Sheep Talk..
I remember one of my favorite preachers sharing what happened to him when he was still young and learning. He was getting ready to go on a missionary road trip with this older, more seasoned preacher. When they got into the car, the older man said that they needed to pray and ask the Lord for a safe journey and His blessing on their trip. The young man quickly started to ramble off a prayer which included a bunch of spiritual warfare words intended to make all of hell tremble. When he was done and the smoke of his assault on hell cleared, the older man took his cup of coffee with one hand, and the steering wheel with the other. As he started driving, he began talking to God like one would with an old friend - just continuing a conversation where he previously left it. The younger man became very irritated with the ease in which the older man was able to enter the presence of God and have conversation like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I have had my own struggles with conversations with God and would like to share some helpful things I have picked up along the way...
For the most part, people have made prayer what it really is not. It is not a bunch of rules with do’s and don’ts. How long should I pray? Should I kneel? Are there specific words with which to start and end? This makes a formula out of something that should be fun, that you should look forward to with excitement and expectation. I should be able to anticipate that I am going to get something great from God my Father today. Prayer should first and foremost be a conversation, a relationship in which you feel you can talk freely, but also listen and hear back. What a novel idea - God wants to speak back to you..
We gravitate towards formula because we sometimes find it hard to hear God. There could be many reasons for not hearing, which includes not knowing that He wants to speak, or not knowing how He speaks. Is He going to respond by speaking to me in an audible voice, or how then? Sometimes we expect to hear in a specific way with the result that we miss the still small voice or the impression or nudge that we do get. I have recently found that I would ask the Lord to speak to me about something specific. I would then make the time to wait on Him to hear something, only to find that when I then read the Word, He would speak to me through a passage of scripture rather than impressions in my spirit.
Because people have difficulty hearing God, they might long for Him to speak to them by giving them a word through others - a pastor or a trusted friend. They see that as more real because they trust another’s ability to hear God, more than they do their own. I myself have in times past wanted to rather hear through others. That somehow seemed safer - more reliable. Then one day I heard someone speak about this. He said that it is a good thing if you don’t hear the Lord in such a way as a “thus saith the Lord” word through somebody else because it indicates that you are hearing Him just fine on your own and don't need a special intervention or manifestation through someone else. The Lord would sometimes speak to people in a special way or through other people if they are just not getting what He is saying to them. Also, if there are stormy waters or troubled times ahead for them, He may speak in a way that is undeniably Him so that they can recall this as reassurance. So I stopped longing for special ways and just started believing that I hear Him when I read the Word or as I act on impressions or perceptions that I get from Him. No matter how the Lord speaks to you, the safeguard is always that what you get should line up with the Word - knowing this, should keep you safe and on the right path.
God can speak to us in a myriad of ways. He can speak in what sounds like an audible voice specifically to the hearer if it is an emergency or something that needs immediate action. He can speak through nature, through the still small voice. But, the starting point of Him speaking is always the Word. He can let words leap from the page and be the exact answer that you need at the time. For me, I now always start with the written Word and then trust Him that if He has more to say that is not written word for word, then He knows how to get a message through to me - He is that good and that committed to me. Also, if He told you to do something and you have not yet gotten around to do it, it could keep Him from speaking to you until you do.
Have you ever got the most amazing word from the Lord or revelation from the Word and then shared it with someone only for them to pour some cold water on your amazing revelation? They would dismiss you with words such as “I have known that for a long time” or they just don’t seem touched and amazed by your revelation like you thought they would be? The thing is that if you get a word from the Lord or if He quickens something to you that really stands out to you and changes your life and your thinking, then that is a Rhema word - Him speaking directly to you. If you tell it to someone else, then it is a Logos word to them and not a word quickened specifically to them by the Lord as it was to you. Sometimes the Lord will give a word only for you and so to protect your heart and the preciousness of your revelation, always ask the Lord first before sharing - don’t let the smoke escape from your bottle prematurely...
I have also found that sometimes a word from the Lord or an answer to a prayer comes at an inconvenient time such as the middle of the night. It might come as words or phrases, answers to questions - or even ideas for a blog post. I have realized that if I don’t make a note of what I am getting immediately, when I try to recall it the next morning, it is all gone - I draw a total blank. Making a note shows the Lord that I value what He gives me. Valuing it as precious will ensure that He gives me more and more precious words. If I don’t value it enough to at least make a note, then why should He bless me with more. The reason why we tend to forget the details of these types of words is because God is a spirit and so He speaks to us in the spirit by the Spirit. When you later try to recall the words, then you do it in the flesh and your flesh will quickly tell you that it has no clue.
John 3:6 NKJV - That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 6:63 NKJV - It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Why Sheep?
I mentioned earlier that the Bible says we are His sheep, and we hear His voice. This is in John 10:4, 5 and 27 (AMPC):
4 When he has brought his own sheep outside, he walks on before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will never [on any account] follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they do not know the voice of strangers or recognize their call. 27 The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.
When I was looking for the exact scripture about the sheep hearing the Shepherd, I was shocked to see how many references there are in the Bible about this. I am listing some if you want to have a look - Ps 23:1-3, Ps 78:52, Ps 79:13, Ps 100:3, Ps 119:176, Is 53:3, Is 60:3 are some from the Old Testament, but there are also plenty in the New Testament. This one is a favorite of mine:
1 Pet 2:25 (ESV) - For you were straying like sheep but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Since I am on the topic of sheep, I was wondering why the Lord would compare His children with sheep and Himself with a Shepherd. Initially I thought it only had to do with the fact that flocks of sheep were one of the main forms of livelihood that people had in Bible days - it was their riches and treasure. But I found some more interesting facts about sheep and possible parallels about the Bible comparing Christians with sheep. Here are some facts about shepherds and their sheep:
About Shepherds
In Bible times, shepherds were with the flocks day and night making sure they had plenty of food and water and that they were always protected and safe from predators. In Ps 23 we learn about the Good Shepherd. Notice it doesn’t say the good cowboy - who herds and drives them. No, a shepherd walks in front of the sheep, gently leading the way. They hear his voice and gladly follow Him. He protects them during the day as they graze and drink water, but also by night by sleeping in the door of the sheepfold. He is their first defense when animals of prey are prowling. He doesn’t give them over to hirelings but takes responsibility for them himself. He leads them to soft, green, nutritious grass. He doesn’t drive them but makes sure they have rest and peace and safety. He protects them as they rest. They can always trust in Him. What a picture is this of Jesus our Good Shepherd and how He takes care of us. He makes sure we are safe, well fed and that we are able to rest without having to carry the heavy loads that life can bring. He guides us, protects us and never leaves us - He is willing to give His own life for us. We can trust Him - He is our perfect Shepherd.
About Sheep
Sheep are vulnerable. They are not fighters and cannot defend themselves - they cannot growl or attack or even run away fast enough to avoid an attack. They have no sense of direction and will not survive without a shepherd. They know the voice of their shepherd and are loyal to only follow him. They fear a stranger’s voice and will flee or not respond at all. Sheep can get anxious and distressed and will look for the voice of their shepherd to calm them in times of trouble. Just looking at this already paints a picture of human frailty and how it compares with that of sheep.
James 4:14 NKJV - 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Interestingly, sheep are not working animals like goats or donkeys. They were not made to carry heavy loads - if they did it would exhaust them and make them easy prey for their enemies. In the same way we are not made to carry the cares and heavy loads of life. We are told to cast our cares on the Lord and to not let our cares steal the Word from us.
In Jesus’ day, sheep were seen as prized possessions and those who had large flocks were seen as very wealthy and prosperous. Jesus Himself spoke about the parable of the lost sheep (Matt 18, Luke 15) and how the shepherd doesn’t rest until the lost sheep is found because it is a prized possession. The Bible compares us to sheep because God views us as priceless. We are so valuable that He was willing to give His life for us.
John 1:29 AMPC - The next day John saw Jesus coming to him and said, Look! There is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world!
A lamb was sacrificed at Passover as a symbol of Jesus, our Passover Lamb that would be sacrificed on the cross for us. I have read that the Bible compares goats and sheep and that Christians are compared to sheep because they are innocent, pure and righteous. Goats are independent, strong willed and destructive. Jesus Himself is called the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world:
Rev 13:8 NKJV - 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
I think one of the most endearing things I have learned about sheep is the fact that when they fall over, they cannot get up without help. Problem with not getting up is the moment they go down, they start to think that they are sure going to die and so they give up on even trying. If they don’t get help, they are sure to die because they are completely helpless and will fall prey to hungry wild animals. They are also in danger of being left behind when the flock moves on. This just shows their great dependence on their shepherd. What I have heard is that once the shepherd helps them up, he has to hold them for a while so the blood can flow back to their feet. If he doesn't, they will fall right over again.
Is this not just like Jesus our Good Shepherd. When we fall over due to some life issue, He is quick to rescue us and turn us right side up again. But, then He holds us and keeps us close until we can feel our feet and feel secure that with His help, we can continue on. It is reassuring to know that our Shepherd is always close and ready to help. I can’t even imagine what serious trouble my life would have been in if it was not for the intervention of Jesus, my Good Shepherd.
So finally, I want to close with this story:
A young preacher and an older man of God were both waiting on the stage to bring a short word to the congregation. The young man got up and preached from Ps 23 to which the congregation got up and loudly applauded him. When he was done, he walked back to his seat and was followed by the older man of God. He walked up to the pulpit with a bit of a limp and an old, tattered Bible in his hand. He too read from Ps 23. When he was done, the congregation was weeping. The young man did not understand this and so he asked the older man of God why they were clapping when he was done but weeping because of the word the older man gave. His reply: “Son, you know the Psalm, I know the Shepherd”.
There is much turmoil going on in our world today - it is getting darker, and evil is prevailing more and more as good is called evil and evil good. But one thing we can count on is that the Word of God is our constant. We can always find our truth and true north in what is written, but more importantly, we can see Jesus - the Word who became flesh - and get to know Him, hear His voice as He directs us personally. He is our Good Shepherd who walks ahead to lead the way and make sure we get there safely while being nurtured and rested. If you feel overwhelmed and not rested, then take off the load and hand it to Him. Surrender your life and your cares to Him for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully (1 Pet 5:7 AMPC) - now and always!
Rev 7:16-17 NKJV - They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
End Time Update
Israel is still very much in the daily news with a back-and-forth exchange of fire and hostility between Israel, Iran and Iran’s proxies. It is amazing to see with what ease and precision Israel is able to execute their military plans and take out strategic targets - even though the extent of the damage is being downplayed by their enemies. Meanwhile, the players for the war as described in Ezekiel 38 are getting into place - Russia, Iran and Turkey. The reason why I am mentioning this is because you can take a checklist and mark off the things that God said would happen to help us establish where we are on the end-timeline. One of the big ways to know that the Bible is true and can be trusted as God’s Word is by looking at prophecies. There are literally hundreds of prophecies about the first coming of Jesus - His birth - and about Israel already fulfilled, just like He said they would. God wants us to know these things so we can not only be prepared, but so we as the Church can accelerate in getting the Gospel out as we are in the very last stretch of the Church age. How do we know this?
Luke 21:31-33 NKJV - 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
The things that would happen that Jesus was referring to in V31, He described in V24 and it refers to Israel that was made a nation again in 1948, and Israel getting Jerusalem back in 1967. These things took place just like He said so if you have witnessed these things as they happened, then you will most likely be here at the end of the Church age when the final things take place.
There is no more Bible prophecy to be fulfilled before the Rapture (evacuation) of the Church. During the Tribulation there will still be time to get saved, but the pressure will be extreme. Why wait until then?
While wars and rumors of wars signalling the end of times are causing the world to fear, for the Church it should be a time of great excitement and expectation as we look forward to the soon coming of Jesus, our Redeemer and King.. Better be sure you are ready.
Salvation prayer
If you have not made Jesus the Lord and Saviour of your life, then all it takes is commitment and a quick prayer. It is the most important decision you’ll ever make!
Rom 10:9-10, 13 - If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
By His grace, God has already done everything to provide salvation. Your part is simply to believe and receive.
Pray out loud:
Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Savior. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!
The very moment you commit your life to Jesus Christ, the truth of His Word instantly comes to pass in your spirit. If you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, there’s a brand-new you!
Find a church that believes and preaches the Word of God where signs and miracles follow the preaching and where the sermons leave you with hope and not despair. Get to know God - not just knowing about Him but knowing Him. It will soon become the greatest joy of your life.
Resources
SALVATION:
If you have prayed the salvation prayer above, or if you want to know more or have someone help you, then you can contact Andrew Wommack Ministries. They have offices worldwide and would love to pray with you. They also have lots of free materials that can help you to grow in your walk with God.
https://www.awmi.net/contact-us/
END TIME PROPHECY INFORMATION:
www.tipofthespearministry.com/
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**I added bold format to text in some scripture references.
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