Speak, Lord, I am Listening - Pastor Will Roos

So we're going to talk about getting the voice of God.

Are you ready for this one today?

So I'm going to put it up there for us.

And so I'm really excited about this.

The title of today's message is Speak Lord, I'm.

Listening. And we get that.

Straight from the Word of God, I'm going to show you in the

story of Samuel this very powerful revelation.

So we're going to go right into that.

And so we're going to go into Samuel.

Now. Let me just put that up there

for us. So speak, Lord, I'm listening.

And so, yeah, that is really what we all need most.

Speak Lord, we need a word from God.

Come on, somebody, we need a word from the Lord.

We need to hear what God is saying.

God, we all need that. OK, Because the Bible says we do

not just live by bread alone, we don't just live by food, but we

live by every word. OK, so we need the word of God

because in the world we are living in right now, there is

just so many opinions everywhere.

Opinions, opinions everywhere. And listen, we don't need more

opinions, we need the word of. God.

We need the truth of the word of OK listen, that is the word of

God, because one word from God can do more than 1000 opinions.

Of the 1000 people. That's what the Word of God, one

word from God can do more and change and shift things more

than opinions. So we don't need more opinion.

We need the Word of God. The Word of God brings the

truth, the clarity, the direction that we need.

The Word of God brings healing, open doors that not man can come

up. Somebody, somebody say speak

Lord. Yeah.

That's what we need. We need the Word of God.

We need the truth of the word of the Lord, OK.

And so maybe today you've walked in and you feel a bit tired or

you feel pressure, family or relationship or finances, or

you've got some questions. I came to encourage you today.

I came to encourage somebody here today, OK?

Are you ready for this? Because you are one word away

from a breakthrough. One word.

I love those lyrics. When God speaks, the mountains

move. When God speaks, things shift,

things change. Breakthrough comes.

And so you are one word. God is speaking one word away

from breakthrough. Somebody shall breakthrough.

Yeah, we're going to see breakthrough.

Praise God. Glory be to God.

So Are you ready or you tired or you ready?

Go on. OK, everybody awake.

Everybody with me. OK, because I want you to really

be alert and awake for this one. I don't want you to miss.

I want your full attention. Grab all of this.

Word I really. Believe it's going to bring

breakthrough in your life. So stay with me.

Come on, say I'm. Awake, I'm alert, my ears are

open, My heart is ready to receive the Word of God.

Give God some praise. Hallelujah, somebody right?

So we're going to go to First Samuel chapter 3.

1 Samuel 3 · chapter mention

And I'm going to read there from first time of chapter 3.

I'm reading from this version here.

This is the amplified one. It comes first, Samuel.

I'll also put it up on the screen for us.

Oh, I love my new Bible. I just love it when you've got a

new Bible because you can start marking and you can just go for

it. It's just fresh.

I really believe it's a fresh word here today for us.

Are you ready for a fresh word and now word?

OK, now let's go there. First Samuel This is our main

text first Samuel chapter 3 verse 9.

1 Samuel 3:9

It says something, Eli said to Samuel.

Go lie down. And if he.

Calls you, you shall say speak, Lord.

Somebody say speak Lord. OK, because your servant is

listening. So, Samuel.

Went and lay down in his place. Father, we thank you for your

presence. Lord, I pray that you'll anoint

every year. Open every heart to receive.

Lord, I thank you that Your word is life and I pray that Your

word will bring life and come alive in the hearts of your

people. Lord, I pray that faith will

arise. Speak Lord, we are listening.

In Jesus mighty name somebody shall I may OK so the Bible

tells us about this young boy and his name is Samuel.

Now he's working in the temple, he's serving in the temple.

He's faithful. He's he's planted there and he's

serving and he's, he's showing up and he's, he's just there in

the temple and serving. And so he's doing the right

thing and he was available. But yes, the problem is that he

had not yet recognized the voice of.

God. So he's in the temple.

He's serving. Yes, he knew the temple.

Yes, he knew how to serve. He knew how to be faithful.

He knew. The routine OK, but he did not

know the. Voice of God.

He did not recognize that he was still learning the voice.

So even he knew the temple, even he was near the presence of God,

he still learned to hear the voice of God.

OK. And So what I love about.

This shift that we see easier. They get he's been in the temple

serving and all that. All of a sudden God's about to

shift him from just routine to revelation, from just helping in

the house to hearing in the house.

And that's the shift that we see him stepping really into the

prophetic as a prophet to the nation.

And so one night, while everything is quiet and it's

just, and he's silent, and God called his name.

And so Samuel heard God called his name, but he did not

recognize that he's God. So he ran into Eli and he said,

Eli, did you call me? And Eli said, no, I did not call

you. Go back.

And lie down. And so this was happened the

second time and it again and again God called his name and

here and he ran back to Eli over 3 three times.

The third time, Eli finally realized.

Hey, you know what? OK, this is the Lord.

This is finally realized. This must be the Lord calling

Samuel. And so Eli, he gives him this

amazing posture. This regular, he says.

Listen, when you go back and we laid out when God calls again,

then you say this, speak Lord, your servant is listening.

Now that is the. Heart of this message today

speak Lord. We are listening OK.

We are listening not. Speak Lord, we if it fits our

plan. Not as long as it is in line

with what I agree with or it fits in with my agenda or what I

have planned for my life, but rather a posture of I am

listening, I am ready to do your will.

What it is that you are saying? So what you are saying, I say

yes to come on. Somebody, not mine will be done,

but your will be done. So what is it that you are

saying? Well, and I'm not going to

debate and think about it and if it fits in with my program and

my. Schedule.

I'm going to be saying yes, Lord, whatever it is, if you say

that I need to do this and apply and go for that.

Direction, I say yes, Lord. And so that is the hard posture

that Samuel, what we see here, and from that moment, things

started shifting and changing in his life.

And I believe today he's your Samuel moment.

I believe God brought you to this place today, that this is.

Your moment of calling God is calling your name.

God is calling you and he's calling you.

And yes, you have been faithful. You have been showing up, you

have been serving, coming to the House of God, planted in the

House of God. And yes, now God is shifting us

and he's bringing you into a place of intimacy where you.

Hear the voice of God. Where you know the voice of God

in that deep inner place. Come on, can you say I made

somebody Hallelujah? And so God is speaking God.

It starts right in the 1st chapter of the Bible, Genesis

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1. The Bible says God sake, let

there be light. That's speaking right in the 1st

chapter of the Bible, God spoke and there was light.

OK, that's Genesis one verse 3. God sake, let there be light and

there was light. And so God, he didn't fight the

darkness. God don't need to fight the

darkness. He just spoke.

Darkness cannot resist the voice of God.

Oh my God, God, open his mouth. The moment he opened his mouth,

light showed up, and darkness. Had to flee so God just spoke.

A word and so darkness. When God speaks, darkness does

not argue. Does not negotiate or trying to

walk back and try and negotiate now when God speaks, light shows

up and. Darkness has to move now.

Hebrews one verse one says God who?

At various times and various spoke in time passed to the

Fathers by the prophets, as in these last days spoken to us by

His Son, whom is pointed heir of all things through, who must

invite the world to being the brightness of His glory and the

express image of His present person.

And upholding all things by the word of his power.

So that means Jesus upholds everything.

By his powerful word. The same word that creates and

everything in the beginning God said let there be light.

That same word is holding everything together in your

life, the very. Same word that God spoke.

And so that's the powerful Word of God.

So God's not silent. We see it all throughout the

Bible, from the book of Genesis all the way through to

Revelation. That God is speaking God.

God speaks to create. God speaks to create.

God speaks to a point. God speaks to call.

God speaks to heal and to restore.

So God speaks to call his people OK, to send people into purpose.

And so the good news is, I love the song that God's never

stopped. Speaking.

He's still speaking. He's still speaking today, so

he's never stopped. The same God who said let there

be light. He's still speaking light into

dark places, into difficult situations in our lives.

He's still speaking. OK.

And so that's why your situation.

Is not too complicated. Your problem is not too big,

it's not too difficult. So you are not stuck.

You are one word away from breakthrough.

One word, one word away from. Breakthrough one word from God.

I just love the very. Fact that when pizza was in the

butter, Jesus gave him one. Word.

Jesus didn't give him a long explanation, a long plan.

How do you walk on water? The science of walking on water.

None of that stuff he gave. One word, One word has got

enough power to kick Peter out of the.

Boat walking on water that. Word has got.

Enough power, one word from God. Jesus on the storm with his

disciples. The storm is riding one.

He's just like peace, be still. And the storm comes.

One word. Jesus stands at a dead tomb,

dead grave. Blast the dead for day.

In one word, Lazer come forth and he rises from the dead.

That's the power of a word from God.

And you are one word away from your breakthrough, because when

God speaks one word over your life, your life will never be

the same again. Somebody says speak Lord, I am

listening. Come on, give God some.

Praise now because that is what happens when God speaks.

Everything shifts and I remember growing up in South Africa, we

had a lot of load shedding and that's when the power shots, and

I mean the entire neighborhood or a city can just be out of.

Power. No power.

Those of you don't know you just like everything shuts down and

it's like there's no electricity, there's no power,

there's no Internet, no. Traffic signals and it's just

everything is like come to like a standstill.

Nothing's moving now. The infrastructure is still

there, but nothing's. Working.

And so, so that's how it can feel sometimes in life, that the

dream is still there, the promise is still there, the

calling is still there, but it feels like it's stuck.

It feels like nothing's moving. It feels dark, it feels silent.

But then you have this guy. He walks right into that control

room. That when the electric.

The power hub and without a debate or Aussie for another

report or this or that, all that that guy does, he flips one

switch and one switch the lights, the power comes on, the

entire city comes alive and everything starts moving.

That's how glass works, works. He flips one switch, He speaks

one word and everything, what was dead comes alive again.

Where this darkness comes lights again, mountains where things

shift around. When God speaks, it's like the

power flows again. That power comes back on again

when God speaks a word into your life, it just lets up

everything. And so you see, God doesn't need

a boardroom meeting. God doesn't need your fault.

It doesn't need to be fault today.

It's not a democracy. You don't fault God.

God does not need your fault. He does not need everyone's

agreement. God is God is boss.

Oh my, he's a great come on, God, just move in.

He just shut the table. His boss.

God is boss. God is king.

We don't fault him, mate. God doesn't need a boardroom

meeting. All he does spike one word, it

speaks one where it just shows up, speaks one word and

everything shifts. Everything changes.

Hallelujah. And that word that he speaks.

Matthew 4 Four We don't live just by McDonald's.

Yeah, we don't have just by. We live by every word.

That proceeds like how we go deeper proceeds out of the mouth

of God that. Word proceeds.

The preceding word of God means that God is constantly speaking.

Man shall not, but by every word, not one word a year ago.

And now word. And he says here, Matthew 4,

four man shall not live by bread, OK.

Or steak. OK, because I enjoy steak

anyway, so yeah. But.

We enjoy MacDonald, we enjoy our steaks and we enjoy that, but

that's that's temporary food, OK, we are talking about yet

says by every word that proceeds OK.

From the mouth of God, so proceed.

That's constantly goes for So God is not only the God who

spoke in the past, but he's the God who's still speaking in the

present right now. A now word, a preceding word, a

fresh word for your. Life.

So there is a fresh word for your Life, OK, for every season

of your life, a fresh word, and then for the season and the time

that you're in right now. Every day the Bible talks about

fresh God Give me my daily food, daily bread manner, fresh

manner, every day a fresh word from God.

So it's a now instruction that can shift everything because

that's how we. Live.

That's how God we receive his fresh proceeding.

Now, word for our lives, that's how we live.

OK, but the problem. Sometimes is that we try to

live. Today on yesterday's word we try

to live here on this, but yesterday's word that passes and

word that style breed. We need fresh bread for today.

A fresh. Now word for this moment.

Right now to give direction. Where am I going now?

God? What do you want me to do now?

A. Fresh word.

This is why this message is so. Important about hearing the

voice of God. God, do I apply for that job?

Do I do this? This is why this is so

important, this message. Now think about Abraham.

God gave him a word. God said.

Take your son magic. Offer him up as a sacrifice.

That's a word from God now, Abraham.

Goes and he says, but then God gave a fresh word and just

before he wanted to say stop, that's a fresh preceding word.

Now what if because the the. First word was like go sacrifice

yourself. Then the the fresh word is like

stop. So the first word.

Led him up to the mountain, and then he got another word.

And that word saved his son. So what if imagine now Abraham

would have held on. Stuck in the past?

Word in the past. Season where God says sacrifice

your sons, OfferUp your son Isaac.

And he would have stayed stuck in there.

What if he would have done that? He would have.

Missed the fresh preceding word to save his son.

That's why the preceding fresh now word is so important.

It's so much power in the now fresh word from God that brings

a shift in your life that changed things in your life.

OK, because there was the first word.

But if Abraham would have held on to the past word, he would

have missed. The now word.

The power of the preceding word. So don't proceed without a

preceding word. Before you make a decision,

listen. Oh.

I really especially for one people because I remember so

clearly, I said God show me inshallah, Maria.

Yes, Maria. Michelle, listen.

Because that word can save years of pain and frustration and

heartache. Years ago I was like God said,

don't get that Lady now, especially relationships.

That is a biggie. First, ask God.

Listen. God, do I apply for this job?

Listen. Carl, do I start this business?

Do I sign up? There's this party.

He's got investments. This.

Do I do it? Listen first, Oscar, this

friend, this relationship. God, do you want me to date this

person? Be in this relationship?

Listen before you proceed. First, get a preceding word.

A fresh word from God about the situation.

OK. Because you know when God

speaks, he interrupts our normal routine.

Lives OK. It's like when you put on the

news, this is not just a normal news broker.

This is breaking news. It comes on the picture, it says

breaking. What is break?

Breaking news means listen, every other programming can stop

right now. This is not normal.

This is not routine. This is breaking news, meaning

this is not news that happened last year.

This is breaking news that is happening right now.

That's like the word of God that comes right now like a now word

it. Interrupts your normal region

because some of us, we zip in our autopilot, same cycles, same

habits, same way of thinking, same routines.

But when the word of God comes it, it disrupts it interrupts

the normal way of living and gasp like go this way, go there,

go there and then. Afresh and word comes, he says.

Stop. Don't go this way.

You see where we have to follow what God is saying, OK, because

the past season word was go, but the fresh word being stopped.

And so in that moment, if you stay in the past season word.

You missed the present one now. I want to show you this verse

it's it's so easy to most the present one if you stay stuck

because the now words reported says here and Proverbs 3.

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart.

Lean not on your own understanding because the word

is high, and in all your ways acknowledge.

Him and he shall direct your past past.

OK now maybe you feel stuck in a past season.

Maybe you feel that you have missed the NOW word.

Let me just give you the good news.

God doesn't stop speaking because you've made a wrong

turn, because you've missed the turn, OK?

Your wrong decisions does not cancel your destiny, your

mistakes. It doesn't disqualify you.

OK, now have you ever been? Driving somewhere with the GPS

and you've missed. The turn now the GPS.

It doesn't panic. The GPS doesn't condemn you and

say, oh, that's it, You've ruined your whole journey.

No, the GPS simply says recalculating.

Yeah, that's what it's The GPS doesn't condemn you.

Oh, you've missed a turn. Oh, you.

No, he says, recalculate. That's what God does in our

lives. When you've missed a turn, God

recalculate. He recalculate you.

OK, because we see that here in the Scripture, Samuel.

God called Samuel, but he missed it.

God called him. He did not recognize.

That's God's voice. He went to Eli.

And so thank God did not give up on him.

God kept on calling again. Because God knows how to call

again. God knows how to get your.

Attention. God knows how to recalculate.

Recalculate you. Amen.

And redirect you he he's patient so he doesn't stop talking.

He keeps on speaking. God always keeps on speaking,

OK? And so he's still calling you.

He's still calling your name. So don't live and regret.

Get back into the word and get back into listening.

That place of listen. Amen.

And we are hard to say. Lord speak, I'm listening.

And so yes, maybe a year today and you have been asking God for

a word and you believe in God for direction.

You say God, what must I do in this situation?

Must I go for this business? Must I apply for this?

Must I marry that person? Must I go?

For that relationship, what do I do now?

What's amazing good news is Jesus gives us a very powerful

promise. In the book.

Of John, where he talks about because we are his sheep and

the. Shepherd, the Good Shepherd and

how he leads us, and he talks about how we can hear his.

Voice. What a promise, he says here in

verse 27. John 1027.

My sheep hear my voice. Hallelujah.

That's a powerful promise from the Word of God.

And I know them. And they will follow me.

So it means that you. Can hear God's voice.

You can hear God's in your everyday life, wherever you go,

in traffic, wherever you are, you can hear God's voice.

You can know God's voice. So you don't have to live

confused in this fallen world. You don't have to live unsure

about what is my next step, what is the next opportunity where

you don't have to live unsure because you know Him, you know

his voice, you belong to Him, and you follow Him.

The Shepherd who is still speaking, and what I love about

the Shepherd, where he's so reassuring, is the Shepherd

leads us besides the waters he leads us with.

The green pot. So he's going to get his best

interest. You are his best interest.

He loves you and he's going to lead you.

So you follow the Good Shepherd, good places, open doors, buy

that property and before you know it, that values increase

and crippled. Invest in that.

Come for that job and before you know it you get the promotion.

Apply for that. It's like that edge we have got

over the world. Come on, as children of God, you

have got an edge. Over other people, that is in

the world, over the unbelievers, we have got an edge and that is

this voice of God. He's our God.

It's better than you age, I'm telling you now, because Jesus

will always lead you into all truth.

He will lead you to the right pops.

OK, and the shepherd still speaks, so he leads you to

postures. So the only thing is, here's the

challenge. And the challenge, the problem

is there is sometimes there's interference.

And this interference is what I said earlier on, we called it

selective hearing. It's like Lord speak, but just

don't say that because. I like that relationship and I

want to date that person, but God says I don't want you to

date. Her.

And after school, I remember in college I learned this the hard

way, because God spoke to me so clearly and my voice said.

Don't date that girl. And sometimes we have selective

hearing. I'm like OK.

Lord. I I didn't really hear that one

because I don't want to hear that one because I want to.

I want to date the one that I wanted.

But I thank God I obeyed, and the moment when God spoke to me

so. And and I'll.

Explain to you how God speaks. God speaks in a still whisper.

That's how God speaks. I'll never forget it.

Early in the morning. I was up early in the morning.

God spoke to me. I was brand new in Joburg

Marvel, so I was I was on my job.

They just started the job, so I didn't know nobody in Joburg.

I'm from Pretoria and here I'm in this big city started and I'm

doing my job. God spoke to me in every word he

said. Find a church in this area.

And I was. Thinking, oh, there is a church,

but that's. More in Randburg so that's like

the picture and my mind's like, OK, well, that's you know, I can

go there. There's ladies, we can date

people. I can meet people there.

Let me go to the big church. But I want to mention the name

of the big church, but God specifically is photos.

But now find a church close to your area where you're working.

And I was blown away. I didn't even know that church

existed. I found it online and the moment

I walked into that church, it was as a small to not like the

big one. The moment I walked into that

church, that's where I saw Michelle on the stage.

And why did that voice say to me, there's your wife?

I thank God for this inner voice, the whisper of the Holy

Spirit, the Lord that speaks to us.

And then he's speaking to us. And so selective hearing.

But so it's not that God stopped speaking.

It's that we have. Stopped listening so the

question is not OK. God, are you still speaking?

The question is. Am I listening?

That's why this message is important, OK?

Because God, he's sharpening your hearing.

And so the voice of the shepherd will become clear again.

And so if God is speaking so why do we struggle sometimes?

To hear him. The problem is not God's voice,

the problem is the noise. And he says the book of Psalm

Psalms 46 · chapter mention

chapter 46, it says be still. And now that I am God, so now it

it does not say be too busy and distracted.

And now that he's God that's said be destroyed, he said be.

Still, and now that is God, I mean.

OK. And so stillness.

That creates us a space to hear. And so we are.

Living right now in the noisiest times in history.

Phones buzzing, social media everywhere.

You've got 24 hour. News OK, there's there's so many

channels and surrounded by noise.

OK, so many. Voices always somebody speaking

some opinions. They always opinions and

pressure and comparison and competing surrounding us.

And so if we are not careful. The noises can drown out the

voice that matters most. Too much noise, what is in your

ear because a lot of things are competing for your attention.

It's competing for your ear, especially these marketing.

These days, advertisements, everything, it's trying to catch

your attention and so sometimes. You know the enemy doesn't have

to destroy you. Sometimes all that he has to do

is distract you, because if he can fool you up with boys, then

he can keep you from hearing the one word, the word that will

bring a shift, the word that will bring power and change in

your life. So that is the strategy of the

enemy, if he can just distract you and keep you from hearing

that. Word when Jesus said to Peter,

come Lazarus, right? And that one word if the enemy

can keep you distracted. It's like trying to tune into a

radio station. Now the radio station, The thing

is, it's it's broadcasting, but if we're not tune into the right

frequency, it's. Just going to be aesthetic and

it's just. Noise, just static, you just

hear static. But the problem the it's the

radio station is broadcasting. So the the problem is not with

the radio station, it's just we got to tune the frequency.

That's why we have to tune it in the frequency because the the

the fear and that's why. With God when God speaks.

His voice OK, they can. Interference is from people's

opinions. Business fear.

Worry. Those distractions can bring

interference from hearing the voice of God and so you.

Got to tune in to the radio station to hear it clearly.

We got to tune into heaven. And so it's not that God has got

to speak louder, it is that we have got to turn the noise down.

That's what we we got to turn the fear down, turn the doubt

down, turn the past down, the past voices, the voices of the

past regret the mistakes turn. Eat down.

So before you listen to everybody else's opinion, first

listen to him. OK, So create that space.

In your day now for me, it's in the mornings, early in the

morning. Create that space in your day,

wherever it is I. Remember when I worked in

Bristol, I would be there a couple of hours earlier before

work. Yeah, you know what I'm talking

where I would sit in the car and I would spend time.

I would create that space. In your day where it's just you

and him and you have the conversation, there's no

distractions and you get still and you pray and you listen in

that time. OK, so no distractions and you

just say, Lord speak to me, I'm listening.

And I believe. This week some of you because

there's an importation in this message.

I believe you're going to start during the voice of God clearer.

Come on, I and this is what. Say, tell my people this week

you're going to hear the voice more clearer.

Than you've not had in a long time yeah because it just

happens over time that there's noise there's interference and

all of that but God was just saying to me watch this coming

week watch the testimonies that's kind of flooded because

some of my people they're. Going to hit that right

frequency. They're going to read that radio

state, they're going to hit TuneIn right into heaven and

you're going to hear God's plan for your life.

You're going to get direction. There's going to be light.

The confusion is going to break off.

You're going to get direction. Oh my God, I'm super excited

when God's can't be this word. You're going to hear the Word of

God clearer. Hallelujah.

And not because God's. All of a sudden started

speaking. It's always.

It's because you've. Made room.

You've made createspace and made room to listen now.

Most of the time when God speaks, God doesn't speak in

Thunder. He doesn't speak like a booming

voice from heaven. Dramatic, powerful, you know,

all big and huge sign that gives you like goosebumps.

God speaks most of the God. Speaks in a gentle whisper.

The Bible recalls the still small voice.

That's how God speaks to us. We feel his impression.

It's a gentle nudge. It's a prompting.

And you just all of a sudden, you know, that is something that

I must do. It's a knowing.

Suddenly I know I just need to pick up the phone.

I need to call that person. I just walked through my day all

of a sudden, OK, I need to phone that person.

I need to speak to that person. I need to encourage that

brother. That's the start.

I need to send that text. It's a knowing.

It's an impression. That's how.

God speaks, He speaks into your spirit and he says go and

encourage that person. Take that step.

Buy that. Go over there.

I've heard so many types. I would literally walk into a

shop and before I would buy something I feel an uneasy.

I'm like why? Why must I not buy this or this?

Then moments later I would walk around and not far from the

South. I see the same product for half

price. So I'm like, OK.

So I just like, right, Lord, so this is where we're going to go.

So I'm not going to buy. I'm just going to be obedient.

And before I knew it, I was like, oh, the same product for

half price. That's how we God leads us

because. God knows all the deals.

God knows where all the right deals, all the discounts.

He knows where all the open doors are.

Investors, God wants you blessed.

He wants your. Family blessed.

He wants the best for you. And so he's going to come, he's

going to speak to you and I'm going to say, right, Don't turn

off. You go that way.

In face there, there's a great business opportunity and he

directs you and he speaks to you.

That's how he lead it. It's not random, it's God

leading you. And so he speaks to us.

In a still, gentle whisper. And that's what I love about

that song. When he speaks, God gives us an

amazing picture in the Bible how he speaks.

In the book of first. Kings chapter 19.

1 Kings 19 · chapter mention

Elijah's waiting for God to speak.

Now I want you to grab. All of this how to hear God?

This is amazing. And so there Elijah, he says,

wait, did you hear from God? And the Bible says there is this

big powerful wind and then there's big powerful earthquake

and then there's this fire, but God was not in those.

So after the the rushing wind and the earthquake and the fire,

then came the gentle. Whisper, gentle whisper.

That's how he's showing us. That is how God speaks.

It's a gentle whisper. Yeah.

And so when circumstances in your life feels like an

earthquake that's just shaking everything and situation shaking

around you, OK and all, it feels like the storms of life and the

wind is blowing, strong wind blowing, or just feels like your

mind is racing. Get into the quiet place.

This is what God is saying when it gets loud around you.

Get into the quiet place with God.

That's silent. Quiet place for the gentle

whispers. Because what I love about God,

the reason that he whispers. It's because he's close, you

see. You don't whisper.

To somebody that's far away. I don't whisper.

To say like when I whisper something.

You whisper to some when you're close to somebody, so somebody

that's close. So you whisper to your spouse.

You don't whisper to a stranger, somebody that's far away.

OK, So that tells me when God is saying to us that.

He comes in a gentle word. It says that.

You are his child and that I love you.

God is saying I trust you, I love you, you're my and that's

why I got so because you whisper to somebody that you love,

somebody that you trust, somebody that you close not far

away. And God says I whisper because

I'm close to you. I'm a whisper because you are my

child. I love you.

God's not far away that he has to.

Shout or be loud or force a gentle.

Whisper at planting. And so that's why during our

busy lives, we have. To learn to be sensitive even

though there's noise. We live in a noisy world.

I'm not saying we have to evacuate in the world.

But we have to. Learn because this is how we you

learn to hear the voice of God. It's not at once or we can see

that in the life of Samuel. It's it's a learning process.

So we have to learn to be sensitive to hear.

For the gentle whisper, the voice of God.

Because the more that you listen, the more clearer it.

Becomes yeah. And so Samuel shows us.

That hearing God is learned. OK, He didn't recognize the

voice at first. He he stayed.

Available So if Samuel if you had like a phone.

So here's Samuel. If you had a phone he would have

had on his phone, he would have had three missed calls.

So 3 missed calls from heaven because heaven tried calling him

missed call. So he picked up before second

missed call. So Samuel would have had three

missed calls from heaven. But thank God, God.

Heaven did not hang up on him, Heaven did not give up on him.

Heaven kept on calling him, kept on calling him and Soul Samuel

got it right. I thank God that God is patient

with us. I thank God that he never stops

talking. He keeps on talking, so it's.

Just like a match love. OK, let's just do a fine

alignment on tuning in. And so finally Samuel got to a

place I'm tuned in. OK, I got it right now.

God yeah, speak, Lord. I am listening and from that

moment everything begin to shift, Everything begin to

change in his life. The moment he started.

This is what I love. About the word of God says that

Samuel grew so that's why we sits God was with him and this

is what a mighty. Prophet what?

A prophet of God. Listen to this, the Bible says,

now what's the prophetic? OK, Because I want you to see

the connection, you know? Because that's a real prophet.

A real prophet. OK, speak Lord, I'm listening.

And then releases the word. That's that.

OK, That's the real We are talking about the real prophet

because Samuel was a real prophet.

The Bible says this, not one of. His words fell to the ground.

What's his secret? He learnt to listen.

He learnt the voiced that's why we're such a brilliant prophet.

That's why none of his words for because he learned to listen

first. We've got 2 ears, one mouth.

Some people speak too quickly. No, let's.

Listen before we speak. Let's hear from God first before

we just get on the phone and out there and talk.

A lot of opinions, a lot of opinions going on here.

I'm not interested in the word of God.

Give me the word, not somebody's opinion about the end time.

When is things going to wrap up about eschatology?

When is the right to? I don't want opinions.

I want the word of God. I want the word of God,

somebody. That's a real.

Prophet, he learnt the voice of God, because that is.

Relationship, because relationship, the more you know

someone, the more you recognize their voice, so the more you

know somebody. OK, so for instance.

Let me give you an example so. So the more you're with somebody

or you listen to and spend time with them, the more you know and

recognize their voice show. If I blindfold, if I am

blindfolded and I can't? See like I'm blindfolded blood

and my wife Michelle stands there and she's she spoke.

I would not was. Who received?

I know someone testing 1 with testing 1.

Thing. OK.

So if I'm lightfolded and my wife stands over there and so I

can't see her, but I can hear, so I can hear you.

Speaking to me. So if she spoke and Michelle's,

I don't have to ask who's speaking to because I know it's

my. Wife.

I know because I can recognize my wife.

I Why? Because I've spent time with

her. I've spent time and it's the

same with God. You'll recognize and know His

voice. The more time that you spend

with God, you will recognize His voice more clearly.

The more time you spend, His voice becomes clearer.

And when you know His voice, then you will know the next.

Step. You'll know your next step.

Isaiah 13 verse 21 says your ears shall hear a word behind

Isaiah 13:21

you saying this is the way. Walk in it.

So God always comes and he gives us the next step.

And that's what I love about God.

He's a Good Shepherd. He's going to.

Lead you into the right job, the right opportunity, the right

place, meet the right people. He's going to open the right

door. So he leads you.

He says, listen, go this way, go walk that way.

Go into that shop. Don't go there, OK?

I've had it many times where God stopped.

Now I felt it so strong. God said don't go to that event,

don't go with that person. I'm very, very selective when

God says to me, don't go and hang out with that person.

Especially in relationships, you've got to be because God's

like and because what happens is God wants to protect us, you

see? And that's it.

There's a check in your spot. It's like, OK, stop, step away

from that. Don't get involved in that.

Don't do that. So that is God's alarm system,

an alarm system just like the Titanic that was supposed to be

unsinkable. They sent over and over, turn

around, They sent warnings all the time.

God's alarm system in US. Is there to protect us.

We don't have to be scared about it, but God's going to say and

he's going to lead us because he sees the danger.

We can only see up until a point, but God sees the big

picture and he's like, listen, there's a massive.

Hole. There.

And I don't want you falling at all.

So he's going to direct us and he's going to speak to us.

It's like, OK, this deal or this business, it looks amazing on

paper. But the problem is I have got

such an uneasy feeling inside. Got an uneasy feeling about

this. I've got an uneasy feeling about

that. Situation or that that is God's

alarm system to protect us from harm OK and so he's.

Guiding us with a still small voice.

And sometimes it's just a simple prompting, like call that

person, go do that, step out in five and don't ignore the

whisper. Don't rush off the whisper.

Don't despise this inner promptics because that one.

One thing can lead to your next step.

It can lead to your breakthrough.

I meant because it may seem small but it can lead to

something. Great.

So just trust. The still.

Small voice and trust is a big thing because it's one thing to

hear. The voice of God.

But it's another thing to trust the voice, especially if what

God is saying is the opposite of what's happening in this

situation. Especially if it's the opposite.

Of what's happening in the natural circumstances.

But God is speaking something here and he's saying doing this,

but in the natural looks the opposite.

So are we going to trust the voice of God?

Or look at what's going on in the natural and that's why

Second Corinthians it talks about that we.

Walk by faith, not by what we. See in the natural.

By the situation or the economy or what's going on in the world.

So it says here in second Corinthians 57, it says for we

walk by 5 not by sight. And So what happens is I build

my life based on what God is saying.

I don't build my life on what I see in the national in the

circumstances in the economy. I build my.

Life on what the Word of God says.

And so that's where faith begins.

Because five comes by hearing somebody's getting this message.

I love it when you're hungry for the word.

I just love it. It's all coming together.

It's Bible, this is 5 that revelation and they all

covenant. Speak, Lord, I'm listen.

It's five. It's, it's, it's I'm, I'm

breaking it down. For you and I'm actually.

Bringing it together where it shows that that's how 55 comes

by you. So when you hear the word of

God, so 5. Comes when God speaks.

It's so simple. So 5.

We first we hear it first and then we see it.

Are you with me? Somebody You're.

Grabbing hold of it, that that is how 5 comes.

When God speaks, that's Samuel. Speak while not listening.

So that is how 5 rises. In our lives OK now let me just

give you another one because five years before he sees.

Let's go back to Elijah. Let me throw this in last time I

was Elijah one kicked first Kings 19 in The Cave.

Now, this time, he's in a drought now.

Elijah stood in a drought. No sign of rain, no clouds, no

sign of change or movement or anything.

And yes, Elijah, and he says this I hear.

The sound of the abundance of rain, Elijah.

Yes, the sound of abundance of rain in a drought.

When he says I hear rain, he's looking abrupt.

I hear faith. I hear the rain, I hear the

sound of the Spirit. I hear the voice of God.

I see drought. I see an economy that's

struggling. I see difficult situations, but

I hear faith. That's how faith comes when God

speaks. And so he says, I hear the sound

of abundance of rain. That's faith.

Faith years, the word speak. Lord, I am listening.

That is my testimony. That's what happened in my life.

Many. People asked me nine years ago

when we planted the church, how did you step out of a job with

nothing and plant the church? How did you do it?

I said. They asked me that and I

remember my answer. Very simple.

You mean you stepped out a full time appointment with a family,

plantagers with nothing? Faith.

I mean just explain that to me, OK?

God spoke to me. When God spoke to me, faith rose

up in me. Faith came.

So when God said to me, I was in Bristol working on, when God

spoke to me to plant the church, faith rose up.

I have no resources, no money, no connections, no Bible

training, none of that. But God said, plant the church.

So. God, faith rose up.

So it was a step of faith because when God speaks to you,

faith comes. Now the situation did not look

very favorable, especially to other people.

Some family members, some friends, and I respect them all.

I love them, all of that. But to them, in this economy, it

looked like it's impossible to leave a very good job, that

you've getting a very good salary to plant, that you're

some people, some family. Members, and I bless them and I

understand this that you did not.

It looked just too big to impossible, too risky for them

to do such a step. Of faith.

And so they did not understand it OK, But if I'd listened to

their voices, if I'd listened to their opinions around me, then I

would have missed the voice inside of me, OK.

And so others could not see it. Now I have compassion on them

and I respect those family members and I love them.

I and the reason I have compassion on them is because

God did not speak to them. Jeez, so I I had compassion for

that family member. They told me you are out of your

blah, blah, blah, blah. Leave a very nice job and and

start and. I had compassion on them because

God did not speak to them. In other words, God did not

speak to them, so they did not have the faith.

That I had God spoke to me, and when God speaks, faith rises.

I had the faith to do it. In that case, maybe that family

member, they had faith because God spoke to them about

something else and they, because God speaks to everybody,

different, different colleagues. So God spoke to them and maybe

in their situation, God spoke to them to start the business.

And so they had faith to start a business.

But that is their business and I'm not going to get involved in

their business. So they'll get involved in my

business. OK, so you got faith to start

your business. Let me just tell you.

You may not understand. My situation on my business, but

listen, God spoke to me and I have I'm I'm going to obey God.

So you just have to have courage to obey what God spoke to you in

your situation. You don't need everybody else to

understand when God speaks to you.

You don't need family people's opinions and approvals.

When God spoke to you, you're calling because I'm not going to

stand with the other people before God one day.

I am not accountable to other people.

I am accountable to God. So when God says to me, I spoke

to you, well, when you're in Bristol to start a church, so

now must I say God? But that family member said I

should not start a church. So you don't have to get other

people's approval, other people to understand if when God speaks

to you, when God directs you, you just need the courage.

So just to obey it. Because sometimes God will speak

a word to you that just looks too big.

It looks too risky, it looks too impossible.

That word, that God. Speaks to you.

And some people, they just don't understand it and they don't

celebrate it. But that's OK.

The real question is, will you believe what God spoke to you,

what you heard? Because I heard from God.

That's how we planted it over 19 years ago.

I heard from God that gave us faith.

So when other people, all circumstances say that it's not

impossible, it's just not. It's not possible.

Then what are you going to believe?

Because you may be misunderstood, you may be

criticized, and that's you may be talked about talk.

Of the town. But you don't leave someone

else's doubt. They must.

Talk you out of your. Destiny Noah built an ark on dry

ground. People must afford this crazy.

Both the boat on dry ground, it's never rained, no rain.

They must have fought. This guy's absolutely crazy,

lost his mind. Why are you building it?

What are you building boat? Oh, OK.

Why do you build a boat? Why do you build it right?

What is right? They must have laughed and

mocked him and said, who is this crazy guy building a boat on dry

ground? But Noah heard from God, he had

a word from God, and if no one did not obey that word.

His family would not have been saved.

So if God. Speaks to you start that

business. It's for you, for your family.

You can't spoke to everybody has got a call from God.

Start the business, start the job, plant the church, the

ministry then is the will of God for your life.

We got to obey regardless of other people's opinions.

Because everybody will have an opinion, OK?

And some of you are in that place right now.

God has spoken something to you in your spirit.

And maybe the the circumstances or the situation may look the

opposite. But don't let that situation or

people or family or situ talk you out of what God.

Because maybe the situation or in our case the bank account was

talking. We didn't like money.

Maybe the bank account's talking.

Maybe your emotions is talking, your feelings is talking,

people's opinions are talking, the families of people are

talking. OK.

But you have to decide, will I believe what the people or the

situation, or will I believe what God says?

Because let me just throw this in when God call Samuel.

Speak Lord, I'm listening what God said to him, and I don't

have time. To go all of that, but you can

read it in chapter was a very hard word.

Yeah, OK. I just put it in context there

because it's very easy. God speak.

I want a word from God and. I, I, I was working embraced on

my God, speak to me, give my direction, and I was sort of

thinking that was that job. That's where I'm going to

retire. But the word of the Lord, it

will get you out of your comfort zone because that word that came

to me was like a word. Get out of your boat.

And walk on the water. Because we're not playing games.

It's not a joke to just leave a normal job and step out with

nothing. It takes faith.

It's it's it's a hard. It was.

It was a hard So when you say God, speak to me.

Get ready. OK, Brace.

Yourself. And that's why we have to be

like, open. Not with selective hearing.

Regardless of what God says, say yes, Lord.

OK. And so Samuel.

And this is what? I want to throw in here where

the where the calling comes. You don't chase after the

calling, OK? Because when you serve in your

season, in your place, you. Listen for God, your calling

will find you. OK.

Samuel didn't chase the calling. OK, he found it by listening.

That's how Samuel he found it by.

Listening, he was in a place of Yuri.

OK, because in verse 90 says Samuel lay down in his place.

There is power in the place. Power.

In your place, because in your place, when you are in your

place, that's where the work. Comes and so I was in my place

in Bristol working with excellence and I've managed over

100 staff working full time job in my place and there is power

in your place whether you're a working at home mom or a family

or whatever job it is there's. Power in your place, because

that is where the word comes. He was in his place, Eli, Eli

said to him. Go into your place of urine.

That's who He is when you listen.

Some of us are so stressed out trying to run around.

What is my purpose? What is my calling?

What do I have to do? Where do I have to go?

What now? But God is not trying to hide

your calling from you. He's trying to get you into a

place of hearing. He's trying to get you into a

place where you listen. That's where God is trying to

do. He's trying to get you into a

place, though. Wherever God has placed you,

that's where He speaks. OK, in that place the word is

coming. So stay planted, stay faithful,

stay listening because your next step is connected to His.

Voice because when God speaks everything changes so there's a

place, there's a position, there's posture and so I just

want to end this very quickly and closing there is a posture

talking about posture, there is a posture and this is I want to.

Bring this whole thing together. A posture that receives the

word, and that posture received the word because.

Remember, the word of God is. Received with meekness.

OK, so this posture is a saddle posture.

That's how we receive the word. There has got to be that posture

when you receive the word, Sandal said.

Speak, Lord. I'm listening.

Yeah, Let's go right back to the beginning.

I want to throw this in because I want to show you this.

So there it is. For your servant is listening.

OK? That is a posture of surrender.

Bye. It's like God, whatever you want

to do with my life. If you want me to stay in

Bristol, I'll stay in Bristol. If you want me to move to

Bracknell, I'll move to Bracknell.

Whatever you want to do, If you want to change jobs in my life,

whatever you want me to do, I'm like, Lord you, you show me your

SO. It's surrender because a

prideful heart does not receive the word.

Pride does the controlling of it's surrender.

It's your melody. And it's availability, that's

the posture. That's the because in effect,

Samuel, that's what what he was saying when he was saying,

listen, he was saying, speak Lord, even though I do not

understand everything. I don't have to understand

anything. I don't have to control

everything. I don't have to be in control.

I don't have to see the whole Rd. speak.

Lord, I am. Ready to hear?

That's the posture. That's the heart that God is

looking for. God is speaking to that heart of

surrender. Not a perfect heart, a heart of

surrender. Yes.

A heart that says, speak Lord, and whatever you speak.

You've got my yes, not conditions, not if not this or

the bite or the when God says I'm calling you, I'm saying yes,

Lord, that's a heart of surrender.

And that's the posture that receives the word of God.

And so it says here in Hebrews 3:15 today.

Hebrews 3:15

If you will hear his voice. Do not harden your hearts So Not

someday, not when it's convenient, not when I

understand everything, but today, and I believe this is a.

Calling moment. This is your Samuel moment.

God is calling. Names today.

Today this is the word of the Lord.

Today He's calling His awakening purposes today.

God is calling his people and sharpening ears again.

He's sharpening it and he's raising up a people.

Does not just know about God. But he knows his voice.

Amen. So I declare over you.

Ears are opening, hearts are softening, surrendered hearts.

And so the confusion is breaking.

And the voice of the Good Shepherd.

Will become clear again. You will hear his voice.

You will know his voice. You will follow the Good

Shepherd. You will follow his voice.

And so God is giving. You Samuel, ears, ears to hear,

courage to obey. And faith.

To move. And so our response today is

simple. Speak Lord, we are listening.

Amen. Come on, let's host our face.

Hallelujah. So if God is speaking something

to your heart today, if God is saying something and you picked

it up and you hear the whisper and you're ready to say, speak,

Lord, I am listening. If that's you, put your hand on

your heart right now. Father, I pray for every person

that's responding. I thank you that you're still

speaking and calling your people.

And right now, let ears be opened.

Where there's been confusion, release clarity.

Where there's been noise, release stillness.

Where there's been fear, release faith.

Every voice of doubt and pressure and fear.

We silence every enemy, every destruction, every past issue,

we turn it down. Every lie of the enemy, we turn

it down. Every destruction and pressure.

Holy Spirit, turn our hearts into heaven.

Let your people hear your whisper clearly.

Let them know this is the way. Walk in it and I declare that

they will hear your voice, they will know your voice, they will

follow your voice. And Father, I thank you that

your word is shifting people's lives today.

Shifting, shifting everything, changing things.

Your word by the power. Of your word, Lord, I thank you

that you sent your word, and because of your word, Your word.

It's bringing breakthrough. It's bringing healing.

It's opening doors, It's shifting situation, healing

hearts, releasing purpose. Calling your people into every

purpose that you have for it. Fulfilling destinies right now.

Send your word, speak your word. So today we say speak Lord, we

are listening in Jesus mighty name, Amen.

Now say this with me. Say my ears are open, my.

Heart is ready. To receive the word of God, I

turn down the noise. I tune into heaven.

I know the voice of my shepherd. I will follow my shepherd and a

word from God. He's changing everything.

Speak Lord. I am listening now.

Give God your biggest praise today.

Hallelujah.