Listening to the Lord - Part 1 - The still small voice

(I would like to preface this next series of posts with the fact that this is not a teaching blog. I am only writing here about what the Lord has shown me out of His Word and things I have learned from my own walk. I am not a prophet NOR am I an expert on hearing the voice of the Lord. I'm just a girl trying to walk obediently to the Lord.)

The very main way a person is to be able to hear from the Lord is through His Word. We are to study to show ourselves approved, as workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. Any revelation the Lord would give you has to line up with His Word.

The first time Samuel heard the voice of the Lord, he thought it was Eli calling for him:

That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me.

And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. 1 Sam 3:4-10

Eli had to teach Samuel what to do when hearing the voice of the Lord.

When Elijah was in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights he came to the Lord in extreme agitation:

1Ki 19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

The Lord took the time to teach Elijah what it was not, before he could teach him what it was.

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:11-12

This was the Lord teaching Elijah how to quiet his mind so that he could really hear the voice of the Lord. Also, the word for wind could also be translated as spirit. We are in a spiritual battle. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, and more often than not the battle takes place in our minds. The Lord taught Elijah that the Lord was in the still small voice.

The word still in that passage means both whisper and calm. It reminds me of Revelation 4:6 when it talks about a sea of glass. That is the mind fully at rest in the Lord.

In the new testament - when we get born again, we have the spirit of Christ in us. We are told in 1 John to try the spirits, whether they be from God. The very main way that God talks to us is through His Word. If you have a revelation that is contrary to the Word of God, you are listening to a wrong spirit. There are no set instructions in the bible about how to hear from the Lord. That is because the Holy Spirit teaches us individually how to hear from the Lord.

Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you so much for your Holy Word, for sending us Jesus Christ as our example in all things and for dying for us, and thank you so very much for the Holy Spirit - that teaches us how to listen to your voice in our lives. Thank you for being so merciful with us, in the name of your son Jesus Christ, Yeshua, Amen.