My what BIG ears you have!.... The better to hear you with...

March 10, 2010

I've been learning about hearing God's voice. Taking time to LISTEN. I've been reading these books about intercession and healing and the gifts of the Lord. Right now I'm reading this book called Hearing God's Voice by Mike Riches.

The best way to learn a new skill is to practice right? So, we were at the Chinese pool across the rice paddies from us the other week with some friends. Their child lost one of his toys that sank to the bottom of the pool. They looked and looked and couldn't find it for like 20min. Then I was said, "Did anyone pray?" So I prayed and then I felt the Lord was saying, "Now Meg, don't just go looking ....wait...listen for my answer". So I waited. First I got "corner" so I thought, "Lord, how do I know what's your voice and what's mine.” So I waited some more. Then I got "3 feet" and I was sure this was the Lord. So I went to look in the shallow 3 ft part of the pool, but then I thought "That doesn't make sense. Seth wasn't over here when they were throwing the toys in the pool". So I listened some more and then I heard "3 feet from the side of the pool". So I estimated 3 feet from the wall of the pool into the pool and started to walk and look. There the toy was! 3 feet from the side wall of the pool in the water!!!!! IT'S WORKING, THIS LISTENING STUFF IS REALLY WORKING!!!!!!!

Now this week I've also been learning about how to prepare for listening during prayer. I always ask the Lord to mute my own human thoughts and I always ask Him to dismiss any plans that Satan may have for speaking lies to me. This way I'm sure that what I hear is from the Lord. I also ask for Him to then confirm what I hear with either a deep seated peace or another way of confirmation for His glory. I'm noticing that as I listen more during prayer sometimes I receive scripture references that go right along with what I'm praying about. Sometimes they are to share with people and sometimes just to pray.

Yesterday I was praying for a family who is doing outreach on the coast of Madagascar. They were getting ready to leave for a week or so to do more outreach in another area of the coast. They were feeling hesitant about the trip, like it just wasn't coming together. As I was praying for them I had the reference Jeremiah 31:10 come to my mind. Now, for those of you who know me well I am HORRIBLE at Bible memory. IF I can memorize a verse I NEVER remember the reference. So I turned to Jeremiah and here's what I read. “Hear the word of the Lord O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands. He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over His flock like a shepherd.” Notice the italicized words!!! I never knew the word “coastlands” was even in the Bible! But God did! What an encouragement to continue going forward with their plans!

There have also been times when God will bring a picture to my mind and that will guide me as to how to pray for someone. This has happened several times to me. A few times I then felt lead by the Lord to share the picture and the way I was praying with the people to whom it was meant. This brought great encouragement to them as they were reminded again that God not only knows the ins and outs of what's going on in their lifes but that He cares enough to lay them on someone's heart to intercede for them. It brought me great encouragement too as the Lord showed me that I was hearing Him correctly!

I'm REALLY excited! I want to hear MORE. I want this because I want to go deeper in my understanding of the Lord, because I want MORE of him, I want ALL of him. I want this because I want to be better equipped to intercede and encourage those around me. God is just so amazing! He was, He is, and He is yet to come!!!!! AMEN LORD!!