90 Days of Prayer – Day Sixty Four “Be Quick to Listen”

90 Days of Prayer – Day Sixty Four

“Be Quick to Listen”

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth; do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.”

As Solomon has observed, there are times and seasons for everything under the sun and prayer is no exception to this rule. There’s a time for you to pour out your heart before the Lord, and there is a time to be silent listening for His voice.

There are many today who do not believe that God speaks to people anymore. This of course is a self-limiting belief based purely upon the personal experiences of those who have over intellectualized their faith. This idea is not supported by the Scriptures or validated by history.

One cannot read the bible for long without noticing that the voice of God or the “word of the Lord” was very real to the people in both Old and New Testaments. Having God communicate with people was not thought to be something strange; it was for them a normal part of their lives. In fact to communicate with the “gods” was a very real part of their culture.

From Genesis to Revelation God continually affirmed and reaffirmed His covenant intentions by speaking to His people. The prophetic ministry has always been a practical verbal communication from the Holy Spirit to and through God’s people.

The God who made the ear can still hear us when we pray, simple common sense and the plain reading of the Scriptures will reveal that the God who created the tongue can still speak to us when we are listening for His voice in prayer.

Solomon has simply stated that listening is the great secret to intimacy with God. Both the Scriptures and the historical record show clearly that the most productive people of the Kingdom have been those who enjoyed a deep fellowship with God, heard His voice and did whatever He told them to do.

So I encourage you to follow in the way of Jesus and His Apostles. Jesus instructed His followers to have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. He also said that it was the wise builders who “heard” His words and put them into practice.

Spend some time waiting patiently on God listening for His voice. Develop a hearing heart and experience the greater joy of two way communication, be filled with faith as you learn to hear God’s voice speaking directly to you, and Be Encouraged.

John S. Picarello