Moving further into the Hearing From God series, this message covers two further ways to create an atmosphere for divine revelation: living under expectation of God’s promises, illustrated by Abraham’s readiness to receive the three visitors and the specific timing of Isaac’s birth, and soul travail, a burdened desire for the lost illustrated by Ezekiel’s vision of a mark placed on those who sigh and cry over the sins of the land.
Scripture Reference
And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant.
Key Points: Watching for the Day of Visitation
- Abraham’s greeting to the three visitors, my Lord, is presented as evidence he recognized a familiar voice, showing that a believer can learn to know God’s voice through an ongoing relationship of hearing from him.
- Being under expectation is described as a mindset lived out in practical preparation, illustrated by setting up more chairs than attendance requires and by Abraham keeping himself ready even though God had given no exact date for the promised child.
- Sarah’s doubt and poor mood are contrasted with Abraham’s readiness, showing that the same promise can be revealed to one person and missed by another depending on their spiritual condition at the moment it is given.
- A personal account of a friend whose husband dismissed her God given revelation is used to encourage persistence in trusting what God has spoken, regardless of others’ doubt.
- Soul travail is described as a burdened, grieving desire for the lost rather than mere emotional excitement, illustrated by Ezekiel’s vision of a mark set only upon those who sighed and cried over the sins of the city.
- A personal testimony of an outreach encounter, where a stranger felt led to a specific park and found the group there, is offered as evidence that God still moves in ordinary, seemingly small ways when believers are attentive.
- The message closes by urging believers to speak openly about their faith so as not to bear responsibility for failing to warn others, referencing Paul’s statement that he was innocent of the blood of all men.