Category: How to Hear From God

Posts dealing with how to hear the voice of God through the Holy Spirit.

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God Spoke to Me – Stories of Three Godly Women

Better days are ahead for those who place their trust in the God who not only hears our cry, but speaks, leads, and directs His people.

We planned our panel discussion weeks before. Three guys would answer questions about hearing from God before a small live audience and Bethel Temple’s growing digital church.

The Lord wanted something different. At 3:30 am, I had an impression to see if my wife would be willing to speak at the service later that evening. 

You see, when Vanessa was a teenager, God spoke to her about me before we ever met.

Later that morning, I asked my two-panel mates, Dave and Nate, to see if their wives would be willing to speak as well. All three wives agreed after some encouragement.

The stories of three godly women blessed our church. I thought you would enjoy them as well, and, by the way…God also wants to speak to you!

Provided at the end of this article is a link that has their full 5-8 minute presentations.

A father and daughter healed by the God who speaks. -Irma Williams

My Dad left my Mom, three brothers, and me when I was 5 years old. I did not have contact with him for 25 years. Sometimes I would wonder about his circumstances, but I was indifferent most of the time.

As a child, I never learned to say, Dad, or Daddy, or Dad, I love you. I got saved in 1989, and in 1995, with my husband’s encouragement, I began writing my Dad.

We corresponded with each other, and then began having phone conversations. The day came when my whole family went to visit him.

During one of our conversations, like a whisper, the Holy Spirit impressed me to tell him, “I love you Dad!” At first, the words would not come out of my mouth.

God gave me a loving relationship with my Dad!

It took a long time. I was trembling and tearing up. Finally, the words came out. I told my Dad that I loved him. Those words signaled the beginning of a new chapter in our relationship.

For the next 25 years, our relationship grew-to God be the glory! I was able to call him Dad. He told me that he loved me and I told him the same thing.

Sometime earlier, my Dad gave his life to Jesus. The man who had abused my Mom and abandoned us as children was now dead. My Dad became a new man in Christ, and a powerful evangelist sharing the good news of Jesus!

My Dad made it clear to the residents of his town of 14,000 people that it was either heaven or hell based on their response to Jesus.

My Dad passed in April 2020 after serving the Lord for 41 years. I want to encourage you that God can restore any relationship.

Ask Him. He will speak to you and guide you along the path of healing and restoration. –Irma

God spoke through a young man’s life. -Leah Rucker

Nate and I met each other in college.  I was a sophomore. He was in his senior year. We met at a time when I was beginning my walk with the Lord. Nate, on the other hand, was running with the Lord.

The evidence of God in Nate’s life both spoke to me and intrigued me. I had not seen this before. God used Nate to provoke me to go deeper in my pursuit of God.

I was discovering God through the Christian community, family, and friends, but especially through Nate’s life. Out of our times of fellowship, we began a dating relationship.

Nate and I began serving together in ministry and particularly in the area of music ministry and worship. I could hear God speaking through us to others. I noticed that we had God’s grace on our lives to bless and encourage others.

Through our dating relationship, serving together in ministry, and fellowship with others, I believe we were becoming what the Bible refers to as “equally yoked together.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Your life can speak to people in ways you may never understand!

We had grace on our lives to be mutually supportive. We were able to encourage one another through difficulties. We were not perfect in our dating relationship; however, we continued to grow.

There were times when a minister would give inspired words of encouragement to individuals gathered in a service. 

One more than one occasion, I noticed that the inspirational word Nate received was either identical or close to what I received.

I never heard God speak to me audibly about marrying Nate. God spoke to me through Nate’s life.

God drew me to Himself and gave me a choice to serve Him, so it was with my decision to marry.  I felt that I was drawn and led to choose Nate.

We just celebrated one year of marriage. –Leah

When God speaks and does not make sense. –Vanessa Willis

When I was a 17-year-old senior in high school, I met a young man at my afterschool job who was also a senior at another high school. 

On Halloween, October 31, 1978, after working with him for one month, he asked me to be his girlfriend, and I agreed.

He told me we could not date on Sundays because that is the Lord’s day. Growing up Baptist, I understood about the Lords day.

His commitment at such a young age impressed me because I wanted more of God in my own life; however, around Christmas time, I noticed some “red flag” behaviors in him.

In January, I prayed and asked God to take this boyfriend away if he was not for me. Later that month, he called me to tell me he would finish high school in another state.

Then three days later, he informed that he would not be leaving the area.  These circumstances seemed odd, but I was glad he was not leaving.

Also, in January, a new young man came to my church. As he walked to the front of the church to give his offering, God spoke to my heart that he was to be my husband.  

This word was strange, and I was not interested, because I had a boyfriend. In February, during a phone conversation, my boyfriend said he wanted to have sex.

I did not want to, but I did not want to lose him. We were to talk later that evening. I decided to agree to his request. Thankfully, he never called me back.

The new young man became a member of my church. He was on active duty in the military and was a deacon in his previous church in Korea.

I began to ask God to confirm what He told me about Deacon Willis. Over the next three years, God began confirming this strange word.

Six weeks before Deacon Willis was to leave for another duty station, God brought us together. We dated for three weeks and got engaged.

I held on to God’s strange word for over three years.

We were married a little over seven months later. We have been married for 37 years. God keeps His word! –Vanessa

Irma heard God speaking to her in a whisper. Leah heard God speaking to her through Nate’s life, and through the grace of God on their lives.

Vanessa heard God speaking as an inward voice. God is still speaking into the lives of these godly women. You can have the Living God speaking to you as well!

Have you received Jesus as your Savior? If not or you are not sure, let me show you how at the following link: https://dreamprayernetwork.com/gods-plan-of-salvation/

Better days are ahead for all who place their trust in the God who not only hears our cry, but speaks, leads, and directs His people. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin

Forward to the 51:30-minute mark of the video at the following link to hear the full versions of Leah, Vanessa and Irma in that order:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=942290599620397&notif_id=1596063342824038&notif_t=live_video_explicit
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Overcoming COVID-19 God’s Way

The Supernatural- Dreams & Visions Pt. 4, The Sniper

He was a good man, no… a great man. He was an empty-nester.  He had raised ten children and was close to all of them.

Diligent at his work, he had amassed a fortune and was on the brink of being named atop the “Forbes Magazine” list as the wealthiest man of his era.

There was no drama in his life so Hollywood did not come calling. He was not the type to do Reality TV. Wealthy, diligent, and spiritual, he stood above the others. 

This sniper is always looking for targets.

Everything was going so nicely until he found himself in the crosshairs of the sniper.

After a restless night, my wife Vanessa woke me up and said, “you’ve been having nightmares.” It was the morning of 16 August 2016. 

I was at Fort Monroe, VA for the third scene in my dream. I heard a shot fired and was concerned that someone had a weapon.

I looked up and to my dismay, I saw a sniper firing at targets using a high-powered rifle.  He was concealed on an upper story of a building under construction.

I tried to yell…”SNIPER!!” but my speech was garbled. My speech is no longer garbled. Please heed this warning.

Snipers are riflemen who use stealth and deception to eliminate targets primarily at long range. Effective snipers are deadly, feared, and hated. Captured snipers are shown no mercy.

It is appropriate to refer to trained military snipers as professionals, but there are rogue snipers who are nothing more than assassins and murderers. 

The devil fits the later description. Jesus said that satan was a murderer from the beginning. (John 8:44) The devil was the sniper in my dream.

Snipers are hated on the battlefield.

One 30-cent bullet from a sniper can change the outcome of a battle involving thousands of Soldiers.

The devil -the spiritual assassin- “fires” lies, deception, innuendo, half-truths, devilish wisdom, and flawed logic.

Concerning him the Bible says:

“Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

“The thief does not come except to steal, to kill and to destroy.” (John 10:10a)

The devil was seeking to devour our man atop the “Forbes” list mentioned earlier.  His name is Job. (Job 1:7)

God described Job as the finest man on the earth. Defiant, the devil tells God that Job only serves Him because God blesses and protects him. The devil continued:

“But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” (Job 1:11) God accepted the challenge and the game was on!

God allowed satan to attack Job twice but would not allow him to be killed.  In short order, Job went bankrupt, lost his children in an “accident,” and saw his body ravaged by disease. Job kept his faith despite these catastrophic losses.

Let’s bring this story up to date.

Back in January, we made resolutions, dreamed dreams, and prepared plans for the future. Many projected 2020 as the year of vision, clarity, and prosperity.

If we had only known.

On the back page of the news was a story about some virus in Wuhan, China, but nobody gave it much thought. Remember?

Fast forward and hundreds of thousands have died, and millions are suffering physically and psychologically from this disease. The global economy is in shambles, and our lives have been turned upside down.

Then, just when it appeared the worst was behind us, new cases of COVID-19 began popping up all over the place.

Most have experienced financial loss, some have lost family members, and many have been physically and emotionally ravaged by this disease. Job shows us the key to overcome. He kept standing.

While Job was written thousands of years ago, the sniper is STILL active, and his tactics have not changed.

Having failed to break Job through major calamities, satan resorted to another tactic.

The devil started negatively influencing the people closest to Job, and he began with Job’s wife who says to her husband…

“Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.” (Job 2:9)

Where did she get that from? Did you catch that? Remember what satan told God:

“But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” (Job 1:11), and later…

“But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!” (Job 2:5)

Job’s wife was “weaponized” by satan-the sniper, but Job did not cave into the pressure. Incidentally, who are you listening to?

It was unfortunate that Job’s wife did not support him, but at least Job had his friends.  The problem was that his friends were not very friendly. The sniper got to them as well.

Job’s friends told him that his sufferings were the result of his sins. Job’s friends put a lot of pressure on him, but he never surrendered. Don’t you surrender!

The logic of Job’s friends reminds me of the “weaponized” logic of some cable news personalities who talk for hours about things they don’t really understand. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

It is likely that one of these popular anchors will take your blood pressure through the roof.

If you are the type of person who becomes anxious, fearful or upset while watching the news, take precautions and guard yourself. The sniper knows how to push your buttons.

There is a lot of weaponized activity over social media in the form of posts, tweets and news feeds. Guard yourself because things are about to get worse.

Be encouraged. The Book of Job reveals how to defeat the sniper: Maintain your faith in God, and outlast the problem(s)! In a word…STAND!

Just as God predicted, Job kept his faith, and God repaid him double for all that he lost. (Job 42:10-17)

Keep your armor on! (Eph 6:10-18)

If you’ve encountered financial loss, lost family members, or been ravaged physically or emotionally by COVID-19, keep the faith. God will help you outlast the problem(s)!

God is MUCH greater than the sniper. Stand and God will restore to you double what you have lost.  You will get through this, and oh by the way….

Don’t ever forget that you are a target! Keep your armor on and STAND. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin

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The Supernatural-Dreams & Visions Pt. 3 The “Jokester”

Relationships are damaged, fortunes lost, empires subdued, and destinies shipwrecked by improper reactions to devious provocations. 

In 2019, Joaquin Phoenix starred in the movie the Joker based on the fictional DC Comics character who served as the archrival of Batman. 

The movie follows Adam Fleck, a failed standup comedian who inspires a violent revolution in Gotham City against the wealthy.  The Joker was the first Batman-related movie to receive an R-rating due to its violence and dark content.

In 2008, the late Heath Ledger portrayed the Joker in The Dark Knight.  In this film, the Joker is portrayed as a sadistic criminal mastermind and mass murderer.

Nothing funny about this “funny” man.

My encounter with a character in a dream back in August 2016, reminded me of their portrayals of the Joker. For the sake of originality, I refer to the character I encountered as the “Jokester.”

My wife, Vanessa woke me up in the wee hours of the morning and told me I was having nightmares.

In this second of a four-sequence dream, a strange man greeted me.  He seemed harmless but there was something about him that made me uncomfortable.

I responded to his greeting and then walked away. He called me back. As I turned in response, he pointed a sawed-off shotgun at me and fired at point-blank range.

The enemy fires to get you to bring harm upon yourself.

I was shocked and reacted immediately by checking my wounds. That was the strange thing.  I wasn’t wounded.  I wondered, what in the world is going on?    

That’s when the Jokester laughed a deep belly-laugh. He reared back and took great pleasure in the fact that he got me to react to his devious agitation.  Now please stay with me.

This Jokester character is symbolic of a real figure who “fires” -agitates, irritates and prods- people all the time.  This shadowy figures fires at you!

He fires wicked thoughts, suggestions, attitudes, feelings, prejudices, preferences, schemes, methodologies, concepts, theories and malevolent ideas. He can nurture the demon-seed of a idea into a sophisticated theory that enslaves multitudes.

The Jokester represents a spirit. His real name is satan-I never capitalize his name.  The fact that most people do not believe he exists enables him to “fire” his provoking ammunition with great effectiveness. https://dreamprayernetwork.com/no-sanctuary-in-spiritual-warfare/

This article is about exposing him and defeating his activity in your life.

The devil fires “flaming arrows” of thoughts and ideas (Ephesians 6:16), that don’t wound physically. Rather, they are designed to provoke improper reactions to circumstances that result in people bringing harm upon themselves and others. 

There once was a king named Balak. He knew his Moabite nation could not defeat Israel in battle so he hired a prophet by the name of Baalim to curse God’s people.

Try as he might, Baalim could not curse Israel. God told Baalim directly: “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.” (Numbers 22:12)

Here is the first teaching point. No devil in hell, and no man on the earth can curse the people of God! We are blessed!!

Now Baalim was angry, and he wanted his money. He concluded that the only way Israel could be cursed was if they brought a curse upon themselves through disobedience.

Baalim persuaded Balak to seduce Israel through prostitutes and idolatry. When Balak introduced these temptations, Israel reacted by committing fornication with Midianite women and worshipping their god Baal.   

What was the result? God’s people brought a curse upon themselves that resulting in a plague that left 24,000 dead. (Numbers 25:1-9)

Here is the second teaching point: No devil in hell, and no man on the earth can curse God’s people, but God’s people can bring a curse upon themselves through disobedience.

Beware of reacting to circumstances in the heat of the moment.

The devil delights in creating conditions to trip you up.  Once the trap is set, he “fires” to get you to react and bring harm upon yourself.

All manner of sexual sin takes place when we react in the heat of the moment.  Regrettable business deals take place when we react in the heat of the moment, or deliberate at length without consulting God.

Relationships are damaged, fortunes lost, empires subdued, and destinies shipwrecked by improper reactions to devious provocations.

Jesus demonstrated how to defeat satan’s “fire-react” strategy.

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. After fasting for forty days and nights, He became hungry.

The devil waited for the most opportune time to get Jesus to react to his provocations.  Jesus was hungry so satan tempted Him with food: “If you are the Son of God, command that the stones become bread.” (Mt 4:3)

Bible
Never more critical to know God’s Word than in the weeks and months ahead!

Jesus did not react.  Jesus rebuked satan and responded with the Word of God.  The devil fired twice more with subtle enticements. Jesus responded in the same manner and satan was soundly defeated. (vv.4-11)

The devil did not stop trying.  Even on the cross, satan tried to get Jesus to react to the circumstances and come down from the cross. (Matthew 27:40) 

Jesus did not react. He would not come down from the cross to save Himself. He decided to die to save you and me. Somebody shout amen!!

Here is the final teaching point. Do not react to circumstances in the moment or at length. Gather yourself. Seek God for wisdom and respond accordingly. (Proverbs 15:22; James 1:5-7)

Slow down. Don’t be in a hurry. 

Be very alert in the days to come. The devil is going to send a flood of agitating, prodding and provoking information over media to get people to react in harmful ways.

The only news you can count on is the good news of the gospel!

Don’t be deceived.  Democrats, Republicans, and moderates alike are subject to be deceived and influenced by satan-the god of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

In a world of “fake news,” put your trust firmly in God’s good news which is the Word of God.

Posts and tweets are about to become more heated and divisive.

The devil intends to rip our nation apart and separate us from God and from one another.

Let’s stand against his provocations. Let’s announce God’s coming attractions: a mighty revival is coming to America!

So don’t react! Respond as the people of God “blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:15)

Have a wonderful Christ-centered week! God Bless! Press On!!  Kevin

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The Supernatural – Dreams & Visions Pt.2 The Arabs

God personalizes direction, confirmation, and affirmation to those who love Him through dreams and visions.

He was having a REAL bad day.  He had given himself totally in support of the wrong cause and now it was too late. He sat there blind, bruised, and broken, but that was not the worst of it.  God was angry with Him.

Still, Saul must have wondered if God was really angry with him.  After all, he received a heavenly vision immediately after seeing that blinding light that knocked him off his feet en route to Damascus. (Acts 9:3-4)

In the vision, God told young Saul that he would preach the gospel to Jews, Gentiles, kings, and rulers. This made no sense at all.  After all, Saul was an enemy of the gospel who persecuted the church.

Saul was not the only one having a bad day. There was Ananias too, who like other believers, feared Saul’s arrival in Damascus. 

God told Ananias in a vision to go and pray for Saul to receive his sight, but Ananias was having none of that. Saul had imprisoned believers and had them beaten in every synagogue. (Acts 26:10)

God told Ananias not to worry.  In the vision, God told him that Saul was chosen to declare the gospel to Jews, Gentiles, kings, and rulers.  You can bet Ananias went to pray for Saul in much fear and trembling. (Acts 9:11-16)

From scripture, we know that both men responded to God’s direction, and these “mustard-seeds” of obedience, became a great tree that spread throughout the Roman Empire.

Christianity was legalized in 3 AD by Constantine and became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire.

Saul and Ananias received supernatural direction through heavenly visions.  Their engagement with one another brought confirmation that their visions were accurate and true.  (2 Corinthians 13:1)

Saul matured into the great Apostle Paul.  Many years later, Paul narrowly escaped death during a riot in Jerusalem.  He was placed in custody to protect him from those who sought to kill him. (Acts 21:30-35)

Paul spent that night in prison with his life hanging in the balance.  He was not immune to gloom and despair, but Jesus, whom He once persecuted, appeared to him:

“Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.” (Acts 23:11)

As a professor at Bethel, now Antioch College, I get to pass along these incredible truths to emerging church leaders.

It saddens me that many believers rarely experience or recognize God’s supernatural direction, confirmation and affirmation in their lives. 

Granted, most of God’s supernatural direction is not sensational, but God is active and effective in leading us through routine processes. 

God is also active and effective in leading us through dreams, visions, prophecy, etc., which some may deem as atypical-but not from a Biblical standpoint.  

The Holy Spirit leads and guides into all truth. John 16:13

Atypical or routine, the direction we receive only has value if it aligns with God’s word which is the bedrock of our faith. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

All wizardry, witchcraft, soothsaying, fortune-telling, and root-working activity is a counterfeit of God’s legitimate supernatural power.

Demonic power is real. God’s power is REAL. God’s power is far, far GREATER. (Luke 10:18-19; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 20:10)

God personalizes direction, confirmation, and affirmation to those who love Him through dreams and visions.  Let’s make this practical. 

After a restless night, my wife Vanessa woke me up and said, “you’ve been having nightmares.” It was the morning of 16 August 2016.  We happened to be staying at the Massanutten Resort in VA. 

During the evening I had a dream that unfolded in four different scenes. 

In the first scene, I was with a large group of Arabs, dressed in their traditional robes and headdresses. I was wearing shorts and a tee-shirt; no one noticed the difference but me. 

In scene two, a strange man greeted me. I turned to leave then he called me back.  When I responded, he pulled out a sawed-off shotgun and fired several times into my stomach, but I was not wounded. He then laughed diabolically.

I was on Ft. Monroe, VA for scene three.  I heard a shot and spotted a concealed sniper. I tried to yell “sniper” to warn people, but I could not get the words out of my mouth.

The final scene involved a team of small football players -like the size of children- all dressed in black.  An old college friend said the two of us can easily beat them.  Somehow, I knew they were more formidable than they appeared.

I will use scene one, “the Arabs” to practically illustrate how God personalizes direction, confirmation and affirmation through dreams and visions.

If you read my page “About Kevin,” you will note that I spent 20 years on active duty as an Army Intelligence officer. https://dreamprayernetwork.com/about-me/

What I don’t say is that I did not enjoy my Army career. I got saved during my first year on active duty. Salvation was great for my life, but not for my career. 

Drinking and socializing with other officers in clubs -with female dancers on occasion- was part of the culture when I came on active duty in 1977.  I stopped going to these functions once Jesus came into my life.

Not being a part of the Officer’s Club culture labeled me as a bit of an outcast.  Aside from that, there were aspects of military life that I just did not enjoy.

My solution was to leave the service after my four-year term of service, but God had other plans. Ouch!!  (Romans 12:1-2)

Over the years, I learned to better blend in with the crowd in order to survive. This dream about “the Arabs” so accurately described my feelings of isolation during most of my uniformed and Civilian service with the Army.

How many times did I ask the question, “why Lord?”  Why did you have me isolated in a profession that I did not enjoy?

God personalizes direction, confirmation, and affirmation to those who love Him through dreams and visions.

I diligently sought the Lord for the meaning of “the Arabs.”

The Lord spoke to me that I was not supposed to fit in. I was not supposed to be one of them. I was to learn from them, be disciplined by them, and mature among them.

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds.

God called me to bring the kingdom of God to them.  God called me to be a light in the midst of them. God called me to pull out some who dwelt among them.

I received direction, confirmation, and affirmation from this dream.

I can’t tell you how much light and perspective the interpretation of this dream provided me.  To have the God of heaven and earth speak to you in such a personal way is indescribable. 

Be open.  Be sensitive. God desires to fill in the missing pieces of your puzzle.  Increasingly, God is going to do so through dreams, visions, prophecy, etc. 

God has already been speaking to some of you for quite some time. Don’t be bashful.  Seek Him for interpretation and understanding.  He will lead and guide you into all truth. (John 16:13)

More of this next week. Please stay along for the journey. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin

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The Supernatural – Dreams & Visions

It is likely that God has been speaking to you in dreams.  In the days to come, God will increasingly unveil His secrets through dreams and visions.

I figured these kinds of experiences happened to other people but not to me.  I didn’t receive any warning that I would have this encounter, it just happened.

It was Wednesday, 26 March 1996, in the wee hours of the morning. It all started when I woke up with this excruciating back pain. I crawled to the bathroom and back.

I managed to get in bed afterward, but the pain lingered.  It was awhile before I got some relief and then it happened.

As I lay there, I found myself rising out of my body towards the ceiling.  I then had the sensation of traveling at an incredibly high rate of speed then I came back down. I rose out of my body a second time and had the same experience.

When my professor saw it as a hospital room, it clicked and all made sense.

I went traveling a third time, but this time I arrived at a destination. I found myself in what appeared to be a hotel room or something similar.  I was in bed and there was a television in the corner of the room displaying nothing but static.

As I sat in bed, all of a sudden, this four-legged creature approached the foot of the bed.  This creature was not very tall and looked part rat and part dinosaur. 

I had my full senses. This was not a dream.  I was having what the Bible refers to as a night vision.

This creature -which I believe was a demonic spirit- and I maintained eye-to-eye contact.  I saw everything, the details in his face, etc., in high definition. 

Instinctively, I jumped into a karate stance right there in the bed.  Then I began rebuking this creature in Jesus name, and…the vision ended.  (Luke 4:41; 9:42) Needless to say, I was in shock and awe.

Did you know you have angels guarding you? Psalm 91:11

Something very interesting happened after that vision. I got out of bed, put my clothes on, went for a walk, and all my back pain went away.

Now I know all this sounds strange so let’s pause here for a moment. The Bible is full of accounts of God speaking to people through dreams and visions.  

God spoke to Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph through dreams and visions.  (Gen 15:1, 12-16; 41:1-7; 46:2-4).  Joseph the earthly father of Jesus had four dreams related to the birth and protection of the Savior. (Matthew 1:20; 2:13; 2:19; 2:22)

Daniel is famous for his dreams, interpretations, and night visions. (Daniel 2:28; 4:5; 2:19)

It is likely that God has been speaking to you in dreams.  In the days to come, God will increasingly unveil His secrets through dreams and visions.

Be open. God wants to use you in this dimension.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18)

Why does God speak to His people through dreams and visions?  God’s kingdom is not of this world.  The mysteries of God’s kingdom are for those who know Him and serve Him.

Conversely, the knowledge of God is foolishness to philosophers, scholars, and brilliant debaters who reject Him. (1 Corinthians 1:20)

Interestingly, God takes delight in concealing His secrets even from those who love and serve Him.  Why?

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” (Proverbs 25:2)

Allow me to cut to the chase:  God wants you and me to seek Him! 

God is always extending to His people the invitation to go deeper.  Too many Christians are content to live on the surface, bypassing God’s invitation to explore the depths of His wisdom and knowledge. (Isaiah 45:3; Col 2:3)  

I began earnestly praying to God for an understanding of my night vision.

In the process of doing so, I sent an email summary of my experience to one of my divinity professors at Regent University.  Let me provide a little context before I tell you how he responded. 

In early to mid-March, my wife, Vanessa and I discovered that she was pregnant.  On 21 March, -five days before my vision- she began having complications with the pregnancy. I immediately notified my professor of the complications and he began to pray for us. 

I will provide excerpts from his email response: “In this demonic vision, the Lord was letting you know the place the enemy wants to take you. As I prayed it looked like a hospital room, possibly signifying the loss of a baby.”

“If you rebuke the enemy -the thought that you are going to lose the baby- the attack against Vanessa and the baby will go away much the same as your back pain went away.”

Praise the Lord!  Vanessa and I stood in faith, but our faith came under fire a few days later after a visit to Dr. T. for an ultrasound.

Dr. T could not find a heartbeat during the ultrasound.  She scheduled us for a follow-on visit about a week later but she was not very hopeful.

I relayed this disheartening news to my professor. He said, “Kevin hold out in faith until there is an absolute confirmation of the results.”  Vanessa and I kept believing.

I drove to the hospital for that second ultrasound appointment on the morning of Tuesday, 9 April.

As I drove into the parking a song came on the radio, “Show Up,” by John P Kee.  To say that the lyrics spoke to our situation would be an understatement.

When I heard this song…it was a done deal!

“If there be anyone who’s going through. We have the answer to the problem for you. Trust and obey, and never give in. Only the strong shall survive and win. Just ask the question and the answer shall come. Just exercise your faith and know He’s the One. If there is no sign, keep this in mind. He’ll show up on time.”

I turned up the volume and was shouting the victory in the car before we received any results!

Dr. T conducted the examination.  Dr. T located the fetus.  Dr. T heard a heartbeat.  God…showed up on time!!

Vanessa and I had three lovely daughters at the time. On 24 November 1996, Kevin D Willis II was born.  I wanted so badly to have a son, and one of the main reasons was for my wife.

There is something special about mothers and sons, and any mother who has a son needs no explanation.

Our son just graduated from Liberty University with a degree in graphic design and is serving the Lord with his talents. 

God used a night vision to engineer a sequence of events that enabled Vanessa and I to hope against hope and receive God’s miracle answer! 

This is the beginning of a series on Dreams, and Visions.  I am asking the Lord to help me make you more sensitive to this NORMAL and very Biblical form of Holy Spirit revelation.

It is likely that God has already been speaking to you in dreams.  In the days to come, God will increasingly unveil His secrets through dreams and visions.

Stay tuned and I pray that the Lord will give you greater revelation on mysteries of the Kingdom of God concerning you. God Bless! Press On!!  Kevin

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How to Hear from God Part 5-Minneapolis

God is not whispering. He is screaming at the church to take action to prevent the reoccurrence of episodes like Minneapolis.  

We hinder our ability to hear from God if other agendas take precedence over our allegiance to God and His purposes.

The rival kings had taken counsel together to go to battle against a common enemy. They worked out their differences, established an alliance, and drew up plans for battle. 

King Ahab asked 400 of his spiritual advisors if he should go to battle. These so-called “prophets” assured Ahab of battlefield success. (1 Kings 22)

King Jehoshaphat then asked a critical question, “Is there a prophet of the Lord that we can ask?” Hold that thought.

The world is watching the United States deal with the aftermath of the tragic death of George Floyd from a sustained knee to the neck. Racism -that great stain against the American ideal -is again at the center of national debate. 

The Old Testament (OT) account of the two kings speaks to our present circumstances. As always, the OT is real, raw, relevant, and pregnant with meaning.

Since the death of Mr. Floyd, Democratic and Republican officials have worked tirelessly to develop news headlines and storylines consistent with party platforms. This is, of course, an election year and both parties are aggressively seeking to control the narrative.

Any news stories or perspectives that differ from the established party storylines are quickly labeled as a “spin” or “fake news.” Cable and network news outlets from MSNBC (liberal) to Fox News (conservative) also broadcast calculated storylines, 24/7. 

Both cable networks have an agenda.

Then, of course, social media is awash with raw and unfiltered opinions. I doubt that ranking Republicans, Democrats, cable news network executives, or social media influencers are particularly interested in hearing from the Lord.  

Sadly, I believe they have more in common with Ahab than Jehoshaphat.

American politics is fickle. The landscape is always changing. 

You may be unaware that in its inception, the Republican party drove the political debate that led to the end of slavery, and supported Reconstruction after the Civil War. Yes…the Republican Party.

Terrorist Groups like the Ku Klux Klan defeated efforts to extend citizenship to former slaves during the Reconstruction era.

Conversely, after the Civil War, southern Democrats -yes, the Democrats- resisted Reconstruction and denied civil rights to blacks for 100 years.  

Now…why wouldn’t both parties want to hear from the Lord? Let’s go deeper.

It turns out that there was a positive response to Jehoshaphat’s query about the availability of a prophet of the Lord. His name was Micaiah but Ahab hated him. 

Why? Because Micaiah only said what God wanted him to say.    

Ahab’s advisor’s pleaded with Micaiah to maintain the party line. Micaiah refused. He told Ahab that disaster awaited if he went into battle. One man stood alone against the collective opinion of 400 Democrats and Republicans -I mean- “prophets.”

Ahab flew into a rage when Micaiah did not adopt the party line. Micaiah was ridiculed and slapped in the face by one of Ahab’s advisors for his audacity.  

Ahab blurted out, “Didn’t I tell you?” He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.” “Arrest him,” said Ahab, “feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from battle.” (1 Kings 22:27-28)

Ahab went into the battle on the advice of the “immoral majority” and was killed. The Bible records that the dogs licked up his blood at the place where the prostitutes bathed. (vv.37-38)

I believe God is looking for Micaiah’s today to speak His truth to power at all levels, and in arenas beyond politics.  You are reading this. Are you one of those individuals God is looking for?  

“I should have steered clear of politics”

In 2011, at the age of 92, Reverend Billy Graham gave an interview to Christianity Today Magazine.  He was asked if he had any regrets over his lifetime and ministry.  He said, “I would have steered clear of politics…looking back I know I sometimes crossed the line.” https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/januaryweb-only/qabillygraham.html

The First Century in which Jesus walked was full of political sophistication.  Rome was dominant and Greek culture was embraced by the elites. 

Palestine was considered a backwater in the Roman Empire but it was not in terms of religion and politics.

Groups like the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Zealots aggressively sought the allegiance of the Jewish people in Palestine.  They sought to get Jesus to align with their political and religious views.

Jesus wasn’t having any of it.  Like Micaiah, Jesus stood apart from partisan politics. He came to do the Father’s will. 

Micaiah was placed in prison. Jesus was crucified.  Can I still interest you in being a spokesperson for God in the 21st Century? 

Aligning with Biblical principles will eventually bring you into conflict with the platforms of your preferred political party.  Aligning with God will eventually bring you into conflict with the story lines of your favorite news sources.

Efforts to redefine marriage during the Obama administration should have been fiercely resisted by all Christians regardless of party affiliation. 

Likewise, some of the abrasive rhetoric of the Trump Administration only further divides our nation and should not be tolerated or excused by Christians regardless of party affiliation.

To whom do you owe allegiance?

God is not whispering.  He is screaming at the church to take action.  It is time to break affiliations if necessary and prevent the reoccurrence of knee-to-the-neck episodes like what took place in Minneapolis. 

The two men who shot Arbery were never charged until leaked video footage caused outrage.

It is time to unite and put and end to conditions that allow travesties of justice. Ahmaud Arbery was jogging in a local neighborhood when confronted and gunned down. The perpetrators were allowed to go uncharged for over two months until a leaked video exposed their heinous crime.

We can no longer view these incidents as black issues or problems. These are American atrocities. Rioting, burning and looting are not the answer, but ignoring the root causes of the unrest in our cities is likewise not the answer.

God is looking for people who will hear His words and act courageously.  

God is looking for Micaiah’s who will break ranks if necessary to speak the truth.  Can God count on you?

Those who will hear God most clearly in the days to come will be those He can count on to speak His truth and take action no matter the consequences.

I want to be counted among those who take a stand in my generation.  How about you? God Bless! Press On!! Kevin

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

“For evil to succeed, all it needs is for good men to do nothing.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

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How to Hear from God Part 4-The Supernatural

It would be tragic for you to live your entire life and not realize the extent to which God has supernaturally gifted you, and desires to channel His power through you.

I watched in disbelief, but I could not deny it.  I was not a Christian at the time. The three of us were alone in the chapel at Camp Hovey, Korea in the winter of 1978. 

“Brother, the Lord just spoke to my heart.  You got wife problems.”  The young Soldier now joined me in startled disbelief.

How did Master Sergeant (MSG) White know that this Soldier, whom he’d never met before, had wife problems? Turns out he did have wife problems. White then began to tell him how to set matters right with his wife.

I later asked MSG White, who was also a Baptist preacher, how he knew the Soldier had wife problems?  He replied, “Sometimes the Lord will reveal to you what is going on in another person’s life so you can help them.”  What??!!

I didn’t know what to think. I had not been to church in over a decade. Church to me was dry, boring, and full of older, uninteresting people.    

I started spending time with MSG White. He seemed to be a walking problem solver who loved serving people. His influence was instrumental in me giving my life to Christ only weeks after I met him.

Gradually at first but over time, the unthinkable occurred. God began speaking to me, and most often while I was in the process of serving others.

I never get used to it. It still amazes me that God speaks to me. David said it like this: “What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalms 8:4)

God will make you smile if you will yield to Him.

It saddens me that many individuals experience a dry religion.  There is so much more!  The premise of this series follows: 

“If God promised to guide you, tell you, speak and declare to you, (John 16:12-15) then why would He make it difficult for you to hear His Voice?”

You are a candidate to hear the Voice of God, and you are also a candidate to walk in the supernatural power of God. 

Previous articles have outlined the fundamental requirements to hear from God.  Now let’s reveal more hidden treasure.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Those who set their hearts to seek God diligently, and serve others, can experience the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible has a number of gift lists, but our focus will be on the nine gifts of the Spirit outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. You will find this passage at the end of this article.

These gifts find expression in the lives of committed believers who serve others.

When you become the bridge between God and the needs of others, His power will flow through you.

MSG White was not sharing God’s “inside” information to impress that young Soldier; White was trying to help the young man so the Holy Spirit “helped” MSG White, help the Soldier.

Herein lies the critical point.  God’s knowledge is for service not arrogance.  God’s knowledge is to help not horde.  God’s knowledge is to set free, not to make you important in the eyes of others. 

If you want to help others, God will impart His secrets to you and channel His power through you.  He will stir things in you, that will astound you.  You just have to remember.  It’s not about you. It’s about others.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have shared this quote with hundreds of federal government employees as part of a presentation on self-awareness. Through coaching, I helped many of them discover talents they did not realize they had.

I could not engage with these employees from a faith-based standpoint for obvious reasons, but listen. God created you! He has deposited things in you -even beyond the nine gifts of the Spirit- that are hidden. 

It would be tragic for you to live your entire life and not realize the extent to which God has supernaturally gifted you, and desires to channel His power through you.

God wants to talk to you about you. God also wants to talk to you about others if your motivation is to serve. 

Why? Because God wants to heal broken humanity and He primarily uses human vessels to do so.   

Okay Kevin…how do I access this hidden treasure? Very simple. You ask for it. Jesus said:

“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” (Luke 11:13)

Important! Don’t miss God due to pride.  You see, for many, the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues is the entry point to access the power of God. 

Please don’t reject what God has for you.

Speaking in tongues may seem strange at the beginning.  This fact explains why Paul gave specific instructions on how the gift of tongues is to be regulated in church gatherings.  (1 Corinthians 14:22-29)

Still, the apostles that performed miracles, established the church, and wrote the New Testament, spoke in tongues. Paul spoke in tongues more than his contemporaries.  (1 Corinthians 14:18)

These men rose out of weakness and received supernatural power that turned the world upside down. (Acts 17:6)

I was turned off by speaking in tongues back in Korea in 1978.  Pride got in the way.  I earnestly asked God for eight of the nine gifts and especially prophecy.  I did not want the tongues.  Well…tongues was the first gift I received. First, I had to humble myself.

It is a tragedy that so many young people (Generations X, Millennials, and Generation Z) are missing out on an empowered, purposeful life that could eclipse anything they can imagine.  

No matter your age group or demographic…

It would be tragic for you to live your entire life and not realize the extent to which God has supernaturally gifted you, and desires to channel His power through you.

Ask the Lord for His supernatural power and keep asking for it. Humble yourself. Begin serving others, and in the process of serving, the Holy Spirit will begin to help you, help others!

Get ready for the new you. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin 

Bible
Word of God

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. (1 Corinthians 11: 7-11)

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How to Hear from God Part 3 -Hidden Treasures

I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isa 45:3

I’ve made the same bold declarations to incoming Bethel College freshman for over ten years. My students have been a mix of 18-year old high school graduates and adult learners of all ages.

I hand them the Old Testament (OT) Survey syllabus and -with no introductions- fire away: “This is one of the greatest courses you will ever take in your life! “

Most people think that Genesis is about Creation. It is more about the story of Abraham’s family.

“The OT is real, raw, and relevant, and is pregnant with meaning! You will be a different person by the end of the semester!”  

I am sure they are wondering, “who in the world is this guy?!!” By the end of the semester, the vast majority of them believe. 

They believe and become different people because they’ve spent 15 weeks uncovering hidden treasures.

Few Christians have an appreciation for the treasure hidden in the OT. We are going to unlock some of that treasure in this article.   

You see, there is a key that unlocks the door to divine revelation. Before we reveal the key, let’s do a quick review of the past two weeks.

“If God promised to guide you, tell you, speak and declare to you, then why would He make it hard for you to hear His voice?”  (John 16:13-14)

If you desire to become familiar with God’s Voice: 1) be born again; 2) know God’s word; 3) love God’s word; 4) practice a lifestyle of humility; and establish your “need to know.” 

The need to know is critical. God will rarely speak to you if you aren’t going to do His will. Now let’s move forward. The key that unlocks the door to divine revelation is worship.  

The salvation story in the OT begins with a family. Abraham is head of this family. His family endures generations of hardship, struggle, and 400 years of slavery. The family’s emancipation from slavery is also its birth as a nation-the nation of Israel.  

God chose Israel above all the nations on the earth because He loved them, and to keep the promise He made to Abraham. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8) God’s only requirement of Israel was to worship Him. Jesus summed up all of the instructions given by the OT law and prophets:

 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Mark 12:30-31)

Here Jesus describes what worship to God is, and those who set their hearts and minds to worship Him, unlock the door of divine revelation.  

Those who worship God unlock the door of divine revelation.  

Those who enter the storehouse of God’s riches are not impressed with themselves. They are humble servants of God eager to express their worship to Him by serving others.  

Worship involves giving thanks to God out of a pure heart. Worshippers actively pursue God. They desire to know Him.

Some think of worship as singing, dancing, shouting, praising, serving, etc. They are correct because worship to God can be expressed in these ways.

But outward expressions only become worship when their intended purpose is to give glory to God. Allow me to transition here to address some important related issues.

The way people describe worship can draw people near to God or repel them from God. Allow me to explain.

Over 20 years ago, our church’s prayer ministry was led by some great women of faith. I was blessed by their leadership, but I occasionally struggled with the way they described worship. 

I did not want to be rocked in “Daddy’s Arms,” feel a “warm embrace” or have God “kiss me on the cheek,” etc. Now there is nothing wrong with these expressions, but our examples and illustrations must be more inconclusive.

Admittedly, for years I viewed worship as being soft and feminine. I struggled relating to their very genuine expressions of their love for God. As a prayer leader myself, this attitude toward worship hindered me, but I grew and learned.

God is worshipped on the field of battle. The OT is full of such examples.

In the OT, men of God worshipped Him on the verge of battle, and during mortal combat. Men of God also worshipped God in the aftermath of bloody conquests.  

These men were not waiting for a warm embrace. Their acts of worship included combating fear, accepting risk, caring for wounded comrades, and shouting chants of faith like: “let God arise, His enemies be scattered!”

Ultimately worship is an inner attitude that finds outward expression. What expressions does God like? He likes and receives authentic expressions of your love for Him.  

Strive to express your devotion to God in ways that reflect the person He has made you to be. Be Real!

Worship is the thread that ties together OT figures that God spoke to regularly.

As noted previously, you can worship in singing, in the playing of instruments, in dancing, in prayer, in the giving of thanks, and in the lifting of our hands to honor God.  

You can see acts of worship in expressions of faith, in the giving of material possessions, in self-sacrifice, and in boldly speaking God’s truth to unreceptive individuals or audiences.  

The motivation of worship can be judged by this one standard: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and, love your neighbor as yourself.”   

“I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” ( Isa 45:3)

Worshipers receive God’s hidden treasures, and riches stored in secret places. Worshippers know God.    

Cultivate the art of hearing from God by worshipping Him daily. Next week we will reveal more hidden treasure that relates to hearing from God. Exciting times await. Until then, God Bless! Press On!! Kevin

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How to Hear from God Part. 2

God has determined who will gain access to His unsearchable riches.

God is in the “intelligence business.” He grants access to some and restricts it from others. The proud and arrogant will not hear from God.

I graduated college and entered the Military Intelligence branch of the Army in May, 1977. There are aspects of the intelligence business that are secretive and behind closed doors. It is a world of protections, protocols and security procedures. 

Classified information is safeguarded with different levels of protection. If you meet the right security clearance requirements, you can access the information.  

There is one critical question regarding your access: Do you have a “need to know?” Upon reflection, I have concluded that God is in the “intelligence business.”  Allow me to break this down for you. Here we go.

I remember those Sunday mornings back in 1979. I used to walk up to her door to pick her up before church. I’ll call her “Sister E.” I had a brand new 1979, Metallic Red, Cutlass Supreme.  

I always held the door for her and treated her special. Church services would end and I often gave her a ride home. It was all normal. After all, I was 23 years old and single.  

I’d gotten saved in Korea in 1978. In January 1979, the Army reassigned me to Fort Meade, MD-near my home in DC. I had a plan. 

I was going to find a church, find a Spirit-filled young lady, get married, leave the Army in three years, and serve God.  Well, I found a church. Now on to phase two!

Months after I began picking Sister E up, I had no dates, purchased no ring-nothing. I tried to be charming. I went to church wearing those tailored-made suits I purchased in Korea, had the fancy car, etc. 

I should add that I also had a full head of hair back then and a mustache too. Bottom line: despite my best efforts, my plan was not coming together.

Before I go any further, I should probably provide an important detail. You see, Sister E was easily in her 70’s. My driving her to and from church was for other reasons.  

I was looking for someone much younger if you know what I mean. I picked Sister E up because I couldn’t stand seeing her struggling to walk up the hill to church on Sunday mornings. Funny how God works.  

Sister E was different. She told me that folks at the church did not like her. I noticed that she did not fit in well with the other seniors. 

She had an unpleasant body odor; perhaps that had something to do with her relationships, but I think there was more to it.

Anyway, some things were evident about Sister E. She loved God. She loved serving God, and…Sister E heard from God regularly.  

I don’t want to offend my Pentecostal brethren, but I never heard Sister E speak in tongues, but I’ll tell you this. The Holy Spirit spoke to Sister E. 

As I mentioned last week, Jesus said “He (the Holy Spirit) will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me (Jesus), for He will take of what is Mine, and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14) 

The Holy Spirit has come to guide us in ways that will bring glory to God!

I believe God occasionally speaks to believers and unbelievers. God spoke to Sister E regularly. Sister E is an excellent case study for those who want to cultivate the art of hearing from God.  

God is in the intelligence business. He grants access to some and restricts it from others. The proud and arrogant will not hear from God.

Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes.” (Matthew 11:25)

The Apostle Paul said it this way: “God will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” (1 Corinthians 1:19)  

Coding is used in the intelligence business to conceal secret information. “The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant.”  (Psalms 25:14)

During World War II, the German military used the “unbreakable” Enigma coding machine to pass along its war plans. Unbeknownst to the Germans, the British broke the code, saving untold Allied lives and shortening the war.

The Enigma was believed to be unbreakable but British mathematicians broke the code. God’s “codes” will never be “broken” by the proud and arrogant.

Parables were one of Jesus’ favorite coding methods. Jesus would hide eternal truth right out in the open to display His preeminence over all.   

The disciples asked Jesus why He spoke in parables. Jesus said “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.” (Matthew 13:11)  

Sister E’s case study reveals that you must first know God to hear from God. We come to know God through confessing with our mouths the Lord Jesus and believing in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead. (Rom 10:9-10) 

You must not stop at salvation. Salvation is the entry point. Sister E loved God, and so much so, that she became His disciplined follower-a disciple. 

She established a relationship with God and became familiar with His voice.

How did Sister E come to know God so well? She came to know Him because she came to know His Word-the Bible. She came to love God, because she came to love His Word.

Sister E also became familiar with God’s Voice because she established her “need to know.” She established her need to know because she went about doing God’s will. Those who set about their own plans and purposes will not become familiar with God’s Voice.

Those who set about their own plans and purposes will not become familiar with God’s Voice.

Sister E would periodically give me Bible verses on scraps of loose-leaf notebook paper. Those paper scraps were priceless.

She would say, “Brother Willis, the Lord “vealed” (revealed) this to me the other day. Those verses were always HUGE in my life. Allow me to detour just a bit.

When I was in high school, my small circle of friends included the smartest people in our graduating class. My closest friend was voted “most intelligent,” “most brains,” and “most likely to succeed.” He was also president of the debate team.

As for me, let’s just say I finished in the top 50% of the class. I still have a relationship with my brilliant friend. He has listened to me talk about God and salvation.     

Thank God he attends church but we never connect on a spiritual level. He can be pretty arrogant at times. God resists the proud.

In my 40-plus years of serving God, those who hear God best are the humblest people I know. Sister E was very humble. Remember, she was also a bit of an outcast.

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble!

Many who hear God well are outcasts. They don’t fit in with the crowd. Here is another interesting point. Age is not a discriminator.  

God speaks to children and the childlike. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3)

God is in the “intelligence business.” He grants access to some and restricts it from others. The proud and arrogant will not hear from God.

I picked up Sister E because she was struggling to walk up that long hill. Sister E passed many years ago, but as I write this, she is speaking from the grave through me. (Hebrews 11:4)

If you would hear God’s voice: 1) be born again; 2) know God’s word; 3) love God’s word; and 4) practice a lifestyle of humility. Caution…you may become a bit of an outcast.  

If you desire to become familiar with God’s Voice, establish your “need to know.” Set your heart to make God’s will a priority in your life. Those who need to know are those who do His will.  

Sister E will have more to say in the weeks to come. I hope you will stay through the entire series because I have a revelation about Sister E that you will not want to miss. 

Until then, God Bless! Press On!!  Kevin

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How to Hear from God Part. 1

If God promised to guide you, tell you, speak and declare to you, then why would He make it hard for you to hear His Voice?

This article begins a series on hearing from God.  As I began to develop this post, I felt the strongest impression to document a challenge facing spiritual leaders. 

Since hearing from God requires sensitivity to such impressions, I decided to insert it here.  This is a word of encouragement for spiritual leaders and those who support them:

“In the debilitating course of social distancing, quarantine, disease and death, the devil has sent a spirit of discouragement against leaders in the church.

The effect of this attack is draining the energy of many leaders; the intent of this attack is to cause malaise and fatigue and eventually…hopelessness.

In an environment where spiritual leaders can and should recharge, many are feeling more drained than before the pandemic.

Let’s stop this now!!

Spiritual leaders experiencing these attacks should heed Paul’s admonition to stand in the power of God’s might. (Ephesians 6:10-17)

Concerned individuals should pray for their leaders, and encourage them in practical ways with phone calls, texts, emails, inbox posts, uplifting letters, etc.”

More on this impression later.  Let’s establish a foundation for hearing from God.    

The Bible contains two Testaments, sixty-six books, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses.  I have been a Bible student for over 40 years.  I have walked several hundred college students through the entire Bible over the past 14 years. 

In my studies, this verse remains one of the most remarkable to me: “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I (Jesus) go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper (the Holy Spirit) will not come to you. But if I (Jesus) go, I will send him (the Holy Spirit) to you.” (John 16:7)

Divine Helper Sent For You.

Jesus told the disciples that it was better for them that He leave so that the Holy Spirit could come.  When you consider what Jesus did, how could His departure be better for them? 

As the Biblical story unfolds, we learn that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one with the Father.  (John 14:11a, 16-20) Jesus fulfilled His mission through death, burial and resurrection.

Unlike Jesus in His earthly ministry, The Holy Spirit is not constrained by space and time.  The Holy Spirit equips, enables, and empowers believers to make disciples of all nations.  (Mt 28:19-20; Acts 1:8)

The Holy Spirit desires to speak to God’s people!  We must express a desire to hear from Him, and cultivate the art of doing so.

Jesus said “He (the Holy Spirit) will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me (Jesus), for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14)

Here is our fundamental premise.  If God promised to guide you, tell you, speak and declare to you, then why would He make it hard for you to hear His Voice?

We need to hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit.  One fact is true concerning all of the “game changers,” “earth-shakers,” and “shot-makers” (the most notable characters) in the Bible. They prevailed because God spoke to them and they followed His guidance.

I am talking about people who overcame pandemics, famine, war, unrest, distress, impotency, barrenness, death sentences, and “incurable” diseases.

Yesterday morning, I read how Saul was hunting down David to kill him.  David was always one step ahead of Saul. Why? God kept telling David how to avoid Saul. (1 Samuel 23-24)

You are about to make some critical decisions that may have huge implications for your life.  Why? Because the COVID-19 pandemic has removed or shifted many of the foundations upon which we trusted.

Government leaders, corporate leaders, spiritual leaders and heads of household be advised: your foundations have been removed or shifted! 

COVID-19 outbreak has sent many in search of more stable foundations.

What you were leaning on, counting on, depending on, basing your hopes upon, in many instances is now gone, but there is a firmer foundation.

God is a speaking God.  All earthly foundations have been shaken, but God’s Kingdom cannot be shaken.  (Hebrews 12:26-28)

Sources that you can trust-men and woman of character-who love God are saying the same thing.  There is opportunity ahead. 

This note of optimism does not gloss over the 67,454, coronavirus-related deaths in America (as of 4 May), and quarter-of-a-million fatalities around the globe.

We find ourselves in need of comfort and strength. We also find ourselves in need of invention, innovation, and creativity.  The Holy Spirit is the source of them all. 

The Holy Spirit desires to speak to you. He wants to be involved in establishing new and more enduring foundations in your life. 

If you are interested in a refreshing, reinvention, or reframing in your life, then cultivate the art of hearing from God. 

If you are interested in beginning or restarting your walk with God, please go to the following link: https://dreamprayernetwork.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=302&action=edit

I opened this blog post by documenting an impression that I believe came from the Holy Spirit.  Whether the Holy Spirit was the source of my impression is for others to judge. 

The Bible is the final authority in measuring the validity and accuracy of all such impressions, words, and encouragements.

In the coming weeks, I hope to help you cultivate the art of hearing from the Holy Spirit.  May I ask you to do some reading in preparation?  I request that you read chapters 14-16 of the Gospel of John. 

Key verses from those chapters are below.  Until next time.  God Bless! Press On!!  Kevin

Bible
Word of God

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 14:15-18

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. John 15:26-27

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:7-11

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore, I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16:13-15

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