Linda, your book shows readers how to abide with God and to hear His voice. It includes chapter exercises (as well as study guide questions) to help readers experience God's presence, voice, blessings, joy and a lot more. How did you learn to have such a vibrant relationship with God?
I took a crash course in prayer after my precious baby was injured in a violent car accident. I was desperate to reach God and that desperation became the catalyst that helped me push beyond my rote prayer requests and learn how to use prayer to experience more of God's presence. In the years that have followed, I've pushed even deeper into prayer and in so doing have discovered more intimacy with God than I ever thought possible.
Do you really think it's possible to hear God's voice today?
Despite the rumor that God no longer speaks to us, consider that millions of Christians today and throughout the ages not only heard God's voice, they answered His call to follow Him in every area of their lives. I have to believe that if they could hear God's voice, then we can learn to hear God's voice as well.
Why should we press into hearing God now?
It's like I recently told a group, "As the times grow darker, you need to be able to hear the voice of God like never before. If God tells you to turn right, turn right. But if God tells you to turn left, turn left. Your life could depend upon hearing and following God's voice."
A couple of weeks later, a series of deadly tornadoes swept through that town and though there was loss of life, not one of those who had been in my audience perished. One woman later told me, "My husband was driving when he felt a strong urge to turn right. If he had turned left, he would have found himself in the path of one of the tornadoes. He's alive today because he followed the voice of the Lord."
We must learn to hear and follow God's voice now, before it's too late.
How can we recognize God's voice?
It's important that we don't follow the wrong voice. For example, know that God will never insult you, call you names, or whisper words of discouragement. God will never suggest you commit a crime, harm others, or go against His ten commandments. So, if you ever hear a voice of hate, ridicule, or suggestions of discouragement, murder or even thoughts of suicide, you need know that you are not tuned into God, but to the voice of the enemy. Take comfort in John 10: 27 which says, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (NLT)
What prevents us from hearing God's voice?
1. Not paying attention - because we are not reading the word or spending time in prayer.
2. Arguing - because we don't like what we are hearing. This happened to me when I picked up a pint of soup from the deli. I heard His still small voice, "Don't buy this, it will give you food poisoning."
But because I'd missed lunch due to spending the day in the dental chair, I quietly argued, "but I need to eat." I put the pint of soup back on the refrigerated shelf, then picked up the one next to it. "I'll get this one instead."
Unfortunately, after eating that soup, I spent the next twelve hours with food poisoning just as God had warned me. I wish I'd paid better attention!
3. We doubt that we heard God. - When you're worried about this, pray, "Lord, is that really you? If it is, please confirm this message. However, if this is not you, but my own wishful thinking, my fears, or a message from the enemy, give me wisdom to know the difference. Also, I continue to break any lie that's not from you God, in the power and authority of the name and the blood of Jesus."
How wonderful that we can continue to go deeper not only in our relationship with God, but to abide in his presence as we practice hearing his voice.