FollowBy Larry Short
During Pastor Martin’s sermon last Sunday, “Learn to Listen to the Spirit,” someone asked a great question: “How do we know it is the Spirit and not our inner self who is speaking into our mind?”
Our pastors both had very good responses to this question. Martin focused on John 10:27—“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” If you are God’s, and He is speaking, you will recognize His leading. And Pastor Brian shared that the thing that is most important is that if what we share with people aligns with Scripture, wisdom, and God’s heart, we need not second-guess ourselves, but we can share in faith what is on our heart for others.
Danny Number One
Even as our pastors were sharing this, God was reminding me of what felt like a perfect example of these truths. At a prior church (and yes, this was a long time ago, when we were in our early 30s!), Darlene and I led a community group. There was a very interesting young man named Danny in our group, and he was really struggling. He was a former high priest in the Mormon church who, along with his wife, had come to know Jesus and had left Mormonism. But he was struggling with fear and obedience, and they struggled in their marriage. I was really burdened to try to help Danny, and during one corporate worship time, during one of the songs, rather than singing, I was praying and asking God, very specifically: “What are the keys to Danny? How can I help him?”
No sooner had I prayed this (silently), than an older gentleman whom I had a great deal of respect for, a man named Bob, leaned forward from where he was sitting behind me, put his hand on my shoulder, and whispered into my ear: “The keys to Danny are that he needs to put his fear away and be baptized, as well as humble himself before his wife and ask her forgiveness.” He then leaned back into his seat as a new song began and joined in the singing, smiling at me as I stared at him in astonishment.
To say that I was stunned was an understatement. I had just (silently) asked God a very specific question. And Bob had leaned forward and answered that question!
Afterward, I asked Bob how he knew what I was asking God. It seemed to me he had somehow received a message from God, right? How did that happen?
Bob just shrugged as he replied, “I don’t know. I just felt burdened about Danny and was praying for him. I knew you led the group he’s in, so I thought I’d share my conviction about what needs to happen in his life.”
From Bob’s perspective, this was his own (prayerful) thought process. But to me, it was clearly a word from God, reminiscent of Christ’s comment to Nathanael:
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” (John 1:48)
Nathanael was astonished because he had thought that whatever happened under the fig tree was just between him and God. So Jesus’s window into that event had a profound effect on his life, just as Bob’s window into my heart impacted me deeply.
Spooky, for me! But to Bob, of course, it was no big deal—just sharing his thoughts. Regardless, I followed up on that word from God (through Bob). I felt a great sense of urgency to speak to Danny, but the only number I had for him was an office number, and he didn’t start until at least 8 or 9 the next morning. But at about 4 a.m. I gave up trying to sleep and decided to call his office number just to do something.
I was astonished when Danny answered, and he also sounded very surprised. It “just so happens” that he, too, was unable to sleep, and felt compelled for some reason to come into work hours earlier than usual. As he walked in the door about 4 a.m., his desk phone was ringing. Danny was therefore in a strong position to pay careful attention to the urgent message I had to share.
So I shared with Danny what Bob had said: that he needed to put his fear away and obey God in believer’s baptism, as well as to humble himself and ask his wife’s forgiveness. Both were hard things to ask him, he admitted. He agreed to be baptized (I baptized him myself in a backyard pool, a few weeks later), and said he’d think about the other. But, sadly, he never humbled himself to ask his wife’s forgiveness. Ultimately, his marriage failed.
Danny, Take Two (and this one is a much happier story!)
Several times Martin has shared that story (which he shared Sunday during his message) about me giving a word to Pastor Dan Atwood and the confirmation Dan took from my comment that helped him recognize that God was calling him to Faith Community Church. Each time Martin shares it, I feel vaguely embarrassed. I recall the incident, but truthfully, I don’t remember exactly what I said to Dan. And this is because, to me, it didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, like it was some sort of “spooky” prophetic event. Instead, it was simply a thought I had, as I prayed for Dan, which I felt compelled to share. But then God somehow used my Bob-like thought process for His own purposes (for which I am deeply grateful!).
I think many times it happens just like this. Jesus urges us to seek the good gift of being filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). I’ve been challenged to start each day by asking, pleading, “God, I certainly don’t deserve this, and it even scares me a little, but please give me Your Gift today. In accordance with Your promise, please fill me with Your Holy Spirit!” God knows I need this. And my conviction is that it isn’t until we are filled with the Holy Spirit that God can then use us to convey His message to others.
Will we be aware of this? Will the message be easily distinguishable as our words versus God’s words? Not in my experience. But, as Pastor Brian shared, this is once again a matter of trust. And trust is rarely clear or easy. But if we are willing to spend time with God, learn to hear His voice, ask to be filled with His Holy Spirit (daily!), and then share our convictions in accordance with His Word and heart, in faith, I believe we will be used by God—whether we know it or not!
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Thank you for sharing your insight. Often times, words come to me and I’m too unsure if I should share them. Listening and hearing the Spirit is one thing, obedience to share those words, is another and it is in that sharing, that God works.
Pat, that’s so true! I had an interesting experience in a prior church. A woman in leadership felt impressed to share a prophecy in an unknown language. She asked permission of our pastor and he gave her permission to share it in a leadership meeting with about 60 church leaders present. Afterward, the pastor asked if (in accordance with scriptural instruction) anyone had an interpretation of the tongue, would they please share it? No one spoke up. So, we moved on.
Later, a close friend of mine who was in the meeting confessed that he had received an interpretation of the prophecy from the Lord but had been too afraid to share it, and he told me what that interpretation was. After that, several other leaders also shared that they, too, had received an interpretation, but had been too afraid to share it.
And, guess what? It was the EXACT SAME interpretation.
God had had a message for our church, but because of fear, we didn’t get it in the precise manner He wished us to receive it in (although I did make the pastor aware of this, and so we proceeded accordingly). My friends regretted their fear and wished they had spoken out.
Only once have I received a very clear and direct message from God that was that “spooky” in nature (and it was quite simple — a single word that reverberated loudly inside my skull just as I was getting ready to back my truck down the driveway of a tenant, the word “NO!” So I put the truck in park and got out. Walking around to the back, I discovered a 3-year-old boy sitting happily on my back bumper. I’d had no idea that he was there, and I’m so thankful for that very direct and forceful word from God, preventing what would have been an unthinkable tragedy). Every other time, when I’ve thought I’ve heard God speaking, I wasn’t 100% sure it was Him; and because of this element of risk some faith was required to act on what I thought I was hearing.
But I’ve never once yet regretted stepping out in faith and sharing what I thought I felt God wanted me to share.
(This is Larry!)