Hearing the Voice of the Lord

Ordination Message for John Powell and Efrain Gerrido


Let me take you to the life of the “Weeping Prophet” - Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 1:1-14 NKJV you will see 8 times in the first 14 verses where the Word states, “The Lord spoke to me.” It appears to be so easy for Jeremiah to hear the voice of the Lord and a lot of times we all seem to struggle in hearing it.


This word teaches us God spoke to Jeremiah. Today I want to move further and share with you SIX SPIRITUAL DETERMINATIONS we must not only know, but abide by in order to effectively open the channel for the Lord to speak clearly to us.


Six Spiritual Determinations

FIRST - Deal Thoroughly With Sin


SIN: transgression of the laws and ways of God which causes the sinner to be estranged (separated) from God.


Romans 3:23 NKJV - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.


Romans 6:23 NKJV - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Romans 6:23 NCV - When people sin, they earn what sin pays--death. But God gives us a free gift--life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord.


1 John 1:9 NKJV - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 
That may sound like a simple truth, yet our society has incredibly "watered-down" the issue of our personal transgressions with various buzzwords and psychological theories and blame-shifting. As a result, many are not appropriately taking their failures and sins to the cross for remission. The simple truth is, we continue to deal with carnal issues that afflict us and we must openly and candidly acknowledge them before the Lord through repentance for their cleansing. Guys, SIN IS SIN.

Brutal honesty before the Lord is the best course. After all, there is nothing hidden from His sight and all things are open and laid bare before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.


Hebrews 4:13 NCV - Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have lived.


Open acknowledgment of our weaknesses paves the way for grace and the extraction of spiritual strongholds and dominions. This is the area of integrity which we have been speaking of.


SECOND - Never Own Anything

Naturally, this commitment is one dealing with mind-sets and the motivating spirit behind our stewardship of the things entrusted to us. Clearly, there are things that we have ownership of in our lives including our home, cars etc. However, the spiritual concept in this commitment deals with not allowing anything we possess to possess us. It is in the full relinquishing of covetousness and a spiritual comprehension that all we have in our possession actually belongs to the Lord for His use in the Kingdom.


Acts 2:41-47 NKJV


41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,

45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.


This is particularly true at this time because of the imminent release of the "Josephs" who will be entrusted with significant natural and spiritual provision to facilitate the notable events about to unfold. This unselfish trait will mark the ones distinguished with the privilege of serving the Kingdom in this way.

THIRD - Never Defend Yourself

This one is sometimes more difficult. We are inherently endowed with instincts of self-preservation and survival. However, part of our redemptive process is the full yielding of our life and reputation to the One who is our ultimate Advocate.

It seems to be a spiritual principle that we can usurp the Lord's defense of us by insisting upon exonerating ourselves. Part of the covenant blessing portrayed in Exodus 23:22 NCV - If you listen carefully to all he says and do everything that I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies. I will fight all who fight against you.


It is the Lord's promise that He "will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries." Our part is to faithfully meet His conditions. Likewise, the Lord promises us in Isaiah 54:17 NKJV that no weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the LORD.


FORTH - Never Pass Anything On About Another That Will Hurt Them


Deuteronomy 6:5 NCV - Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.


Leviticus 19:18 NCV - Forget about the wrong things people do to you, and do not try to get even. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. I am the LORD.


James 3:9-10 NCV


9 We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people, whom God made like himself.

10 Praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, this should not happen.

 

1 Peter 4:8 NCV - Most importantly, love each other deeply, because love will cause many sins to be forgiven.


In the coming days there will be great emphasis on the commandment to love the Lord with all of our hearts and the adjoining commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. The emphasis will be placed on the appropriate order and fulfillment of this admonition which apprehends the essence of Kingdom life.


Here is what was written to the church at Ephesus


Revelation 2:4 NKJV - "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”


We cannot allow ourselves to become so captured with the heart of ministry that we fail to love the Lord and fulfill His need for fellowship and union. Likewise, we cannot truly fulfill the second commandment to love others unless we experientially comprehend friendship and intimate relationship with the Lord. When this balance is achieved, the Lord's heart of charity in us will convey that we should not pass anything along that would adversely affect another person. As the Scriptures point out, love covers a multitude of sins and transgressions.

 
FIFTH - Never Accept Any Glory

One of those qualifications came from Isaiah 42:6-8 NKJV


6 "I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,

7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

8 I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.


1 Chronicles 29:11-12 NKJV


11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all.

12 Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.

 
The Lord has emphatically declared that He will not give His glory to another nor will He continue to allow His praise to be imparted to false images. It all belongs to Him. That reality will form the foundation of those who will be allowed the privilege of participating with the Holy Spirit in the unfolding of God's great end-time plan. He is building a spiritual house and He will use those who are humble and contrite of spirit and who tremble at His word.


Once we have come to terms with these determinations, the clear door of communication is open between you and the Lord.


And, SIXTH - Preach the Word


1 Timothy 4:1-5 NKJV


1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.