Do Only Crazy Peopl Hear God's Voice?

*Its often hard to make decisions

1. Does God speak today?

*There is a need for Personal Guidance
*The Bible promises personal guidance
These are just assumptions

Acts 2:17-19: ¹⁷ “‘In the last days, God says,
   I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
   your young men will see visions,
   your old men will dream dreams.
¹⁸ Even on my servants, both men and women,
   I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
   and they will prophesy.
¹⁹ I will show wonders in the heavens above
   and signs on the earth below,
   blood and fire and billows of smoke.

*There is a point where the Bible will be complete
*God is speaking directly to selected people but now we have an explosion which all believer will have guidance from God

Instead, we have experienced personal guidance
*Sometimes we will know God has spoke to you when unbelievers believe on the same day we just spoke to them
*God guides us when we are sinning. The Holy Spirit convicts us to stay away from our sinful nature
*God is our father to guide us
*We need to be in an intimate relationship with God to guide us
*God will do whatever He can to get to us
*As we get to know God, we begin to understand his ways and how he talks to us
*Listen the best we can

General Principles when we know we have heard God's voice
1. He will never contradict the Bible
*We compromise and justify stuff because it is what we want
2. Sometimes confusing
*We often pray to God to get clarity but He does not answer all the time

Philippians 1:21-28:
²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

 ²⁷ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel ²⁸ without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. *Paul is not completely sure at things so are we

3. You don't have to hear from God in order to do something

*Luke 1:3-4: With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

*We can do it just because it seems or feels like a good thing
4. You don't always have 'peace' in God's calling

*Luke 22:42-44:
⁴² “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” ⁴³ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. ⁴⁴ And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.


*eg: Jesus had no peace when God told him to sacrifice himself at the garden of Gethsemane
*He often calls us to places which require courage and boldness
*Definition of "peace" is different - the feeling to know that it is right is the right one instead of the feeling to know that it is non fearful
*God speaks to different people in different ways

So what can we do?
1. Read Bible
2. Ask God to speak
3. Work through the Lord's prayer
4. Ask him to speak to you, tell him about your relationship with Him
5. Write and pray about God and your desires
6. Forgive our sins everyday and release others with any bitterness towards others
7. Rip up opportunities for attention from the Devil
8. Ask for anything else God wants to say

or

Set aside time to fast

Acts 13:2-3: While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

*There is no formula but when we fast, God would speak more prominently

-God speaks through an audible voice
-The way God wants to speak is up to Him
-A lot of things cannot be explained scientifically 
-We would know whether God or Satan is speaking because Satan would never want to make our lives happy whereas something that is good will always come from God

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**