1. Look for the MESSAGE of the Spirit. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Don't just casually ask God for guidance. Consciously turn your attention inward to see if what you are sensing carries the weight of God or if it is the unsure, unsteady voice of your own conscience.
You would think that those of us that are hunters would be good listeners. We sit in the woods for hours on end; cautiously listening for the sound of the game we pursue approaching us. How many times have you sat in a tree stand or ground blind and heard that twig break or the leaves rustle? You know the feeling! Your heart starts racing, your palms get sweaty, and your knees get shaky, at least I know mine do! Your mind starts running in circles as you search the woods for where the sound came from. It gets closer and closer and then suddenly a squirrel appears just beyond the old oak tree that you have been watching.
So often this is how I feel when listening for God to speak to me. Suddenly a door opens in our life that gets us excited. Whether it be a new career path, an easy financial gain, or anything else we just know that God has opened that door. But not every door opened to us is from God. That is why it is crucial that we learn to turn our attention to God.
2. Live in the MODE of prayer. Submit what you hear back to God in prayer. Throughout your day when the issue comes into your mind don't spend time worrying; spend time handing the issue to God.
How much closer would we be to living a Christ like example if we just laid everything at His feet? A LOT!
Just think of it this way. Those of us that turkey hunt know that as we sit there on those early morning hunts just waiting on that gobble it is all about giving it back to him. When you hear the ole weary tom start his morning routine it is all about calling back to him. We call to him with those sweet yelps and purrs just hoping he hears us and comes.
Well hear is the best thing. We don’t have to wait on God to call; we don’t have to wonder if He will answer, and we don’t have to worry will He come. If we call to Him he will hear us and answer. Guaranteed! And we can call to Him anytime we want. He is always near!
3. Search out the MODEL of Scripture. Carefully consider the Scriptures. Does what you think you're hearing in any way contradict the character of God or the Word of God?
Now this is a hard one but a crucial one. As those doors come open to us we must search for answers. The neat thing is God left us an instruction manual. The Bible is the most advanced instruction manual you will ever come in contact with. Also the only one you will ever need when dealing with life!
So as you sit on that tree stand and hear those sounds, are you sure it sounds like that big buck you have been hunting? As you sit in that ground blind cautiously waiting on that ole tom….is that him you hear in a distance dragging his wing tips? Could be, but if you study the behavior of the game you hunt, you will more likely be able to tell what the sound is long before that squirrel pops out and laughs at you so to speak.
4. Submit to the MINISTRY OF ELI. Seek the counsel of a wise, more mature believer who can discern God's leading in his or her own life.
Don’t we learn a lot of our hunting strategies from more experienced hunters? Don’t we turn to them to teach us things we don’t know? I know that I look forward to meeting those that have been hunting longer than I have because I know that most of the time they can help me hone my skills.
Why would we expect anything different from God? He has placed those people in our lives to do just that. To teach us and help us become more like Christ! Seek out someone that you can turn to with those touchy subjects and let them be a wise counsel to you.
Does the ole tom or the ole buck not teach you new things every single time you come in contact with their great presence? Sure they do. Every time I enter the woods I learn something new. Especially on the days I let an ole tom get the best of me. Those are the days that I truly get “schooled!”
5. Expect the MERCY of confirmation.
Ask the Lord for confirmation. If ever you are in doubt just turn to Him and ask Him to confirm the situation. There is nothing like enjoying the confirmation of the Lord, much like there is no greater feeling than the confirmation of a great and successful hunt!
God desires you to know His will. He's not hiding it from you. "When I ask the Lord to confirm what He is saying to me through the Holy Spirit so I can be sure He is indeed speaking, he allows the Holy Spirit to speak to me and verify His message through His written Word, circumstances, or even another person." (Italicized portions taken from Priscilla Shirer’s DISCERNING THE VOICE OF GOD Bible Study)
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