Hearing the Voice of the Great I Am Valerie Moody Women s Conference for Eshet Chayil of El Shaddai Ministries September 2016 Session 1 Hearing the Voice of the Great I Am 1. We have biblical evidence that God speaks. He spoke to Moses from a burning bush in Exodus 3:14, to proclaim His Name as Ah yah Ashar Ah yah, the Great I Am. Exodus 25:22 The Tabernacle existed primarily as a place where God could have private communion with Israel s earthy ruler. Isaiah 28.23 His message through Isaiah was to listen, pay attention, and hear what He had to say. 2. Did Yeshua teach that no one could hear God s voice? John 5:37 And the Father himself, who sent Me, has testified of me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. Yeshua reproves Israel s leaders for refusing to believe the miracles which testified about Him. Their refusal meant that they were not hearing God s voice concerning Him, not that no one had ever heard the Voice of the Great I Am. Hebrews 1:1 indicates that God speaks in various ways. Covenant Footsteps 1
3. The Israelites heard His voice or kol, and they were His bride or kallah. Deuteronomy 4:33 Has any people heard the voice (kol) of God speaking from the midst of the fire, as you have, and survived? Kol Strong s # 6963. Kol means to call aloud, proclaim, and sing. Jeremiah 2:2 I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride (from kallah), how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. Kallah Strong s # 3618. Kallah means bride. Kol is a cognate of kallah, since these two Hebrew words share letters and sounds. Kol or voice, is connected with kallah or bride, as cognates. This signifies that His Bride hears His voice. 4. He speaks wordlessly through sounds. Thunder Exodus 19:19, Job 37:2, Psalm 29:3, Revelation 4:5. The sound of thunder represents God s Mighty Voice. Great Waters Ezekiel 43:2, Revelation 1:15. The sound of great waters represents God s Powerful Voice. Harp Revelation 14:2. Harps are the first and last musical instrument in scripture, in Genesis 4:21 and Revelation 15:2. The frequency of the harp is said to be healing. The sound of harps represents God s Healing Voice. Shofar Exodus 19:19, Revelation 1:10, Revelation 4:1. A shofar blast ushers in the Day of the Lord in Joel 2:1, and resurrects the dead in Matthew 24:31 and 1 Corinthians 15:52. The sound of the shofar represents His Voice of Resurrection. 5. God communicates in more than 20 unique ways in scripture. Here are 12 methods He is most likely to use when He speaks: Scripture He communicates through scripture in Daniel 9:2. Scripture is described in 2 Timothy 3:16 and Hebrews 4:12, where it penetrates and discerns one s inner thoughts and kavannah, the intentions of the heart. Covenant Footsteps 2
Audible Voice He speaks audibly in Exodus 33:9, Numbers 12:6-8, 1 Kings 9:2, 1 Kings 19:12, Mark 1:11, and John 12:28. Exodus 33:7-11 is a passage arranged as a chiastic structure, to emphasize the middle verse where God speaks audibly to Moses. Prayer 1 Kings 18:36-39, Psalm 65:2. Prayer is the Hebrew word tefilah. Dreams The Hebrew word for dreams is chalom, which rhymes with shalom. Through dreams, He preserves our wholeness and shalom. He speaks through dreams in Job 33:15-18, Genesis 20:3, Genesis 28:12-13, Genesis 37:6-8, 1 Kings 3:5, Matthew 1:20, Matthew 2:12, Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:19, Matthew 27:19. Visions A vision is the word machazeh. He communicates through visions in Genesis 15:1, Acts 9:10, Acts 10:3-4. Visible Appearance He appeared to Abraham in Genesis 12:7, 17:1, and 18:1. To Isaac in Genesis 26:2, 24. To Jacob in Genesis 28:12-13, Genesis 35:9. To Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:10. To Miriam in John 20:15. To the talmidim or disciples in Luke 24:13-32, 24:36 and John 21:4-7. Holy Spirit or Ruach HaKodesh. He speaks through His Spirit in Luke 2:25-27, Ezekiel 2:2, Genesis 41:38, Daniel 4:8, John 16:13. The Spirit searches the deep things of God and reveals them to us (1 Corinthians 2:10). He does not speak for Himself, but repeats what He hears the Father saying. He is the Divine Voice of Torah, committed to teaching a deeper knowledge of truth, and guiding us to live by truth. Even in tthe End of the Age, the Great I Am will speak to us through His Holy Spirit. Miraculous Signs This phrase comes from two words, Oth, which means signs, and Mopheth, or wonders. Moses performed Signs before Pharaoh, while God brought Wonders to plague Egypt. He speaks through miraculous signs in Deuteronomy 4:34, Exodus 3:2, Judges 6:37, and Acts 14:3. Other People He speaks through others in 2 Kings 5:3, Matthew 16:16-17. Covenant Footsteps 3
Circumstances He speaks though circumstances in Mark 4:36-41, 1 Peter 1:7, and Hebrews 12:5-11. Angels Angels are mentioned in 34 books of scripture. Their attributes are described in Hebrews 1:4, Psalm 8:5, and 1 Corinthians 6:3. According to 2 Kings 6:17, we are surrounded by angels. Angelic messengers appeared to Gideon in Judges 6:12, to the mother of Samson in Judges 13:3, to Zechariah in Luke 1:11, to Abraham in Genesis 18:2, to Lot in Genesis 19:5, to Jacob in Genesis 32:1, to David in 2 Samuel 24:17, to Peter in Acts 12:7, to Paul in Acts 27:23, to Miryam the mother of Yeshua in Luke 1:28, to shepherds in Luke 2:13, and to women at the tomb in Matthew 28:2-5. Handwriting on the Wall He communicating through writing in Daniel 5:25. Session 2 How the Great I Am Speaks to Me God speaks to every person, all the time, in a voice limited only by our capacity to apprehend it. His bride, His kallah, hears His voice, His kol. Our ability to hear Him has never been more important than right now. But, how does He speak to me personally? 1. Ancient Hebrew writings portrayed God as a Shepherd, and the people of Israel as sheep. The Almighty guarded them from spiritual predators like idolatry, and led them to the Olam Haba, the world to come. Sheep were supposed to shema listen and obey the shepherd s voice. John 10:14, 27 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me. My sheep hear My voice, and follow Me. Psalm 95:7-8 For he is our God, and we are the people in his pasture, the sheep in his care. If only today you would listen to his voice. Don t harden your hearts. 2. Blessing comes to those who listen for His voice. Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, pay attention to what I am saying; incline your ear to my words. Don t let them out of your sight, keep them deep in your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to their whole being. The Hebrew word for ear is ozen, meaning physical and spiritual hearing. Covenant Footsteps 4
Proverbs 2:2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom; incline your heart to understanding. The ear perceives wisdom. 3. God spoke to many, and His voice increased their life and health. Noah Genesis 6:14 Abraham Genesis 17:3 Rebekah Genesis 25:23 Abimelech Genesis 20:3 Jacob Genesis 35:1 Samuel 1 Samuel 3:4 Lydia Acts 16:14 Yochanan (John) Revelation 1:12 4. Scripture asserts that God s people will hear His voice. Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it; when you turn to the right and to the left. The voice which speaks from behind is known as the Bat Kol, meaning Daughter of the Voice. The still, small voice speaking behind Elijah in 1 Kings 19 was the Bat Kol God s gentle whisper. Critical words in Isaiah 30:21 tell us more about how we hear Him. Ozen ears, refers to physical and spiritual hearing Shema hear, and also obey Dabar audible word heard aloud Achar behind, but also in the future at the End of Days 5. The ability of the Great I Am to speak is never in question. But, our ability to hear Him is. Here are the nine biblical methods He uses today when He speaks with us. Scripture 2 Timothy 3:16, Romans 15:4, Hebrews 4:12, Luke 24:13-35 Benefits of hearing Him through Scripture: Increased trust, Romans 10:17 Overcoming the world, 1 John 5:4 Warnings for the Last Days, 1 Corinthians 10:11 Identifying false teachings, false teachers, and false believers, Galatians 1:6-7, 2 Corinthians 11:13, and Matthew 13:38. Holy Spirit John 14:26, Daniel 2:22, Galatians 5:22, Colossians 3:15 Benefits of hearing Him through the Holy Spirit: Guidance and knowledge of the future, John 16:13 Knowing our identity as Children of God, Romans 8:16 Knowing how to pray, Romans 8:26 Receiving specific skills, Exodus 35:31 Being strengthened with courage, Judges 6:34 Receiving and using spiritual gifts, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 Covenant Footsteps 5
Audible Voice Isaiah 6:8, Matthew 3:17, Acts 9:4. Benefits of hearing Him through an Audible Voice: Getting our immediate attention, Job 33:14 Confirming the unbelievable, Matthew 17:5 Prayer Acts 22:17-18, Habakkuk 2:1-2. Benefits of hearing Him through Prayer: We make a sacrificial offering, Psalm 119:108 Pour out our hearts, Psalm 62:8 Voice our needs, Ephesians 4:6 Become still in His presence, Psalm 46:10 Dreams Job 33:16. Benefits of hearing Him through Dreams: Reassurance of God s companionship, Genesis 28:12 Seeing into God s world, Genesis 28:12 Discovering a special inheritance, Genesis 28:13-14 Understanding His divine protection, Genesis 28:15 Visions Genesis 46:2. Benefits of hearing Him speak through Visions: Circumstances 1 Samuel 17:17. Benefits of hearing Him through our Circumstances: Increased faith and spiritual discernment, John 6:9 Overcoming fear and increasing courage, Acts 9:10 Other People Exodus 18:13-27. Benefits of hearing Him through Other People: Handwriting on the Wall Daniel 5 Benefits of hearing Him through Handwriting on the Wall: His words are normal, disarming, and unexpected, 1 Sam. 25:28-31 This is an unforgettable encounter with the Living Elohim, in obvious words which can be seen by all, but understood by few, Daniel 5:5 Covenant Footsteps 6
6. A Word of Caution It is possible to hear other voices, misjudge the source, and believe that our Heavenly Father is speaking when the message is not from Him. We can hear the Voice of Self, the Voice of Others, or the Voice of the Adversary, and attribute those voices to Him. How do we verify that our Heavenly King is speaking to us, and not another voice? We can ask seven simple questions. 7. Seven Tests of God s Voice Are the words scriptural? Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Are the words life-giving? John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. Does the message glorify Him? John 16:14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. Do the words give us peace? James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. Are the words vague or confusing? 1 Corinthians 14:33 God is not a God of confusion but of peace. Will following this message lead to sin? Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Are we focused on God: Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. Covenant Footsteps 7
8. Elijah s wilderness experience represents the End of the Age. The coming global turbulence in the Last Days will resemble the pandemonium which surrounded Elijah in 1 Kings 19:11-13. Yet, through this, we will perceive God s voice as Elijah did, through the Bat Kol, the still, small voice behind us. Isaiah 30:21 assures believers that they will hear His Voice behind them when the world unravels. His voice during the tribulation at the End of Days will feel like the sparkle of 10,000 mercies. Session 3 What to do if God is Silent If we aren t receiving God s communication, there could be a reason: Perhaps we don t recognize His mode of speaking. Perhaps He is waiting for us to respond to something He s already said. Perhaps we have not obeyed his last instruction. Or, perhaps we are just not listening. 1. Five reasons we may not hear God s Voice. Disappointment Psalm 13 Rejecting the Torah Hosea 4:6 Unbelief Matthew 13:58 Sin Isaiah 59:2 Preoccupation with the World Luke 8:14 First Reason: Disappointment, Psalm 13 Most humans experience disappointment, including the famous King David of old. He confessed his trouble with God s silence in Psalm 13, and asked if God would ignore him forever. These are strong complaints, indicating his disappointment with God. But in the last two verses, David delightfully praises His eternal faithfulness. The psalm which began with sorrowful complaints ends with the language of praise and of joy. What occurs to bring David from despair to delight so quickly? In the first half of the Psalm, David conveys his feelings. In the last half of the Psalm, he conveys his beliefs. Feelings and beliefs are not always the same. Transitioning from feelings to beliefs strengthens David to be able to hear His Voice again. If we are disappointed in the Almighty, we can begin to speak our beliefs about Him, and praise Him, regardless of how we feel. Covenant Footsteps 8
Second Reason: Rejecting the Torah, Hosea 4:6 Hosea 4:6 states, Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you. The Bible is the revealed will of God. Rejecting His word is one reason we feel distant from Him, or are unable to hear His voice. Scripture is the primary way He speaks. It is above other forms of communication from the Almighty, because it is without error. Among the Hebrew people, the written word is known as the Torah min HaShamayim, the Torah from the Heavens. The Holy Spirit is present when we read the Bible, because He delivered it from heaven. 2 Timothy 2:15 states that those who are approved by God are people who rightly divide the Word of Truth. 2 Timothy 2:24-25 adds that we are required to defend the Word and correct those who oppose it. Rejecting God s word is rejecting Him, as well as biblical knowledge. When we embrace the word, we express our love, according to John 14:23-24, and prepare to hear His voice. Third Reason: Unbelief, Matthew 13:58 One reason He may not speak to us in a recognizable way is our own unbelief. Yeshua was able to do only minimal miracles in His hometown due to unbelief, in Matthew 13:58. Unbelief is the Hebrew word meshuvah. Meshuvah rhymes with teshuvah, but means just the opposite. Unbeliefs concerns failure to believe in His Divine Power. If we do not believe that He speaks to us personally, it is unlikely that we will hear God s voice. James 1:6-7 describes the doubter as one tossed about like a turbulent sea. Without faith we are unable to receive anything from the Almighty. We can recover from unbelief if we cry out like the father of the tormented son in Mark 9:24. Adonai, help my unbelief Fourth Reason: Sin, Isaiah 59:2 One reason He may not hear the voice of God is sin. Isaiah 59:2 states that our iniquity separates us from Him. Man s tendency is to gravitate toward sin, and miss the mark of God s perfect will. The Yetzer Hara or the Evil Inclination in Genesis 6:5 and 8:21, leads us away from Him. Sin is like a broken receiving antenna. A bent receiver does not accurately pick up God s signals. Sin can be disliking what God is saying, and we tuning Him out. Sin is running from Him with a rebellious heart. Sin can be manipulating scripture to make it say what we want it to say. Psalm 66:18 indicates that if we regard iniquity in our hearts, Adonai will not hear us. A heart calloused by sin cannot hear God speak. Covenant Footsteps 9
Fifth Reason: Preoccupation with the World, Luke 8:14 God s word is like a seed. If it falls among thorns, it fails to grow, according to Luke 8:14. We may hear some of what He says, but the draining issues of life prevent us from fully comprehending His message. If we are too busy, we are unable to concentrate on Him. God absolutely speaks. The question is, are we willing to set aside the necessary time, space, and energy to listen? Listening to Him may require us to shut out the world, and approach Him with humility. Jeremiah 29:12-13 promises that if we seek Him, we will find Him, if we seek Him with all our hearts. 2. Here are Ten Doorways to the King. These Ten Doorways will help us to become better spiritual listeners. Embrace the Relationship We can develop a closer friendship with God, and rearrange our lives, our time, and our thinking to embrace Him. Yeshua said in Revelation 3:20, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Only we can remove the impediments, and open the door to converse with Him. If we allow Him in, He enters, sits at the table, and shares dinner conversation. By design, we hear Him best in the context of this remarkable friendship. As a Child of the King, we are related to the Messiah, and called to open the door of intimacy with Him. Examine Yourself We can look deep inside to discover our hidden motives for wanting to hear God s voice. If there is something hindering our relationship with Him, His spirit will reveal it. Wrong actions, wrong attitudes, anxieties, and feelings of unworthiness can distance us from Him. The good news is, we can repent, do teshuvah, and return to Him. He forgives our unrighteousness and purifies us (1 John 1:9). After turning from our sins, we are ready to talk with Him. The repentant individual is holy, blameless, and above reproach in Colossians 1:22. Covenant Footsteps 10
Praise Him In Psalm 100:4, we enter His courts with praise. Praise, sometimes with music, brings us into the presence of the King, and enlarges our capacity to hear His voice. When Elisha was asked for prophetic counsel in 2 Kings 3:13-15, he requested a musician to come to him. With praise music playing, he heard God, and repeated God s counsel to others. Try Fasting Fasting is an effective way to enhance our spiritual hearing. Fasting gave Moses a deeper connection with God (Deuteronomy 9:9-18). Daniel fasted to receive divine guidance (Daniel 10:1-3). Rabbi Paul fasted for an authentic relationship with the Almighty (Acts 9:9). Yeshua fasted for greater spiritual strength (Matthew 4:1-2). Fasting is not a biblical requirement. But, it is expected. Yeshua encouraged His disciples to fast in Matthew 6:18. By fasting in secret, He said, God rewards us. Pray to Hear Prayer builds our relationship with God. It sweeps us into a dialogue with our Creator that is as ancient as it is powerful. Consistent and fixed prayer always leads to greater communication with Him. Prayer is like an altar sacrifice, or korban. Korban means offering, but also means to draw near to Him. We meet Him at the altar, in prayer. Be Renewed Isaiah 40:31 states that those who wait upon God will be renewed. Rabbi Paul also said to be renewed in the Spirit of our minds (Ephesians 4:23). The word renew means to change, alter, revive, and flourish. If we bind ourselves to Him, He transforms our ability to perceive His voice. We may not hear Him every day, but if we wait on Him, He answers. Be Consistent David told God in Psalm 5:3 that he would direct his prayer to Him each morning and wait expectantly for Him to answer. He consistently turned to Him. We should not wait until we are dealing with a major crisis before trying to hear God s voice. If we expect to hear Him on the fly, we may become frustrated when we don t hear from Him on our schedule. Our goal is to hear God daily, and listen regularly to His wisdom and comfort. Minimize Distractions God generally does not disturb the busyness of our lives to speak. He usually speaks after we minimize interruptions, turn off the television, radio Covenant Footsteps 11
and cell phone, and become quiet enough to listen. God takes pleasure in our rest, and enjoys our inner stillness. Psalm 46:10 tells us to be still and know Him as the Almighty God. Watch and Obey Habakkuk declared In Habakkuk 2:1, I will keep watch to see, meaning that he fully expected God to provide a mental image in response to him. To hear His voice, we not only listen, but watch for what He shows us. God s Spirit can insert thoughts and pictures into our minds to communicate His message. If we see spontaneous images, we check them against His word to confirm that they are from the Almighty. Be Confident in Silence We cannot force the Almighty to speak to us in a miraculous manner, nor tell us what we want to hear. We must be willing to wait while He is silent. From days of old, no ear has ever heard, nor has any eye ever seen a God like the God of Israel who acts mightily on behalf of those who wait for Him, according to Isaiah 64:4. His blessings, and the proof of His love and protection, come to those who wait. Our primary focus is on our relationship with Him, not on the sound of His Voice. Isaiah 50:10 states, He who walks in darkness and has no light, let him trust in the name of Adonai, and rely on his God. We can be confident in His silence because He has given us what we need His name, His word, and His Spirit. So, whether we perceive the Voice of the Great I Am rarely or regularly, we can rely on Him and trust Him. Valerie Moody Covenant Footsteps Ministries P.O. Box 825, Caldwell, TX 77836 vmoodyartist@gmail.com 806-319-5133 Vmoody.com CovenantFootsteps.com HebraicRootsNetwork.com Covenant Footsteps 12