God Wants to Communicate

by Christian International | Apr 30, 2024 | Articles

GOD WANTS TO COMMUNICATE

God’s desire to communicate with us is evident throughout Scripture and is rooted in His nature and love for us. The God we worship is personal, expressive, and relational. He wants to interact with us, to share His thoughts and essence, and to foster intimacy. This desire for open and continual communication, which was initially tainted by sin, is nevertheless an enduring and defining feature of His relationship with us. Therefore, it is important to understand why God wants to communicate, what He seeks to convey, and what a personal and intimate relationship with Him entails.

Why God Wants to Communicate

God’s thoughts toward each of us are as countless as the grains of sand on the seashore (Psalm 139:17-18). The pervasive nature of sand, spreading and infiltrating everything, parallels God’s unceasing thoughts about us. They are so numerous that comprehending their entirety would demand eternity.

Scripture assures us that God’s thoughts have a purpose and a plan: to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:1). His thoughts towards us are not aimless or random; they have a specific purpose and plan. He thinks about the good things in store for us, and just as we would want to share our thoughts with someone we care about, God wants to communicate His plans, purposes, and promises to us.

1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love, and love naturally motivates one to communicate. Relationships are built and nurtured through communication, and God, as a loving Father, desires an intimate relationship with His children. He even describes Himself as the Living Word, encouraging us not to harden our hearts but to listen to His voice (Psalm 95:7-8).

God’s desire to communicate is evident through His actions and provisions. Despite humanity’s fall from grace, God still spoke to Adam and Eve, and later to rebellious Israel through His prophets like Jeremiah. This highlights His relentless desire to communicate, even when His chosen people weren’t ready to hear His words.

It is Common for God to Communicate

Throughout biblical history, we see God expressing Himself to humans and all of creation. He communicated with both the righteous and the sinners, using spoken words, visions, and dreams. The book of Genesis alone, records over fifty instances of God communicating with individuals, and the list only grows when we consider the entire Bible. God spoke to figures such as Moses, David, Solomon, Peter, and Paul, among many others.

God spoke through various means, including spoken words, visions, and dreams. He spoke to both the young and the old, sinners and saints, demonstrating that His desire to communicate is not limited to certain individuals or circumstances. If God communicated with them, why would He exclude us from His conversation? Hearing His voice places us in the company of great biblical figures throughout history.

God Created Us to Hear His Voice

It is important to recognize that God created us to hear His voice. Proverbs 20:12 tells us that the Lord has made both the hearing ear and the seeing eye. Our ability to hear God is not contingent upon our righteousness but on His grace and His desire to communicate with His children.

However, sin can hinder our ability to hear God’s voice. Feelings of guilt, a hardened heart, bitterness, unforgiveness, and condemnation can create barriers that prevent us from opening our spiritual ears to hear Him clearly. It is essential to address these hindrances and seek reconciliation with God so that we can experience the fullness of His communication.

God’s desire for communication testifies to His enduring love for us and His commitment to our salvation. The depth and extent of His thoughts towards us, His relational nature, and His ongoing conversation with mankind throughout history affirm this truth. In understanding this, we can strive to keep our spiritual ears open, inviting God’s voice to guide our lives as we deepen our relationship with Him. Through this divine communion, we find comfort, guidance, purpose, and an unyielding testament of His unending love for us.

For more information see CI’s Prophetic Training book: Hear God’s Voice chapter 2.

Adapted from chapter 2 of Hear God’s Voice by Christian International Ministries Network

Compiled By Ruth Pearce

Faith, Desire, and Receiving: A Deep Dive into Biblical Asking

by Christian International | Apr 30, 2024 | Articles

In the myriad avenues of biblical interpretation, the concept of ‘desire’ as a potential key to receiving from God has sparked insightful debates among scholars and followers alike. A popular reference point for this idea is Mark 11:24, a verse that imparts a compelling message. As cited in the King James Version (KJV), the verse declares, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” This unequivocally empowering statement nudges us to reflect on the intertwining of ‘desire’ and ‘asking’.

Asking/Requesting:

To appreciate the depth of this verse, it is essential to peel back the translation layers. The Greek verb “αἰτέω” (pronounced “aiteó”) punctuates this verse, representing the act of ‘asking’ or ‘requesting.’ It signifies making a specific, earnest request or petition to a higher entity—in this case, God. The English Standard Version (ESV) translation of the same verse reads, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Here, the interpretation underscores that ‘asking’ and ‘desiring’ are often closely linked concepts.

In the Greek lexicon, “αἰτέω” connotes a request from an inferior to a superior—a reflection of humanity’s relationship with God. This act of reaching out to God with faith and confidence articulates an expectation that God, in His infinite wisdom and compassion, will grant what aligns with His plan.

This spiritual tenet resonates in Matthew 7:7-8, where followers are encouraged to ‘ask,’ ‘seek,’ and ‘knock,’ with the assurance of God’s receptive and responsive nature. Yet, the crucial question remains—how does ‘desire’ dovetail into this spiritual engagement?

The Significance of Desire:

While the specific word “desire” does not appear in the original Greek text of Mark 11:24, the concept of desire is closely connected to the act of asking or requesting. Desire, in its raw form, denotes a sense of longing or wanting. It is not inherently positive or negative—it simply exists. What matters is its trajectory. Are our desires inclined toward matters that resonate with God’s character and divine will?

Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”  suggests that when we find our joy and satisfaction in the Lord, our desires become aligned with His will, and He graciously grants them. Here, ‘desire’ entwines with ‘delight,’ defined by the Hebrew root word conveying the idea of finding delight, being pliable in the Lord’s presence, and a readiness to shape our wishes according to His will. The essence of this verse is profound: when our ultimate joy and satisfaction are embedded in the Lord, our desires align with His will. Consequently, in His boundless graciousness, He bestows those desires upon us.

Desire as a Passionate Commitment:

In a contrasting perspective, desire can also be understood as a passionate commitment to God and His purposes. In 1 Corinthians 14:1, believers are encouraged to “pursue love, and earnestly desire [zeloute] spiritual gifts“. The Greek word used, “zeloute,” denotes a fervent commitment and dedication to a person or cause. This verse underscores that our desires should be aligned with the pursuit of love and the passionate application of our spiritual gifts to serve others.

Understanding the Biblical Context:

To understand the role of desire in receiving from God, it is essential to consider the broader biblical context. Matthew 6:33 emphasizes the importance of seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness first. When our desires align with God’s priorities, and we live in faith and righteousness, we position ourselves to receive from Him. In essence, ‘desire’ plays an instrumental role in our communion with God, yet it is but one element in a more comprehensive spiritual framework that ensures our requests are not solely motivated by self-centered desires but by a sincere desire to honor God and fulfill His purposes.

The Heart Posture and Faith:

To dissect it further, it becomes evident that the desire is intricately linked to the heart posture and faith of the believer. The mere act of asking is deeply connected with desire. It’s challenging to envision asking for something without first fostering a desire for it. 

Hebrews 11:6 asserts that faith pleases God and rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Genuine belief and trust in God’s ability and willingness to answer our prayers play a vital role in receiving from Him. It is crucial to have a heart posture that aligns with God’s will and trusts in His provision. 

Desire and Alignment with God’s Will:

To receive from God, our actions must align with His instructions for our life. When our desires are rooted in God’s priorities, seeking His kingdom above all else, and living a life actively pursuing to be made in His image, we increase the likelihood of receiving what we ask for. It is important to note that desiring things contrary to God’s character or purposes may not be in line with asking and receiving from Him. The key is to seek His will, to pursue living in His image, and allow our desires to be shaped by His plans and purposes.

Although the specific word “desire” may not appear in the original Greek text of Mark 11:24, desire plays a significant role in the broader understanding of asking and receiving from God. It’s difficult to separate asking for something if you don’t want it. And while ‘desire’ may not be the solitary key to receiving from God, it undeniably represents an indispensable component of our prayer life and spiritual journey. 

The interplay between desire, faith, and alignment with God’s will forms a key aspect of the dynamic relationship between believers and God. So, understanding that when our desires align with God’s will and we approach Him with a pure heart posture and faith, seeking His kingdom, and living in righteousness, we position ourselves to receive and experience His abundant blessings and provision. 

5784- The Year of Victory in the Valley (Part 2)

by Christian International | Apr 30, 2024 | Articles

(This is part two of my word of the Lord for the Hebraic year 5784.)

When we look at the Hebraic calendar, particular attention is paid to the last two numbers of the year to gain insight regarding all God has ahead. As previously noted for the decade of the 80’s, the number eighty in Hebrew is the word peh which signifies the mouth, the voice and sound. This is a year for tuning in to God’s Voice on a new level, but also activating our own voice to speak, pray, decree and prophesy by faith all we are hearing God say. The fourth letter in the Hebraic aleph-bet is the word dalet, which is also the word for door or gate. This indicates this is a year marked by open doors of opportunity, significant supernatural access in the realm of the spirit as well as breakthroughs of major proportion. This will be a time of voice activated doors – things that open because we speak and see things shift. Your miracle is voice activated. Your breakthrough is voice activated!

A Season of Battle

As I sought the Lord regarding what this year would look like He gave me two scriptures that indicated we would be walking through times of new spiritual battles as well as some natural shaking that was designed to shift the Body of Christ into action, but also shift nations. I Corinthians 16:9 declares, ““For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” So yes, there are incredible doors of favor and opportunity being opened to believers to advance God’s Kingdom cause in this new season, yet there will also be adversaries we must overcome. I know, the last few years have been years of contending, so many are not excited about the prospects of having to continue to engage in the fight. But a few years ago the Lord encouraged me by saying, “Your opposition will become your opportunity.” I also heard the Lord say the battle is shifting out of a time of just battling to survive, into a time of battling to possess! There is joy that arises when we fight to win!

The second scripture the Lord gave me is out of Hosea 2:13: I will give her….the Valley of Achor for a door of hope. The valley of Achor was where Achan and his family were judged for taking things that were dedicated to the Lord and bringing them into their own tent. Achor means “trouble, disturbance, calamity” and it became known as a place of judgment. However, in Isaiah 65:10 it says the valley of Achor became a place for herds to lie down. In other words, a resting place. This year, God wants to turn our valley of trouble and calamity into a place of rest and a door of hope and expectation for our future.

To be clear, the enemy will want to stir up trouble and create situations of calamity in the earth. This will be a contentious election season in the US where nothing will be ordinary or status quo. The global economy will go through a period of shaking. Even the church will be shaken as God raises the standard of righteousness in the land and fights the enemies of division and lawlessness. But the shaking will bring awakening to both the church and to nations as God arises as the Mighty Man of War.

Victory in the Valley

I heard the Lord say to tell the Body of Christ that as we cry out to Him in this season He would bring victory in the valley. We all want to live on spiritual mountain tops: places of glory, vision and presence. However, He is calling us to the valley in this season. Valleys are symbols of trials, difficulty and yes, even battles. But it is in the valley that fruit is grown.

I began to study valleys in scripture to see what is in store for us and what weapons we are to employ to see victory. Here are a few for us to pray about.

1). Victory in the Valley of Rephidim – Exodus 17 – This was the first place Israel mobilized as an army to fight as they were coming out of Egypt into their promised land. This battle teaches us the value of inter-generational connection as well as proper connection between leaders and those called to hold up their arms in battle. Moses stood on the mountain holding his rod as a symbol of connecting to heaven. At the same time Joshua led the army in battle in the valley swinging his sword. Moses needed Joshua’s sword to fight, but Joshua needed Moses’ rod to prevail. Moses also needed Aaron and Hur to hold up his arms so the whole army could win the fight. This season it is so important for each of us to know who our Moses is, but also, leaders need to know who their Aaron and Hur are. They fought the Amalekites, which were a tribe always trying to rob and plunder Israel. When we get connections right, we will defeat the robber and move into a season of divine recovery!

2). David and Goliath in the Valley of Elah – I Samuel 17 – We are all familiar with this famous battle. Goliath, whose name means to take captive and strip bare, was a Philistine giant challenging Israel to come fight him. He filled the atmosphere with his intimidation and threats and seemed impossible to defeat. But David, full of the spirit of God, rose to meet the challenge. (I heard the Lord say this will be a time for His people to rise up and risk! This will look different for each of us, but be sure to answer the call and not shrink back.). When he stepped into the valley, Goliath immediately began to curse him by his gods. Believers need to recognize the power of the Holy Spirit dwells inside each of us and we therefore, cannot be cursed. Goliath also began to prophesy to David about his impending death. Did you know the devil will prophesy to you? He will prophesy failure, destruction, death and disaster over your life. But we’ve got to be like David, who prophesied right back!! David rose up in boldness and began to declare to Goliath of his own demise and the ultimate victory God would bring to him and Israel that day. Isaiah 30:31 declares, “The voice of the Lord will shatter the enemy!” Like David, this is a time for God’s people to go from intimidation to determination. We must open our mouths and boldly declare the victory in our valley of impossibility.

3). Victory in the Valley of Jehoshaphat – 2 Chronicles 20:20 – The people of Judah were surrounded by many enemies who sought to destroy them. They were dramatically outnumbered and the situation was dire. Jehoshaphat called everyone to fast and pray, and the prophet Jehaziel gave a prophetic word about the victory God would bring. So Jehoshaphat sent the praisers out first proclaiming, “Praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever.” When they opened their mouths and created a sound, it shifted the atmosphere over the valley. The enemy began to turn and destroy one another. When they arrived at the enemy’s camp their foes were already defeated and they spent days gathering the spoil in the Valley of Berachah (which means blessing) . God is going to show us how to go from the Valley of Battle to the Valley of Blessings this year and how our praise becomes a weapon that causes God to rise up and fight for us, causing confusion in the camp of our enemy.

Perhaps I will write more later regarding victories God will give us in the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37) where dry bones become an army or the Valley of the Shadow of Death (Psalms 23) that we are being delivered from. There are also some keys to warfare God wants to teach us out of the Hebron Valley when Caleb rose up and defeated the giants of Kirjath-arba (City of four giants). This city sat on a small mountain in the midst of a large valley of which Caleb proclaimed, “Give me my mountain.” We all want to take the mountain, but we must understand something: We must take the valley before we can take the mountain. This will be a year God gives the the valley of Achor (trouble) for a door of hope and expectation for our future.

Finally, in this year of battle for the door of our future, we should always remember that Jesus won a battle for our future in a valley. The Garden of Gethsemane was located in the Kidron valley. It was here our Savior sweat drops of blood for the redemption of mankind. Though our salvation came through his death on the cross, it was in the garden he won the battle with his own flesh, declaring, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42). This was the beginning of the shedding of his blood and therefore, the beginning of our redemption. This year, you may find yourself in a valley when your flesh cries out for comfort to escape the challenge of the Spirit. Like Christ, let our response be, “not my will, but Yours, be done.” Only then will we be able to know victory and step through the double doors of blessing that lead to our future.

The Hebraic Year 5784 – Part 1 – The Year of Voice Activated Doors

by Christian International | Apr 30, 2024 | Articles

September 15, 2023 marked the new year on the Hebraic calendar, 5784, which is always a good time to stop and listen to God’s Voice for the new season to stir our faith and refine our focus. In the Hebraic decade of the 80’s we understand the word for 80 is pe which means mouth, voice or sound (See Strong’s 6310) The ending year, four, is the Hebrew number dalet, which means door, gate or entrance(Strong’s 1817). This is the year God has set an open door before us that no man can close (Revelation 3:9).

Voice Activated Doors

As I thought of the combination of the number for the voice and the number for the door, I recognized that this will be a year of voice activated doors of opportunity. We live in a day of voice activated electronics. Some homes have a feature that you can just speak and a computer responds by setting the room tempurature or turning on or off lights. In the realm of the spirit God has put power in our mouths to activate spiritual doors of breakthrough for us. Psalms 81:10 in the Passion Translation says, “Open your mouth with a mighty decree. I will fulfill it now you’ll see. The words that you speak, so shall it be.”

Paul and Silas saw prison doors open when they opened their mouths and praised. Their voices activated the supernatural and caused that which was locked to open up. Peter similarly saw prison doors opened and the gate of the city open of it’s own accord as the result of volumes of prayer going up on his behalf. Their prayers activated heaven to send and angel to lead him out. These gates were the original automatic doors! (Acts 12:5-17)

Voice Activated Miracles

It’s also a time for voice activated miracles. Jesus activated healings and miracles by saying things such as, “Rise, take up your bed and walk; woman thou art loosed; stretch out your hand and be made whole; Lazarus, come forth.” His voice activated miracles. Likewise,Peter and John activated a miracle for the lame man at the Gate Beautiful. They proclaimed they didn’t have money to give him, but what they did have they would release. “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” The man immediately received strength in his ankle bones and jumped up, walking and leaping and praising God! Peter’s voice activated a miracle! In the same way, in this year of voice activated doors, God will activate the supernatural for you and I as we open our mouths to decree, “in the name of Jesus!”

In this important passage in Acts 3 we find this miracle happened at the Gate Beautiful. Beautiful does not mean, “the pretty gate”, but rather means, “the right time or apppointed time Gate.” It comes from a word which means to blossom and flourish. This is the right time for your miracle! Your miracle is voice activated. Your breakthrough is voice activated. This is the appointed time for you to flourish and blossom. Open your mouth and activate your miracle!

Voice Activated Prophetic Fulfillment

In 2 Kings 4:8 we read the story of the Shunammite woman. She built a room for the prophet, Elisha, in her home so he would have someplace to stay when he passed through town. As a result he wanted to bless her. He asked his servant, Gehazi, to find out what she needed. She responded she was content and didn’t need anything. So Elisha asked Gehazi, “what then shall be done for this woman?” Gehazi responded that she was barren and did not have a son to inherit their legacy. Elisha asked Gehazi to call the woman. 2 Kings 4:15 says, “When he had called her she stood in the doorway.” He then prophesied to her that she would be holding her own son by the same time the next year. To be clear, the Shunammite was standing in the doorway of her miracle. She had a hard time believing the word since she had lived through years of grief and the shame of her barreness. She more or less said, “Prophet, don’t mess with me!” Yet she conceived and bore a son just as the prophet said. His prophetic word activated fulfillment of this woman’s greatest dream!

Perhaps you have lived through disappointment and grief. Perhaps you may have even given up on your dream from a previous season. But know this: One word from God can change everything! The Shunammite’s miracle was voice activated through the word of the prophet.

Let this be a reminder to each of us that not only does God desire to bring miracles of fulfillment for us personally, but also there is a world of Shunammites out there that are standing in the doorway of their own miracle. All they need is for one of us to prophetically speak, releasing a word of promise, stirring up the spirit realm and voice activating the supernatural in order to make the power of God real. God had given us the power to pray, decree and prophecy for our own breakthrough, but also for others to step across the doorway to embrace their promise.

Let’s open our mouths and activate the doors of the supernatural in this new season.

Click here for Part 2 – The Double Doors of Hope…