Hearing Heart - How God Speaks

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Ennett. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God.

[0:11] We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen. Be blessed. I want to talk about what I was supposed to do. I started it last week about hearing from God and I spoke about ways God speaks to us.

[0:28] No, no, sorry. I spoke about how to know the voice of God. So you know that this is God's voice and this is not God's voice. I actually spoke mainly about that.

[0:40] And I want to talk about ways through which God speaks to us. How God speaks to us. Thank you, Jesus.

[0:52] Thank you. In 1 Samuel chapter 10 verse 3.

[1:04] This is just opening comments. I pray it doesn't take too much of my time. Let's move for verse 2. Verse 2 says that when you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel's tomb.

[1:21] There's a prophet after he anointed Saul. He said, when you depart from me, things actually that change your life gets initiated in church in the presence of God.

[1:36] But it gets actualized outside. So your testimony expects to hear testimonies after you have left. Amen. When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelza.

[1:56] And they will say to you, the donkeys that you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you.

[2:11] Say, what shall I do about my son? Now these are events that have happened back home. Your father sent you. You haven't returned. Your father's sending you was God drawing you.

[2:24] Now God has found you for what he wanted to do with you. Your mother said, I'm happy that now you've stopped the staff you are going to church. But then now he's worried that you are going to church too much.

[2:37] Because she just wanted you to be in church to stay out of trouble. But God didn't want you to be in church to stay out of trouble. He wanted you in church so he can fulfill his plan in your life. So you are praying that your husband will start going to church.

[2:50] Now you are complaining he's going to church too much because every time he's doing church. Because actually that's why God got him to church. Your objective was that he will not be a bad man. God's objective is that he will be his man.

[3:05] So the dynamics have changed. And every time, any time you try to go further into God, family members will start having concerns. Because they always have a vision for your life.

[3:22] Very soon God is going to send you out on missions. Going to go on missions. And then when you are ready to go, it is your family members who care very much about you.

[3:33] It's not because they don't care, they don't want you to obey God. Because where you are going and the step you are taking, they haven't seen where it's going to lead to. Like Abraham, God said, leave your mother's house and your father's house.

[3:46] Leave your people and go. Where? I don't know. Just go. Where should I go? But Abraham trusted God enough. So Hebrews chapter 11 verse 8 said, he went not knowing where he was going.

[3:58] Hey, this is serious. Abraham, I thought you are a bit intelligent. But Abraham obeyed. And he went out not knowing where he was going. When God has a big assignment for you, he won't give you the details.

[4:15] He will just show you a glimpse of where. So Bible says that, verse 12. Abraham, no, no, sorry. Verse 10. Abraham dwelt in tents for, start from verse 9.

[4:29] By faith, verse 9. By faith, Abraham dwelt in the land of promise as a foreigner. Even though he was in the land of promise, he behaved like a foreigner. He behaved like he was an immigrant.

[4:41] Dwelling in tents. He didn't build a house. Why won't you build a house? You've got into the promised land now. That's where God promised. I know I'm in the promised land. But I can't dwell in the house. He dwelt in tents.

[4:52] And Isaac, he taught Isaac to do the same. He taught Jacob to do the same. Why? They are the heirs of promise, same promise. But he taught them. This promise is not based on material structure.

[5:04] Look at the next verse. For he waited for a city which had foundation, whose builder and maker was God. So even though, watch this, he didn't know where he was going.

[5:17] In his spirit, he had seen somewhere. And until he arrived, even though physically he arrived at a place called promised land, he still knew this is in it. This is not it.

[5:30] In verse 24, Bible says that Moses, when he became of age, he refused to be called son of Pharaoh's daughter of 25, choosing rather affliction with the people of God than the enjoyment of passing pleasures of sin.

[5:50] I calm down on this matter. Who told you sin is not sweet? Let's stop the hypocrisy.

[6:06] Sin can be so sweet, you don't want to stop it. That's it. That's it. That's it. Very sweet. So people who don't have God, they say, excuse me, don't tell me all this nonsense God.

[6:18] I want to enjoy my life. Sin has pleasure. No, sorry, not pleasure. Pleasures. Oh, man. One night you can do a lot of things.

[6:28] One night. One night. Only one night. You can do a lot of things. You can smoke.

[6:39] You can drink. You can kiss. Eat. You can kiss. You can watch. You can dance.

[6:54] Only one night. Meanwhile, just one dancing can be so nice for the man to be watching. Even the one on the phone is good enough.

[7:05] How much more? So there's so many things you can do. And someone is also sitting in church telling you that you can be enjoying your life. Excuse me. Excuse me. I'm telling you, sin is sweet. It's sweet.

[7:18] Let's stop the hypocrisy. By nature, your tongue likes sweet things. Yes. Bitter things you don't like. So medication that is bitter must be sugar-coated.

[7:31] Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Encapsulated in sugar so that you can enjoy it, but it will still go inside you. Yes. By nature, your tongue is made to like sweet things.

[7:44] Pleasures of sin. Pleasures of sin. We are all struggling with something that is so pleasurable, but the end result is so bitter. Yes. And if you don't grow up quickly to sort it out, it can mess your future.

[8:00] And it can mess your potential in God. Yes. And no one will suffer with you. Yes. So a wise man called Moses, verse 25 of Hebrews chapter 6.

[8:12] Sorry, Hebrews chapter 11. He said, Bible says that he chose rather to suffer afflictions with who? The people of God. You can't do it alone. If you belong to the people, be part of them.

[8:24] Let's suffer together. Let's suffer together. Walking away from the pleasures of sin. Pleasures of sin. Let's suffer together. You are not alone. We all like it too. We all like it.

[8:35] I'm telling you. Yes. We all like it. Yes. If you pursue pleasure, it will hurt you. Yes. No sensible person lives for pleasure.

[8:46] No. Living for pleasures. You have a child, I hope you are living for pleasures. So when you are young, you think it's about fun. Until you grow up and realize you have made so many mistakes.

[8:58] When you should be learning, you are having fun. Yes. And so you have fun out, there is out of your life. By the time you grow. That's why it's always in the interest of people who are growing to have people who instill and enforce boundaries on them.

[9:17] Yeah. Other than that, you won't eat proper food. You'll just eat ice creams, toffees, and chocolates, and you'll kill yourself. Yeah. It's sweet. Moses. Well, Moses.

[9:31] Moses, when he was of age. Okay. Babies, you have to dictate and try and make decisions for them. So sometimes, as a pastor, I try to make decisions for baby Christians who I can tell they genuinely want to do well.

[9:50] But when people are of age, you have to let them make the choice. Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

[10:00] He said, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people. That is so crucial. if you take away people of God you can never be a man of God or a person of God being of God must always be in the context of a corporate community because God never uses one man God never uses one man He can use you but within a context Jesus couldn't even be alone as soon as He started ministry He had to get 12 people to be with Him and when He sent them out He sent them in twos separate unto me Barnabas and Saul eventually Saul was doing a load but even that Timothy was with him Silas was with him so if church people annoy you quickly I'm very worried about your spiritual future you will never do well spiritually if you find church people annoying and boring especially people you can tell have a genuine heart for God

[11:11] I feel sorry for your spiritual future wow well Moses let's look at the next verse because that's why I came here now he's talking about 10 minutes a month the next verse says he esteemed the reproach of Christ you know what reproach is?

[11:32] shame kind of they are laughing at you they are ridiculing you he esteemed Moses he grew up in the palace he esteemed ridicules for the name of Christ greater than the riches and the treasures of Egypt those days Egypt was more powerful than America yeah yeah yeah I mean modern day America yeah yeah in our modern times Egypt was by far more powerful than America yeah and so the treasures and he grew up in the palace they don't vote you into power you are you are you are you are to the throne Moses and Bible says that Moses considered shame for Christ has he ever seen Christ?

[12:14] had he ever seen Christ? so when God called them I'm trying to tell you when God called Abraham even though he didn't give him a road map Abraham had a sense of where he was going in the future he could see it and his future was Christ Abraham saw Christ ahead so Jesus said to the Jews in John chapter 6 I think verse 58 56 57 58 somewhere there from 54 he says that Abraham saw my days and was glad and he said are you older than Abraham?

[12:46] how dare you say Abraham? you are not yet 50 years old and you are saying Abraham saw your days and Jesus said oh before Abraham I am I have always been around John chapter 6 verse 54 55 56 57 Jesus said Abraham 54 Jesus if I honor myself my honor is nothing it is my father who honors me of whom you say he is your God the one you are saying is your God is the one who is honoring me the next verse yes you have not known him but I know him and if I say I do not know him I shall be a liar like you guys but I do but I do know him and keep his word go to the next verse your father Abraham rejoiced to see my days and what?

[13:42] and he saw it and what's that? he was Abraham's source of joy was because of what he had seen ahead he saw it that's why he couldn't build permanent structures in the promised land he dwelt in tents because he was looking for something he had seen in his spirit now Moses also was called and he left he abandoned the palace the best place in the world he abandoned it and it's different if you abandon it and you just go your way he abandoned he abandoned that watch this he abandoned that for reproach shame for Christ it's different if shame will not come but shame was coming and yet he abandoned glory for shame why would somebody do that?

[14:37] why would somebody walk away from this wealthy guy? he has everything he's big he has money he'll buy houses for you and your family he'll walk away from that so you can keep your Christian testimony hallelujah so you know God has called you to do ministry so you can be able to do God's work that's what Moses did put you on the screen verse 26 he says that esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt for oh he looked to the reward verse 27 watch this by faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king for he endured as one as seeing him who he was he saw what was invisible wow so you you may be insulting Moses but he has seen something that's what happened to Abraham now I brought all this scripture just to show you Abraham went seeing something even though God didn't give him the details he didn't know where he was going but he had seen somewhere in his spirit

[15:42] Moses left he had seen Christ he had seen him who was invisible so God will always drop something in your heart first a sense of where he's taking you to so that that becomes that's what gives you the audacity to go through what you are going through other than that you abort the process because when troubles come when setback come you begin to talk like Job's wife Job's wife says that curse God and die I think it's Job chapter 1 verse 11 or so or 2 verse 11 he said curse God and die the pain was too much the woman came and said curse God and die then his wife 2 verse 9 his wife said to him do you still hold fast to your integrity curse God and die you are suffering too much do you know why she said that because when he dies she can marry again yeah yeah yeah it's interesting how women can naturally be gravitated towards comfort yeah your wife cares a lot about her comfort so those of you who are not working brothers and you are planning to marry a very powerful woman please go get a powerful job because your wife will always be angry and she will frown you don't know why yeah you don't know why it's because she can't stand the discomfort you have put her and the children in because she's not used to this kind of struggle that's why those of you young men who want to do ministry be careful don't choose a woman with a taste because if her taste is high ministry will teach you how to obey first and she must wear a certain type of shoe only certain class of shoes and in ministry you won't be able to even afford 50 pounds when you start and usually the time frame is indefinite so it's not like only for one year no if it's for one year we can manage but sometimes for 10 years it's still the same condition and then she will see her other contemporaries her colleagues are doing well and she's wondering why why has God called you why are you doing this thing

[18:13] I didn't marry a pastor anyway I'm just telling you by experience not my experience because I chose right we have been through all kinds of stuff we've been through thin and thick and this woman has stood in fact for a long time for more than five years she was the one paying the rent her salary was paying the rent for me too she was working in Lambeth international house and the mortgage goes directly from her account so we don't discuss it it's not negotiable yeah can you imagine you go for this one who can't take pain every time there must be guaranteed food guaranteed cars guaranteed rent you want to do ministry can be very unpredictable ministry is too unpredictable to do it for security ministry is too criticized to do it for fame ministry is too demanding to do it for pleasure

[19:31] I don't know what grandma saw because this morning she told me your work is hard I can tell you I don't know because I think she came downstairs and the way I was lying there I don't know I wanted to ask you because she said she came and went back you weren't lying down I wasn't lying down I was what I was I knelt down I was praying and then in the prayer mood I've moved into a trance a trance and I was still wearing my jacket from last night's service everything everything only my shoe and I still in the States believe in God for this morning I can't go and rest when this morning is coming see the people God have to call out it comes at a cost Agbishop told us years ago if you marry you don't marry any morning when it's time

[20:33] God will tell you wake up to pray as soon as it's 5.30 your wife will leave her leg and put it on you that's where she wants comfort and how can you take your wife's leg off you there's going to be problem I put my leg on you take my leg off I'm telling you it's a problem the whole day there will be war no week it can be months yes Agbishop told us see when you are young it's good to listen to people ahead so when you are choosing you have to choose sensitively and those of you who have chosen already start educating your wife that I want to do God's work it's going to bring pressure on us it's going to every time sometimes

[21:34] I'll come home late because we are going on evangelism but my birthday every time my birthday I'll be out we are doing crusade we are doing something you have to start grooming them my little girl every time I'm going for prayer daddy where are you going again do you have to go again I said yeah but you also went to school he said yes so it's my turn I have to go I mean anyway it's for ministers so I'll leave that let's move on today can you imagine do you know I've not started my preaching alright we have to hear from God some of you already heard from God they are hearing from God especially if you are a wife and you want your husband to do God's work remember it's going to be a big sacrifice on you it's going to be a big the man is going to sacrifice but you will feel it more so always respect people whose husbands women whose husbands are doing

[22:39] God's work it comes at the highest and the men can sometimes be so shattered because human beings can be mean when you open all your heart to them you love them and after you love them they stop you you can't be a good pastor if you don't know how to bleed you'll be bleeding many pastors stabs on their back they are bleeding because they thought this one is someone I can vouch for and I can open up and trust and you see situations I don't know why I'm going to this but can I yes when you are a pastor it's a very complex thing because people will teach you so much lesson if you are not careful you block your heart but you can't help people when you block your heart against them it's a very complex thing so you are dealing with people and yet you want to open up but you are afraid so some people when they come to you you have to just be quiet listen to them when they finish say amen let's pray you have to say no comment because in their day when they want to attack you they will twist what you said hey

[24:04] I've seen a lot of that but the quagmire of the work is you have to open your heart and trust people don't treat everybody like a suspect but human being will force you to begin to suspect everybody some girls understand what I'm talking about every man who comes to your life is a suspect and with all this you go home and sometimes it's your wife who have to bear the brand most times my wife is left with a shattered tired man after fastings like this every evening sometimes when I go home you see the body when the Holy Ghost is moving it's exciting but afterwards when you settle you realize that what if that is the time my wife also needs my affection and cuddling forget it girl forget it

[25:06] I can't do it I can't do it I can't I can't be rubbing your back or you are having I can't massage you I'm tired my energy I've been laying I'm tired I can't do it and for a whole week a whole month sometimes can't continue so can imagine if you marry a woman who does not give up her right for God's job people's destinies will be at stake because of your wife God God has made women in such a way if you don't have a wife sometimes when you have a wife she will help you to tone down and build a future for the house so when it's not a good wife you say let's always let's go and buy pizza every evening buy pizza you spend all your money on pizza or lasagna from

[26:06] Tesco lasagna why wife will say you know what you want us to you say oh honey I think we should go for holiday in Honolulu I think let's just go to Birmingham because let's save money to buy your wife will tell you that no don't let us change our car because the children are coming now I'm pregnant with a third child let's let's not change our car it can drive and let's rather prepare for the children you know a good wife so that is what God has given to wives to keep help the men to focus on building a security system around your family a wife can help you to do that but if you don't have a wife you will just be having fun by the time you realize all your friends have left you when you are down to nothing they have left you and you realize you didn't have friends and sometimes your wife will tell you

[27:10] I told you so guys you need a wife I don't know why I keep going to this thing all right now I have to run up not again let me just let me just so I'm just trying to I quoted those scriptures and my main scripture when you lead me in first summer as you go you'll see some men and they will tell you the donkey has been found that's what took me off the donkey had been found and all that all right now he met the men the men didn't know he was coming it wasn't like they were angels they were not they were going about their normal business but on that faithful day there was a divine orchestration in the same way in 2nd Samuel chapter sorry 2nd Kings chapter 7 Bible talks about the word of the

[28:10] Lord came through Elijah and said tomorrow morning by this time food would be cheap at the time when people were even selling droppings of cows cow dung was for sale at the time of Elijah they were eating the droppings raw then Elijah comes and he says to the king that that saith the Lord hear the word of the Lord that saith the Lord tomorrow about this time a share of fine flour shall be sold for a shake it's like we can't find food and now you are coming to tell us a whole burger McDonald's big extra big mac the meal will be sold for 50p 20p whilst for so long even a small egg from McDonald's you can't get 20 pounds can't buy it then you say overnight so rationally speaking humanly speaking it was nonsense so the chancellor of the exchequer said listen even if

[29:16] God opens windows this cannot happen it can't stop the rubbish and the prophet said oh okay you are doubting my ways it's going to happen but you will not eat it you will not enjoy it but this is not my message the main preaching the point here is that verse 4 look at verse 4 it says that let's start from verse 3 I think it will make sense now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate and they said one to another why are we sitting here until we die if we go to the city there's famine we die if we go to the enemies who have the city they may kill us or we have a possibility of living so out of two evils let's choose the lesser one the city there's famine and everybody's dying and we are waiting for handouts in other words for donations when they've left overs and they don't even have some to eat let alone for us to have leftover so if we go there there's no hope but if we go to the decision came at the time when

[30:28] God had spoken that tomorrow and Bible says when they were going as they went the enemies had come so they thought Israelites have hired themselves they were afraid for they ran and left everything the lepers got they said wow they started eating wearing gold and they said why do we do this because people are dying in the city they were wearing they said why do we do this when people are dying in the city we have enough let's go and hide some and when we finish let's go and call people that there is food so they went and called the people from the city people were rushing now do you think it's by coincidence that why didn't they go the day before it would have happened so life is not a game of chance why have you left your life for chance you may live the rest of your life or you may end your life in regret because life is not a game of chance when someone drives a car off the road and is killing people listen it's not everybody who can be there at that material moment destiny cannot permit it who told you you die by accident if you live your life to chances you will regret it so what

[32:05] I'm trying to say is that most of us are waiting to hear a voice from outside most of the time God doesn't speak to you from outside I live in the house with my wife if I want to speak to my wife why do I have to use a phone why do I have to use the mobile phone and we are in the living room and begin to call and I don't have reception yet I go and start another place of the room it's the food is in the kitchen why will God go outside of you to speak from outside when he's already inside you 1st Corinthians chapter 6 verse 17 is a serious text I quoted yesterday he said for he whoever but he who is joined to the

[33:05] Lord let's already from the screen very loud let's go I thought you could have read louder than this let's try it again let's go can I hear the men please can I hear the ladies always better can you imagine a world without women it should not be worth living shall we already let's go before I even do that you see this Bible see this is leather actual calf skin leather so this leather is my birthday gift this leather what did you say it's a dinosaur this leather watch this it's leather and that's paper but they've joined them together it's one book when I say bring me the

[34:37] Bible you're not going to bring the paper you're not going to bring the leather you bring this whole thing he you that's you that's Jesus spiritually he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit this is very important many Christians don't know this so if you are born again if you are born again in your spirit man you and Christ or the spirit of God are intertwined it's inseparable that's how the Bible says that but we have the mind of Christ first Corinthians chapter 2 verse 16 he said but we have the mind of Christ how does that mean it occurs in your inner man Colossians chapter 3 verse 10 thank you Colossians chapter 3 verse 10 and have put on the new man everybody say new man say new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created so you see you are not all that we see there is a new man inside you it's called another word for it is your inner man when you are born again is the inner man if anyone 2nd

[36:04] Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 if any man be in Christ he is a new creation he is he is he is talking about your inner man because your skin color doesn't change your hair texture doesn't change your eyes balls don't change your eye color does not change your dental structure doesn't change your appetites really natural appetites don't even change so when you become born again nothing really changes about your exterior or your physical body what changes is in your spirit all the work happens in your spirit then from your spirit it begins to affect your soul and your body depending on how you walk with God and comply with his spirit but the truth is that when you get born again your spirit is anew and your spirit is perfect in fact according to

[37:05] Hebrews chapter 10 verse 10 and verse 14 Hebrews 10 verse 10 says that by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all we were sanctified how many times once and for all so your spirit doesn't need to be sanctified again look at verse 14 I like the verse 14 it said for by one offering Jesus has perfected that key word perfected forever those who are being sanctified your spirit is perfect and so if God is going to deal with you he deals with you from your spirit from your spirit not your mind and then so if God has a way of putting an idea in your mind how first of all drops it in your spirit and it comes into your mind so I'm going somewhere now so when you are born again that it is actually

[38:08] God who dropped it to you so those of you keep saying I want to hear from God I want to hear from God he's always speaking but you're just not listening and so your spirit is perfect in fact this scripture is even scarier he says that you know all things can't imagine you a believer you know all things because the spirit of God the spirit teaches you all things 1st John chapter 2 verse 20 we know all things but we have an an an an an an an an an an an an an an an an an an an an an an an an a Even the questions that I was asked in the exam, I failed.

[39:10] How can you say I know all things? My neighbor mentioned her name to me recently, the new neighbor, and the next day I forgot. Pastor, how can you say I know all things?

[39:22] I remember my cousin's birthday. I forgot the date. How can you say I know all things? You don't know all things.

[39:34] So how can you? No, it's not in your mind. It's in your spirit. It says the unction, talking about the Holy Spirit anointing, it's inside you and you know all things.

[39:46] That's how sometimes when you are born again and the word of God is being really taught, your spirit bears witness. Because the Holy Spirit works with our spirits. God can't bypass your spirit and deal with just your mind, your soul.

[40:05] I'm just trying to teach somebody the means through which God speaks. But most of us, if you are not careful, you will miss many important turnings in life because you didn't learn how to listen to God.

[40:19] And if you miss turnings in life, Satan will be having a failed day in your life. Or you are missing God's direction. Can you imagine you are traveling somewhere and the satan half is telling you to turn right?

[40:32] And you say no. And there are times, how many of you know that there are times your satan half will not say anything? After ignoring it? No, no, no, not after ignoring it. No, no, no, not the GPS.

[40:45] Everything is intact. But when you are on the motorway, if you don't need to turn right, there are times you won't say anything. Just keep going. If you haven't heard anything, keep going. Okay.

[40:58] Just keep going. Okay. When I saw Pastor Awu and I was interested in her, I prayed about it. Yes.

[41:09] I told you I prayed about another lady. She was also in our church. I prayed and the Lord said no. I prayed about it. God was not saying anything. And I said, oh God, I like this one.

[41:19] He didn't say anything. I had peace in my spirit. And then we started talking more. And the talking was getting better and better. And everything was flowing. Circumstantial evidences were just flowing.

[41:31] And I realized that. And so I did not have any resistance in my spirit. But I didn't hear, son, this is your wife.

[41:41] Thou shall marry her. Seven ways to choose a wife. Forget all those things. Learn how to walk with God by listening to him.

[41:53] Yeah. Learn how to listen to God. If you are born again, if you are a Christian, listening to God is part of being a Christian. Yeah. You can say, oh, but me, Pastor Aviv, you see, I'm not, oh, you see, all those people who have purported themselves as prophets, they can tell you, see.

[42:12] Anyone who predicts the future without the word of God inside him is a soothsayer. That's it. That's it. About anything he says, he comes to pass.

[42:24] That's a child talk. Yeah. The fact that he comes to pass doesn't mean it's of God. Moses commanded, Moses wrote 10 into snakes. The magicians wrote 10 into snakes.

[42:34] What is that? Yeah. Magicians or pharaohs wrote? So, that's the only way, only thing where the charismatic believers sometimes go veer off. Yeah.

[42:45] Because we use it as working as a yardstick. Yes. What works shouldn't be a yardstick. Yeah. The word should be the yardstick. Hallelujah. Of what we endorse.

[42:56] Yeah. It's very important. Okay. I'm running up. It should be a yardstick. Do you understand what I'm saying? Yes. The word. The word. There are so many soothsayers in puppets.

[43:09] And they say irresponsible things like, but it's not everybody who can preach. The puppet is for preaching. Oh, indeed. That's it. My God. Oh, no. But God has given me a word, a special word.

[43:20] When it's, you pastor, but when you say, God says you pray for somebody. Yes. But that's not my main job. No. My main job is this. That's what the puppet of church is for.

[43:31] God deserves the right to be heard. Yes. Yes. You can't hear God with a closed book. If the Bible is closed, God has been muted. We need pastors who open the Bible.

[43:44] Yes. Yes. And tell us this is what the Bible is saying. Then we are hearing from God. Oh. School of parents. That's it.

[43:55] These things are so crucial. Now, as I run up, Jesus Christ needs and wants us to hear him.

[44:07] This is how he puts it. In John chapter 10, verse 27, he said, my sheep know my voice. And I know my sheep.

[44:19] How come you are a sheep and you don't know his voice? And you are saying, I mean, I know. No, no, no, no. Excuse me. If you are a sheep. He said, my sheep hear my voice.

[44:30] How come you say you can't hear his voice? Because being born again automatically gives you the installation to hear God's voice.

[44:42] Because God will always speak. That's why I said, if you can't hear God's voice, you will marry the wrong person.

[44:55] If you can't hear God's voice, you will relocate and go and live in the wrong area. If you can't hear God's voice, you will embark on the wrong holiday. If you can't hear God's voice, you will sign the wrong deal and the wrong contract.

[45:12] But pastor, I really want, where it's in the Bible, it says that this is the contract you should sign. That's why I'm teaching this. I'll show you where the Bible tells you who you should marry and which contract you should sign and which car you should buy.

[45:25] Whether you should buy a Punto or Mercedes. I'll show you. Pastor, I'll be glad to know. I'll show you where the Bible, where God says, whether you should go to work by train or by bus.

[45:40] How about that? Would you like to know that? It's simple. Compare the meerkat.com. Simple. Bible says that for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

[45:55] Romans chapter 8, verse 16. Verse 14 says that. Look at verse 14. Verse 14 says that as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

[46:06] Number 16 says that the Spirit itself. Okay. This is where King James gets it wrong. The translators, it should be himself. All right.

[46:17] New King James. The Spirit himself. bears witness where? With our spirit. That we are the children of God.

[46:27] So, there is an internal witness. Those of you who are waiting to hear an audible voice, you may wait for a long time. Sometimes, in extreme situations, God uses it back.

[46:40] It's hardly done when he has a relationship with you. Because, coming back to the point I was making, he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.

[46:51] Now, if you are one spirit with him, in your spirit, then he doesn't speak from outside. But, yesterday, as I said, the issue is, watch this.

[47:03] This is good. Somebody gave a, shared a testimony, and he said, yeah, you. Yeah. Did you tell me your head was bashing?

[47:15] She fell and injured herself. She injured herself, and I think, during the preaching or the prayer, I don't know what time, I went and laid my hands on her.

[47:27] Ah. Do you know why I laid my hands on her? Because I normally do that. So, I could have laid, but I just felt like this. I just felt like. But, because my spirit is one.

[47:42] With the spirit of God, I would think it's me. But, it's actually him. So, there are times, God will be speaking to you, you think it's your own mind.

[47:55] Yeah. My own mind is feeling, maybe I should sow a seed. I don't know. Maybe God is speaking to you. You think it's your own mind, because he's so one with your spirit, that sometimes you are confused.

[48:06] Is it me or something else? Is it me or from him? Is it me or from him? Now, when you have, but when you feel, some guys will go to a certain woman and say, the Lord said you are my wife.

[48:17] And he means it. Is it true? The Lord said you are my wife. Maybe he means it. He actually feels the leading of the spirit in his inner man. But, there is a problem.

[48:28] Your soul can also lead you. Because the Lord is so one with your spirit. If you are not careful, you won't be able to tell, is it me or the spirit? Is it just me? Because it's so one with you.

[48:41] That is why it's risky to travel your spiritual journey without enough word of God inside you. Because Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12 said the word of God is living.

[48:52] It's active. Oh, I feel like preaching. Hallelujah. He said the word of God is living. This is a book that contains the perfect word of God.

[49:08] You take this away and bent it. You haven't bent the word of God. You put it on the ground and sit on it. You haven't sat on the word of God.

[49:20] You have sat on the Bible. It contains the pure written word of God. If you are sick and you put this on your head, it's not the word of God you have put on your head.

[49:33] It will heal you. It will heal you. Get it.

[49:45] Enter you. Then it becomes the word inside you. So just the paper is not the word. There are people who have used this to wrap peanuts.

[49:58] They have taken it. They needed something for biscuits to give to their friend. Say, okay, let me just. I think I don't use this page. Now, the problem is that most of us feel very, that's why I'm careful.

[50:17] Because in missiology, missionary work, you have to be sensitive to cultures. Some people, you're cultured. No one puts the Bible down. It's an offense. If you go to Dubai or Arab world, and there are Christians there.

[50:35] Let's say there are Christians in Iraq. You are going to preach to them. And as I will preach, you put your Bible down and you put your teacup down. You will offend most of them. Because in their culture, you don't put holy book on the floor.

[50:49] In their culture. You don't put. It's sacrilege. And so you have to be sensitive to your audience. But really, when you put it down, it doesn't matter. Me, I won't put it down because the Bible itself is very special to me, so I won't put it on the floor.

[51:04] But it is not a sin against God because it's not His word. You can step on it, and it's not His word you have stepped on. Unless in tension you say, I want to spite God.

[51:16] You see, that is not more than the book you are trying to do. It's a statement you are making in the spirit. Those words are different. Do you understand that? So what I'm trying to tell you is that this thing remains a book until what is inside jumps out into you.

[51:32] Then it becomes God's word. And that's how God speaks to you. Now watch this. He said, the word of God, Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12, the word of God is living and is powerful and is sharper than any two-edged sword.

[51:49] Watch what it does. piercing even to the dividing of the soul and the spirit. That's where we can do it. Sometimes you can't separate your soul from you.

[52:00] Is it me? Or it's just me? Is it the way I like my things? Or it's actually the spirit of God telling me? You can't separate the two. That's when you need a knife. When this word is inside you, because watch this, the Holy Ghost, watch this, the Holy Ghost produced this.

[52:20] If it is of him and you are in touch with this, instantly it's very easy to be able to tell, that's the Holy Ghost telling me. If it's not the Holy Ghost, so how do you know that that car, that's the car you should buy?

[52:31] If the word of God is strong inside you and you are in prayer for, next week or tomorrow, from tomorrow, I'm going to be talking about tongues.

[52:42] The place of speaking in tongues and hearing God's voice. When you speak in tongues, you activate something.

[52:55] But until then, when the word of God, you can easily know what decision to make. You have an interview. They said, we want to offer you chief executive position or a business manager position or go to another branch.

[53:11] We want to give you a branch to district director. Which one do you want? But that branch is in Birmingham. No, Manchester. But it looks, so you are not sure or which uni.

[53:21] Oxford has given you a place. Cambridge has given you a place. Which one do you choose for your child? It must be a matter of prayer. Because your classmates, your children's classmates can significantly, influence their future.

[53:32] Even if they don't influence their future, they may need them tomorrow in future. Some of you, the job you are doing is because of who your classmates used to be. Your classmates have become big, so it's connected you.

[53:43] So, so, so, how would you choose Oxford or Cambridge? Because Yale has given my son an offer. Where do I go? God. God can speak to you easily.

[53:54] Because life is not a game of chance. How do you hear from God in this matter? But I have the word of God that is nowhere in the way that I go to Cambridge. I can't see it there. So, pastor, how do I hear God from, how do I know that this lady is the one I should marry?

[54:08] Or this man is the one I should marry? How do I know? I want to know. I want to know. That's what I'm telling you. It starts with God's word because God will not tell you point, three point, third point, if the first point he told you you are not listening.

[54:21] Now, the word said that trust in the Lord with all your mind and lead not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledging and he will direct your partner.

[54:32] the word says that but the word doesn't tell you which school. So, if you choose to trust in the Lord based on what the word has said, you are exposing yourself for what the word has said to start beginning to be fulfilled.

[54:45] So, you'll be making decisions and God is actually leading you because you have, the word says trust so you are trapped. Are you getting it? It takes the word of God to know what God wants you to do.

[55:00] The word. Through the spirit man. I will go on the spirit a little bit later. Not today. because I have to stop now.

[55:12] You need the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is resident in you. How do you activate the spirit? How do you walk with the spirit? How do you keep listening to the spirit? And some, some, uh, spiritual leaders have made it like, they've made it like, they are special.

[55:30] It's exclusive privilege of the spiritual leader to be, no wonder you keep fighting. Yeah. Because when the word is coming, you are not receiving it. So, spiritual leaders have made it, it's like, excuse me, I can hear from God and speak to you.

[55:48] I can hear from God. Listen, all those things, hearing from God is a basic right of a Christian. Yes. It's so basic. Yes. That, that shouldn't determine whether you are a man of God or not.

[55:59] Wow. Okay. Wow. What determines you are a man of God or not is how much you are mighty in scriptures. Wow. and how much the scriptures is in you, you are obeying and you are walking with God and you are paying the price for grace to pass through you to change others' lives.

[56:18] Amen. Fundamentally based on God's word that is in you. So, what I'm trying to say is that every believer can, should, and must always hear from God.

[56:32] Hearing from God will not come from your tympanic membrane. You will hear it from outside. He speaks to us through visions, through dreams, all those things that may touch on them briefly because they are no key.

[56:44] How many times will you dream and God is talking to you? But from the time you left home and you're coming, he can be talking to you. As you are sitting here, he's talking to you. Are you dreaming? Are you seeing visions? No. But he keeps talking to you. So, if you are waiting to sleep before he talks to you, it may never happen.

[56:57] So, dreams, check the Bible. How many people were spoken to through dreams? God uses that. He uses angels. That's even worse. If you are waiting for angels, you may be in trouble.

[57:08] You may end up being a Mohammed. So, he uses angels. He uses, Joseph Smith. He uses angels. He uses preachers. And that, after the word, the Holy Spirit preaches.

[57:22] Very key. Preachers in whom the word of God dwells. Well, as they speak the word, you know, other things I spoke about marriage. Sanctified minds. I may say something, I may say I'm not preaching.

[57:33] But the Spirit of God, because he's so one with me, he's speaking and I'm rather meeting this. When I came with something prepared, but he is now taking over and he's speaking to me and speaking through me and I didn't even know.

[57:46] But he gets hindered when the focus is not on God's word and Christ. I'll pick that up maybe tomorrow.

[57:57] And these tongues things we must deal with it. Tomorrow, because this is the last week of the fasting. Some of you have not attended at all. Make sure you come as much as possible and let's zoom in because some, these last seven days, something must happen.

[58:13] Did you receive something today? Hallelujah. You want to pray and you want to pray and say, God, teach me to hear from you.

[58:30] Teach me. Help me. Help me. Help me to hear from you readily. Help me to avail myself to your word. Help me to get closer to you. Help me, Lord. Help me. Lift up your voice and pray that prayer simply, shortly.

[58:42] Let's pray that prayer. Lord, I want to get closer to you. I want to hear you more. I want to hear you more. You see, sometimes you hear, you know, you've heard so clearly. But the problem of some of us is there's so much business going on around you.

[58:56] So even when God is talking, there's other things talking to you. Too many. The phone is talking. Apps on your phone are talking. TV is talking. Radio is talking. Your friends are talking.

[59:07] Your mother is talking. Your father is talking. Your neighbors are talking. The government is talking. The newscasters are talking. Everything at the same time. So sometimes it draws the voice of God. You want to pray that God help me to eliminate distractions.

[59:21] Help me. Help me, oh Lord. Help me to allocate time to hear from you. Help me to give my attention to you to hear from you. Pray that prayer quickly, please. Let's pray that prayer right now.

[59:32] If it's your genuine prayer, if you want to hear from God, if you want God to direct you, if you want God to order your steps, if you don't hear from God, your flesh will speak to you.

[59:48] If you don't hear from God, Satan will speak to you. If you don't hear from God, the enemy will end up advising you. But you want to pray that, Lord, I don't want my feelings to speak to me. I don't want my flesh to speak to me.

[60:00] I don't want my own mind to be speaking to me. Lord, my mind speaks to me most of the time. My flesh speaks to me most of the time. Circumstances speak to me most of the time. I don't get to hear from you most of the time.

[60:13] Lord, I pray that I will hear from you most of the time. I pray that you help me to hear from you most of the time. I want to hear from you. I want to hear from you.

[60:24] I want to humble myself and hear from you. I want to hear from you. Pray that, Lord, I want to hear from you. God, I want to hear from you.

[60:35] And I promise that when you speak, I will obey. I promise that when you speak, I will obey. I promise. Say, tell God that I promise. Because if you are not willing to obey, he will not speak to you.

[60:47] But when you tell him that, Lord, I'm willing and I'm ready to comply. I'm ready to obey. It makes it easy for him to speak to you. Tell God that, Lord, speak to me. I'm ready to obey.

[60:58] I'm ready to obey when you speak. Some of you are ready. You are beginning to hear God. You are beginning to hear God in your spirit. I know it. I know it. It doesn't take long at all.

[61:09] It doesn't take long. When you want to hear from God, he will speak to you. When you want to hear from God, he will speak to you. Pray and tell him that, Lord, I want to hear from you.

[61:20] And I promise that I will obey. I will obey when you speak. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord Jesus. In Jesus' name.

[61:31] In Jesus' name. In Jesus' name. In Jesus' name. Father, we thank you for privilege to hear from you. Thank you.

[61:41] Thank you that we are your sheep. And we know your voice. And you know us. Thank you for choosing us. We did not choose you, but you chose us.

[61:54] We are willing to obey you. And work with you. In Jesus' name. We thank God for using his servant, Reverend Dr. David Entry, to share this awesome word.

[62:05] If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at caris.org. Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing with me at Caris.

[62:22] Stay blessed. Thank you. Thank you.