Weds Night Bible Study 5-5-10

Practice:  "I've Got Peace!"
Prayer:  God open our ears to hear, eyes to see and a heart that is hungry for you.
• Last week was very exciting as we explore the many ways God speaks and reveals Himself in natural/natural things
• We investigated the importance of abiding in the Word.

Study Goal:  We will be learning more about how to hear from God and be lead by the Holy Spirit!
• Position Yourself to listen...

LIFE (Living In Fellowship Everyday):  We are on a relational Journey--Greater connection with God and people.

Tonight we are going to investigate and study how to hear from God by pursuing Peace.

VIDEO:  Whisper of God
•We are a triune being:  We are a spirit, we have a soul and we live in a body.
When we accept Christ, our spirit becomes a great receptor of communication.  Our soul--mind, will, emotions--are not yet in agreement with this arrangement.  In fact, it is rebellious.

•God Speaks and Reveals Himself:  READ:  John 14:27
Jesus is the Prince of Peace; therefore when God speaks it brings clarity and peace in our spirit.
Deceiver cannot bring peace; confusion comes.
Mental war; battlefield of the mind

READ:  Isaiah 26:3
Christians think Satan could never manipulate thoughts
Jesus said, "the enemy comes to rob, steal and destroy.  How will Satan do that?  He will get you to believe lies and call them truth.
He attacks when you're tired; lures you to focus on the problems--which is a lack of love because love believes the best--God has a solution
He attacks when you're insecure--Satan poisons your mind so you can't hear the Voice of Peace. 
Enemy feeds your thoughts little bits at a time until you truly believe the wrong things; then he causes you to self-slaughter.  Christians fall for this all the time.
Must use the Word to fight your battle; put the right thoughts in; need to remind yourself all the time how to think Peace.  By faith, speak peace to your situation!
Jesus revealed this when he spoke to the storm

READ Philippians 4:6-9
Meditate on God's principles/promises; find Peace

READ:  Col. 3:15   Peace is a type of "internal confirmation" that you are hearing from God 
•God speaks and releases peace through our desires; READ: Philippians 2:13
Desire of the Spirit vs. desire of the flesh
Spirit:  Peace, energy, motivated--passion

.God delights in giving us the desires of our hearts
He puts the desire in our spirits
•Mary Life Lesson:  Designing Spirit inspired Worship Components/Events
   Pray over everything; Step out--is there a holy ease?  Do I have energy and passion to lead it?  What is my motive?  Who will this help? 
   Some things took a life of their own
   Other things couldn't get off the ground
Flesh:  Tormented--you ever had problems getting your mind to stop; have you been troubled for long periods of time about "stuff."  The enemy is working in your flesh and you must take spiritual authority over it in order to receive peace.
•We need to be full of the Spirit; absolute peace with God

READ:  Galatians 5:22 ; Ephesians 6:10, 15
Why is it essential to be filled with the Spirit?
Early Church in the book of Acts; explosive growth of the Church
The Spirit was given; people heard and followed the voice of God to win the lost to Jesus
•Spirit gives:  "Aha!" moments
When God's Spirit is involved, there is an element of supernatural assistance that is unexplainable to the natural mind (ACTS; Peter mass/conversion) The Spirit draws people that no methodology, organization, etc. can do.  I want to err on the side of Truth/boldness!
The Spirit--third person of the Trinity--can give critical direction in a moment

The Spirit will make you fearless against opposition

By the Way, Opposition and Opportunity go hand in hand--One is from the Spirit and one is not
If you stay filled with the Spirit; you will face HEAT!

PRAY/BOLDNESS: READ:  Acts 2:4; Acts 4:31
MUST BE FILLED EVERYDAY; Pray to be filled/boldness!
Can't live off from yesterday's experience with God; not last year's, not, not, not
•We need a NOW experience;
We are called to love, heal, and restore others into fellowship with God--start tuning your antenna toward helping others meet the Savior.  You will hear the voice of Peace----SO LISTEN, GOD JUST MIGHT BE TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION!

P - Present 
E - Each
A - Attitude or Action  (to)
C - Christ
E - Everyday