Glynnis Whitwer
"All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:25-26 (NIV)
The Bible tells amazing stories of God speaking directly to humans. God walked and talked with Adam. He spoke through a burning bush to Moses, and God had direct messages for His people after speaking with the prophets of old. Growing up, I wondered if God had stopped speaking to normal people after Bible times. After all, I never heard Him speak.
Years went by, I matured in my faith, got married, taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, and loved God and His people. But I never heard Him speak to me. Honestly, it didn't bother me much, because I figured God had said all He needed to say, and it was in the Bible. What more did I need to hear?
Apparently, God had something more to say. It wasn't until we moved across country that I discovered He longed to communicate personally with me.
Twelve years ago, my family moved from Phoenix to Charlotte. It wasn't a move I wanted, but I begrudgingly acquiesced to support my husband's dream of living somewhere else. Instead of embracing the adventure, all I saw was loss: my career, church, friends and extended family. I was heartbroken.
It was in that condition I started hearing God "speak" to me. It wasn't in an audible voice, or in any unusual way, just a clear voice in my spirit. One that hadn't been there before. God put Scriptures in my mind I didn't know I had memorized. He spoke words of encouragement specifically for me. He gave me direction to do things I never would have done on my own. Here's an example.
We had been church searching for a few weeks when God directed us to a small congregation meeting in a grade school. One week, a lovely young woman gave her testimony. My heart was moved. That very same week, I heard a radio spot by the woman who had spoken at the church. God spoke to me in a way I'd never before experienced and He clearly told me to call her and offer my services as a volunteer.
I was startled, but obeyed. It took a few phone calls, but I finally reached Lysa TerKeurst, the President of Proverbs 31 Ministries.
"Hi Lysa," I said. The next words came tumbling out of my mouth as I blurted, "I've just moved to Charlotte, I saw you at church, then heard you on the radio. I've got a degree in Journalism and I'm wondering if you need any volunteers."
There was a pause on the other end of the phone before Lysa answered, "We've been praying for someone with a degree in Journalism."
It was exciting to hear God speak to me, and I began to understand what Jesus meant when He said God the Father would send His Holy Spirit to communicate with us. I saw how God was orchestrating events when I listened to and obeyed His Spirit within me. In a conversation with a friend from home, I told her about this new experience. She said that perhaps my life had been too full to hear God before my move.
She was right, but there was more. I was very independent and made decisions without consulting God. In truth, I hadn't needed Him or His counsel, very much. Or so I thought. It wasn't until everything I depended on was removed, that I became empty and desperate for God to fill me. From my place of need, God's Spirit became my counselor, comforter and guider.
Years ago, I asked God for help in this area. I knew I had the potential to slip back into my independent ways, and I wanted to keep hearing His voice. I asked Him to always keep me humble and in need of Him. Although that was a hard prayer to pray, it's even harder to live out because God answered it. If that's the price of hearing God, I'll gladly pay it.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for speaking to ordinary people through Your Holy Spirit. Forgive me for the times I get busy and independent. I want to hear Your voice above all else. Help me to trim things from my life so there is room for You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Visit Glynnis’ blog for more on hearing God speak, and enter to win Lysa’s book What Happens When Women Say Yes to God
God took Glynnis from volunteer to Senior Editor of our P31 Woman magazine!
He Speaks to Me by Priscilla Shirer
Find more encouragement with our free Everyday Life article Hearing God
Application Steps:
Spend a few moments in prayer and ask God to speak directly to you. You might ask Him to answer a question or give you direction. When you get an answer, write down this experience and share it with someone else.
Reflections:
When do you know the thoughts you have are NOT from God?
How can you open yourself up more to hear God speak?
Power Verses:
John 14:16-17, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (NIV)
Acts 16:9-10, "During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." (NIV)
© 2010 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.
"All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:25-26 (NIV)
The Bible tells amazing stories of God speaking directly to humans. God walked and talked with Adam. He spoke through a burning bush to Moses, and God had direct messages for His people after speaking with the prophets of old. Growing up, I wondered if God had stopped speaking to normal people after Bible times. After all, I never heard Him speak.
Years went by, I matured in my faith, got married, taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, and loved God and His people. But I never heard Him speak to me. Honestly, it didn't bother me much, because I figured God had said all He needed to say, and it was in the Bible. What more did I need to hear?
Apparently, God had something more to say. It wasn't until we moved across country that I discovered He longed to communicate personally with me.
Twelve years ago, my family moved from Phoenix to Charlotte. It wasn't a move I wanted, but I begrudgingly acquiesced to support my husband's dream of living somewhere else. Instead of embracing the adventure, all I saw was loss: my career, church, friends and extended family. I was heartbroken.
It was in that condition I started hearing God "speak" to me. It wasn't in an audible voice, or in any unusual way, just a clear voice in my spirit. One that hadn't been there before. God put Scriptures in my mind I didn't know I had memorized. He spoke words of encouragement specifically for me. He gave me direction to do things I never would have done on my own. Here's an example.
We had been church searching for a few weeks when God directed us to a small congregation meeting in a grade school. One week, a lovely young woman gave her testimony. My heart was moved. That very same week, I heard a radio spot by the woman who had spoken at the church. God spoke to me in a way I'd never before experienced and He clearly told me to call her and offer my services as a volunteer.
I was startled, but obeyed. It took a few phone calls, but I finally reached Lysa TerKeurst, the President of Proverbs 31 Ministries.
"Hi Lysa," I said. The next words came tumbling out of my mouth as I blurted, "I've just moved to Charlotte, I saw you at church, then heard you on the radio. I've got a degree in Journalism and I'm wondering if you need any volunteers."
There was a pause on the other end of the phone before Lysa answered, "We've been praying for someone with a degree in Journalism."
It was exciting to hear God speak to me, and I began to understand what Jesus meant when He said God the Father would send His Holy Spirit to communicate with us. I saw how God was orchestrating events when I listened to and obeyed His Spirit within me. In a conversation with a friend from home, I told her about this new experience. She said that perhaps my life had been too full to hear God before my move.
She was right, but there was more. I was very independent and made decisions without consulting God. In truth, I hadn't needed Him or His counsel, very much. Or so I thought. It wasn't until everything I depended on was removed, that I became empty and desperate for God to fill me. From my place of need, God's Spirit became my counselor, comforter and guider.
Years ago, I asked God for help in this area. I knew I had the potential to slip back into my independent ways, and I wanted to keep hearing His voice. I asked Him to always keep me humble and in need of Him. Although that was a hard prayer to pray, it's even harder to live out because God answered it. If that's the price of hearing God, I'll gladly pay it.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for speaking to ordinary people through Your Holy Spirit. Forgive me for the times I get busy and independent. I want to hear Your voice above all else. Help me to trim things from my life so there is room for You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Visit Glynnis’ blog for more on hearing God speak, and enter to win Lysa’s book What Happens When Women Say Yes to God
God took Glynnis from volunteer to Senior Editor of our P31 Woman magazine!
He Speaks to Me by Priscilla Shirer
Find more encouragement with our free Everyday Life article Hearing God
Application Steps:
Spend a few moments in prayer and ask God to speak directly to you. You might ask Him to answer a question or give you direction. When you get an answer, write down this experience and share it with someone else.
Reflections:
When do you know the thoughts you have are NOT from God?
How can you open yourself up more to hear God speak?
Power Verses:
John 14:16-17, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (NIV)
Acts 16:9-10, "During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." (NIV)
© 2010 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.
Labels: Identity in Christ, Overcoming Fear, Prayer, Spiritual Growth, Time with God, Trusting God, Waiting On God, Walking in Faith
19 Comments:
It seems so hard to hear God sometimes because we talk too much ... I know I do. Thank you so much for this post.
Two ears, one mouth....should we be listening more......absolutely.
I love that you gave up your whole life to support your husband in his dream and found God's special plan for you. Just think I wouldn't be reading this and being blessed and encouraged if you had decided that your life was the most important thing. We are so blessed to be able to hear God's voice. Thank you for sharing.
A couple months back my brother was driving me to work and out of nowhere I asked a question..."Has God ever asked you to do something extra ordinary?"... just that one question has sparked my journey.
I have been longing to be the kind of person that prays and received immediate answers, the Holy spirit has been doing alot of teaching and correcting in me to reach this point. I don't even know how I managed to get hold of the reading material that the Lord has been using to teach me...
For the past 4 years I have been praying for a promotion at work, I would go for the interviews but never get the jobs. I entered into a 21 day Prayer Marathon, quoting scripture and praying at 12 at night... 3 days into the prayer marathon I went for an interview and a week later I got a promotion.
Prayer changes things !!!!
P.U.S.H ---> Pray Until Something Happens.
Don't give up !!!!
Naomi - South Africa
Isn't God amazing? I'm so glad you moved for your husband.
Thank you for this devotional. Is an answered prayer! I've been praying for God to directly speak to me and to give me everything He has for me in the way of the fullness of Christ and the freedom to act on the spiritual man and not the flesh. I have a long ways to go but I feel encouraged to keep pushing on.
May God bless you and continue to use you in your ministry.
I'm listening....Lord, speak to me!
I love your devitions! They speak to me and I always look at that as a special gift from God. He speaks to me through these. He knows my heart and mind and knows the things I desire such as hearing more from Him and Him teaching me more and more how to follow Him and obey. Thank you so much for being a servant of God. So many people are being blessed through your services. For example, one night last week I asked God to show me how to be more patient and the next morning I pulled up your website and low and behold your devotion for the day was on PATIENCE! I just cried because I know God is hearing me and I just melted.
I had an experience a few months ago where I "heard" scripture being said to me. I was stuck in a rough spot in my walk with God and not obeying and I repented with begging forgiveness but I didn't feel like I was forgiven. I longed to know if he forgave me even though I know he is a graciously forgiving God I still begged to hear from him that I WAS forgiven. In the stillness and quietness one night I "heard" John 3:16 being said to me and I can repeat it now to this day and I have never been able to memorize any scripture! He also told me to cast my fears upon Him. God is so amazing and my life has been different ever since that night!!!
Thank you for your shared devotions. I am new to the site and have been looking for something like this for a long time. I am going through a transition in my life right now. (a divorce) and I found these devotions to be inspring even at my lowest point. Praying God's continued Wisdom on you as he speaks through you and for you.
I am also asking for prayer during this hard time. I am facing some challenges emotionally, financially and somewhat spiritually. However I am still standing on God's promise of peace if anything else. My name is Tiffany.
Tiffany - I am praying for you right now. May the Lord bring you deep healing from the pain of this divorce. I'm asking God to speak to you today and give you a new song in your mouth and a hope in your heart, as He cares for your every need. He has a plan and purpose for you. He sees every need and will be your provider. Don't rush His healing and dig deep into the Lord in the meantime.
In His Love, Glynnis
No decision is too small (or too big) to not seek God first about.
This comment has been removed by the author.
"I became empty and desperate for God to fill me."
Yes yes YES! Your ending statement is so where I am. Something has been missing lately and I'm praying for the above to transpire. I soooo want to hear His voice to help guide me.
I hope it's ok to share this, but I do love to write but struggle on what to write and for whom.
I've never really written about ministry before, until I shared my story. For those interested, it's at:
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-about-me-my-story.html
I thought of Proverbs 31 Ministries when I wrote it so it just seems suitable to share the link here. I hope that's ok. :) I had received a deep answer to prayer in the most amazing of ways.
Donna
Tiffany, I married my jr high sweetheart fresh out of high school. The marriage lasted 1 year. He was a homosexual and I had no clue. This was a very devastating time in my life. But God began to work in my life and two years later he gave me my cuurent husband of 17 awesome years. Im only telling you this because I thought life was over and I had no hope. The verse that comes to my mind for you is Jeremiah 29:11. I will be lifting you up today. Please know that others care.
I have included P31 in my morning devotionals for quite some time now. During this time there have been countless times where I have struggled and needed to hear specific messages which have been miraculously spoken to me through the P31 devotionals!
I always wondered why I could never hear the Lord speak to me like others had stated they did. I realize now that I hear Him through a variety of outlets in my life, P31 being one of them.
I have a lot of life changing circumstances occurring in my life at the moment. This is very difficult for me b/c it means a shift in future careers and the loss of relationships. I still do require some direction as everything is a bit hazy. However, I trust that the Lord will show me in his own time exactly what I need to do. I know that we tend to live according to the worlds time restrictions but it is imperative to live by God's timing. I need to remind myself of this and not rush to get things resolved. I will listen and be patient!!
Thanks P31 and posters for your Godly inspired words.
Janelle
Naomi, You are inspiring always. Ive seen your comments many times on here. Bless you and know that God loves you.
I needed this-- very much!
I've been thinking for the past 2 months how much easier life would be if I could just dial Heaven and call God and speak to Him directly, receiving immediate feedback to all of my questions, comments and concerns just like I do when I talk to people here on Earth. My Bible study group leaders have told me that this is possible, through prayer. =) I already pray but sometimes you know how it seems as if your prayers aren't going further than the ceiling? I know that when you feel like that you can take heart in the Bible-based promise that God hears you and nothing can seperate us from His love.
So thank you again for helping me through this post!
God bless you!
The phone call with you and Lysa gave me chill bumps. Love to hear His voice, and I LOVE confirmation too. What a gift from Him. Thanks for sharing this powerful testimony.
I needed to hear that today. I have been in a custody battle for a very long time. Last year we moved 90 mins away and the judge ordered that everything kept the same which meant I had to drive back and forth wed-sunday. Over 3 hours in a car everyday. Now that a new school year is here I am having to let my boys live with their father during the week because I can't drive back and forth again because of fianaces. I even had a newborn last year. This is the hardest thing I have had to do. Let them go even thought I have been fighting for them since they were born. The sad part is e had no to testify we had principle and teachers and conselors. But all things happen for a reason.
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