Communing With God
(week 07/02)
Olubi Johnson
In our last article we saw how to cultivate the presence of God daily by:
1.The right attitude or willingness to do God’s will (John 7:17): this comes by daily self-judgement and repentance from anything that displeases God. —Orientation of your antenna or satellite dish to receive accurately.
2. A renewed mind that has the knowledge of God’s Word (Rom. 12: 2): this comes by daily Bible reading and meditation. — A functioning TV set.
3. The power of the Holy Spirit released by the life of God through prayer in the Spirit for at least one hour daily (Matt. 26:41, Eph. 6:18). — A generator that supplies electricity with the right voltage.
We stressed that we cultivate and commune with God’s presence by faith. In other words it is not that we will have a literal vision of God’s presence all day every day. Rather in our minds we visualize by faith the presence of God in our minds and it is also in our minds that God speaks to us not that we hear an audible voice every time God speaks to us.
2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV) For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Hebrews 11:27 (KJV) By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
It is vital that we understand how God communes with us in our minds.
God communicates with us at three levels: the witness of the spirit, the written Word, and physical works and circumstances in this order. It is vital to understand that God leads us from the inside out and not from the outside in.
Do not look at your circumstances first to determine what God is saying. Rather get a witness and a confirmation through the written Word first and then only circumstances that align with the witness of the Spirit and the Word will acceptable as being from God. This is because Satan too can arrange circumstances that will seem to correspond to the desires of the carnal mind to deceive you.
Witness, Word and Works
We see these 3 things revealed in the Scripture when Jesus was teaching about seeing and hearing God through the Word by His Spirit.
John 5:36-39 (KJV) But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
I John 5:6 (KJV) This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
These scriptures reveal that we can hear God’s voice and see His shape through His Word by His Spirit.
As we pray daily in the spirit God gives us impressions or a witness in our hearts, this witness is then confirmed through the written word and corresponding physical circumstances.
An excellent example of this is in the life of Christ Himself: as a young child Jesus had a witness that He was the son of God, as He grew in wisdom, stature and the knowledge of the scriptures, the scriptures confirmed the witness He had that He was the son of God. At the age of 30 as He is baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist a supernatural work or sign occurs: the heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends upon Him in the form of a dove and God speaks audibly from heaven confirming that He is the son of God. Furthermore after this He is led by Spirit into the wilderness for a 40 day fast after which He returns in the power of the Spirit doing great miracles with John confirming with a prophetic Word that Jesus is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of world.
This example of Christ forms a pattern for our communing with God:
An impression or witness in the heart.
Confirmation through the written Word: interpretation of which must never contradict any other principle in the Word or the character of God: lovingkindness, righteousness and justice.
Confirmation by corresponding supernatural works or circumstances. A prophetic and apostolic Word usually accompanies this: this could be through utterance, preaching and teaching or vision and dreams.
Once our attitudes are right: a heart of integrity, we have confirmation through scripture and corresponding supernatural works or circumstances, we can be quite certain that we are hearing accurately from God.
As we practice this by daily prayer and study of the Word, we will cultivate the presence of God and get to the place where God communes with us through our minds practically all the time and we will know His mind and will in every situation: the more you pray and read and study the Word the easier it is for you to commune with God.
This does not mean we will know everything but it does mean we will know enough in every circumstance and situation to be ultimately victorious in the particular circumstance and situation.
