In this study you will learn two important things. One is that we not only can hear from God but that we are supposed to hear from God. The other is that if you believe in God, you know at least that there is also a devil (Satan), which is our enemy. 

Today people say that they believe in God, but their actions do not show it; their faith is non existent. Some say that they believe in God but do not believe in Satan. They believe in God but think that the Bible is open to interpretation. Some believe that God is only something for the weak to believe in.

The idea of a God's being or not must be cleared up first; there is either a God or there is not. If there is a God then the Bible is His Word breathed through mankind for mankind to use as a guide to get to God. If you have any doubts at all you need to get rid of the doubts and believe.

Look at creation. Study all of nature, our solar system, our galaxy, and the universe itself. Ask one question–could so much control and order possibly come out of chaos as evolution teaches? Evolution has more holes in it than Swiss cheese. As far as science and the idea of life before recorded time is mostly guess work. Think about it, how can they be even partly sure what dinosaurs looked like? Recently they have found that T-Rex was not a predator. After finding 3 more skeletons since the first and only T-Rex bones, they discovered that they had put it together incorrectly. After finding three more and comparing their construction, they found that the fore limbs are not even functional as arms, but more like hands sticking out of the chest. Now science has decided that dinosaurs were very colorful and not just one or two colors as thought before. My point is that in the past 100 years scientists have changed the way they think many times. The more they discover, the more they prove that they really do not know but just surmise based on a few bones and where the bones were found. The entire idea is that science is less sure about anything than the Bible is and that the Bible is closer to being true has been proven where not much of science can be.

Look around; look at how many chance happenings had to occur simultaneously or in the exact correct sequence to create the life forms that we know today. There are more than 1000 chance happenings just to bring a slight glimmer of life to the earth. Anyone who looks closely at nature (not even through a microscope) will see the truth. The truth is that there is a God, but the enemy (Satan) has used those who would reach the majority with Satan's lies.

If you believe in God, truly believe in His word then read on. But remember one thing–His word was given in Hebrew for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament, not in English. Do you trust those who translated into Old English? We need to hear from the Author like the original writers did.

Step 1 - Thoughts

Controlling our thoughts is the first step to having a relationship with God because until we get the lies out and replace them with the truth we can never be sure what is true and what is false.

Romans 12

 2.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Renewing of one's mind is taking in the truth only leaving the lies out, and this can only be done by first:

2 Corinthians 10

 5.  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

First things first–you must not accept just anything as truth. Take every thought and compare it to the knowledge of God; if it does not line up with the knowledge of God then cast it down. Then take the remaining thoughts that you keep into captivity to obedience of Christ.

Christ is from the Greek word Christos which in English means anointed.

Luke 4

 18.  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Being anointed or of Christ is to have the Spirit of God in us, on us, and through us, saturating us.

To reach God one has to do with one's brain and mind what one does with a computer (trash in, trash out). Only input what matters and is important. If you truly believe in God then you know the only truth is found in Him (God) not man. Many listen to and follow man, political leaders, religious leaders, etc. but none know the truth that can only be found in God and God can only be reached by and through Jesus via the Holy Spirit.

John 14

 6.  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

In the next step we will learn how to hear from God, actually hear. He is speaking to us all but the problem is we are not hearing because we have been taught we can not hear His voice, that if anyone hears "voices" they are crazy. The truth is it is actually the other way around. Remember what is wise to God is foolish to man. To believe that we can talk to Him and He hears us, but He can not talk to us, is ridiculous at best.

John 14

26.   But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Think about how, if you were the enemy, you would defeat your enemy. First you would confuse your enemy with lies and get them off the path to truth.

One last point before going to the next step. Did Satan lie to Eve?

Genesis 3

3.       But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

No, Adam did, God never told Adam he could not touch the fruit so when Eve touched and nothing happened there was apparently no reason why she should not eat, so she did. It was due to Adam's lie (we can't eat from or even touch the tree) that Eve ate, and Adam's believing in his own lie led to his eating as well. Of course if Satan had not been involved then they never would have eaten, so Satan was definitely a part of the fall.

Step 2 - Hearing

Hearing from God is not just something we can do but it is something we must do. From Adam in Genesis to Jesus and John in Revelation, one thing that remains through all 66 books of the Bible is hearing from God. Remember when they wrote the letters and documents they did not have a Bible to refer to–they were writing everything that eventually became the Bible. So it is not just reading His word, but actually hearing from Him. That is only half of what is needed; the other half is being obedient to what we hear.

In Genesis 2:17 Adam was told not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, then in Genesis 3 Adam did eat. He could still see and hear from God and was punished due to his disobedience. God did not punish him for being disobedient necessarily, but because his disobedience caused him to go from the blessings to the curse. It was not God's choice to punish Adam, so God warned him so Adam would not suffer. Imagine a child you told not to play in the street, but they did so any way and a car hit them. Afterwards they have a limp for life. Was it the parents' fault that they have the limp or the child's for not being obedient? This was the way it was for Adam and is for us. If we want to be of the blessing and not the curse we must listen, hear, and be obedient.

Genesis 22

 18.  And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Abram was 75 when he heard from God. Then, after hearing, he continued to listen and be obedient, for the most part, and he eventually became Abraham. God did not wait until Abram was 75 to talk to him, but it took that long for God to get through to Abram. Moses was the same. He spent 40 years in the world of Egypt, and then 40 years in the wilderness to get the world out of him before God could reach Moses.

Why did it take so long for people to hear from God? The same reasons as today–they did not know they could and did not know how. The difference today is we have Grace and they did not.

Deuteronomy 28

 1.  And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

 2.  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

Those who listen and ARE OBEDIENT are blessed. Those who do not are cursed.

Deuteronomy 28

 15.  But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

Agreed, above God is speaking to them about the law and we are of Grace not the law, but hearing from Him and being obedient is still true under Grace. Remember Jesus came to reunite us with God as Adam had been in the beginning, not to start a new religion (of which most become parts).

John 14

 6.  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The only way to God is through Jesus, but today, due to so many giving Jesus a bad name, most people consider that to be negative and not positive. How many of you saw 'The Passion Of Christ" done by Mel Gibson and after seeing it were touched, but today you are about the same as before you saw it as far as what Jesus died for?

Jesus did not die for you to become part of a social group on earth no matter whether it is called church or not. For that matter the word church is not in the original Greek. It would have been more properly translated as community. The community Jesus died to start is one of God. It was never meant to be one that says, "If you are not of our religion you have it wrong." It is not one that is judging, unforgiving, or outside of the true love. It is to be of the true love where nothing comes before God, and you truly love God more than anything else to the point that if you have to get rid of things in your life to keep Him first you never even question it, but just do it. The members of Jesus' community hold nothing against anyone for anything but love him or her.

John 14

 26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

We are not to be taught by mankind, but by the Holy Ghost (Spirit) only. If you have been taught anything by mankind and have not verified it with God to learn whether or not it is true, then you stand the chance to be misled as others before you have been.

Matthew 7

 13.  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

 14.  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 15.  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

 16.  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

The last thing Jesus wants is for anyone to go to Hell. Based on the above verses, that is the fate of most due to false prophets, teachers, etc. while only a few will make it to Him. While He was here, Jesus taught us everything we need as a basic knowledge to know how to reach Him via the Holy Spirit and the Father so God could guide us and not man. In the Old Testament, when Moses told the people God would speak to them, the people rejected that idea and asked Moses to convey what God said to them and then they would do (whatever). Moses did, but they did not. The same is true today; most want a man or woman of God to tell them what to do and when they get it they still do not do what they should. Why is this true? Simple–without the conviction of one's evil ways by the Spirit of God; then learning how to correct that; and finally changing of ones heart towards God; they remain the same. These steps can only be taken by God leading an individual in a one on one relationship. It can not happen with a man leading a man, or a woman leading a man, or a man leading a woman, or woman leading a woman, but by God leading the person only.

§         First you must have the desire to hear from God not a man or woman.

§         Then you must be willing to spend time daily listening for the voice of God for as long as it takes until you hear from God.

§         Then listen to Him daily and be obedient to what He says.

If you do these three things, in time, you will be extremely blessed. Those who pick and choose from what He says which things to be obedient to will discover it is worse than not hearing.

Revelation 3

19.    As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

In John 3:16 we are told that He loves us all. So in the verse above as many as He loves means us all. He rebukes means to convict the person of the errors of their ways. Chasten means to teach the new way. Be zealous means to have a new love in the one's heart for God. Finally, repent means to change all of our ways.

Revelation 3

 20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

After writing to the seven churches (about how only one was of Him) Jesus stated that, for those who listen to and hear His voice and open the door for Him to come in, He would become one with them as they would with Him. This can not happen just because you have read it or heard it from man, but by allowing Him first place in you. It means hearing His voice and being obedient.

Being obedient means when you get up you seek from Him what to do that day or of whatever you are doing how you should do it and proceed. You should do nothing without first seeking Him. This shows your belief that He is, and you seek His guidance first even before your own.

Those who truly operate with God seek nothing of mankind and treat all with love and do not even notice any wrong done to them because the love covers all including the worst wrongs.

This life is not the end or even the beginning. It precedes the true life. It is where we make our choice of where and how we will spend eternity. While we are here we are either on the side with lack, debt, poverty, pain, sorrows, etc. or on the side with love, plenty, health, and all.

Step 3 - As a Child

When we are like a child we are closer to God than if we are like an adult.

Matthew 18

 1.  At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

 2.  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

 3.  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 4.  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

§         As a child of 1 - 6 years – I forgave and never remembered; it was no more.

§         As a child of 7 - 10 years – I forgave and that was it. I did not hold it over anyone. I forgave and I no longer thought about it.

§         As an adult I forgave or thought I did, but I would remember and treated the person differently.

§         As a child of 1 - 6 years – I had no idea of how to judge. I did not judge; I just believed

§         As a child of 7 - 10 years – I had some idea of judging and I judged based on how I was taught and as I saw others do in life.

§         As an adult I judged all based on what I saw and even became judgmental in some ways.

§         As a child of 1 - 6 years – I loved all unconditionally.

§         As a child of 7 - 10 years – I loved my family somewhat unconditionally.

§         As an adult I loved as I was loved.

§         As a child of 1 - 6 years – I believed in God without doubt and loved God.

§         As a child of 7 - 10 years – I believed in God but was not 100% sure.

§         As an adult I believed only what I could see.

The point is this–as a child of 6 or younger I loved, trusted, and believed in my parents without condition and did not doubt. I did not judge and always forgave. I trusted my parents to supply all my needs; I never considered where my next meal would come from or if I would have a roof over my head, or clothes to wear; I just believed I would have and that my parents would supply all I needed. I knew my parents would protect me from all I needed protecting.

Matthew 17

 25.  He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

 26.  Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

A child of about 3 is usually pure, innocent, loves without conditions, forgives all (forgets all they forgive) judges no one, and trusts. A child that young will not seek "what's in it for me".

Some will ask, "How can one be 3 again after viewing the world as an adult?" But until we do we can not know God as we need to. We can not be truly free until we are children of God. As children of God we do not doubt Him and we believe He will supply all our needs.

1 Peter 5

 6.  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

 7.  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

When you can humble yourself as a child you will be able to cast your care upon Him just as a child that seeks a parent's help then leaves the problem with the parent and knows it will be handled.

Mark 11

 22.  And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

 23.  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

 24.  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

 25.  And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

 26.  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

When we are like children and have faith in God we do not question how we could move a mountain, but just believe we could and then do so.

Review

We have learned:

1.       We must first believe, not just part, but all that God is, and that the Bible is His breathed word.

2.       We must control our thoughts.

3.       We must seek hearing from God.

4.       We must allow the Holy Spirit to convert us, change us into a new being a new creation, so we can be childlike in our ways of belief, faith, trust, etc. but not to be a child.

5.       We must be obedient and follow what we are taught.

All who do the following will know and hear from God:

1.       Have a desire to know God.

2.       Seek God's help in hearing from Him.

3.       Control your thoughts – only allow the thoughts of God and His knowledge in and cast down all others.

4.       Spend 30 minutes a day in a place quite and free of distractions to hear from God (some will have to retrain the body from falling asleep).

5.       Do this daily until you hear, then ask one question "Did Jesus Christ come in the flesh?" (I John 4:1-3) If you hear "no" tell Satan to go to Hell. If you hear "yes" then listen and be obedient.

Many who start hearing get the idea just because they hear they are ready to go forth on their own (such as becoming a missionary to some 3rd World country). So what is needed is time, years even, listening and hearing and being sure you are being obedient to God and not to your own desires.

This is not the end, but just the beginning. Just because you are hearing does not mean you are done. Now you are just at the beginning of hearing God to know the WHOLE TRUTH, which will take time.