ROCK 3 Communicating with God

The CCP Discipleship SchoolJacksonville, FL

Let’s ROCK!

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Matthew 7:22

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:23

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: Matthew 7:24

RevelationOfChrist’sKingdom

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 1 Peter 2:2

Four “Milk”Classes

1. Know Jesus, Know your Church

2. Prayer

3. Communicating with God

4. Led by the Spirit

Revelation and Recognition

Response

Repentance, Remission and Receiving

ROCK 3: Communicating with God

1. Communication is a partnership “That the communication of thy faith may become

effectual…” “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as

myself.”

2. God targets our heart with His communication “…Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto

thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.” “…written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living

God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”

3. His sheep know His voice “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they

follow me:”

1. Communication is a Partnership

According to Wikipedia, communication is: “the activity of conveying information

through…”

“It is the meaningful exchange of information between two or more living creatures.”

The exchange of:

• Thoughts

• Messages

• Information

As by:• Speech• Visuals• Signals• Written• Behavior

A Three-Step Process Communicating with others involves

three primary steps:

1) ThoughtFirst, information

exists in the mind of the sender.

(concept, idea, information, feeling)

2) EncodingNext, a message is sent to a receiver in

words or other symbols

3) DecodingLastly, the receiver translates the words

or symbols into a concept or

information that a person can understand.

Prayer is Partnership with God Prayer is the communication of our faith

“That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Philemon 1:6

And communication is a partnership “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive

him as myself.” Philemon 1:17

Therefore, prayer is partnership with God A partner is “a sharer, associate, companion” An extension of the other partner (i.e.

marriage)

Prayer

Submission

& Obedience

2. The Heart of the Matter

The motive and the approach matter the most in ANYTHING with God

The heart of our motive and our approach is our _________

Submission&

Obedienceheart

We have a heart problem… “The heart is deceitful above all things,

and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every

imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth

from the heart; and they defile the man. Matthew 15:18

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness,

wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

Mark 7:21-22

WHO CAN KNOW IT?And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart…

Luke 9:47

…so God targets our heart with His communication

The Word

John 1:12 Timothy 3:15-

16Revelation

19:13

ParablesEzekiel 24:3Matthew 13

Mark 4Luke 8 Physical

Manifest-ation

Genesis 18:1Exodus 3:2-3:4Numbers 12:5

John 1:14

Apostles, Prophets, Evangelis

ts, Pastors,TeachersEphesians 4:11-

12

Speaks DirectlyNumbers 12:8

1 Samuel 31 Kings 19Acts 9:4-7

VisionsEzekiel 11:24Acts 9:10-16

Acts 10:3Revelation

DreamsGenesis 37

Genesis 40:5-8Matthew 2:12-

22Acts 10:10-17Send His

AngelsGenesis 16:7-111 Kings 19:5-7Daniel 8:16,

9:21Luke 1

Gifts of the Spirit1 Corinthians 12

“In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be

established.” 2 Cor 13:1

Whatever method God chooses to communicate a particular message to you, remember to really be from God…

IT MUST BE CONFIRMED

GOD WILL NEVER CONTRADICT HIS WORD

Our three-step process for receiving God’s communication

1) God has a message

for usHe has determined the time is right for

us to receive it

2) EncodingGod encodes that message through

MORE THAN ONE of the methods in the

previous slide

3) DecodingWhen we receive the message, we have

ensure that it is really from God

PRAY (AND WAIT) FOR

CONFIRMATION

What happens when we don’t wait for (or get) confirmation?

Three kinds of voices in our head1. Our own2. God3. The devil

3. His sheep know His voice

1 Kings 19:1-15

Was God in the… Wind? Earthquake? Fire?

God spoke to Elijah with a still small voice

No

Does the Version of the Bible matter?

You decide looking at 1 Kings 19:12: The Hebrew translates as “After|vibration, bounding,

uproar|fire|no|fire|Jehovah|after|fire|voice|quiet|small”

King James Version (KJV)

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

English Standard Version (ESV)

International Standard

Version (ISV)

New Revised

Standard Version (NRSV)

And after the earthquake a fire; but the

LORD was not in the fire:

and after the fire a still

small voice.

Then there was a fire,

but the LORD was not in the fire.

Finally, there was a gentle

breeze,

And after the earthquake a fire, but the

LORD was not in the fire.

And after the fire the

sound of a low whisper.

After the earthquake there came fire, but the

LORD was not in the fire.

And after the fire, there was the

sound of a gentle

whisper.

and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire;

and after the fire a sound

of sheer silence.

Summary God is looking for servants who will be

willing partners in His work

Our hearts are wicked and His communication is directed at purifying our hearts

God has many methods to communicate with us

He will NEVER contradict Himself

We have to learn what to listen for

“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…” 1 Samuel 15:22

Love leads to obedience “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John

14:15

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3

“And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.” 2 John 1:6