Earlier we stressed the importance of developing the ability to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. Along with the steps listed in an earlier post, the pastor that visited our church Sunday added these cautions as we seek to do this.

1. Do not antagonize the Word. When God speaks that "now" Word to us, we need to refuse to walk in reason and rationality. Rather we need to walk in faith. Don't let your senses dictate your reality, but let your faith dictate your reality.

When we antagonize the Word we've received from God, we try to figure out how God will do it. You don't have to know the details of what God is doing, just that he's doing it. An example of someone who antagonized the Word can be found in Abraham and Sarah. They waited and waited for the promised son, and finally decided that this promise would be carried out through the maid servant Hagar. The result was Ishmael. I've actually heard people use the name "Ishmael" as a term for God's plan carried out incorrectly. "I didn't do this God's way, and the whole plan resulted in an Ishmael." It's a good, illustrative term that shows how we can abort God's promises by antagonizing the Word.

2. Don't anticipate the Word. We anticipate things based on our past experience. For instance, I know that the garbage man picks up my trash on Thursday morning, so I can anticipate his doing that again. But anticipation isn't always a good thing.

God's past faithfulness is good in that we can anticipate His future faithfulness, but we don't want to anticipate the details. Just because He came through for us a certain way one time, doesn't mean He'll do it that way every time. In 2 Sam 5: David faces the same problem two times: A battle with the Phillistines. Each time David inquires of God for a battle plan, and it turns out God gives him two different plans. Have you ever tried to perform your ministry the same way, over and over with diminishing results each time? Maybe it's time to inquire of God. We need to do this for every situation and not anticipate the Word.

Folks, we need to stay on the move spiritually. God doesn't want to return for a bride with a dirty dress, a black eye, and two missing teeth. He wants a victorious and pure bride. He'll get us to that point if we'll learn to hear what He's saying to us right at this moment. You'll be at the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude, with the right resources, meeting the right people...

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2002