Step 2- Be Still and Obey

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“In Sleep he sang to me/ In dreams he came/ That voice which calls to me/ And speaks my name”- The Phantom of the Opera


We have access to the presence and power of God because of death of Jesus and the tearing of the veil. We can begin to access this presence by opening His word and setting aside time to meet with Him. Hebrews 4:12 (ESV): “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” We must look for God at the beginning and end of each day and start seeing our lives through a new lens. We start doing this by being transparent with God’s word and using it as a mirror. This requires us to have an honest interaction with Him and trusting Him to complete in you the work He began.

Do we want God to give us something more than we want God Himself? God wants to give good gifts to His children, but He is the ultimate gift. He gave us himself on the cross, and He gives us His Spirit/His presence daily. We get the peace that passes understanding that the Bible talks about by living in His presence. Open up your heart to make room for Him to be your one desire, and ask Him to change your heart to desire Him above all else.

Meditate on His word and allow to Him speak to you. As the old song goes, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Don’t get caught up in the bigger picture, but ask God to show you what He has for you in that moment. Be still in His presence and learn to let His presence, power, and faithfulness permeate your days. Be still, and enjoy being with Him. Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Discerning His Voice


"The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead. I am no jedi, but I know the force. It moves through and surrounds every living thing. Close your eyes, feel it. The light. It's always been there. It will guide you."- Maz Kanata,The Force Awakens

Look for how He is leading you. If you think He is leading you in a certain way, ask Him to reveal His leading to you in other ways. Ask Him confirm what He is showing you through His Spirit, other people, circumstances, thoughts, songs, and dreams.

The voice of God is what gets us through the dark seasons. When you seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him. He always speaks truth, convicts and heals our hearts, and gives us peace and hope. Isaiah 45:19 (ESV): “I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.’’

We must have an appropriate response to Him when He calls. 1 Samuel 3:9 (ESV) “Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” Is that how you would respond if you felt God calling you? We are His servants, and we must be ready to submit to Him when He calls. When we trust Him with the daily tasks He gives us, He will give us larger tasks. Once we discern His voice, we can fully trust that voice because He cannot lie, and He loves us with an everlasting agape love.

A prayer of submission: Speak to me, God. Give me assurance that it is You who are speaking. Help me to know You are there amongst the darkness, and speak what it true and what is right. Guide me and love me, and help me to trust You in this moment. Teach me to be a doer of the word and not just a hearer of the word. I am listening with an open heart and a willing spirit. I believe that You have a plan for my life. Only You know my future. I stand before You with empty hands. What is Your will? I ask for Your will to be done rather than my own. You are in full control of my future, and I lay it all down at your feet. I am completely dependent on You for all hope. You are my hope and my salvation. You are the one who gives and the one who takes away. I cannot command You to do anything. Revive my heart and the hearts of others around me. Change my heart to become more like Yours. I don’t want to go anywhere unless you are coming with me. Please make known to me the paths of life and the fullness of joy. Your ways are not our ways, and Your thoughts are not our thoughts. Forgive me for being selfish and wanting my way. Forgive me for making marriage an idol. Guide my thoughts, my words, and my decisions. Grow me to be the person You designed me to be. Help me to see myself as You see me. You are the way, the truth, and the life. I give the Holy Spirit authority over my life and decisions. I invite the Holy Spirit to dwell within me and live within me.

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