April 24, 2022
WHISPER | Promptings | April 24, 2022
Bob Schwahn | Lead Pastor
1 Kings 19:11-13 (NIV)
The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
1) Why does God whisper?
Oswald Chambers:
“The checks of the Spirit come in the most extraordinarily gentle ways, and if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice you will quench it, and your personal spiritual life will be impaired. His checks always come as a still small voice…”
2) What makes God’s whispers hard to hear?
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
3) How do we respond to whispers?
Hebrews 3:15; 4:7; Psalm 95:7-8 (NIV)
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
Reflection Questions:
1) Describe a time when you had trouble hearing someone (poor sound quality at an event, loud conversation over lunch, soft spoken co-worker in a meeting, etc.). How do you feel when you can’t hear someone well?
2) How well would you say you hear the voice of God? Why do you
think that is?
3) What things in our life can make it difficult to hear God’s voice?
4) When have you heard the voice of God most clearly in your life?
5) What sorts of lies keep us from hearing God’s voice? What have those lies been in your life?
6) What are some unique ways that God spoke to people in the Bible? What are some unique ways God has communicated with you? How did that experience affect your relationship with God?
7) How does God speak to us through engaging the Bible? How have you learned to hear God’s voice from the Bible? What does that process look like for you?
 
