Divine Direction for Promotion

**fennywest** Wed 02 May 2012, 6:02 pm

I had nudge: ‘Tell him to devolve power, handover the local enterprise and oversee, nurture new pastors, ordain them and encourage them to look into the land, the harvest field and discerning with the guidance of the Holy Spirit where they want to go and establish a bridgehead. Some of them would completely up-sticks, do that which is not convenient to them or their family but in the purposes and plans of Almighty God. Yes they will receive Strange Instructions which eventually will bring a Manifestation. They should be helped to establish themselves like paying their rent for a few months buying equipments for them and prepare their launch out over a period. The congregation should be told of this launch-out date and encouraged to prepare to support them specially with a regular giving for some months which they should specify on a special giving envelop. From time to time, the new pastor should liaise with the senior pastor and arrange for outreach support from the mother church. It will not be a bed of roses or a platter of gold. The initial days and years will be tough but as they persevere they will start seeing the fruit and the harvest.’

‘Who am I to tell a seasoned pastor how to run the Church?’ I developed cold feet and did not say anything.

Three weeks later, the pastor shared how he was led to the local filed and the confirmations that followed the move. However it had been a struggle in terms of the fruit after 20 months.

Meanwhile, God had used some people close to him to counsel him of the need to handover. There have been other confirmations where new people had come when he was not able to come on a Sunday.

I felt convicted and confessed my sin of disobedience.

God still speaks and guides. He can speak through anyone- even babes or an animal. The question is: are you flexible and listening and open to the nudging of the Holy Spirit?
Let us now examine the different ways He guides us.

Jesus said 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
John10:3-5,16

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Audible voice

God can speak to us using audible voice, but such occasions are rare and should not be insisted upon. Let God be God. There are numerous ways that He communicates with His children. The important thing is to be open, flexible, humble, willing to hear and obey.
Paul heard a voice when he was converted. (Acts22 )
7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'
8 So I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'
9 "And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.
10 So I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.'

He also was taken to the third heavens and heard incredible things from which emanated the revelations knowledge that flowed through his epistles such as who we are and what we have in Christ, the mystery of the Body of Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (Eph4:7-13,1Cor12:4-12 )
Cornelius –a religious and devout man, who gave alms to the poor, had a vision before he was converted.

God uses dreams which normally need to be deciphered or interpreted unless an angel is speaking directly to us. We need to make a note of such dreams and ask for the interpretation. Such interpretation must not counter biblical principles or precepts. God will not contradict Himself. (Gen37 )

God has 66 broadcasting channels- the 66 books of the Bible. Tune in to the frequency of the Holy Spirit and you will hear His broadcast to you, His leading and guidance. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God. (Rom8:14)

Someone put it this way: ‘When you are praying, you are speaking to God and when you are reading the Bible, God is speaking to you.’ Therefore if you read the word of God prayerfully rather than as a duty, God will speak to you.

Also as a child of God if you are desirous of hearing from your Father, He will speak to you even in the Church on a Sunday. Whereas this can come as a prophetic word- in a Church where the gifts of the Spirit are recognised and allowed to operate on a Sunday, it can also come as the word is being preached. God can underline or magnify a particular part of the message, specifically to you and your circumstances, your areas of concern, addressing the questions you had before you went to Church and for which you wanted guidance.

So try it, before you go for any meeting. Ask God to address your areas of concern. Do not tell Him what to tell you or what you want to hear. Unfortunately this is what we do most of the time. We have made up our mind about what we want to do and we want God to approve it. It does not work that way. God is sovereign. He rules; He decides; we follow. He is the Shepherd and we are the sheep.

Gifts of the Spirit or Still Small Voice
As indicated above God will use the gifts of the Spirit such as: prophecy, discernment of Spirit, Word of knowledge, word of wisdom, tongues and interpretation of tongues to speak to us but you need to know how they operate to be able to identify them and benefit from them. ( 1Cor12:4-12)

There is also an inward witness which is authoritative, like a voice: 21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, " This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.(Isa30:21)

God’s leading is not always in the spectacular or in the dramatic. It can be a still small voice like it happened to me about the devolution of power and operation shared above.

12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
Isa19:12

If you look for the dramatic, you will miss God.

Good Idea or God-Idea

Do not presume on God. ‘Every good idea is not a God-idea.’
Preaching to the unsaved is a good idea, but we must also get our timing right. ‘Pray to God about man before you talk to man about God.’

The Macedonian Call
6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.
7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.
8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."
10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Could you imagine a scenario where the Holy Spirit is forbidding you to preach? That is what is happening above. God’s timing is the best. God’s perfect will is better than His acceptable or permissive will.

Living Sacrifices to God
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Rom12:1-2,
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom8:26-27)

The Holy Spirit Speaks

He teaches us, comforts us, guides us and prays for us and in us, as our intercessor. He convicts us of sin, righteousness and judgement. He unveils that which belongs to us to us. (John14:16-17,26;16:7-8,13)
11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome."Acts23:11

Also see Acts8:4-8,26-39 whre Phillip was directed to leave his revival to go to a desert to lead one man to the Lord.

This could be in a dream or vision.

( Gen37, Dan4,10. Acts9,10)
God's Spirit Poured Out

28 " And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joel2:28,29

God will not always tell you what you want to hear.

Abram was told:
" Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
4 So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
He was to leave his comfort zone, the familiar, the convenient, take a step of faith into the unknown. It was a strange instruction. God will take you to unfamiliar territories to fulfil His purpose for your life. The question is: are you will and flexible to detach yourself and take a step of faith?

Later, after waiting for 25 years to get the apple of his eyes- Isaac, he was to told to go and sacrifice him. Abraham obeyed and took his prized possession and love sacrifice him to God. He had turned a corner after his lapse of faith and the birth of Ishmael- the child of the flesh that became a thorn in his flesh.

3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
17 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed --- God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."
19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."
Rom4

Phillip was told to leave his revival and go to the desert. Acts8:4-8,26-39
Jehoshaphat was told the battle was the Lord's but that they should go after the enemies and sing God's praises. Joshua was directed to march round the city of Jericho once everyday for six days and quietly too and then on he seventh day they were to march round it seven times and shout; 'the Lord has given us the city.' They did ands the walls of Jericho fell down flat. (Jos6

Fasting and Prayer

God speaks as we seek His face in prayer and fasting.
2Chro20:15
15 And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
16 Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.
17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you."
18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. 2Chro.20:15-18

King Jehoshaphat, outnumbered by a tripartite confederacy of Ammon, Mount Seir and the Moab, was rattled. They were like the sands of the sea. The King was afraid initially but was wise to call a period of fasting and prayer. And God did not disappoint him. In a prophecy through Jahaziel, God encouraged the King and the whole nation.
God told them the battle was not their but His. However they were still going to go out against the enemy. The first part of the prophecy would have been music to their ears but not the second part. However they obeyed God. Besides they were also led to sing in the face of battle. What a strategy!

Yes, their victory came through obedience and praise in the face of a battle. As they sang, God set an ambush against their enemies who suddenly saw themselves as their enemies and began to fight against each other until they completely wiped themselves out.

It then transpired that where Jehoshaphat was summoned for battle became a bread basket with booties so much that it took three whole days to gather.
That is the power of prayer and fasting and obedience and following strange instructions from God.

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,2Cor10:4-5
' Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts.Zech.4:6

In Acts13:2-4, when the disciples ministered to the Lord during their prayer and fasting God spoke through the Holy Spirit: 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
Preaching in Cyprus
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

Esther Fulfilled Her purpose

When Esther prayed and fasted with her people, God gave her a strategy that brought wicked Harman to book. He was hanged in the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai and the Jews were spared what would have been the first holocaust.
16 "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!"
Esther4:16

Let’s conclude

God still speaks, today, to those who care to listen, who are open and flexible. You have to expect to hear Him, do what He asks you to do, no matter how strange. God can use anyone or anything to speak to you and I. Don’t put God in a box if you want to hear from Him.
Test what you hear, hold fast to that which is in line with his word and his will. (1Thess5:21)Also know that we grow in our hearing from God. The more you obey, the more you hear. If you have not obeyed that last instruction from God, you dull your hearing.
Be led of the Spirit and not your flesh. Identify the different voices: your voice, the voices of the world and Satan’s. Know that Satan would often quote the word of God but out of context, like he did with Jesus.
6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ' He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, ' In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' "
7 Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'"
(Matt.4:6-7) ‘A promise out of context is a pretext’.

Tune in to the frequency

When you’re tuned in
To the frequency
Then you will hear Him-
Called to be your Guide.

He came to unveil
Divine dainties, truths
He came to convict
Comfort, charge, Standby.

He is the Strengthener
Teacher, Anointing
Come to enable
Come to empower.

He is your Helper
Counsellor, Who prompts
He creates and revives
And shows things to come.

He prays perfectly
In line with God’s will
As Intercessor
and your Advocate.

He raises the dead
Even your dead dream
He is the Refiner,
to bring about your best
Even in your test.

He will make you bold;
Make you fiery
Make your tongue heal
as a tree of life
with healing streams

He will make your feet
like that of the deer
And open your eyes
To your Promised Land.

He does the miracles
Brings revelation knowledge
Makes the ordinary,
Extra-ordinary
and the natural,
Supernatural.

Hear Him!
Tune in to His frequency today, my friend..

https://christian-talk.forumotion.com/t3473-divine-direction-dealeth-he?highlight=Divine+direction

Regarding the word for divine direction:
https://christian-talk.forumotion.com/t4924-your-word-my-headlights-divine-direction?highlight=Divine+direction

For prayer on Divine Direction
https://christian-talk.forumotion.com/t3662-divine-illumination?highlight=Divine+direction

©Fenny West2012
https://christian-talk.forumotion.com/t5576-fresh-and-flourishing#10883
http://inspiration4generations.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/journey-of-jesus/