Bible Studies
What are Barriers to Divine Direction?
As implied from earlier parts, we may not hear Him for a number of reasons such as, prayerlessness, carelessness, not waiting, ignorance as to how God speaks, ignoring checks in our spirit, insisting that God must speak to us in a certain manner or through a certain medium; seeking men instead of seeking God, having 'plan B’ shutting God out because of previous mistakes; presuming on God’s voice without actively seeking His face and his will.
When our minds are be closed to Him because we have decided that He no longer speaks.
Any sin can be a barrier to hearing God’s voice or direction.
We may be look in for him in the spectacular whereas he wants to speak to us in the ordinary day to day circumstances or even through the unbeliever or the dog or donkey like He did to a prophet
11And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
12And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
Just as we have the dark ages when the voice of God was not heard we can have dark ages, dry spells in our lives. We must seek Him diligently and we shall not be disappointed. There are periods when we have to depend absolutely on his word and keep going by faith.
Wilfulness
Disobedience, rebellious spirit, wanting to have our way, ignoring the Holy Spirit or the word of God can impair divine direction. God may not speak beyond our last act of obedience.
But Balaam answered them, "Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God. 19 Now stay here tonight as the others did, and I will find out what else the LORD will tell me."
20 That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you."
Balaam's Donkey
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.
24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.
26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. 28 Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"
29 Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."
30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?"
"No," he said.
31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
32 The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her."
34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back."
35 The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
The attitudes of those who heard him
An attitude of expectancy, humility, .trust, reliance, obedience, faith will amplify the voice of God.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.
What happens if we make mistakes?
That is a good question.
We are all human and will make mistakes. We can even regard growing in hearing and understanding God as a fruit of the spirit in a sense. If you make a mistake admit it and move on that is how we grow in Christ- by falling and getting up and going again. You can not say you have arrived you can grow and develop in your ability to hear from God as you train your spirit to hear Him. Intimacy takes time and effort. It will not happen overnight. You have to be close to someone to be intimate with them. Just as you pick up the phone and hear a voice on the other side and you wonder who it is, whereas it is a friend you’ve not heard from for a long time. The same is the case with God. When we are distant from Him His voice becomes strange, hazy, blurred and unintelligible. It would take a while to cultivate the relationship and start hearing clearly again.
David was a man after God’s own heart, but he was not always on the ball. And when he failed God by arranging and killing Uriah and taking his wife, God did not mince words with him. He sent Nathan the prophet who was blunt with him.
The result was outright repentance and restoration a evidenced in Psalm 51
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
Prayer for divine direction
Father God,
I thank you and praise you for your desire to speak to me in this day and age. I crave to hear you Lord. your voice is sweeter than the honey in the honey comb. Like Samuel of old I will say speak Lord your servant hears.
You said in your word trust in the Lords at all times and lean not on your on understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path. I choose to involve you in all of my affairs. Speak to me Lord. May your word be a light to my path and a lamp to my feet May I hear expressly the voice that says to me “This is the way, walk in it. As many as are led by your spirit they are the children of God . The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord. May the eyes of my spiritual understanding be enlightened to see and perceive hear and understand what you are saying to me. grant me a sensitive spirit, a heart after your own heart .Rid me of any wilful tendencies. As the dear pants after water so may my soul long after you.
The pathway of the righteous shines brighter and brighter to the full light of day. The steps of the righteous are ordered of the Lord. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God. Lead me in the pathway of righteousness for your name’s sake. I desire to do your will.
Holy Spirit, You are the Spirit of counsel my Counsellor. Guide me into all truth. Lead me in the way I should go. Open doors that no man can shut, and doors that you have not opened. Keep me from any permissive will but direct me into your perfect will. I yield my spirit soul and body to you. Reign in me, O Lord. Captivate my heart Let your kingdom come and your will be done. Pierce my ears o lord my God take me to your throne each day. I desire to serve my God, all the days of my life.
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This spoke to my heart and encouraged me greatly to continue to keep my heart intune with God's still small voice.
God Bless,
with Christian Love,
Dee
"Numbers 6:24,25,26"
Hope you and your family have a Blessed New Year!