The Assumption of Spirituality: God said what?

What do I do when God speaks?

• Do I act immediately?
• Do I wait and pray more?
• Was this really God speaking, or just my own thoughts?

“The assumption of spirituality is that God is always doing something before I know it. So the task is not to get God to do something I think needs to be done but to become aware of what God is doing so that I can participate in it.”
-Eugene Peterson

Many of us struggle with what to do when we feel like God is speaking:

• Some people it
• Some people ahead
• Some people

When God Gives Revelation, It Down (Habakkuk 2:2)

“Write down the revelation and make it plain.” (Habakkuk 2:2)

This is a key principle: Revelation needs to be .

• Writing it down brings and helps us discern if it’s truly from God.
• It allows us to pray over it and it over time.
• It helps us what God said, especially when doubts come.

When God Speaks, Seek Counsel (1 Samuel 3:8-9)

• Who are the people you can go to?

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)

When God Gives Revelation, It (1 John 4:1)

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” (1 John 4:1)

Here are three ways to test revelation:

Does it with Scripture? (God won’t contradict His Word.)
Does it the fruit of the Spirit? (Galatians 5:22-23)
Does it peace, not confusion? (1 Corinthians 14:33)

When God Gives Revelation, in Faith (James 1:22)

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22)

• We don’t need every —just the next step.
• Faith through obedience.

What do we do when God doesn’t answer?

Trust His Timing & Seeking

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (Luke 18:1)

When God Is Silent, Faithful (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (Habakkuk 3:18)

for Wisdom & Keep Moving in Obedience (James 1:5-6)

Keep Praying & Trust God’s (Luke 18:1-8, Daniel 10:12-13)

The Story of Daniel’s Delayed Answer (Daniel 10:12-13)

“Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days.” (Daniel 10:12-13)

What can we learn form Daniel’s expereince?

God heard Daniel’s prayer the he started praying.

“13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. “

1 John 5:13-15(NLT)

Spiritual can delay answers.

• Spiritual battles are happening that we can’t see.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)

• God sent .

Keep praying even when you don’t see movement.

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

Do you trust him?

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.” (Psalm 62:5)

What This Means for Us…

•  God hears your prayers .
• There may be due to spiritual opposition.
• Keep praying and trusting God’s . 

How can we grow in responding to God’s revelation?

1. Write down what you sense from God and pray over it.
2. Test it against Scripture and seek wise counsel.
3. If God confirms it, obey in faith.
4. If He is silent, trust His timing and keep seeking.