Sunday Sermon
How To Hear The Voice Of God Clearly
Date: September 2, 2007
Speaker: Pastor Gerry Gregoire
Scriptural Reference: Joshua 1:8
Listen to Audio Sermon

Joshua 1:8 (Amplified Bible)
8This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall
meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all
that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then
you shall deal wisely and have good [a]success

HERE WE ARE TOLD TO MEDITATE DAY AND NIGHT, DO WHAT IS WRITTEN. AND THAT BY DOING THAT IT WOULD PRODUCE PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS.

HAVE YOU EVER DRIVEN ON A DARK ROAD ON A FOGGY NIGHT? YOU HAVE TO USE THE CENTER LINE AS A GUIDE, OR IF THERE IS A CAR IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU CAN FOLLOW THE TAILLIGHTS.

THE TAILLIGHTS CAN BE USED A SYMBOLIC OF GOD’S WORD AND THE TAILLIGHTS AS SYMBOLIC OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

IN ESSENCE THESE ALL CAN GUIDE US AND HELP US STAY ON TRACK.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE CAN FEEL COMPLETELY LOST WITH NO LINES OR TAILLIGHTS. WHAT CAN YOU DO THEN, THAT IS WHEN YOU ARE LOST AND DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO GO. MAYBE A STORY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT CAN HELP US.

GO TO 2 KINGS 6:1-6 —
Kings 6:1-6 (Amplified Bible)
1THE SONS of the prophets said to Elisha, Look now, the place where we live before you is too small for us.
2Let us go to the Jordan, and each man get there a [house] beam; and let us make us a place there where we may dwell. And he answered, Go.
3One said, Be pleased to go with your servants. He answered, I will go.
4So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.
5But as one was felling his beam, the axhead fell into the water; and he cried, Alas, my master, for it was borrowed!
6The man of God said, Where did it fall? When shown the place, Elisha cut off a stick and threw it in there, and the iron floated.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS, GO BACK TO WHERE YOU LAST KNEW WHERE YOU WERE AND START OVER. IN THE SPIRITUAL SENSE, IT’S WHEN YOU LAST HEARD GOD’S VOICE, GO BACK TO THAT POINT AND LET GOD RAISE YOU UP.

LET’S LOOK AT AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT:
A YOUNG MAN WAS CALLED BY GOD TO GO TO A BIBLE SCHOOL FAR FROM HOME, AFTER BEING THERE FOR A FEW WEEKS, HE STARTED TO HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT HIS DISCISION. HE HATED THE DISCIPLINE, THE CLIMATE AND YOU NAME IT, HE DIDN’T LIKE IT. SO HE WENT BACK IN TIME TO WHEN GOD CALLED HIM TO ATTEND THAT
SCHOOL. BEING OBEDIENT, HE STAYED AND GOD MADE HIM RECIPIENT OF MANY BLESSINGS AND BENEFIT. GOD ALSO DID A TREMENDOUS WORK IN HIS LIFE.

WHEN GOD CALLED ME INTO MINISTRY MANY YEARS AGO, HE SAID THAT I HAD NOT TASTED OF ALL THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO AN OBEDIENT CHILD OF GOD AND TO TRUST HIM. HE TOLD ME AT THAT TIME THAT I WOULD BE TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT. AT THAT TIME I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE MEANT. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD TIMES WHEN I JUST WANTED TO GIVE UP AND QUIT. BUT, I WOULD ALWAYS GO BACK TO WHAT GOD TOLD ME IN THE BEGINNING. THAT’S WHERE THE AXE FELL AND I ALWAYS GO BACK TO THAT PLACE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? IT WAS PROPHESIED THAT WE WOULD PASTOR AND HAVE WORLD WIDE MINISTRY, AND I
HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THOSE THINGS. SOMETIMES IT WOULD SEEM THAT IT WOULD NEVER COME TO PASS, BUT WE KEPT PRESSING ON DOING WHAT WE COULD. BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD ABOUT HAVING WORLD WIDE MINISTRY WE GOT OUR PASSPORTS, TEN YEARS GO BY AND THE PASSPORTS EXPIRE. GODS SAYS, RENEW THEM, I’M STILL
WORKING ON IT. SO IN MAY WE RENEWED OUR PASSPORTS. SO YOU SEE ALWAYS GO BACK WHERE YOU KNOW YOU HEARD GOD LAST. IF YOU DON’T LIKE YOUR JOB OR, THE SCHOOL THAT YOUR IN, GO BACK TO WHERE GOD
CALLED YOU INTO THAT AREA AND ASK HIM TO RENEW YOUR RESOLVE.

GO TO JONAH 3:1-3 –
1 AND THE word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying,
2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach and cry out to it the preaching that I tell you.
3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city of three days' journey [sixty miles in circumference].

JOB DID IT BUT ONLY AFTER GOD TOLD HIM A SECOND TIME. THE FIRST TIME HE REFUSED AND FLED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. BUT GOD IS THE GOD OF THE SECOND CHANCE, AREN’T YOU GLAD FOR THAT?

EVERY TIME JESUS CONNECTED WITH SOMEONE, IT WAS TO GIVE THEM A SECOND CHANCE. ARE YOU LISTENING? JESUS WILL GIVE YOU A BRAND-NEW START. THE BLIND MEN RECEIVED THEIR SITE AND A BRAND NEW START, THE PALSIED RECEIVED THE USE OF THEIR LIMBS AND A BRAN NEW START. PEOPLE WITH ALL SORTS OF DISEASE GOT
HEALED AND A BRAND-NEW START. THINK ABOUT IT A BIT, THE WOMEN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD FOR 12 YEARS, A BRAND NEW START, THE MAN AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA, A BRAND-NEW START. THE CENTURION’S SERVANT, PULLED BACK FROM DEATH AND GIVEN A BRAND-NEW START. THE WOMEN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY GOT A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE. THE GADERENE DEMONIAC, DESTINED FOR DEATH AND LIVING IN A CEMETERY WAS DELIVERED AND GOT A BRAND-NEW START.

SO WHERE ARE YOU IN YOUR LIFE? GOD IS WAITING TO GIVE YOU A BRAND-NEW START. LIVE FOR HIM ! AND THIS ALL BECAUSE JESUS COMMUNICATED WITH THE FATHER.

LET LOOK AT JOHN 14:10-11 AND JOHN 12: 49-50 —
John 14:10-11 (Amplified Bible)
10Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? What I am telling you I do not say on My own authority and of My own accord; but the Father Who lives continually in Me does the ([a]His) works (His own
miracles, deeds of power).
11Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the sake of the [very] works themselves. [If you cannot trust Me, at least let these works that I do in My Father's name convince you.]

John 12:49-50 (Amplified Bible)
49This is because I have never spoken on My own authority or of My own accord or as self-appointed, but the Father Who sent Me has Himself given Me orders [concerning] what to say and what to tell.(A)
50And I know that His commandment is (means) eternal life. So whatever I speak, I am saying [exactly] what My Father has told Me to say and in accordance with His instructions.

JESUS WAS HEARING THE FATHER IN ALL THAT HE SAID AND DONE. AND LOOK WHAT GREAT WORD HE SPOKE ON JOHN 14:12 —

John 14:12 (Amplified Bible)
12I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.

IF YOU CAN DO, THEN YOU MUST BE ABLE TO HEAR!! CAN YOU SEE WHAT GOD WANTS IN YOUR LIFE? HE WANTS YOU TO HEAR HIM CLEARLY. IF YOU DON’T HEAR HIM CLEARLY, HOW CAN YOU DO WHAT HE IS SAYING? THE GREAT WORKS WILL NOT BE DONE BY PEOPLE WHO DON’T HEAR GOD!!

LET’S LOOK AT HEARING GOD - IF YOU ARE NOT HEARING GOD NOW, THE FIRST STEP IS TO REPENT OF YOUR SIN LIKE JONAH IN JONAH 2:7 —

Jonah 2:7 (Amplified Bible)
7When my soul fainted upon me [crushing me], I earnestly and seriously remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple.

JONAH WENT BACK TO WHERE HE HAD HEARD GOD’S CALL AND REPENTED AND GOD GAVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE.

IF YOU HAVE FOUND YOURSELF ON THE WRONG PATH, THE LORD IS ABLE TO RESTORE WHAT THE LOCUSTS HAVE EATEN. LET”S LOOK AT JOEL 2:25 –

Joel 2:25 (Amplified Bible)
25And I will restore or replace for you the years that the locust has eaten--the hopping locust, the stripping locust, and the crawling locust, My great army which I sent among you.

MODERN DAY BIBLE Young's Literal
Joel 2:25 And I have recompensed to you the years That consume did the locust, the cankerworm, And the caterpillar, and the palmer©worm, My great force that I did send against you.

WHEN YOU HEAR GOD’S VOICE DEEP IN YOU, THREE THINGS MUST ALIGN. THERE IS A STORY ABOUT A HARBOR THAT WAS HARD TO NAVIGATE INTO. 3 LIGHTHOUSES WERE STRATEGICALLY BUILT SO THAT THE CAPTAINS OF VESSELS COMING INTO THE HARBOR MUST SEE THE THREE LIGHTHOUSES AS ONE OTHERWISE THEY WOULD END UP ON THE ROCKS. EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE 3 LIGHTHOUSES, THEY SHOULD ONLY SEE ONE AS THEY ARE ALIGNED.

WHEN HEARING GOD’S VOICE THESE THREE (3) THINGS MUST ALIGN.
1. "GOD’S WORD"
1 Corinthians 14:37 (Amplified Bible)
37If anyone thinks and claims that he is a prophet [filled with and governed by the Holy Spirit of God and inspired to interpret the divine will and purpose in preaching or teaching] or has any other spiritual endowment, let him understand (recognize and acknowledge) that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord.

Joshua 1:8 (Amplified Bible)
8This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good [a]success.

WHEN YOU FOLLOW THIS SCRIPTURE THERE ARE NO ROCKS, BUT PROMISE GOOD SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY. AMEN !!

LOOK AT WHAT JOSEPH SMITH DID WHEN HE FOUNDED MORMONISM. HE PERVERTED GOD’S WORD AND MANY HAVE FOLLOWED HIM INTO SHIPWRECK. HIS THOUGHTS DID NOT LINE UP WITH THE WORD. HE RUINED MANY LIVES AND ETERNITIES WITH HIS CLAIM OF AN ANGELIC VISION WHICH CHANGED HIS WAY OF THINKING AND PRODUCED: THE BOOK OF MORMON,” A FAIRY TALE. LOOK AT GALATIANS 1:6-8 AND 2 COR 11:14

Galatians 1:6-8 (Amplified Bible)
6I am surprised and astonished that you are so quickly [a]turning renegade and deserting Him Who invited and called you [b]by the grace (unmerited favor) of Christ (the Messiah) [and that you are transferring your
allegiance] to a different [even an opposition] gospel.
7Not that there is [or could be] any other [genuine Gospel], but there are [obviously] some who are troubling and disturbing and bewildering you [[c]with a different kind of teaching which they offer as a gospel] and want
to pervert and distort the Gospel of Christ (the Messiah) [into something which it absolutely is not].
8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to and different from that which we preached to you, let him be accursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)!

2 Corinthians 11:14 (Amplified Bible)
14And it is no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light;

THE 2ND LIGHTHOUSE THAT MUST ALIGN IS...

2. THE “PEACE OF GOD”
Colossians 3:15 (Amplified Bible)
15And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].

A MAN WAS OFFERED A JOB WITH A LARGE COMPANY THAT WOULD PAY HIM MORE THAN HE HAD EVER MADE IN HIS LIFE. HE THOUGHT OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT HE COULD DO FOR PEOPLE. YET, HE DID NOT HAVE GOD’S PEACE ABOUT IT AND TURNED IT DOWN. PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS CRAZY. THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS NEWS. IT SEEMED LIKE A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY WAS FOUND TO BE INVOLVED WITH MANY ILLEGAL THINGS. THE MAN COULD HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED OR BEEN ASKED TO COVER THINGS UP. THE WHOLE COMPANY WAS IN TROUBLE. HE WAS KEPT BY GOD FROM GETTING INVOLVED IN A BIG MESS.

THE 3RD LIGHTHOUSE THAT NEEDS TO LINE UP IS...

3. THE CIRCUMSTANCES
SOMETIMES WE CAN BE SO SURE THAT SOMETHING IS GOD’S WILL, BUT IT’S NOT YET THE RIGHT TIMING FOR US. IF YOU FEEL THIS WAY, IT IS BEST TO LET IT DIE. IF IT’S REALLY FROM GOD, HE WILL RESURRECT IT (BRING IT BACK TO LIFE) IN THE FUTURE WHEN THE TIMING IS RIGHT. TIMING IS SO IMPORTANT. YOU MIGHT HAVE THE RIGHT DIRECTION FROM THE LORD, BUT THE WRONG TIMING AS YOU TRY TO FULFILL IT. MOSES HAD THE RIGHT VISION FROM GOD — THAT IS TO DELIVER GOD’S PEOPLE FROM EGYPTIAN BONDAGE. THE ONLY PROBLEM — BUT HE MISSED THE TIMING OF GOD WHEN HE KILLED AN EGYPTIAN MAN. IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS.

WHAT IS IT IN YOUR LIFE? STARTING A BUSINESS ? BECOMING A MISSIONARY ? ANY MINISTRY THAT THE LORD IS CALLING YOU INTO? THE CALL MAY BE GENUINELY FROM GOD. OFTEN THE PROBLEM COMES WHEN WE JUMP INTO IT TOO FAST. WHEN THE LORD IS IN IT, THE CIRCUMSTANCE WILL WORK OUT. ARE YOU GETTING THIS?

LOOK AT 1 COR 16:8-9 —
1 Corinthians 16:8-9 (Amplified Bible)
8I will remain in Ephesus [however] until Pentecost,
9For a wide door of opportunity for effectual [service] has opened to me [there, a great and promising one], and [there are] many adversaries.

PAUL KNEW THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN DOOR THERE BUT ONLY IN GOD’S TIMING. LOOK HOW A WORD FROM THE LORD LINED UP FOR JEREMIAH IN JEREMIAH 32:6-8

Jeremiah 32:6-8 (Amplified Bible)
6And Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
7Behold, Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle shall come to you and say, Buy my field that is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it. 8So Hanamel my uncle's son came to me in the court of the guard in accordance with the word of the Lord, and he said to me, I pray you, buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin, for the right of inheritance is yours and the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.

GIVE UP YOUR WILL TO GOD AND LET HIS WILL TAKE CONTROL. YOUR LIFE AND IT’S OUTCOME IS NOT ALL FEELINGS, BUT HIS WILL AND POWER TO DO. OTHERWISE, YOU CAN BECOME DELUDED. THE SPIRIT AND THE WORD MUST BE LINED UP IN AGREEMENT. AND IF THEY ARE LINED UP AND YOU HAVE THAT PEACE THAT ONLY GOD CAN GIVE AND YOU HAVE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION PROVIDENTIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. AT THAT TIME AND THAT TIME ONLY CAN GOD GIVE THE COMMAND TO MOVE AHEAD.

WE ARE THE CHURCH ENGAGED TO JESUS, THE BRIDEGROOM WHO IS COMING BACK FOR US
— THE BRIDE.
ENGAGED COUPLES SPEAK TO EACH OTHER WHILE SPENDING TIME TOGETHER. COMMUNICATIONS THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIP. WHEN THE WORD OF GOD IS IN US, WE UNDERSTAND AND KNOW WHO GOD IS. WE
UNDERSTAND THAT HE WANTS TO SPEAK TO US THE SAME WAY HE SPOKE TO JESUS. THE WORD OF GOD IS SPIRIT AND LIFE WITHIN US. THE FATHER DESIRES TO SPEAK TO US ALL DAY LONG. IT’S UP TO US TO LISTEN. OUR LOVE RELATIONSHIP MUST GROW AND BE NURTURED. JESUS, OUR BRIDEGROOM IS COMING BACK FO US. NOTHING IN THIS LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT OR HAS MORE ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE.

LOOK EPHESIANS 5:25-27 –
Ephesians 5:25-27 (Amplified Bible)
25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
26So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word,
27That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless].

JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US ON THE CROSS 2000 YEARS AGO. HE PAID THE PRICE FOR US TO EXPERIENCE A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. MOST TIMES, HE COMMUNICATES TO US THROUGH HIS WORD, BUT WE MUST ALSO BE OPEN FOR DREAMS, VISIONS, EVEN AN AUDIBLE VOICE. BECOME SENSITIVE TO ALL THE WAYS
HE USES AND KEEP YOURSELF FOCUSED ON THE LORD ALL THE TIME. ALLOW FOR SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND PRAYER FOR THE SICK.