We've been studying such conditions of the heart as a divided heart, a hardened heart, a fearful heart along with others. The last two studies have nee on the most important condition of all...a hearing heart.
A hearing heart is one that will move and abide in the voice and directing of the Holy Spirit. As the Holy Spirit speaks and leads us, we flow and move in the total will of God. We have tried many ways to learn how to walk with a hearing heart and haven't been successful for the most part.
1John 4:16 (Amplified) tells us, "And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believed (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the Love God cherishes for us. God is love and he who dwells in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in Him."
When we begin understanding God's love for us, it becomes easier to dwell in Him. We've used a broad brush to paint God's love for mankind, but we seldom narrow it to His love for us on an individual level. The Apostle John received the Revelation of God's love for him. He knew that Jesus loved all of the world. It was John who wrote John 3:16. But, John knew more than that. He knew that God loved him as an individual and he referred to himself as the "Disciple that Jesus loved." John 19:26 (Amplified) says, "So Jesus, seeing His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing near, said to His Mother (Dear) woman, see (there is) your Son." Verse 27 says, "Then He said to the disciple, See, (here is) your Mother! And from that hour, the disciple took her into his own (keeping, own home)."
John understood God's lover for him alone, on a personal level. This same Apostle went on to write the Gospel of John and 1John, 2John, 3John and The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Here was a man who had a hearing heart that was tuned to the flow of God's love. It makes very little difference how much we may learn about the scriptures if we don't know how much God loves us. I don't have a problem saying to someone that my wife loves me and me alone. I know she loves our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. And, I know she loves other people as well, but I know she has a special love for me as an individual. I'm the man she loves.
This is the same attitude we need to have about our Father. He loves us all with an unconditional love, but only some of us don't dare take it to a personal level. When we know His love for us One on one, we are in a position to have a hearing heart. This is a matter of knowing Him personally and not collectively as part of the congregation or the Church.
This doesn't mean that God has favorites or loves one person more than another. It just means that certain individuals have seen this love for them personally. Romans 6:5 (Amplified) says that, "Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us."
Your spirit will respond in faith and obedience to Love every time. Those we read about or know who walk in power and signs and wonders, all know God's love on a very personal level. They hear God even in the most wild and courageous things. Such men as Smith Wigglesworth did things most of us would never have believed it was God Who told us to do them. He heard God saying to remove an embalmed man from his coffin and command that body to walk. And, he did it. Most of us would have been afraid to do such a thing, but 1John 4:18 (Amplified) says, "There is no fear in love (dread does not exist) but full grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love (is not yet grown into love's complete perfection)."
The hearing heart is moved by God's Own Love that's inside us by the Holy Spirit. All of God's power to heal, save, deliver, bless, take onto Himself is based on His Love man. All of the gifts of the Spirit are based on Love and without Love we are just "clanging cymbals."
Jesus, Who was love, walking and talking by the shores of Galilee, only did what the Father (Love) told Him to do. Jesus said that when "you have seen Me, you have seen the Father (or God's love in action)." A hearing heart can hear the sounds of those weeping and the very depths of their heart and then respond in love to set them free. We can do this only if when we hear God's love speak into our hearts saying to "loose the captives and set a liberty those who are abound."
If we learn to know His love for us (an individual love), then we can learn to love others. 1John 4:8 (Amplified) says, "He who does not love has not become acquainted with God (does not and never did know Him) for God is love." Many people in the family of God don't really know Him. God really knows and loves them, but they don't really know Him. They don't spend a lot of time in His presence or speak to Him in fellowship. They address Him as God, but not as Father. They don't see Him in His love, but in His judgment and His anger. Mostly, they feel as though they're never pleasing to God and therefore, can never be used by Him for anything outside of going to heaven when we die.
This comes from a fearful and condemning heart. This is a heart that doesn't truly know the heart of God ,the Love of God Who is God Himself shed abroad in our own heart. A hearing heart hears the very heart of God Himself. A hearing heart is one that is moved by love from God and love for God, to meet the needs of all who are oppressed of the devil. Acts 10:38 (Amplified) says, "How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the (Holy) Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by (the power of) the devil, for God was with Him."
Romans 8:27-28 (Amplified) says, "And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the (Holy) Spirit (what His intent is) because the Spirit intercedes and pleads (before God) on behalf of the Saints according to and in harmony with God's will." Verse 28 goes on, "We are assured and know that (God being a partner in their labor) all things work together and are (fitting into a plan) for good to and for those who love God and are called according to (His) design and purpose."
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