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When God Speaks - Divine Order

When God Speaks – Divine Order

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One of the questions that many believers ask is, “How do I know if I am actually hearing God speak? Am I being subjective?” Knowing God’s voice is not meant to be complicated. In fact, tuning in to what God is saying can be beautifully simple when we understand His patterns and divine order.

  1. God is ALWAYS SPEAKING about who He is.

God is an unseen God, beyond comprehension. In our humanity, we tend to look at the natural first, rather than the spiritual. So, in His kindness God continually declares who He is as a triune God, so that we can know Him better. God is always speaking, because God is the living Word!

When we are talking about WHO God is, we can never fully understand God. Any list would be inexhaustible – so here are just a few ways in which God speaks about who He is:

  • GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY: God is self-existent. Immortal. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The living Word. (John 1:1-5, Isaiah 46:9-10, Deuteronomy 3:24, Psalm 103:19)
  • GOD’S NAMES: Jehovah Jireh. Prince of Peace. Abba Father. Alpha and Omega. (Isaiah 9:6, Revelation 1:8, Matt 1:23, Romans 8:15, Revelation 5:5)
  • GOD’S CREATION: Declares His unmatched power, authority, wisdom, and divine order. (Psalm 19:1, Jeremiah 10:12, Romans 1:20, Proverbs 3:19-20)
  • GOD’S CHARACTERISTICS: Speaks of His unchanging nature. His love, faithfulness, justice, compassion, holiness, mercy. (Psalm 86:15, 1 Samuel 2:2, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalm 50:6)
  • HOLY SPIRIT: The Spirit testifies about Jesus and God’s presence displays His glory. (John 15:26, Exodus 19:16-19, Acts 2:1-4, Psalm 139:7, 1 Kings 8:11)

Something is immediately unlocked when we understand that God is always speaking about who He is. Lean into what God is saying about His character, names, power, and sovereignty, and experience a beautiful shift of hearing God’s voice!

  1. God is FREQUENTLY SPEAKING about who we are and His plan of redemption for mankind.

God desires relationship with every person, and we are created to hear His voice. Because of His love, God is frequently speaking about who we are, and His plan of redemption for humanity. When God speaks according to His divine order, we gain a beautiful understanding of our identity. We can find these wonderful truths about who we are woven throughout scripture:

  • CREATED IN HIS IMAGE: We are fearfully and wonderfully made, precious in His sight (Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139:13-16, Isaiah 43:1)
  • GOD’S REDEMPTIVE PLAN: Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10, 1 John 4:9-10, John 3:16, Romans 3:21-24)
  • IDENTITY IN CHRIST: As believers, we are royal heirs, sons and daughters, blessed with every spiritual blessing (Romans 8:15-17, 2 Cor 5:17, 1 Peter 2:9)

As humans, we can tend to see parts of ourselves incorrectly because of environment, challenges, or the words or actions of others. God knows this, so He frequently speaks into our identity to bring us back to a place of truth and security in Him.

  1. God is REGULARLY SPEAKING about every facet of life and godliness.

God created us, and He knows what we need for our daily living. But many believers try to hear from God from a starting place of how to live life and completely miss the wonder of knowing who God is. This can lead to rules instead of relationship, behaviour instead of being, and tasks instead of time with the Lord.

2 Peter 1:3 (NIV) His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Notice how in this scripture, what we need for a godly life starts through our knowledge of Him! Everything we need comes from His divine power. When we start with who God is, and when we know who we are, we are correctly positioned to hear God speak to us about every aspect of our lives, such as:

  • HIS WILL AND PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES (Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 33:11, Heb 13:21)
  • HIS WISDOM, WAYS AND DIRECTION (Proverbs 2, John 14:15, Psalm 119)
  • HIS COMFORT, HOPE AND PEACE (Isaiah 41:10, John 16:22, 2 Cor 1:3-4, Phil 4:7)
  • RELATIONSHIPS, FINANCES, PRACTICAL LIVING (John 13:34, Prov 13:11, 1 Tim 4:8)
  • HIS CHURCH AND HIS PEOPLE (Romans 12:4-5, Hebrews 10:24-25)
  • USING OUR GIFTS TO SERVE OTHERS (Mark 10:45, Romans 12:4-8, 1 Cor 12)

  1. God is RARELY SPEAKING to our questions of where, how, or why.

There are things God is always speaking about, and then there are areas where God seems to hardly speak at all! We’ve probably all asked God some questions that don’t really seem to get an answer. “Why is this happening God?” “Where are you God in all this?” “What happened when I prayed for this person, and they didn’t get healed?”

  • WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME? Why are you silent? (Psalm 22:1)
  • HOW LONG LORD? How are you going to get me through this? (Psalm 13:1-2)
  • WHERE ARE YOU GOD? Where are your miracles? (Psalm 115:2-3)

Sometimes the heavens seem like brass when we are crying out to God! Our heavenly Father is truly a loving God, and yet He rarely answers questions of where, why or how. And when God speaks according to His divine order, He may not give the answers we want.

In Judges 6:12-16, Gideon asks similar questions, but God answers according to His divine order. God spoke to the WHO (who He is, and who Gideon was) and the WHAT (what He would do and what He was commissioning Gideon to do), but He didn’t answer the where, how or why. And this is often what happens in our own lives. Although this truth might seem confronting, in reality it can be very freeing. Understanding God’s ways (which are higher than ours) stops us striving and stressing to get answers, and brings us back to a focus on who God is and His incredible love for us.

QUESTIONS IN THE MIDST OF CHALLENGES

If we are constantly trying to get our questions answered in the midst of challenges, a few things can happen:

  • We misunderstand the nature of how God communicates to us
  • We incorrectly presume God is either not speaking to us or doesn’t care
  • We compare ourselves to others who God seems to be speaking to
  • We get frustrated, disillusioned, and accuse God of being unfair

There is a healthy pattern in the Psalms where people cry out to the Lord in their distress. They ask questions, but don’t get bitter when God is silent. The writers in Psalms turn back to divine order, choosing to focus on who God is. They start with questions but come back to praising Him because He is faithful and trustworthy. And this is how we continue to hear God speaking, even in the darkest valley. The more we know who God is, the more we understand His heart for us even during the tough times.

UNDERSTANDING OUR PERSONAL BIAS FOR HEARING GOD SPEAK

Even when we know God speaks in divine order, and even when we know the importance of intimacy with God to know Him better, we can develop a bias when we are seeking to hear God’s voice.

  • If we are LEADERS, our primary focus can become hearing what God is saying about the church or those we are leading.
  • If we are in BUSINESS, our primary focus can become hearing from God about future direction or solutions to current problems.
  • If we are serving through SPIRITUAL GIFTS, our primary focus can become hearing from God for others.
  • If we have a lot going on in our FAMILY or FINANCES or HEALTH, our primary focus can become hearing from God for our current needs.

Hearing God speak should be primarily about what HE WANTS TO SAY, not about WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR.

God is always speaking. So today, I encourage you to open your ears to the awesome, majestic God who created you! Look for who God is in His Word. Hear the declarations of incredible wisdom and divine power in every detail of nature. Reflect on His goodness and patience, and be thankful that you are a part of His family. And from that place, you will hear God speaking clearly to you.

VIDEOS ON HEARING GOD SPEAK

      

Prophetic Declaration To The Body Of Christ

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Dear Friends,

It has been only on very rare occasions that I have claimed to make a declaration, as a Prophet, directly on behalf of my Father to the Body of Christ. But today is one of those days.

Matthew 5:1-12 could not be clearer. God has promised indescribable ‘blessing’ (HIS choice of words) to those that love Him and hunger after Him. And yet there are non-negotiable statements that qualify who can access such supernatural grace and provision.

The divine interventions and favour of God (which He so longs to bring to us) belong to those of a humble, dependent, pure, and merciful heart. It is does not belong to the proud, independent, impure, or the self-governed.

The ‘Kingdom’ (authority… realm of the King’s rule) belongs to those of a pure, fully surrendered heart and a speech that gives evidence of that inner beauty.

We all know that there are and will continue to be matters of biblical command and conviction that we cannot, and must not, compromise. We must be men and women of unswerving biblical conviction and the truth. Having now clearly stated that…

This world is filled, as never before, with arrogant attitudes and endless arguments. Men and women showing anger, negative reaction, and resentment; declaring their frustrations, declaring their arguments and opinions. It should not be so among those who claim to represent Jesus!

The Body of Christ needs to cast off the spirit of this world that leads to arguments and endless opinions. It must realise the anger of God at those Christians who attack other Christians simply because they will not champion the cause that they have established as their own bias. It is the engagement of such defiling attitudes and conversations that have cut so many off from receiving the divine intervention (blessing) of God. The more ‘human’ the attitude and response, the less we receive from the Holy Spirit within.

This COVID era has provoked us all. But it is not reserved for ‘The Covid issue’. It is unrighteous legislations, controversial decisions, theological debates, and issues of morality.

Christians have been swept up in theories and are buying into the many and varied offences that abound. Debates and angry social media statements have gladdened the heart of the devil and saddened the heart of our Father. Christian is divided against Christian, and all try to justify their anger and pride with the claim that it is ‘their personal conviction’. 

We state that we ‘have our rights’, that it is ‘only human’. Exactly! It is the fruit of non-surrendered flesh (in that moment). It is not the overflow of Father’s Spirit and intention from within. The Holy Spirit comes to bring humility and unity, Satan comes to bring anger and division. 

My friends, if a conviction is forged within us by a word from our Father it will, undeniably, show the fruit of HIS Holy Spirit. But I feel a deep cry from God’s heart that He has had enough of those who claim to represent Him showing the same attitudes (or worse) than the unsaved community around them.

We have all needed to repent of such moments. Myself, more than once.

With every ounce of love from His heart and mine, I urge us all to no longer allow our purity (uncomplicated beauty and humility) of spirit to be robbed. In so doing, we allow ourselves to be robbed of Father’s empowering grace and miraculous Holy Spirit working in us and through us. His ‘Kingdom’ ceases to operate in us when our heart becomes a hostile environment.

I urge you to read Matthew 5:1-12.

My prayer: “Father! Rid my heart of judgement against a brother / sister. Open my eyes each new day to see the beauty and wonder of your own intention and flow through me in your inexhaustible supply of humility, love, forgiveness, grace and mercy. For in such, those around us will wonder at YOUR wisdom revealed through our fully surrendered hearts.”

Please pass this word on.

Love to each and all,

David.

A United Voice

A United Voice

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A united voice is powerful, whether it is for good or it is for evil. The Bible gives us a clear and contrasting example of both.

THE TOWER OF BABEL

In Genesis chapter 11 we read the story of the Tower of Babel. The starting point for this story was that ‘the whole world had one language and a common speech’ (vs 1). This was God’s intention and it was a good thing. But then man’s desire for self perverted God’s intention.

Genesis 11:4 (NIV) Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

There is so much power in a united voice, as we can see by God’s response.

Genesis 11:6-7 (NIV) The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

So, God stopped the building of this tower by confusing the language of the people and scattering them all over the earth.

However, the New Testament gives us a very different and wonderful example of the power of a united voice.

THE DAY OF PENTECOST

On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were all together in one place out of obedience to what God had told them to do. This is such a different reason for their unity than the people at the Tower of Babel. And so God blessed them with the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:4 (NIV) All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The people at the Tower of Babel were trying to build from earth to heaven to make a name for themselves. The people on the day of Pentecost had heaven invade earth, and it was for the spreading of the good news of the name of Jesus Christ!

Everything that happens on earth finds its origin in language, whether it is for good or it is for evil.

In the times we live in, certain people are taking over legislative rule because they have one language and are standing together with a united voice. These people have the same spirit that we see at Babel which means confusion by mixture. The result is an increasingly confused society that is stepping away from the plans of God.

However, it is the church of Jesus Christ that is called to have the greatest united voice. The sad reality is that the church is at risk of losing the battle for influencing society because we have gone quiet and we do not have a clear united voice. If nothing was impossible to the united people at Babel, how much more for the united people of God?

It’s time for the church to find her voice again; a united voice of uncompromising truth! This is what the Holy Spirit yearns to do in us as the Body of Christ.

Listen to Steve’s message on ‘A United Voice’ on Apple Podcasts

 

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The Year To Build

The Year To Build

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2021. A new year dawns and with it the promise of new beginnings.

For those of you for whom 2020 was a most difficult year, I want to declare the absolute certainty of a fresh start as you receive Father’s wonderful love and grace, releasing you from any disappointments of yesterday.

For those of you for whom 2020 was a year of fruitfulness, I want to declare that this is a new year with new horizons and that it is not a year to ‘maintain’ but a year to build!

1 Corinthians 3:10  (NKJV) According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.

Friends, God holds us responsible for the lives and the destinies that He has given to us.  He requires faithful stewardship of our calling, marriage, family, finances, energy and ministries. The question is not IF He wants you to build, but WHAT He wants you to build.

So… how and what are you building this coming year?

Possessing your God-given destiny is all about building successfully as the responsive partner in your partnership with Him. He is the Divine Architect, you are the executor of His plan and purpose.

  • My friend, do you have an anticipation of the future?
  • Is today pregnant with potential because of the Master Plan to which you walk?

Take time to listen, take time to hear Father’s commissioning voice clearly, take time to plan and strategise, as He directs. Take time to put values and boundaries into place that will keep you rested, fresh, energised, and sensitive to Holy Spirit’s whispers.

And take time to be filled with a renewed revelation of your authority as a royal son or daughter. Let that so fill your heart with increased faith that the mundane will flee and the excitement of new conquest will burn brightly within you.

As you listen to His voice anticipate a new and bold future of enlargement, increase and adventure! There is a new destination waiting for you.

2021 is not a repetition of last year, it is a year to build on all that Father has already accomplished in and through you.

I pray that every day will be filled with His wonder and your own inner delight at bringing Him celebration and joy.

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Ambassadors For Christ

Ambassadors For Christ

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This world desperately needs to see Jesus as He really is. And this is where you and I come in! To be ambassadors of Christ. An ambassador speaks of a representative who will reflect the official position of whoever (or whatever) they are representing.

At David McCracken Ministries, we have a passion to see the Church Triumphant accurately and powerfully representing the Lord Jesus Christ in every nation.

As His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) we are the ones that God has chosen to declare His Son to this world. As His Church, we are not called to demonstrate a religion nor an organisation, we are called to be a supernatural people, living a supernatural life, declaring a supernatural Christ. We are called to declare a Message that declares His absolute authority over sin, sickness and every Satanic oppression.

In Matthew 24:14 we are given our Commission to take this Gospel of The Kingdom into ‘all nations’.

The objective is not just to make converts. It is to bring a ‘witness’ of Christ to that nation. That means raising up a body of believers that are true ‘Ambassadors’ of the King. It means we represent Him in everyday living, in our families, in our vocation, in our recreation, in our corporate gatherings, in our involvement in society. Our calling is to live like The Christ, talk like The Christ, act like The Christ. We are called to be ambassadors of Christ who are empowered, significant, and relevant.

For such a community to be established in ‘all nations’ (literally in every language group), the whole Body of Christ must be involved. An ‘all nations’ commission demands an ‘all saints’ policy of involvement. Why? Because, as Ambassadors, His agenda must become our agenda; His heartbeat must become our heartbeat; His passion must become our passion. And His passion is for ‘all nations’ to see Him accurately and fully represented.

Friends, if we are all His Ambassadors, then we will share His vision, His heartbeat and His passion. His vision is that in every language group on the Earth, there shall come the living witness of an all-conquering, miracle-working, compassionate, redemptive Christ that has all authority to set them free and give them a new life.

True humility is seen in our worship, our adoration, and obedience to the Supreme King of our heart and in our accurate representation of who He is, and in carrying out of His will on the Earth as it is in Heaven. Let’s honour Him by fulfilling the royal commission He placed upon us: to be His ambassadors who exercise His spiritual authority to ensure His will is done on the earth as it is in heaven!

In such a Cause we are all called to serve. This is the call of God on our lives!

Let this be the year you discover your own personal role in seeing His Vision for ‘all nations’ become a reality.

 

Just Three Words from Jesus

Just Three Words From Jesus

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God is speaking all the time. He speaks in parables and stories, in statements and prophecies, in mysteries great and unsearchable. But Father also speaks with clarity and precision. And just three words from Jesus can be the very declaration that we need to hear right now.

In our faith journey, it is wonderful to be eager to know what God is speaking. But we can easily overlook what God says, even when it is right in front of us. We can look for some great word, but miss His voice because of the simplicity of the message.

WORDS WHICH ARE SIMPLE YET POWERFUL

Some of the most powerful moments in Jesus’ life were summed up in just three words. At the start of His ministry, Jesus finds Simon Peter and Andrew fishing. His command changed the direction of their lives: “Come, follow me.” While being tempted in the wilderness, Jesus rebukes the enemy with just three words, “It is written”. He uses the power of scripture to overcome temptation. When a man with leprosy comes to Jesus to ask if He will make him clean, Jesus says just three words, “I am willing” and then heals him. While the disciples are freaked out by the wind and the rain, Jesus calms the storm with just three words, “Quiet! Be still.”

Jesus, when He was on the cross, says just three words, “It is finished.” Peter, even after He had disowned Jesus just before He was crucified, was given his calling and purpose for life in just three words, “Feed my sheep.” Many of the simplest, yet most profound commands we hear from Jesus are summed up in three words: “Love one another”, “Remain in Me”, “Do not judge”, “Watch and pray,” “Do not worry”.

Focusing on just three words is not a principle to be followed or a rule to measure whether God is speaking or not. Jesus spoke for three chapters non-stop in Matthew when delivering the Sermon on the Mount. The entire Bible, all 66 books which are inspired by the Holy Spirit, is God speaking to us.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV) All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

The length of how many words God says to us in a particular moment is not the point. The point is that God is always speaking – through His Word, through the Holy Spirit, through other believers, through creation, through prophetic pictures, and in many other ways.

HEARING THE WORDS OF GOD

When it comes to hearing God’s voice, He will speak to us with exactly what we need. Never underestimate the power of what God is saying because of the length of the words. And never discount who or what God will use to speak to you! The vessel used or the length is not important. Intimate relationship with God is what counts. Sometimes the simplicity of just three words is just what we need in order to remember it.

Whether it is three words, a paragraph, or a chapter – Father is always speaking. So, when the Holy Spirit whispers something to your heart, don’t overlook it just because it appears simple. When a phrase is highlighted to you from the Bible, meditate and press in to hear His voice. When you receive a word of encouragement or a scripture from a friend, listen to what God is saying. Bigger is not always better. Longer is not always loftier. God knows best – let’s allow His Words to change our lives.

DEVOTIONAL PLANS ON HEARING GOD SPEAK

     

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Your Confession

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Father knows your thoughts, your inner desires and dreams, your unspoken words of prayer. That personal and intimate conversation that is for His ears alone is precious and powerful. But the Angels and Demons do not know the silent whispers of your heart! They are only impacted by what you say with your mouth!

Atmospheres do not change with the meditation of your heart; they change with the confession of your mouth. Your praise does not shift the armies of Heaven unless it is verbalised.

Your worship and adoration, which is for HIS ears alone, can be silent, the beauty of a heart overwhelmed in His presence. It is a beautiful thing and HE LOVES such moments. We should have more of them. But it is in the confession of our lips that our spiritual authority (an internal reality) is expressed and brings His will on Earth as it is in Heaven (an external manifestation of that reality).

There is the world of difference between worship and adoration (which can be verbal or silent) and praise. Praise has a two-fold objective: to bring joy and gladness to our Father and to silence the Accuser and be a witness to the Heavens. For that to be so, it must be verbalised! As long as it passes your lips in an audible manner, the quietest whisper can thunder across the Cosmos and change the course of that day. It can intimidate the armies of darkness and it can empower the armies of light.

My every verbal expression of love and gratitude to my Father destroys the lies and intents of my enemy (humiliates him) and causes celebration in the Heavenly hosts! And, most importantly, that whisper (or shout!) is heard by your own ears….and enters your heart…dispelling doubt and creating faith.

Scripture is adamant: for there to be a transaction in the Heavens, the word has to be in your heart (a sincere, authentic, conviction) and upon your lips (a faith-filled confession). Here are some scriptures to meditate upon…please take time to read them…the Word is creative. Don’t lose by default, empower your day and your future to be in harmony with Gods intention.

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Proverbs 12:14 A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, and the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.

Deuteronomy 30:14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.