When I was a Freshman in college at
Baylor University in
Waco, TX I attended the
Columbus Avenue Church of Christ. There was a small group of college students that worshiped there. One of those was a guy named Ryan; he was a little nerdy, and the subjects that he knew about, he knew EVERYTHING - OK he was kind of an argumentative know-it-all. I almost always (since I was about 10) had a crush on at least one guy, and needless to say at this point, it was NOT Ryan. So, one day I am walking to choir practice and I got a "feeling" (that's what I called it then) that I needed to call Ryan. Well, this was before I had a cell phone, so I had to wait until I got back to the dorm. By the time I called him I had worked myself into a panic that something was wrong. He told me that everything was fine with him. So, I got another "feeling" that I should ask him to lunch (we both had meal plans in the dorms.) That is the tip of the iceberg of the story of how I met, became friends with, and grew to love my husband of 5 years.
Now, over 9 years later, I realize that it was the Holy Spirit whispering - guiding me to the love of my life. One thing God is in the process of teaching me is how to recognize when the spirit is whispering. I was recently talking with the
preaching minister at our current church, Jarrod Robinson, and a dear friend, and we started talking about this very thing. He told me that we often take for granted that those whisperings are our conscience. But the more you think about it, you wouldn't ask yourself to do something that is uncomfortable, you simply wouldn't. So there is no way it is your conscience asking you to do those things, it is most definitely the Holy Spirit.
Three things keep coming up the more and more I study this:
1. Prayer
2. Scripture Reading
3. Listening
These three things are the ONLY way to recognize when the Holy Spirit whispers because that is how you begin to know God. You learn what he has asked other people to do, you learn about when he whispered to others, you pray - you talk to your friend, God, and you listen. The more you listen and do what God asks of you, I believe, the more he will ask, or the more you will recognize that it is God, and not you.
In
John chapter 10 Jesus talks about sheep following their Shepard because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger because they do not know their voice. In the same way we must know our Shepard, we must know Jesus by reading his words and talking to our Father through him, and in this way we will know his voice and be able to listen better.
Know this, I believe, he only asks once. We are creatures of free will, and God is not going to beg you to do something. He will ask, and then he will let you decide. HOWEVER, I firmly believe that he will work in the situation regardless of what you chose. BECAUSE he already knows what you are going to chose....there is no surprising God...he is Alpha and Omega, beginning and end. Example, October 11, 2009, Jarrod preached his
sermon about Sharing God's Love, and the majority of the sermon centered around communion, and how as a church we commune with one another. Right before communion he encouraged us to pray with each other, to pray over each other, to love on each other, to reach out to each other, and this made many people uncomfortable, myself included. While I was sitting there, the Holy Spirit urged me to get up and go sit with Jarrod, ALL the way at the FRONT of the church on the FRONT row. I came with every excuse, I don't want to make a scene, what will people think, his wife, my friend, is sitting 4 rows behind me, what will she think...my heart was pounding, I could literally look down and see my chest moving, my heart was beating so hard. The Spirit did not argue back with me, nor did he force me to make that long walk to the front. Ultimately, I did not act, I sat between two of my girlfriends (Ryan was working int he AV booth), and held their hands while communion was prayed over. However, God still worked, when I told Jarrod that story, he told me that he wondered if anyone would get up and sit with him. The irony was that he was sitting alone after giving a message of togetherness. Ever since he shared with me that he thought someone would sit with him, I think hard before I ignore a Spirit whisper. I know I was supposed to get up and sit with Jarrod, especially after he confirmed it with his thoughts. So, now I listen, and when I hear, I always try to act. Most of the time it makes me a little uncomfortable, but every time I am abundantly blessed, and I am a blessing to someone else. Am I perfect? Absolutely not. Will I ignore the Spirit again? Probably. But his grace is sufficient for even me.
I encourage you to study what the scriptures say about how the Holy Spirit whispers.
Supporting Scriptures:
Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God"
Hebrews 10:15-16 "The Holy Spirit also testifies to this. Fist He says: This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hears and I will write them on their minds."
John 16:13 "But when he, the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth."
