Equip Church || I Can Hear You Now
Enjoy Biblical resources from Equip on Discernment and how believers today can KNOW God’s voice. Believers today can be empowered to know God’s plan, purpose and will for their lives. Pastor Dr. Iannicelli preaches as part of one of many sermons on the Holy Spirit from the Gospels and The Book of Acts. This sermon -- expounded from Luke Chapter 8 from the Parable of the Sower and the Seed – aids believers in discovering the benefits to following and living out the Word of God as instructed through Scripture. Visit Equip at www.EquipCareMinistries.com
Pastor Dr. Loretta Iannicelli is the founder of Equip Services, Inc. which includes the ministries of Equip Church, Equip Care Ministries, and Equip Academy. She serves with Chesapeake Bible College & Seminary as Dean/Pastor, Admissions & Academic Development; Pastor/US Missionary in Residence with City Church-Marlborough MA; is one of the specialized CISM Crisis Chaplains on the Boston Fire/Metro Fire CISM Team; and serves as a Boston MA Coach for Barnabas Ministries John 17:23 Pastoral Groups.
Equip Care Ministries has a Biblical mandate to love and support others. Equip is redefining Spiritual Care ... in the church, in the community, in the college and, most importantly, in caring. We gather and unite as the body of believers to proclaim, preach, worship, teach, train, empower, ordain and equip others to do the same, resulting in the world going deeper with God, self, and others by knowing that Jesus is Lord and that God loves them as Equip advances the Gospel of Jesus Christ worldwide.
Recorded – June 13, 2021 at 72 Jefferson Street, Marlborough MA, USA
Learn more about Equip & Chesapeake Bible Institute-Equip Academy Boston at:
http://www.EquipCareMinistries.com Follow us: Facebook.com/EquipCareMinistries
Learn more about City Church at:
http://www.citychurchmarlborough.com Follow us: Facebook.com/CityChurchMarlborough
BIG IDEA: We all need to understand the difference between just listening to random voices or ideas versus actually hearing and discerning the voice of God.
Listening – To pay attention to sound; to catch an unexpected sound.
Hearing – To perceive or apprehend by the ear; to gain knowledge of by hearing; to listen to with attention.
Related Distinctions: Feeling versus Touching; Holding versus Carrying; Savoring versus Tasting
SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 8:4-18
GREEK “to hear” – Akouō means to attend to, consider what is or has been said; to understand, perceive the sense of what is said.
The PURPOSE of The Parable of the Sower (V. 9-10): Jesus is making a DISTINCTION that while some have been given the ability to hear — only some will hear and know, others won’t and they will not understand.
The MEANING of The Parable (V. 11-15) explained (with the seed noted as the word of God and soil representing the hearts of persons). Jesus provides examples that there are those who do in fact hear, but it is only those who having heard the word with a noble and good heart, will keep it and BEAR FRUIT with patience.
The OUTCOME of hearing and persevering in God’s instructions (V. 8) Jesus’s way can produce a hundredfold return to our EFFORTS.
Here are some ways to identify God’s Voice:
-God’s direction will always lead by His character as revealed in the Word. God will never contradict his Word, character, nature or attributes.
-If it is God, other Godly and reliable persons or counsel will confirm it.
-You will have peace about doing it.
-God’s leading, prompting, will and plan will always call us to service beneficial to the Kingdom of God.
-Godly directives will stand the test of time.
-God will give you the ability to achieve it. God equips.
-God will be glorified by it.
What are the five ways God speaks to us? HOW can we hear His Voice?
1. God speaks to us through THE WORD OF GOD. (2 Timothy 3:16)
2. God speaks in the STILL SMALL VOICE. (Isaiah 30:21) “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
3. God speaks through NATURAL means. (Proverbs 15:22-23; Romans 1:20; 2 Chronicles 16:9). These can be people, circumstances, natural creation, experiences.
4. God speaks through SUPERNATURAL means. (1 Cor 14:3; Joel 2:28-29; Heb 1:14) These can be signs, wonders, miracles & gifts of the Spirit – Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Prophecy.
5. God gives us the DESIRE to do what He wants done.
Philippians 2:13 – “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose