Our Two Divine Rights!
Hearing God talk to us is a more than important part of God’s will for our lives! In fact, hearing God speak to us is a Divine right given to us by God!
This divine right was instituted in the Garden of Eden. The other divine right I would like to mention is the right to make our own choices. After the fall many abilities and many privileges were no longer available to us. However, these two privileges remain the same and they are truly Divine! Hearing God’s voice is “The Priority” in our lives! Without the ability to hear God speak to us and tell us which way to go in all areas of our life – we are in a danger zone! Why? Because every step, we take in each day is a choice!
EVERYTHING IS A CHOICE and if we are not taking the time to ask God what He wants us to do and how he wants us to handle our day – we are off in left field as some people say!
Let’s look at our freedom to make choices: When Adam and Eve were in the Garden, they had the right to make their own choices. By the way - God did not create us to be puppets.
God gave us our own free will – we have the right to choose. Adam and Eve made a choice that not only affected them, but it affected us and the rest of mankind.
“So, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6 - NRSV
Food for thought: There is no need to try to blame Adam and Eve because if they had not made the wrong choice one of us would have. It would be arrogant and haughty to think of this any other way.
There are a couple of things which need to be looked at here. God was watching this situation as it was happening. Adam was standing there too! According to the information we have here Adam did not make a move to stop Eve! He simply joined in and ate. This is an important fact! However, the fact I will address is this: God also made no move to stop them! If He, had He would have gone against the divine right of - freedom of choice! God doesn’t go back on his Word! Understand, God doesn’t stop us from making the wrong choice! The choice we make is ours alone – and keep in mind there are choices which cannot be fixed! God may attempt to “prompt” you or He could try to get your attention in some way but – God will not force you! There was more riding on the choices of Adam and Eve then could ever be imagined. However, God did not stop them.
There were two choices involved here. Adam’s choice and Eve’s! Eve allowed herself to be manipulated by Satan and Adam (as overseer of the Garden) stood there knowing what God had said and he disobeyed anyway. When the last bite was taken - Satan moved in and became the Prince of this World (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11)! It was a hostile takeover of the world! Satan had taken control!
“We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.” I John 5:19 (TLT)
What happened in the Garden leads us to our most important divine right. God wants to talk to us! If we are willing to take the time to hear God speak to us our lives would be dramatically changed!
“When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man* and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you? He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked. Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat? The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it. Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done? The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”
Genesis 3:8-13 (TLT)
When you have presented your issues, concerns, and problems to God – He wants to answer! Therefore, be still, be quiet and listen! Give him time to answer! Don’t rush God – no matter what make ample time for Him to speak to you! None of us can afford to not learn to hear God voice!
Here are examples of possible questions for God: How should I handle the person at work who is discrediting me behind my back? My son or daughter is up to something I feel is a danger to them – what is your direction for this situation God? My husband or wife seems to be pulling away from me God – what do I do? What car would you like me to buy? What is the best doctor you want me to go too? What is the church you would like for me to go too? What kind of diet would you like me to feed to my family?
People have told me these types of questions aren’t necessary to go to God about – He simply wants us to use our wisdom. Let me say this. God wants to be involved in each detail of my life – He knows how my body works. He knows what is going on inside my body. He knows what is going on in the mind of someone who is trying to destroy my reputation. He knows the safest and most economical car for me to buy. My money is his money anyhow. Therefore, shouldn’t He tell me how to spend His money? He knows every detail of everything about me and my life. The wisdom gained over someone’s lifetime is filled with worldly wisdom! Therefore, worldly wisdom and the opinions of man more times than not are not God’s thoughts and perspectives for my life!
Satan can fake any one of us out with nudges and promptings. I am no longer willing to take the chance of going by nudges, promptings, and dreams. Why? Because, Satan can give me a dream, a nudge and attempt to prompt me. If Satan can masquerade as and “angel of light”. (2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV), then he can take me out! Matthew 24:24 tells us Satan can even deceive the followers of Jesus if we are not careful!
Dr. James Dobson said, “You can’t obey God if you are hazy about what He (God) wants you to do. But most people lack a clear idea of how to discern His Voice. They depend on feelings and impressions to interpret His will, which is unreliable and dangerous. What they feel is highly subjective. It is influenced by what they want, what is going on in their lives and even how much sleep they got last night. Some terrible mistakes have been made by believers who thought they had heard the voice of the Lord.”
We are in some perilous times right now and I need specific details in and for every area of my life. How about you?
The type of conversation we see in Genesis 3:8-13 is the type of conversation God wants with us today! You can count on it. Jesus said the following:
“There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. John 16:12-13 (TLT)
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever He hears, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:12-13 (NRSV)
Jesus specifically said the Holy Spirit was going to talk with us! He did not say He was going to nudge us and give us impressions. He said he was going to talk to us! If we are not listening to God. He can attempt to nudge us if He wants – We can even feel the cringing of the Holy Spirit within us! When that happens, we need to be very careful because something is not right! At that moment God is trying to get through to us to tell us something. Because we are about to do something we shouldn’t, or we are not where we are supposed to be - because we weren’t listening! Jesus declared the following:
“But he answered, “It is written,
‘One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
Matthew 4:4 (NRSV)
Whoever is from God hears the words of God.” John 8:47 (NRSV)
The Strong’s Concordance tells us the use of “word” and “words” in the scriptures above is reference #4487 - Rehma meaning: spoken, discourse, words spoken by a living voice! (Does not refer to written words)
“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27 (NRSV)
The Strong’s Concordance tells us the word “voice” in the above scripture is reference #5456 - “phone” pronounced in the Greek (fo-nay) meaning: sound, noise, uttered words.
It couldn’t be any clearer!
(sw-h)
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