Lesson 07 — Kingdom Ears

Ten Principles of Receiving Divine Guidance
(Principles 1-5)

“Kingdom” Defined:

1. A realm or region in which someone or something is ___________________.
2. An area or sphere in which one holds a preeminent ________________.
3. The eternal __________________ of God.
4. The realm in which God’s ________ is ____________.

Foundational Scripture:
But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! — Matthew 13:16 (MSG)

Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. — Revelation 3:6 (MSG)

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. — Revelation 3:20 (NIV)

My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. — Song of Solomon 2:14 (NIV)

You who dwell in the gardens with friends in attendance, let me hear your voice! — Song of Solomon 8:13 (NIV)

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” — Isaiah 6:8 (NIV)

Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say. — Isaiah 28:23 (NIV)

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” — Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)

1. Principle One: The ______________ Principle
Hearing God’s voice is the _________ of all ___________.

Scripture:
The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice… I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd… My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. — John 10:3-4, 16, 27 (NIV)

Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand). — Jeremiah 33:3 (AMPC)

Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. — Jeremiah 33:3 (NLT)

2. Principle Two: The __________ Principle
God ___________ from ________ He dwells.

Scripture:
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. — John 14:15-17 (NKJV)

But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. — Matthew 10:19-20 (NKJV)

3. Principle Three: The _______ Principle
God’s ________ is His agent in all true __________.

Scripture:
I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you. Everything the Father has is also mine. That is why I’ve said, “He takes from me and delivers to you.” — John 16:12-15 (MSG)

4. Principle Four: The _____________ Principle
God ___________ in a ______________ of ways.

Scripture:
God came down in a cloud and spoke to Moses and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy leaders. When the Spirit rested on them they prophesied. But they didn’t continue; it was a onetime event. — Numbers 11:25 (MSG)

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. — 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NLT)

For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. — Job 33:14-15 (NLT)

5. Principle Five: The ___________ Principle
Intimacy with ______ is the primary _______ to receiving ongoing divine guidance.

Scripture:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. — Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

“Acknowledge” Defined:
Hebrew: ________
“Direct ______________ contact”

Scripture:
God-friendship is for God-worshipers; They are the ones he confides in. — Psalm 25:14 (MSG)

The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning. — Psalm 25:14 (AMPC)

AFTERTHOUGHTS… PONDER AND PRAY

Ponder Points: Discuss (or ponder) instances where you feel God has spoken to you about major decisions or specific circumstances you have faced. Did you ever feel that God spoke to you? How did He choose to do it?

Prayer Points: Is there a major issue or concern you are facing for which you desire to hear God speak? Pray for that issue aloud and then quietly listen to God’s inner voice regarding the matter for which you just prayed. Write down what you hear as you pray (whether a specific word, a picture or a Bible passage).

Ten Principles of Receiving Divine Guidance
(Principles 6-10)

6. Principle Six: The ___________ Principle
Not all supernatural ________ are from __________.

Scripture:
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” — Matthew 4:1-4 (NIV)

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. — James 4:7 (NKJV)

A man named Simon had been a great sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic. — Acts 8:9-11 (NLT)

7. Principle Seven: The _____________ Principle
God ___________ to those who are willing to ________.

Scripture:
If you will listen obediently to what I say and keep my covenant, out of all peoples you’ll be my special treasure. — Exodus 19:5 (MSG)

Listen obediently, Israel. Do what you’re told so that you’ll have a good life, a life of abundance and bounty, just as God promised, in a land abounding in milk and honey. — Deuteronomy 6:3 (MSG)

If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world. — Deuteronomy 28:1 (MSG)

And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. —1 John 3:22 (NLT)

8. Principle Eight: The ____________ Principle
Learn from historic ____________ practical patterns for ____________ divine guidance.

Scripture:
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you. — Deuteronomy 32:7 (NKJV)

George Muller’s Six Steps for Determining God’s Will

1. I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a certain matter.
2. Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If I do so, I make myself liable to great delusions.
3. I seek the will of the Spirit through, or in connection with, the Word of God.
4. Next I take into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God’s will in connection with His Word and Spirit.
5. I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me aright.
6. Thus, through prayer to God, the study of the Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge.

9. Principle Nine: The __________ Principle
Hearing God’s voice is a ________ to be _____________.

Scripture:
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight… — Philippians 1:9 (NIV)

Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding. — Proverbs 2:2 (MSG)

Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. — Proverbs 4:20 (MSG)

Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as a priest. — Exodus 28:3 (NIV)

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. — Hebrews 5:14 (NKJV)

10. Principle Ten: The __________Principle
God’s _____________ is God’s ____________ for all ____________ of receiving divine guidance.

Scripture:
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. — Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path. — Psalm 119:105 (MSG)

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. — 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)

God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. — Hebrews 4:12 (MSG)

AFTERTHOUGHTS… PONDER AND PRAY

Ponder Points: Discuss (or ponder) why God’s Word is the primary key to the matter of hearing God’s voice and receiving divine guidance. Share any instances you might recall of how God used Scripture to give you specific guidance or confirm a particular decision.

Prayer Points: Quietly listen to God’s “still, small voice,” asking Him to reveal any issues He wants you to pray for; whether personal, local, national or even international. Then, open your Bible randomly to the Psalms and see if God might lead you to claim a specific passage regarding that need.