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(1) Introduction: The Overall Condition.
It must be noted that we are not talking about NATURAL seeing and hearing here, but SPIRITUAL. See Isaiah 11:2-4 and note what true spiritual seeing and hearing entail as opposed to the natural.
Our first calling is to God Himself - so that would make the overall condition for seeing and hearing that of INTIMACY / RELATIONSHIP with Him. As we know Him we will know His will for us. The closer we are to Him, the clearer we will see His ways and the louder we will hear His heartbeat.
Group or Individual
Activity: See The Vocation of the Natural Life
- a quote from Oswald Chambers, and discuss what it means to you. How does
it reflect the above comments ?
Look also at this
article onThe Devotion of Hearing and comment
on what you learn.
Read also this
Quote
by Andrew Murray and likewise discuss it's meaning in the light of the
above.
(2)
Basic Conditions For Seeing and Hearing.
In order for us
to know and walk in God's general (VISION) and specific (CALLING) will
we must...
(a) OPEN OUR SPIRITUAL EYES AND EARS ( Ephesians 1:17-18 )
We must pray that we would have willing hearts to want to know and do His will! (See 2 Chronicles 16:9 and John 7:17) . Remember that this will render us 'blind' in the world's perspective...this is truly walking by faith - 'For we walk by faith, not by sight' - 2 Corinthians 5:7 (See this Quote).
Group or Individual Activity: Read through the verses above and write out what it means to have open eyes and ears spiritually. Think about/discuss ways we can practically go about opening our spiritual eyes and ears. Pray about it.
(b) YIELD TO WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR.
We must be a servant to His will and die to our own power, possessions, plans and personal rights. He does not guide those that want to run their own life, but those who admit their need for His direction and rely on His wisdom (See Matthew 26:39, Matthew 10:37-39 , Psalm 25:9).
Group or Individual
Activity: What does one have to do to REALLY see and REALLY hear in the
natural ? Talk about/discuss this question and then apply it to the spiritual.
How can you take
practical steps to yield (focus in on and act upon) what the Lord is showing
and speaking to you ?
(c) SEE AND HEAR AS A CHILD.
We must hear and listen as a child does even though it means being counted as a fool. (See Matthew 11:25 , 1 Corinthians 3:18-19).
Think about/discuss how a child sees and hears. List out all their positive qualities that we must emulate.
(d) HAVE UNBLOCKED HEARING AND CLEAR VISION.
This means having a clean concience from the past ( Matthew 5:8) and also not having a judgemental spirit ( Matthew 7:3).
Think about/discuss what can 'blind' us or 'blur' our spiritual vision and what can block our spiritual ears. What practical steps can we take to unblock our spiritual ears and clear out our impaired spiritual vision ?
(e) YOU MUST DIE TO ALL VISIONS/CALLINGS OF THE WORLD.
There may be other securities/strengths that you are clinging on to (have a vision for) that may actually hinder you from seeing His vision and hearing His calling. This includes dying to our own Self-Sufficiency (see this quote).
Group or Individual
Activity: Read
Isaiah
6:1-8 and note the timing that Isaiah received his vision and calling
- 'In the year King Uzziah died'. Why is it significant that God came with
His vision and calling at this period of time and not earlier ? Read also
2
Chronicles 26:11-16.
Talk about what
Uzziah's need to die for us to be fully released to see and hear the Lord's
vision and calling.
Note what the content
of Isaiah's Vision (What he saw) was and how it correlates with that the
Lord originally gave in
Genesis
1:27-28 . Talk about /discuss.
Also note that after
Isaiah had this vision, the Lord SPOKE (i.e. he received a calling). What
was his calling ? (read in your bible the next section of Isaiah 6 (verses
9-13). Is this general or specific ?
Lastly, read this article on The Voice Of The Nature of God. and comment on the things you learn from it.
(3) How To Have Good Spiritual Hearing and Sight.
You are now ready to go to one of the other topics...
·Ways We Can See and Hear God's Will.
·Testing What We See And Hear.
(4) Conclusion.
Take time to pause and pray for the Lord to help you in the area of hearing and seeing Him and His ways. God gives us all we need to be able to have clarity of spiritual hearing and spiritual seeing, but we must make sure we are doing the right things and have unimpeded hearing and vision to do His will.
If you have finished all the above topics you are ready for the Next Lesson.
