hear His voice, harden not hearts————– 9mar09

This is based on a comment that I placed on-

http://bethehands.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/hear/#comment-7

Many years ago, I had occasion to talk in depth to a very troubled and troublesome young man (Mike) who worked for my business. He was very anti Church and anti Christian. Christianity was far too wimpish for such a strong character as Mike was. I had to agree!

I was testifying to the fact that we had got to the current position in the business (that paid his wages) because of listening and doing what God had said to us. I was able to be quite specific over some things, which he clearly was a recipient of. ie. it was a prophetic word which caused us to purchase the failing business which employed Mike, and thus enabled such a conversation!

As he sat talking with me in my office, Mike suddenly asked, “ok then, how do you know when God is speaking to you”?

This question is a troublesome one for many Christians, let alone a non-christian. For a moment I was stumped, and sat back silently crying out to God in my spirit, for urgent help that would be crystal clear to  Mike.
Just as quickly as Mike had asked me, the answer became clear.
“Mike, you know when you’re in some place, where you didn’t ought to be, doing something you didn’t ought to be doing, (in his case frequently) and there is a very small voice inside saying MIKE,- you didn’t ought to be here, and you certainly didn’t ought to be doing this.  Is this familiar?”

He looked at, me grinning sheepishly. “Of course it is, who hasn’t been there.”

“Well imagine that same voice saying,–this is the way, walk with me.”

His look of recognition said it all. “Now I understand,” he said.

I challenged him to start asking God to help him understand a little more, and to give him some direction. God would speak to him if he asks. I did, however, tell him that he had to recognise that, if God is God, and Mike a created being, then he had to be a bit soft in his heart towards God otherwise he would never be able to hear through his arrogance and anger. This was all ok and understandable to Mike and he agreed willingly, he’d give it a go. This had nothing to do with going to church?

He was curious, and the curiosity got him past the rejection of God, Church and Christians.
A short time later he came into work whistling and singing cheerfully, quite an out of character occurance. One of my guys, a believer, asked what was going on. “Just talking to God, just talking to God,” was all he said, grinning widely.

One day he came in saying that God was talking to him about a difficult situation at home with his partner. He was being seriously challenged to do something, well outside of his character, to resolve a family issue which had caused her anguish for years.

He had said to God, “that doesn’t sound like the way I think, and you know I’ll probably forget it, so God, if that is your thoughts then remind me about it again on the way home tonight”.

God did speak to him again, and Mike did what God said and saw a miracle reconciliation in his partner’s family.

Mike was very impressed with God.
Mike still didn’t want church, he had found God though and carried on dialoguing with Him until he left the company, and I’ve not seen him since.
One man plants, another waters, but God gives the increase. I have no idea what finally became of him, but the transformation in a young man who had never had a father, into one who knew the Father was worth every moment.

Sadly Christians often object to the theology of this account.  Belonging to the church system fosters a dependancy on the leaders of the system to tell them what God may wants for their lives.  The church system itself,  however, does little to foster a close sensitivity for the still small voice of the Spirit at work in a mans heart. 

Because I didn’t get Mike to pray the “sinner’s prayer”,  they object that God would not possibly talk to Mike nor could Mike really hear God.  I put this down to jealousy from those who, caught up in the institutional system, had their ears well and truly hardened with education from the pulpit and had yet been beaten by a spiritual child.

Heb 3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear His voice,
Heb 3:8 do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness,

Heb 3:15 while it is said, “Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.”

Heb 4:7 He again marks out a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” (after so long a time). Even as it is said, “Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

The same thing is repeated three times in succession, and then he is only quoting King David.

PLAINLY PUT, IF WE WISH TO HEAR GOD THEN WE MUST SOFTEN OUR HEARTS TO HIS VOICE INSIDE US.
Our conscience is the inner ear we need to learn to follow more that any other religious activity.
I had to totally drop the typical “churchy” gospel, to speak revelation that went straight to his heart.