In the cool of the evening God had the custom of entering the couple’s Garden Home for the purpose of communing with them, face to face, heart to heart.
But man, the Crowning Work of His creation had disobeyed, had rebelled, had yielded his dominion to the enemy of God.
Now, the choices made by the couple would bring terror and destruction, should the Friend continue visits as before.
Sin cannot exist in God’s Presence. The Glory of God, the Purity of His Being, is the antithesis of sin. Sin and sinners are obliterated, atomized, when He comes near.
So, in Mercy, and out of Love, He cloaks His glory so that He may begin the process of Redemption.
Within the center of each Created Being’s Intelligence is a conscience. A place that The Creator built into His creatures, so that He could commune with them at all times, in all places. I choose to call it a Sanctuary of the Mind.
It was this conscience that caused such fear in Adam and Eve that they ran and hid from the One they had formerly run to greet at their appointed meeting time.
Despite satan’s protests, God preserved this Sanctuary as a place where He had access to the consciousness of each person.
Through Divine impulses and stirred memories God speaks to each human throughout their lives with entreaties to turn to God with their choices. The Holy Spirit is specifically commissioned for this mission.
Circumstances, life-stimuli, jolts to the memory – every possible method and tool is brought into the warfare with satan’s implements of deception.
The Holy Spirit knows where in our memories lie the messages of Hope, of Scripture, of Music, and Experience from God’s revelations of Himself. These memories and influences are triggered at opportune moments – sometimes through the interactions with another human messenger – a person witnessing of the character of God at the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
You probably know the story. The son of a prosperous, righteous man grows weary of the structure and tedium of being an obedient member of the Father’s family.
Rejecting the entreaties of the Father, he ventures into the wild, wonderful world.
Soon, after his fortune and talents are spent, the best he can find is a farm job caring for and feeding pigs. One day, he scoops up some of the pig slop to suppress the pangs of hunger. The motion of bringing his hand to his mouth sparks a memory.
The Holy Spirit flashed into his Sanctuary the images and emotions of an evening meal at his Father’s table.
He clung to that memory, and with the encouragement, more memories rose in his mind.
He then imagined the Father that he knew, opening the door at his knock.
“Are you willing to let me come home?” he asks.
And the Father responds, “I Am!”
Then the Father takes his own cloak and wraps it around the pig-sty clothes of His son.
“Welcome home! Let’s have a feast!”
Then he turns and calls to the whole household to come and see. The family crowds around the couple in celebration.
Covered by his Father’s pure, clean garments, it is easy to understand why he is often mistaken for his Father.
Heaven’s agents are constantly at work to influence one more person to turn to God and become the son, the daughter, who comes home to God.
To hear the Spirit speak one must dim the clamor of the world.
Then Respond. As the Prodigal in the story above, choose to return to the Father.
As is true for every message, you must choose to listen.
Most of us have clutter that interferes with hearing. Busyness. Media. TV. Music. Podcasts. It’s difficult to remove all of the clatter that is focused on us. Satan wants us to be overwhelmed with the complexities of life. That keeps us from developing the habits that tune in to the messages from the Holy Spirit. Our Sanctuaries have become media cluttered.
What to do?
Clear away the clutter!
Develop habits that make room for God in your life.
Bible study. (Olivetree.com offers a phone app and Bible study guides)
Set aside time when you talk with God – prayer time.
Find a Church community that will support you and your adventure with God.
And, no matter where you are in society or sin, God will welcome you into His Kingdom.
Satan will attempt to deceive you into believing that he is the Holy Spirit. So it is vital that you get to know the Bible.
Neglecting time in studying the Bible,
Filling your mind with other voices,
Rejecting the messages from the Holy Spirit, -
These are ways that your senses become deadened to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Avoid these. Your eternity depends on it.
Remember -
Time with your Bible,
Time with God in prayer,
Respond to obey,
Quiet time – alone – in Nature...
Time with a fellowship group that follows the Bible …
These are volume controls for Hearing the Spirit Speak.
