS TO ME. HE'S BIGGER THAN I AM. HE THINKS BIGGER THAN I AM. AND OVER A PERIOD OF TIME YOU GET TO WHERE YOU JUST RECOGNIZE THE WAY THAT GOD SPEAKS TO YOU AND YOU BEGIN TO GO WITH IT. SO THE LAST THING THAT I WAS TEACHING ON IS THAT GOD SPEAKS SPIRIT TO SPIRIT. YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST THAT'S BEEN SENT INTO YOUR HEART CRYING, ABBA, FATHER. I THINK THAT'S GALATIANS, CHAPTER 4, VERSE 6. ROMANS, CHAPTER 8, VERSE 9, SAYS, IF ANY MAN HAVE NOT THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE IS NONE OF HIS. SO IT'S THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST THAT'S ON THE INSIDE OF YOU. IN 1 CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER 6, VERSE 17, IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST, YOU HAVE BECOME ONE SPIRIT WITH HIM, AND THAT GREEK WORD FOR ONE IS HEIS, H-E-I-S, AND IT MEANS A SINGULAR ONE TO THE EXCLUSION OF ANOTHER. IT'S IDENTICAL. YOUR SPIRIT AND... YOUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT AND JESUS' SPIRIT, THEY'RE...THEY'RE THE SAME. IT'S THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST IN YOU, AND YOU KNOW ALL THINGS IN THAT SPIRIT, 1 JOHN, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 20. 1 CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 16, YOU HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST ON THE INSIDE OF YOU. COLOSSIANS, CHAPTER 3, VERSE 10, YOU...YOUR NEW MAN HAS BEEN RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE AFTER THE IMAGE OF HIM THAT CREATED HIM. IN YOUR SPIRIT, YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THAT THERE IS TO KNOW. YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THAT JESUS KNOWS. AND SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT GOD COMMUNICATES WITH YOU AND YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, IT'S NOT COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, IT'S COMING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IT'S JUST YOUR SPIRIT AND GOD'S SPIRIT ARE IN COMMUNION, THEY'RE ONE WITH EACH OTHER, AND WHEN YOU HAVE A NEED, HE JUST SPEAKS TO YOUR SPIRIT AND THEN YOUR SPIRIT IS THE ONE THAT SAYS, I BELIEVE GOD IS WANTING ME TO DO THIS. IT'S NOT, I BELIEVE GOD IS WANTING, YOU KNOW, THIRD PERSON, LIKE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT GOD IS... HE IS WANTING ME TO DO THIS, BUT IT'S, I WANT TO DO THIS. GOD...YOUR SPIRIT JUST DISCERNS IT. YOU KNOW THESE THINGS. YOU'RE IN RELATIONSHIP, AND MANY PEOPLE MISS WHAT GOD IS LEADING THEM TO DO BECAUSE IT'S NOT COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE. IT'S NOT A THIRD PERSON. IT'S JUST IN THEIR HEART. THIS IS WHAT I DESIRE TO DO. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT GOD COMMUNICATES WITH YOU AND REVEALS HIMSELF UNTO YOU. LET ME SHARE THIS WITH YOU OUT OF COLOSSIANS, CHAPTER 3, AND VERSE 15, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL THINGS THAT GOD HAS EVER SHOWN ME ABOUT HOW TO DISCERN HIS VOICE AND HIS LEADING IN MY LIFE, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HE SHOWED ME BACK IN 1968. SO MAN, THAT'S BEEN 53 YEARS AND THIS...I'VE USED THIS HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF TIMES. IT SAYS, LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN YOUR HEARTS, TO THE WHICH ALSO YOU ARE CALLED IN ONE BODY; AND BE YE THANKFUL. AND SO THE WAY I GOT A REVELATION OF THIS IS... WAS IN 1968, MARCH THE 23RD, OF 1968. I HAD THIS SUPERNATURAL ENCOUNTER WHERE I WAS IN A PRAYER MEETING AT 10:00 AT NIGHT ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. ALL OF MY FRIENDS WERE THERE, THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH, PASTORS WERE THERE. AND ANYWAY, IT'S A LONG STORY, BUT GOD SHOWED UP AND GOD RANG MY BELL, SHOWED ME I WAS A RELIGIOUS HYPOCRITE. WHEN I REPENTED OF THAT AND...AND ASKED FORGIVENESS FOR IT, I MEAN, THE LOVE OF GOD JUST CAME FLOODING THROUGH ME AND FOR MONTHS I WAS JUST CAUGHT UP IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. I COULDN'T FUNCTION. I MEAN, I WAS JUST OVERWHELMED WITH GOD'S LOVE. I WAS IN MY FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE WHEN THAT HAPPENED, AND I JUST LOST ALL DESIRE TO GO TO COLLEGE. I MENTIONED THIS EARLIER AND I USED PSALMS, CHAPTER 37, VERSE 4, WHERE IT SAYS, DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD; AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART, AND I JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST ALL OF MY DESIRE TO BE IN COLLEGE AND ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS TO KNOW GOD AND TO STUDY THE WORD AND I JUST KNEW GOD HAD SOMETHING ELSE FOR ME, AND BASED ON THAT, I STARTED FEELING LIKE GOD WAS TELLING ME THAT I WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN COLLEGE BECAUSE IT WAS JUST... I LOST MY DESIRE FOR IT. MATTER OF FACT, I NOT ONLY LOST A DESIRE, I GOT A HATRED FOR COLLEGE. I HATED IT. AND I DON'T HAVE THE WORDS TO DESCRIBE TO YOU WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I MEAN, FOR DECADES AFTER THAT, I WOULD HAVE NIGHTMARES AND MY NIGHTMARE WOULD BE THAT I WAS BACK IN COLLEGE AND THAT I WAS TRYING TO GO TO MY CLASS. I MEAN, THAT'S HOW MUCH I HATED IT. IT WAS JUST TERRORIZING TO ME. AND SO ANYWAY, BECAUSE OF THOSE FEELINGS, BECAUSE I LOST MY DELIGHT IN COLLEGE AND I GOT TO WHERE I HATED IT, I STARTED THINKING THAT, WELL, MAYBE I'M SUPPOSED TO QUIT COLLEGE. AND SO I MENTIONED IT, AND BOY, WHEN I DID, I MEAN, MY MOTHER DIDN'T TALK TO ME FOR TWO WEEKS. I HAD PEOPLE GET MAD AT ME. I HAD PEOPLE SAY, YOU CAN'T BE A CHRISTIAN AND SAY THAT GOD WOULD TELL YOU TO QUIT SCHOOL. PLUS AT THAT TIME I WAS GETTING $350 A MONTH FROM THE GOVERNMENT FROM MY FATHER'S SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS IF I STAYED IN SCHOOL. THEY PAID ME $350 A MONTH AND I WAS LIVING AT HOME, AND SO THAT WAS A BIG HELP. PLUS I GOT A DEFERMENT FROM THE ARMY. I HAD A MILITARY DEFERMENT FROM THE DRAFT IF I STAYED IN SCHOOL. PLUS I HAD THE ACCEPTANCE OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE AROUND ME AS LONG AS I STAYED IN SCHOOL. BUT WHEN I STARTED MENTIONING QUITTING SCHOOL, EVERYBODY CAME OUT AGAINST ME. THERE WAS ONLY TWO PEOPLE THAT I KNEW THAT SUPPORTED ME IN THIS, AND THEY WERE CONSIDERED WEIRDOS. EVERYBODY WAS AGAINST THEM, TOO. BUT I MEAN, ALL OF MY... MOST OF MY FRIENDS, LOTS OF MY FAMILY, ALL OF THE CHURCH PEOPLE, EVERYBODY JUST GOT MAD AT ME AND SAID, THIS IS NOT GOD. AND SO I VACILLATED BACK AND FORTH. AND BECAUSE THIS IS BEFORE I WAS MARRIED, I WAS STILL LIVING AT HOME WITH MY MOTHER, I WAS HONORING HER, AND I WAS STILL GOING TO SCHOOL JUST TO HONOR HER. SHE TOLD ME TO AT LEAST TO FINISH OUT THAT FIRST YEAR AND TAKE THE TEST, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF I EVER WANTED TO GO BACK THAT IT WOULDN'T JUST BE WASTED, THAT I WOULD AT LEAST HAVE THAT FIRST YEAR AND ALL OF THOSE CREDITS UNDER MY BELT. AND SO I WAS HONORING HER, BUT MAN, I HATED IT, I HATED IT. AND...AND I WAS JUST CONSTANTLY PRAYING ABOUT THIS FEELING, LIKE I JUST DIDN'T DESIRE TO GO TO SCHOOL ANYMORE. SO ANYWAY, ALL OF THESE THINGS, THAT'S THE BACKGROUND, AND THEN ONE NIGHT I WAS OVER WITH MY FRIENDS AND WE WOULD STAY UP UNTIL 1:00 OR SO IN THE MORNING JUST STUDYING SCRIPTURE AND READING BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS BRAND NEW TO US. THE WORD JUST CAME ALIVE. AND I REMEMBER READING IN ROMANS 14:23, THAT WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN, AND YOU KNOW, I HAD PRIOR TO THAT TIME THOUGHT THAT SIN WAS GOING OUT AND COMMITTING ADULTERY OR LYING OR STEALING OR DOING SOME OF THOSE BIG THINGS, BUT MAN, WHEN I READ THAT VERSE, ROMANS 14:23, THAT WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN, I REALIZED I WASN'T IN FAITH. I FELT LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TO QUIT SCHOOL AND I HAD EVEN VERBALIZED THAT, BUT BECAUSE OF THE CRITICISM AND OTHER RESTRAINTS ON ME, I HAD JUST DECIDED TO STAY IN SCHOOL, AND I WAS ACTING CONTRARY TO WHAT I BELIEVED IN MY HEART. AND ACCORDING TO ROMANS 14:23, THAT WAS SIN. AND SO, MAN, I TOLD MY FRIENDS... WE WERE STUDYING, IT WAS LIKE 8:00 AT NIGHT OR SOMETHING AND I TOLD MY FRIENDS, I SAID, I'M IN SIN. I AM NOT GOING TO BE IN SIN TOMORROW, AND I LEFT. I WENT HOME AND I GOT BY MYSELF AND I STARTED PRAYING, AND I SAID, GOD, THIS IS... I DIDN'T REALIZE IT. IT'S SIN FOR ME NOT TO BE DOING WHAT I FELT IN MY HEART. AND SO I JUST STARTED PRAYING AND I SAID, GOD, I'M NOT GOING TO BE IN SIN TOMORROW. I'VE GOT TO MAKE A DECISION RIGHT NOW. EITHER I'M GOING TO GET IN SCHOOL AND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT, BELIEVING THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU TOLD ME TO DO, OR I'M GOING TO QUIT, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO BE IN INDECISION ANYMORE. INDECISION IS SIN. AND I BEGAN TO PRAY, BUT I WAS STILL WAVERING BECAUSE I HAD REJECTION FROM PEOPLE. I WAS GOING TO LOSE MONEY. I WAS GOING TO POSSIBLY BE DRAFTED AND SENT TO VIETNAM. THERE WAS A LOT AT STAKE. AND SO I WAS VACILLATING BACK AND FORTH, AND I MEAN, IT TOOK ME HOURS. AND I PRAYED AND FINALLY THE LORD GAVE ME THIS SCRIPTURE THAT I READ TO YOU TODAY, COLOSSIANS 3:15, LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN YOUR HEART. HE JUST LED ME TO THIS VERSE, AND THAT WORD, RULE, THERE, IT MEANS, TO UMPIRE. JUST LIKE AN UMPIRE IN A BASEBALL GAME, THEY THROW THE BALL AND THAT UMPIRE... IT MAY BE RIGHT ON A EDGE AND HE MAY NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHETHER IT'S A BALL OR A STRIKE, BUT HE'S GOT TO MAKE A DECISION AND ONCE YOU CALL IT A BALL OR ONCE YOU CALL IT A STRIKE, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. YOU CAN'T CHANGE IT. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU LET THE PEACE OF GOD ACT LIKE AN UMPIRE AND JUST MAKE A DECISION AND GO WITH WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST PEACE. WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE PERFECT PEACE IN ANY DIRECTION, AND SO AS I WAS MULLING THIS OVER AND THINKING, GOD, HOW DO I LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN MY HEART? THE LORD JUST SPOKE TO ME, AND HE SAYS, IF YOU HAD TO MAKE A DECISION RIGHT NOW, WHICH I HAD ALREADY DETERMINED I DID, AND IF IT WAS A LIFE-AND-DEATH DECISION, WHICH IT WAS, BECAUSE I COULD HAVE BEEN DRAFTED AND SENT TO VIETNAM AND IT COULD HAVE... I COULD HAVE DIED, AND HE SAYS, AND IF YOU COULDN'T CHANGE IT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WELL, I DIDN'T FEEL TOTAL PEACE WITH EITHER OF MY CHOICES, BUT I FELT MORE PEACE ABOUT QUITTING SCHOOL AND BELIEVING THAT THAT IMPRESSION THAT I HAD WAS GOD. THAT'S WHAT I FELT THE MOST PEACE ABOUT AND I JUST DECIDED THAT THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO. AND SO I SAID, THIS IS IT. I'M LETTING THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN MY HEART AND BELIEVE THAT THAT'S YOUR VOICE SPEAKING TO ME. AND I MADE THAT DECISION, I WENT TO BED, AND I'M OUT OF TIME ON THIS PROGRAM. BUT TOMORROW I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW GOD CONFIRMED TO ME THAT THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE LEADING OF GOD AND THAT DECISION, PROBABLY AS MUCH AS ANY DECISION I'VE EVER MADE IN MY LIFE, PUT MY LIFE ON A PATH THAT JUST FORCED ME TO CHANGE THE ENTIRE DIRECTION OF MY LIFE. IT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS GOD EVER DID, AND I'M GOING TO SHARE THAT ON OUR PROGRAM TOMORROW. I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET THIS TEACHING ON <i>HOW TO HEAR GOD'S VOICE.</i> IT'LL HAVE THIS THING THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IN ITS ENTIRETY THERE. PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR ANNOUNCER AND THEN 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. 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. TO WRITE US, USE THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN. WE APPRECIATE YOUR GENEROSITY AND HOPE TO HEAR >> FROM YOU TODAY. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> IF YOU HAVEN'T YET PARTNERED WITH US, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO PRAY ABOUT IT AND THEN IF THE LORD SAYS SO, JOIN WITH US. BECAUSE WE ARE TAKING THE GOSPEL NOT ONLY THROUGH TELEVISION, BUT WE'VE GOT OVER 70 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE WORLD, OFFICES I THINK IN 16 DIFFERENT NATIONS. WE HAVE PROBABLY 8,000 STUDENTS GOING THROUGH CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE AT ANY TIME, WITH OVER 8,000 GRADUATES. WE'RE PUMPING OUT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF FREE MATERIAL THROUGH OUR WEB SITE, OVER 200,000 FREE HOURS OF MATERIAL ON OUR WEB SITE, AND WE'RE JUST REACHING ALL AROUND THE WORLD. WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT PARTNERS. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO PRAY ABOUT IT. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A GOOD MINISTRY. YOU'LL GET A GREAT RETURN NOT ONLY IN HEAVEN, BUT IN THIS LIFE YOU'LL RECEIVE A HUNDREDFOLD. SO JOIN WITH US AND BECOME A PARTNER WITH ANDREW WOMMACK MINISTRIES TODAY. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> <i>[INDISTINCT CHATTER]</i> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RUNNING WITH THE LORD, THIS IS PART OF IT IS THAT YOU NEED TO BECOME ABSOLUTELY DEPENDENT UPON GOD. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> MEN'S ADVANCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN... REALLY, A TIME TO >> RECONNECT WITH GOD. >> I MEAN, ANYTIME YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF BROTHERS COMING TOGETHER, THAT RIGHT THERE IN ITSELF >> IS IMPACTFUL. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> THE MEN'S ADVANCE, PARTICULARLY, IT SPEAKS VERY WELL TO A MAN'S SOUL AND JUST REALLY TARGETS JUST AREAS THAT... THAT MEN NEED TO BE JUST ENCOURAGED IN >> AND REFINED IN. >> WE'RE ALL JUST >> HERE TO GROW. >> I GUARANTEE THAT YOU'LL >> GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT. >> MEN'S ADVANCE MAKES YOU HUNGRIER FOR GOD. AS LONG AS YOU GOT HUNGER FOR THE LORD, >> YOU'RE GOING TO GROW. >> NO MATTER HOW OLD WE GET, NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE MAY THINK WE'RE BEHIND, IF WE FOLLOW THE BEST PLAYBOOK EVER WRITTEN, >> WE WILL OVERCOME. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> WELCOME TO THE AWM MINUTE, A SMALL GLIMPSE ON HOW THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF ANDREW WOMMACK MINISTRIES AND CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE ARE RAISING UP DISCIPLES WHO ARE BRINGING GOD'S KINGDOM INTO EVERY SPHERE OF SOCIETY, DISCIPLES LIKE COLIN AND APRIL CARR. AFTER GRADUATING CHARIS IN 2008, GOD TOLD COLIN TO LEAVE THE SECURITY OF HIS JOB AND START HIS OWN REAL ESTATE COMPANY JUST MONTHS >> AFTER THE MARKET CRASHED. >> WE HAD JUST HAD OUR FIRST CHILD AND THERE WERE MORE REASONS THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE OF WHY IT WAS NOT THE RIGHT TIME TO START A NEW COMPANY. HOWEVER, WE KNEW FOR A FACT THAT GOD WAS TELLING US TO DO IT AND WE KNEW FOR A FACT THAT WHAT THE LORD TOLD US TO DO WAS THE SAFEST PLACE >> THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY BE. >> BY SEEKING FIRST GOD'S KINGDOM THE CARR'S SAW THEIR BUSINESS GROW SUPERNATURALLY, AND TODAY THEIR ONE SMALL STARTUP NOW HAS OFFICES IN OVER 40 STATES. TO SEE THEIR FULL FINANCIAL BREAKTHROUGH STORY >> VISIT AWMI.NET TODAY. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE NOW STARTED A CHARIS DAILY LIVE BIBLE STUDY. WE'VE BEEN DOING A BIBLE STUDY EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT LIVE FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS, BUT NOW WE HAVE FIVE DAYS A WEEK. WE'VE VARIED THE TIMES SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE ANYBODY'S SCHEDULE. AND IT'S GOING TO REALLY BE GOOD. WE'RE GOING TO USE OUR INSTRUCTORS FROM THE SCHOOL, AND IT'LL BE A BLESSING, SO REMEMBER, WE NOW HAVE A CHARIS DAILY LIVE BIBLE STUDY FIVE DAYS A WEEK. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> [END]
