Isaiah 26:3 “I will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is set on me.”

Psalm 46:10 “Cease striving and know that I am God.”

We need to develop the discipline of silencing the clamouring within, by coming to a place of peace before God, and steadfastly setting our mind on Him, even in the times of greatest turmoil. Then instead of our anxiety and problems shouting out, and drowning the voice of God, our heart will be at peace and able to receive (Cooke 2002).

The Hebrew for “Cease striving” is “raphah” (7503) and it literally means ‘cease.’ It is translated in other places as, become helpless, let go, hang limp, relax and wait.
When we cease from our striving and truly trust that God is in control of our destiny, we will be able to rest in his presence. We will then know the truth of being led beside the still waters of Psalm 23, even though in reality we might be walking through the valley of the shadow of death.

Anxiety and tension in the mind will disturb our spirit, interrupt the flow of the Holy Spirit and prevent us from gaining victory in a situation. Just before the cross, Jesus said to his disciples

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

God in scripture does not seem to shout over the noise of our life to get His message across. Instead He seems to prefer to take us to a position of peace where we can hear His still small voice. (1 Kings 19:12)

This is why we are told to “Pursue peace with all men and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” Heb 12:14

 

How to quiet our inner self, cease striving and draw near to God to soak in His presence:

The aim of this is to consecrate yourself to God, by putting aside your needs and desires, and then free your mind from its earthly constraints to enable you to focus wholly on God. It is a well established principle in scripture, e.g. the ‘selah’ of the psalms. It is not ‘new age’ meditation which just seeks to empty the mind. The following is adapted from 'The lost art of practicing His presence' by James Goll 2005.

• Get yourself into a restful position. Some find lying good, others sitting.
• Confess and repent of all known sin, receive his forgiveness and ask God to come to you.
• Psalm 100:4 says “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” In the Old Testament the temple consisted of the gates which allowed you entry into the outer and inner courts. Once a year on the ‘day of atonement’ one priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies where God’s holy presence dwelt.
• “Enter His gates with thanksgiving.” During the Exodus one of the reasons why the people could not enter the promised land is because of their grumbling and complaining, Ex 16:2, Num 11:1, Num 14. Be thankful to God for something that happened today. Thank Him that after the death of Jesus the curtain in the temple into the Holy of Holies was torn in two and that the way in is now open for us to enter in. Thank God that we are now “Seated with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 2:6 and bless His name.
• “Enter His courts with praise” Worship God in your native language and the language of the Holy Spirit.
• Some find that instrumental music at this stage can help.
• Things like currents events or problems will come to your mind. Acknowledge them and write them down.
• You will come back to them later, so release the tensions and anxieties about them to the Lord and refuse to think about them again.
• Temptation often arrives next. Refuse to dwell on it, if necessary quote scripture and it will go. “Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
• In becoming still, do not try to do anything except concentrate your thoughts on God. Some find meditating on a passage of scripture or contemplating about an aspect of the Godhead useful.
• Then let God direct your thoughts to where He wants to take you.
• During the time of receiving do not attempt to analyse what you are getting, as this will interrupt the flow of revelation.
• Record what you receive, thank God for it and then meditate/pray about it.

If you do not feel that you can meditate, a good question to ask is, are you able to worry? Worrying is meditating on the wrong things!! Christian meditation is not emptying the mind but dwelling on the goodness of God in every situation. Paul in scripture even commands us to meditate this way:

“Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (Literally ponder these things) These things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Phillipians 4:8-9

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” Rom 16:20.

Next
1. Introduction.
2. God's nature as creator and communicator.
3. The role of the Bible.
4. Turn aside when you notice something.
5. Be careful what you worship.
6. The Holy Spirit quickens things.
7. Hide and seek using parables.
8. Ask the Holy Spirit.
9. The inner room is where we meet with God.
10. The importance of peace and stillness.
11. Don't hurry God will speak.
12. Waiting and longing takes us higher to a place where God acts.
13. What price do we have to pay?
14. Holding a word for a time and part of the whole picture.
15. How do we know it's from God/Act in faith?
16. Jesus is open to persuasion!
17. The Language God uses to communicate.
18. God communicates through our sensory organs.
19. God communicates primarily to the heart.
20. God offends our mind to change our heart.
21. Listening depends on your heart attitude.
22. Circumcision is the cure to a hard heart!
23. Listen to your heart
24. Eyes.
25. Lift up your eyes.
26. Make sure your vision is clear.
27. Ears/hearing the voice of the Lord.
28. Reach for higher levels.
29. How God communicates - impressions.
30. Seeing with the eyes of your heart.
31. Visions.
32. Open visions.
33. Trances.
34. Signs.
35. Dreams.
36. Conclusion.
Media
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