Damary Alembi

Q5. (Proverbs 11:14) Why is it valuable to counsel with spiritual people in the Christian community when we're learning to discern God's voice? Being part of a healthy Christian community has a great many benefits. One of these is being able to talk to your pastor or to spiritual men or women in your congregation, to make sure you're on the right track. How is having a spiritual mentor helpful? It helps one to stay on the right track. "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14, ESV). It is one of the ways God confirms his will. What is the danger of always going to another person to confirm God's word? Another person might give wrong counsel. Why is out-growing a mentor a common occurrence? This is all a process of discerning God's voice and promptings, and then being willing to obey without questioning.

Q4. (Mark 14:36; 1 Peter 3:7) Why is it necessary to recognize and then surrender our desires when we are seeking God's will? One of the strong voices in our head is our own desires, the voice of "the flesh." Desires aren't necessarily bad; they're a necessary part of what makes us humans. However, our desires are not necessarily aligned with God's desires. Our problem is that we often have "selfish ambition"[58] (James 3:17) that can cloud or interfere with us hearing God's voice accurately. The key is to deliberately humble ourselves before God, rather than be quick to assume that God agrees with us. Acknowledge your own desires up front and fully surrender them. If you do so, you'll be able to better distinguish God's voice from your own desires. To be able to discern God's voice clearly, we can't be harboring or nursing sin. It is true God can speak to sinners. Rather than blessing rebellious sinners, however, God promises blessings to those who obey him. God is repulsed by those who sin at the same time they are offering sacrifices before God, pretending to be pious (Matthew 5:22-24). When we explicitly recognize and then surrender our own ambitions and desires to God in prayer, we are better able to distinguish between them and God's will, as did Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:36). What happens if we neglect to do this? For us to be able to discern God's voice, we must be willing to obey once we determine what he is saying. Without a willingness to obey, we may never know whether or not we are hearing God. If you neglect to do this, you will not be able to distinguish God’s voice from our own desires. How can holding on to sin distort what you think you are hearing from God? Unconfessed sin injures our relationship with God and a sin-calloused heart is less able to hear his whispers, detect his nudges, and respond. When we hold onto our sin, it distorts what we might hear from God, because when we hold onto our sins we are prone to justify them -- even against God's clear Word. "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9)

Q3. (Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 John 2:16). Give an example of what the voice of the flesh -- our lusts and desires -- might sound like. Spending your entire life in rebellion against God. Give an example of what the voice of the world might sound like. "The whole world-system, based as it is on men's primitive desires, their greedy ambitions and the glamour of all that they think splendid, is not derived from the Father at all, but from the world itself." (1 John 2:16). There is a strong pull in us to conform to the values and standards of the culture around us. Give an example of what the voice of the devil might sound like. When you followed the ways of this world and of the rule of the kingdom of the air. Gratifying the craving our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Adopting standards of morality and behavior held by the world around us, following its thoughts and desires. i. loving the world with anything in it; ii. The cravings of sinful man, the **** of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does. Why is a knowledge of the Scripture necessary for discernment of these voices? A knowledge of the scripture is necessary for discernment of these voices because it renews our mind. God’s written word becomes indispensable to us to retrain us and help us discern the new way from the old. The bible has a cleaning power to those who are “washed” by reading it. It is designed to train us in what is true righteousness is, so that we can discern. It transforms and renews our mind. The scripture is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, and equipped for every good work. This is also because the word of God is the only way we can judge what we think God is saying to us. If you read the word, you learn what pleases God.

Q2. (Hebrews 5:14) Why will a person have to make mistakes in the process of learning to discern God's voice? Because such mistakes are necessary to the process of learning to recognize God’s true voice. We learn to discern what is God’s voice, and what isn’t by experience. A learning process involves mistakes for experience. If mistakes are part of the process, how can this be of God at all? Because it helps one to distinguish the good from evil.

Q1. ((Judges 6:36-38; Psalm 95:7-10) Does Gideon ask for a sign because of his unbelief? No, he asked for God to do a minor miracle to help him anchor his full faith in the Lord. He just wanted to confirm that it was God sending him. He wanted to believe. His request was in order to establish his faith so that he might lead God’s people. It was not an unbelieving testing to get God to do miracles or demands for him to meet his selfish needs. What is the difference between Gideon's seeking confirmation, and "testing God" in a way that displeases God? Seeking confirmation is for help in God’s work while testing God is for personal benefit. Testing of God we see in the Bible are attempts by unbelievers to demand things of God, or to manipulate God into somehow proving himself unless you do this, I won’t believe! Gideon was asking for a miracle to help him anchor his full faith in the Lord. Gideon wanted to believe. This was not for selfish desires needs. He anchored his full faith in God. Does God mind if we ask for confirmation? God does not mind if we ask for confirmation. When might God be upset with us for asking for confirmation? When we demand God to meet our selfish needs.

Q4. How can pride corrupt our hearing from God? When we talk publicly things that are not right and also tell what is not true. How do we protect ourselves from being deceived by our pride? We should not publicly gain God’s guidance unless it is clear. When we talk about God’s guidance, we should do it with humility, as it is God, I am trying to promote, not the servant whose ears got cleaned out enough to hear.

Q3. (Psalm 32:8-9; John 7:17) Why is a willingness to obey without understanding the reasons for God's commands so important? It is important to being receptive to God’s voice a willingness to obey is a willing and submissive spirit. When we become familiar with the Bible, we know the kinds of commands that God would never give, and thus discern that it is not God’s voice telling us that. God sees what we cannot see and counsel us with his eye upon us. If we listen, God is our wise counselor. He seeks to speak to us in counsel. He desires a more mature relationship based on trust rather than force if we fight him, we cannot serve him. How does obedience sometimes help us understand God's workings? When we do obey what God shows us will we find out what he is planning to do through us. When we resist, we will never know.

Q2. (1 Samuel 3:7; Hosea 6:3; Philippians 3:10-14) Why is a desire for a relationship with God more important than seeking to hear his voice? A desire for a relationship with God is more important than seeking to hear his voice because developing a relationship with God comes before seeking to hear his voice as a relationship is based on Trust. And trusting God is necessary or we won’t follow through with the hard things God will be asking us to do. How does hearing his voice contribute to the relationship? Because hearing God’s voice flows out of a relationship. Hearing his voice is part of a conversational relationship. Indeed, it adds greatly to the receiving part of communication. Why are we commanded to "press in" to know the Lord? We are commanded to “Press on” to know the Lord because we are to chase after God, pursue him, so that we might know him well. It is clear that spending time with God enables Jesus to see and hear what the Father was doing, so he can do it also. It maintains his relationship with his Father. In like manner, if we press on we shall maintain this same relationship with God. How does Paul's passion for a relationship with God inspire you? Paul’s passion for a relationship with God inspires me because hearing God’s voice is part of a conversational relationship. Indeed, it adds greatly to the receiving part of communication. Paul had spiritual receptivity, he had spiritual awareness and … went on to cultivate it until it became the biggest thing in their lives Paul acquired the lifelong habit of spiritual response. We are to chase after God, pursue him, so that we might know him well. Paul's passion to know Christ better: "I want to know Christ.... I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.... Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:10-14)

Q1. (1 Samuel 3:1-10) What was Eli's counsel to Samuel, when he recognized that God was calling to the boy? The counsel of Eli to Samuel was to respond to the voice by saying “Speak LORD for your Servant is listening” Was it good counsel? Yes, it was a good counsel as it was right on target. What is the significance of Samuel recognizing that he is a servant? The significance was that Samuel was able to obey what the LORD was instructing him to do. This is a polite and humble way to refer to oneself. The term is frequently used when addressing God in prayer.

Q4. (Acts 16:6-10; Psalm 27:14) Why does God sometimes not talk to us? Because he may not be talking to us right now. God sometimes does not talk to us when we do not tune to him. Silence is also one way of God communicating especially when he is not in agreement with our requests or petitions. Is it always because we aren't receptive? Yes and No; when we are not patient enough. What should we do when we don't hear anything from God? We should wait on him for his direction; as he is not to wait on us or cater to our conveniences. We have no right to demand the Sovereign of the Universe to speak to us. We are encouraged to wait on the Lord.

Q3. (Acts 5:1-11; 8:23; 14:8-10) Sometimes God nudges you by giving you insight into the spiritual state of people around you. What should you be asking God about once you receive this insight about them? I should be asking God on the way forward, what I need to do or the action I should take in such a case. Have you ever had a nudge from God that resulted in a person receiving help? Yes, I have had a nudge from God that resulted in a person receiving help. What did you learn from this? It is always a joy when you respond to a nudge in a positive manner.

Q2. (2 Samuel 5:19, 22-25) What's the similarity between God's brief, inarticulate nudges or promptings, and David's use of the Urim and Thummim to receive direction? The similarity is the details of what needs to be done. What happens when David needs more than a "yes" or "no" answer? He inquires of the Lord for more details.

Q1. (Acts 8:26-40; 16:6-10) Are promptings from the Holy Spirit clear enough when we're seeking God for direction? No Why is "no" just as important an answer as "yes"? Because sometimes we the promptings are from the Holy Spirit or sometimes we make mistakes if not well interpreted. Have you ever felt God's promptings to take some action? Yes, I have. If you followed through, what happened? I realized that I did the right thing to obey what the prompting might have been.

Q4. (Acts 10:19-20) Why was it important for Simon to get a very clear command from the Spirit to go with his visitors? It is very clear otherwise he would not have agreed to go with them because they were Gentiles, who were uncircumcised, with whom they never used to mingle (interact). What would he have done if the word weren't so clear? He would have prayed about it, to seek clarity. What does he do when criticized for taking this action (Acts 11:2, 12)? He explains to them what might have transpired. Do you disobey when you know you might face criticism for obedience? No, I do not disobey.

Q3. (Acts 19:21; 20:22-24; 21:12-14) What would have happened if Paul hadn't been sure of his instructions from the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem? Paul would not have gone to Jerusalem and he would not have been imprisoned. He would have avoided imprisonment yet it was inevitable. He would have given in to other people’s desire for his safety. Would you have tried to dissuade him? Without consideration of God’s voice, Yes, I would have dissuaded him. But now that I have been made aware of listening to God’s voice, I cannot dissuade him but rather encourage him to follow what the Holy Spirit directs him to do. It's comforting to receive encouraging words. What level of maturity does it take to receive a direction that might lead us into hardship and danger? This is a high level of dependency on God. What happens when we choose the easy way, when God leads us on a difficult path? God forseek us. We remain bound by the earthly behavior.