Acts 13:1-6

Introduction: This afternoon we are going to be examining the unique ways God speaks to us.

Before we do this, let us look for a moment at Who is speaking to us.

I read this interesting quote in a book Always Loved, Never Forgotten by Roy Lessin. He made these comments: "When God speaks to you, He will not say things like, 'What’s the use?' or 'You are hopeless!' or 'Can’t you do anything right?' or 'You will never amount to anything!' His voice is the sound of a loving Heavenly Father. He is your best friend and closest companion. You are His joint-heir in Christ, the bride of His beloved Son. His voice is the best sound you can hear."

Remember: God is our friend. When we continue in sin or oppose Him, He will deal firmly with us.

SOME OF THE COMMON WAYS GOD SPEAKS TO US

1. Sometimes God Speaks To Us With An Audible Voice.
   Our mission's call to Indonesia was a message loud and clear from God, "You are going to Indonesia."
   1. Note: I was in a good place to hear God. I was on my knees alone in the church where I was Senior Pastor. It was the middle of the day during a week day. I was praying in the church auditorium.
   2. I asked God a question as to where we were going overseas as missionaries.
   3. He answered with an audible voice, "You are going to Indonesia."
   4. Result: We were in Indonesia for approximately eight years as missionaries from 1963-1972. I was Director of the Minahasa Bible School for seven years.

2. God Can Speak Through Circumstances
   
   1. For twenty-and-one-half years between 1975 and 1995, I directed an Inner Mission, Alcohol live-in center for 34 men, and a Drop-In Center for Alcoholics, Drug Addicts, and Street People. These included ministry to 300 people a day.
   
   
   2. On the average, 65-75 people were discipled in Christ each year. They would move out from that rough inner city area to a better living neighborhood. Usually they became employed. One of the discipling requirements was that they start attending a church regularly. Some of these men have gone on to an Inner-City Bible School, and today are now in the ministry.
   
   
   3. After 20 years Kay and I began to feel that God was directing us to leave this ministry, and return to Asia. We thought God was going to have us go to China to teach English with a Christian organization.
   
   
   4. Two sets of circumstances became the Voice of God to us.
      
      1. The robbery
      
      
      2. The swollen black eye
      
      Our co-workers said, "Harry, don’t you think God is telling you something?"

3. God Speaks To Us Through His Holy Word
   
   1. Lillian Trasher, who later became known as "The Mother of the Nile", was in New York City in a hotel, ready to go overseas as a missionary. The problem was she did not know where she was going as a missionary. In desperation she was on her knees with an open Bible praying, "God, where shall I go? God, I must know!" As she looked at her open Bible, the words enlarged and jumped out at her. The magnified words said, "Go down to Egypt." She rose to her feet and immediately began to make preparations to sail to Egypt.
   
   
   2. God's voice to her was fulfilled by approximately fifty years in the Assauit Orphanage she founded. Hundreds of her orphans have graduated from High School, and many have gone on to University and Bible College. Today, some of her graduates are Christian pastors, Christian workers, business people, government officials, and so forth.

4. God Speaks Through The Foolishness of Preaching
   

   Donald Grey Barnhouse was speaking in Schenectady, New York before an audience, which included many young engineers from General Electric.  "I spoke of feeding upon Christ, pointing out that the physical action of today was the result of last week's food, and that the spiritual action in any life is the result of previous feeding upon Christ. I said, 'For example, a young man trained as an engineer, with bright prospects before him, hears the call of God to go out to Africa as a missionary, leaves his position, and faces the Dark Continent. He has been feeding on Christ.' I had not more than pronounced the benediction that a young man came up to me and asked, "Why did you say what you did about an engineer going to Africa?" I answered that, as I was preaching, the Holy Spirit had led me. And the young man replied, "I am an engineer and God is calling me to Africa, and I must leave my career and go there as a missionary." It was a "word fitly spoken" which reached his particular case.

5. God Speaks To Us Through Prophecy and the Holy Spirit
   
   1. Barnabas and Saul Sent. Acts 13:1-6 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."  So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.
   2. The Holy Spirit used the Apostles Paul and Barnabas to create the Church of Jews and Gentiles. Especially Paul opened the door for a world missions view.
   3. Barnabas and Saul were the two front runners of this: v.2 ...the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."