Be Quiet
At the beginning of each year, Opendoor does a time of prayer and fasting as a church. I always commit to doing that myself. Although initially, people don’t jump up and down at the thought of fasting, I always know that this time brings so much fruit in my life that I actually look forward to it! This past January, as I was fasting and seeking the Lord, I felt like I kept hearing, over and over in my spirit, the words Be Quiet. Typically, I want to figure things out on my own right away when I’m unsure about something, so I wanted to immediately know what was meant by Be Quiet. I thought, maybe the phrase, "be quiet," applies to a situation I was in at the time. And honestly, that was a truth for that situation, so that was solid advice. Yet, I still wondered about Be Quiet.
Shortly after, I went through a difficult period as the enemy began to attack, and there really wasn’t anything I could do about it. It didn’t matter what I said or did, this situation was going to have to be fought by a power greater than I. This was difficult for me to process because it felt like I would have to be quiet and suffer through it, but I came to realize that’s not what it means at all. It simply means “Be quiet and let Jesus fight your battles for you.” Through this, God healed my heart, and I thought I must have learned the lesson He had for me. But He had more.
In July, I was a counselor for the Opendoor Youth Camp. Although the theme for that week was not Be Quiet, I can tell you that just about every single day, those words slammed me in the face. Students and staff were prompted multiple times through Word and worship to stop and listen to what God was saying to them. We would take out our journals and write what we felt God was speaking into our lives. While God speaks to us through His word, worship, or other leadership, I was not regularly taking time to ask God to speak to my heart and writing it down. And guess what? You can’t hear from God if you are not QUIET. It revealed to me that even though I knew I needed to be quiet during all of the things I had been walking through, I wasn’t actually being quiet in order to hear the voice of God.
When I tell you that I was completely overwhelmed with things God began to speak to me, and even the things he began speaking to the girls in my cabin at camp, I do mean that I knew completely, in that moment, what God meant when He told me to Be Quiet.
In Jeremiah 33, Jeremiah is imprisoned by King Zedekiah. Jeremiah had already been prophesying many judgements which landed him in prison. But in Jeremiah 33, he prophesies promises of peace and prosperity. Verses 2-3 say, “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it- the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
I may have remained faithful in prayer, reading the Bible, going to church, and doing all the things, but I wasn’t stopping and listening to the voice of God. God wants to speak directly to our hearts. I remember the first night at youth camp, when we were prompted to stop, listen, and write what God was speaking to us, it came. He was speaking words of confirmation and direction directly to my heart from God, those unsearchable things I did not know. He was wanting to speak directly to my heart all along. I just wasn’t being quiet and allowing Him to. Once I did, it was a relief and felt like a floodgate of dialogue had opened between my heart and God. Even when I wasn’t specifically asking for a word from God, He was speaking to me, and it was beautifully overwhelming.
I encourage you to get quiet and ask God to speak to your heart. If you are born again, you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. His Spirit is moving in your heart and mind, always to make known to you the things of God. John 16:13 says, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
JOURNAL: Ask God to speak directly to you. Start writing down what comes to you. Anything God is speaking to your heart will align with the Word of God, will convict, or encourage you to step out in faith in some area of your life. I believe you will open up a dialogue between you and God that you never knew existed. You may not get a word, or the word you want every single time you ask, but God will remain faithful to show Himself to you when you seek Him with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12-13
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
PRAYER: God, thank You for relationship with You. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct me. I ask You to speak to my heart today. Whether it be through Your Word or in the stillness of this moment I give You, speak to my heart. I want to hear Your voice and know Your thoughts. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Shortly after, I went through a difficult period as the enemy began to attack, and there really wasn’t anything I could do about it. It didn’t matter what I said or did, this situation was going to have to be fought by a power greater than I. This was difficult for me to process because it felt like I would have to be quiet and suffer through it, but I came to realize that’s not what it means at all. It simply means “Be quiet and let Jesus fight your battles for you.” Through this, God healed my heart, and I thought I must have learned the lesson He had for me. But He had more.
In July, I was a counselor for the Opendoor Youth Camp. Although the theme for that week was not Be Quiet, I can tell you that just about every single day, those words slammed me in the face. Students and staff were prompted multiple times through Word and worship to stop and listen to what God was saying to them. We would take out our journals and write what we felt God was speaking into our lives. While God speaks to us through His word, worship, or other leadership, I was not regularly taking time to ask God to speak to my heart and writing it down. And guess what? You can’t hear from God if you are not QUIET. It revealed to me that even though I knew I needed to be quiet during all of the things I had been walking through, I wasn’t actually being quiet in order to hear the voice of God.
When I tell you that I was completely overwhelmed with things God began to speak to me, and even the things he began speaking to the girls in my cabin at camp, I do mean that I knew completely, in that moment, what God meant when He told me to Be Quiet.
In Jeremiah 33, Jeremiah is imprisoned by King Zedekiah. Jeremiah had already been prophesying many judgements which landed him in prison. But in Jeremiah 33, he prophesies promises of peace and prosperity. Verses 2-3 say, “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it- the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
I may have remained faithful in prayer, reading the Bible, going to church, and doing all the things, but I wasn’t stopping and listening to the voice of God. God wants to speak directly to our hearts. I remember the first night at youth camp, when we were prompted to stop, listen, and write what God was speaking to us, it came. He was speaking words of confirmation and direction directly to my heart from God, those unsearchable things I did not know. He was wanting to speak directly to my heart all along. I just wasn’t being quiet and allowing Him to. Once I did, it was a relief and felt like a floodgate of dialogue had opened between my heart and God. Even when I wasn’t specifically asking for a word from God, He was speaking to me, and it was beautifully overwhelming.
I encourage you to get quiet and ask God to speak to your heart. If you are born again, you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. His Spirit is moving in your heart and mind, always to make known to you the things of God. John 16:13 says, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
JOURNAL: Ask God to speak directly to you. Start writing down what comes to you. Anything God is speaking to your heart will align with the Word of God, will convict, or encourage you to step out in faith in some area of your life. I believe you will open up a dialogue between you and God that you never knew existed. You may not get a word, or the word you want every single time you ask, but God will remain faithful to show Himself to you when you seek Him with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12-13
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
PRAYER: God, thank You for relationship with You. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct me. I ask You to speak to my heart today. Whether it be through Your Word or in the stillness of this moment I give You, speak to my heart. I want to hear Your voice and know Your thoughts. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Posted in Prophets Priests Kings
1 Comment
Good stuff , that will preach !