In my last eblog to you, I let you know that I was asking God about 2019. Well, He has spoken. It’s delightful, sweet, and simple how God speaks at times. With that said, 2019 will be filled with God’s voice. Let me share with you how God spoke to me and how His voice will go throughout 2019.
I’ve been praying for a word from God for next year. This past weekend, I cleaned up from our Christmas holiday. I removed all our unwrapped gifts from under the tree. I threw out the wrappings, bags, and boxes that I wasn’t keeping. I then tackled the Christmas tree with taking down the star, balls, and lights on the tree. My husband always does the next phase. The next phase is actually taking the tree down and throwing it out. I knew he wouldn’t do it that night but the next morning. For the rest of the evening, I watched a movie. The tree stood there like an elephant in the room with all of its adornment gone.
As I stared at the tree, the story about the burning bush came to me. In Exodus 3, the Lord spoke to Moses through a bush that was on fire. The thought came to me, “What if God starts speaking through the tree like He spoke to Moses through the burning bush”. Just like that, the thought came and went. I continued watching the movie I was watching. Later that night, I laid down preparing to retire for the evening. As I laid down, I had a vision of a beautiful orange glow, outside my back door, that resembled a huge (non-burning to the flesh) flame of fire. I automatically knew it was the Holy Spirit. But I thought to myself, “Why is He on the deck, at the back door?” The Holy Spirit then reminded me of the book I wrote.
In my book, Intimacy with God, I wrote a piece called, “I’m taking the back door”. If you have the book, it starts on page 13. Anyhow, I grabbed the book and re-read it. It talks about the pull of the Holy Spirit pulling us into the death of self, into desiring God more than anything, which is the best way to move forward in life. It uses the metaphor that most Christians look like they’re doing this going in and out the front door. Those going through the front door feel like they’re moving forward but will soon lose their gains. However, looking like everyone else isn’t the way. There is a back door that no one is using. Though it’s easy to get to, it’s not a popular door among the people and you have to go through alone.
First, it’s amazing that God talks to us when we talk to Him. It’s exciting that He read my book lol. He actually used me to write it but He remembered it. Second, He was giving me a message to share with you because He loves you and wants to talk to you personally.
Next, in prayer, the Lord gave me the scripture, Psalm 29. David praises the Powerful Voice of the Lord. The voice of the Lord is over His creation. His voice shakes things up and breaks things. It strikes, it twists, and it leaps. The voice of the Lord is a powerful force that changes and transforms things. I wondered about God speaking through the tree like the burning bush yet He speaks through everything. He speaks through His own creation and with power.
How does that tie in to 2019? To hear God’s voice and see the power of God’s voice, you must take the back door. That’s it in a nutshell. Additionally, God will teach you how to use His voice to shake, break, strike, twist, and leap through things in your life and the lives of others. To do this, the Holy Spirit is saying you have to take a road less traveled. It’s not about how you look as a Christian but how you ARE. He wants you to soak in Him. I’m sure you’ve heard this before but there’s something different to this message. It is the voice of the Lord. The Lord is telling us He’s going to speak in many ways and through many things. You need to be positioned to hear and listen. That's the key! You are the key! He told me to tell you to pay attention this year because you can be easily distracted.
Many have been praying to hear God but it’s the relationship with Him that enhances your hearing. How much you hear Him is a correlation to how much time you spend with Him. The more your spirit rises, the less you're distracted from hearing His voice. The Lord wants a relationship with you that goes beyond religious traditions. Some look at people hearing from God as it’s a gift. It’s not a gift. It’s an experience in relationship. It’s a matter of getting in His presence and close to His heart.
Looking forward to many of you hearing and growing in relationship in 2019 and hearing the voice of God. I’m excited that many of you will also learn from God to use His voice to make changes and transformations in your life and the lives of others. Overall, speak life and not curses for 2019. Your words have energy and will return to you what you speak. Speak the words of God and His goodness. You can’t go wrong there.
2019 will be the Power of the Voice!! God’s voice and your own. Depending on relationship with God and how you speak is how your life will unfold. Selah!