What does this imply?

[visionary]

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

One - the obvious - being able to hear the voice of God.
Two - the next obvious - being able to follow God.

Now comes the hard part.... How do we know that we are hearing the voice of God? How do we know that we are following God?

There is the pat answer, following the Torah.... but is there more to this than first glance. We know the rules of the walk, it is the Torah. We know that the spirit in which we walk it must be found Holy as He is Holy. But is there more... Is there a unity between the Torah rules and the living walk...that is not works but a living faith. Yeshua walked by this faith. How did He do it?

Why do I still feel like the connection is still missing? Is it my war in the flesh that keeps me from having the peace that passes all understanding? Is it the wedding that I long for, waiting for, praying for, the missing piece?

[Steve Petersen]

Ezekiel 36:27 (KJV) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

[visionary]

Can we get use to living in the spirit that we think it is normal? Then we no longer feel or see the newness. MAybe then we become lukewarm because we no longer have the zeal.

[Bananna]

Well, sometimes I just know. Other times I just have Torah to go by which should be enough.

I'm thinking that we hear His voice when we need direction, not all the time. Torah should be good for grazing.

We should be able to hear the Torah in our minds speaking direction when night comes to being us into the saftey of the fold.

But when something is not learned, we should be able to hear. This I cannot explain.

I will be reading in the scriptures and something will jump out at me. Sometimes it just is a scripture that does not make sense within the context. I hear in my head, "go and see" so I look up the greek or hebrew and God shows me a thing about the passage and verse.

Then there are the times that God puts knowledge of a thing in my head or I see a person's future. That part is hard. Sometimes it is worrisome, as I don't know why I need to know or what to do with the information. Mostly I figure that it is just practise in hearing and understanding, till the day He calls me to serve more actively in the church.

I've made some mistakes. Like thinking that being tested meant I was walking contrary to God's desire for my life. I don't think God ever asks us to transgress his commands.

JMO
bananna

[visionary]

The other day, the devil dumped a whole boat load of garbage upon my mind, and at first I couldn't believe that my mind would be filled with such trash, then I realised this wasn't me and with that I asked the Lord to remove it from my mind. It was strange and I have yet to understand why.

[Bananna]

So sorry.
saying a prayer
bananna

[AlikhnKwizad]

I've wondered the same thing Vis.

I've been trying to get the enemy's trash out of my mind, but the more I shovel out, the more he dumps on me.

Sometimes it is hard for me to know what is ME, what is the enemy... and the difference between G-d allowing trial & correction... or the enemy's attack.

I have experienced great clarity at times. But now, there is so much fog I can hardly see G-d at all.

I have said things and thought things in the past few months that I would never have imagined myself saying or thinking.

It seems that any message G-d has tried to get across to me has been hijacked by the enemy... so I recieve 2 conflicting messages at once. I am suspicious of both.

When I am connected with other believers the messages usually clear up. I can more clearly define what thoughts are mine, and what thoughts are an attack on my mind. I feel safe being surrounded by other believers. And something I have struggled with for a long, long time is isolation.

At first I thought I was the one who chose to be isolated. But as I got older, I saw the isolation within my family. Then I made a conscious effort to get 'pluged in'... connected with others believers. Since I have been married the strugle to stay connected has become very intense.

When things happen that keep us isolated I can almost hear the wings of demons brush past my ear... and inside me I hear a hollow empty scream and I cannot discern if it is comming from me or them...

Last night DH & I got into a terrible fight. Finally I realized that I had given up on trying to discern anything. And my willful complacency has left big open doors for the enemy.

I had forgotten how deep some generational ties were... how every descision we make, every voice we listen to, does have a srtong impact on us.

If we (DH & I) don't make a conscious effort to "throw out the trash" everyday... then we will be burried, suffocating in trash.

I've been fighting tooth & nail... and I'm tired. But sometimes I wonder if I've been swinging at apperitions and missing the real target. Is the battle always this intense? Is there a way to make it easier?

Just typing thoughts...

[Bananna]

Alik,
what a good illistration
bananna

[Tishri1]

Matthew 16:16-17 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art 1athe Christ, bthe Son of cthe living God." 17 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, aSimon 1Barjona, because bflesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.



'" Matthew 16:23 23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, aSatan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on 1God's interests, but man's.


notice that these scripture are only a few verses apart?

hmmmm ...so if Peter can hear a word from G-D one moment and a word from satan in the next....it's probably no reflection on the person...it's just part of being a member of the kingdom living in this fallen world....we need to deal with it that's all....

Ephesians 4:26-27 ... and do not agive the devil 1an opportunity.

Ephesians 6:11 11 aPut on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the bschemes of the devil.

James 4:7 ... bResist the devil and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:8-9 8 aBe of sober spirit, bbe on the alert. Your adversary, cthe devil, prowls about like a roaring dlion, seeking someone to devour. 9 1aBut resist him, bfirm in your faith, ...

[AlikhnKwizad]

What weak vessels we are!!!

[visionary]

The devil probably thought I wasn't paying attention. It is like junk mail, get lots of it and spam too, and if I am not too careful I will linger over it and think about the offer. It doesn't seem to matter that you have just installed the latest block, the devil comes up with another way of getting your attention on junk. I guess the Lord wants to train our minds to focus and stay focussed because it is only going to get windier and windier as the storm comes raging in. We will soon become into a drought for the watering Word of God. If we are not like a cactus, which stocks up during the good times, we will be withering away when the devestation and desolation comes.

[Tishri1]

yeh and don't worry if the ememy comes in because WE WIN in the end!:amen:

[Mikhail]

The other day, the devil dumped a whole boat load of garbage upon my mind, and at first I couldn't believe that my mind would be filled with such trash, then I realised this wasn't me and with that I asked the Lord to remove it from my mind. It was strange and I have yet to understand why.


This seems to be the hardest lesson for a lot of beleivers recognising that it is not you or your thoughts. Recognising that they do not beleong to you is the first step with dealing with the spirit of condemnation if he can convince us that this trash is from us then he can condem us in our minds and cause us to run away from the Presence of Elohim instead of running to Elohim.

I find that it good to imagine myself coming into the very presences of the holy of holies and being hidden under the very presence of him who called me, cleansed me and atoned for me by the blood of the Eternal Lamb of Elohim.

I take the ritual of cleansing very seriously if I have caused myself to become unclean in some way then I will take a Mikveh albeit in the shower. This could be as simple as shaking a woman's hand in the case of business meetings I try to avoid this but after a life time of being trained that shaking a woman's hand is the polite thing to do I still forget and because woman do not put labels on themselves saying that I am within 7 days of my cycle I do not know if this has caused me to be unclean or not. I do this as a reminder of me that to be clean before Elohim requires both water and blood, sanctification and atonement both in the natural of what I do and what he has done in the spirit for me, by baptising me with his spirit and sprinkling me with the blood of the Messiah Yeshua the eternal lamb of Eloah.

It may sound bizarre but the more I embrace/practice his presence the less filth that troubles me, the more I practice ritual cleansing the more feel clean as I become aware of everything that I do physically and the less garbage and ungodly things that I need to repent of when I come before him in prayer.

I hope this encourages you all.
Shalom,
Mikhail ben Gino

[Devasha]

Whenever I am experiencing negative "vibes", I have some learned responses that really help me to get back on track:

1. The most important thing is focus--Peter started to sink when he took his eyes off of Yeshua and looked at the storm. Sometimes what is needed is a shift in focus. I remember a quote that went something like "Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big God is." Getting into the Word (washing in the water of the Word), being still and listening, and praying are all helpful in focusing and taking thoughts captive.

2. Also, using Peter's example, when he began to sink, he cried out, and immediately Yeshua reached out and caught him. I think the lesson is to notice what you are thinking so that you are aware if you are sinking as soon as possible, so that you can cry out to Him, and then believe that He answers immediately.


3. If I feel like I'm losing my grip in any way, praise music helps me to re-focus. Also, songs that are sung in the first person as if He is singing to me. "Love Song" by Third Day is a good example of that type of song. That can really give a whole new perspective and get thoughts under control.

4. Always helpful is to look around for someone I can bless or even just pray for blessings on someone if I am not able to physically do anything at that point in time, especially someone who has perhaps reviled me or insulted me.

Anytime we are being bombarded by fleshly thoughts, feelings, etc., we can be sure that we have been brought to the kingdom "for such a time as this". This is when it is up to us to focus on the unseen, put our armor on, and defeat the enemy with the tools we have been given. The more we stay in the Spirit and fight in the Spirit, the more peace and joy we will have.

[CovenantRay]

James 4:7 ... Resist the devil and he will flee from you.


Shalom:

This is an oft quoted part of a verse, most often leaving out the all-important first part. Please forgive me if I quote it in full.

James 4:7

Tishri, this is no reflection upon YOU, however it often seems to me that Christians wish to leave the "submission" out of that verse and it has become a pet peeve of mine.








As always, I appreciate the scripture references, todah!

Climbing down off of my tiny digital soapbox now.

CovenantRay :prayer:

[Mikhail]

Shalom:

This is an oft quoted part of a verse, most often leaving out the all-important first part. Please forgive me if I quote it in full.

James 4:7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Tishri, this is no reflection upon YOU, however it often seems to me that Christians wish to leave the "submission" out of that verse and it has become a pet peeve of mine.


[/left]
CovenantRay :prayer:

Pet peeve how about having the followed recited week in week out.

Love your neighbour as yourself.
On these two commandments are founded the law and the prophets.

Sounds good except that never ever ever quote the first one :doh: :mad: :sigh:

Shalom,
Mikhail ben Gino

[visionary]

Pet peeve how about having the followed recited week in week out.

Love your neighbour as yourself.
On these two commandments are founded the law and the prophets.

Sounds good except that never ever ever quote the first one :doh: :mad: :sigh:

Shalom,
Mikhail ben GinoOh.. you noticed that too....

[jgonz]

If we are not like a cactus, which stocks up during the good times, we will be withering away when the devestation and desolation comes.
Excellent analogy Visionary~ thank you.