by Theodore Wright.
 

Oh, you don’t believe that it can be that easy? Well, IT IS! Even some Christians had that told me this couldn’t be done. Yet they only said this to me because they never sought themselves to pull the curtain. People often do not realize that it is God moving when He does.
 

What is the curtain?

The curtain is whatever hinders you from perceiving the active presence of God. God is intimately involved in the lives of people, especially of those who will become believers in His Son Jesus or are such believers. Do you see some unusual coincidences of blessing, guidance, or warning in your life? Did you only believe they were mere coincidences? Could it be that God was acting in your life subtily or was it not so subtle? For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. – Job 33:14 (NKJV)
 

 
God speaking today and being aware of Him

It is not really that surprising. The Bible talks about this often and there is no Biblical evidence that God’s interaction with us ever ends. Why would the New Testament epistles lay down a foundation of God speaking to His people for it to so quickly end? This never did end and never will, though certain spiritual gifts will end when we are face-to-face in eternity with God’s Son Jesus. Yet God’s activity with us will be so greatly increased, then that which is lesser will fade into obscurity and be no longer sought for. Still, that time has not happened yet. With so many “Coincidences” coming from God, it would be better to call these as “Godincidences”.

Consequently, who is the one pulling the curtain? Are we the ones that really make ourselves aware of God moving or is it God Himself? We need first to come by faith to God through His Son Jesus Christ so that He will do for us the good things the New Testament speaks about. We should not just pass these off as events that only happen “in the olden days”. By God’s grace, we are enabled to open our spiritual eyes to perceive Him doing what He does. Yet, we need to seriously exercise this awareness and not to just shut ourselves off from it, closing our eyes and ears.

As believers in Jesus, we do not need to have some rare call from God to hear Him speaking because, in the New Testament, all believers can hear Him. We all are also able to tell others what He says. He has been there for us all along. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. – Hebrews 1:1-2 (NKJV)

More than just a coincidence

I was once told by a conservative evangelical who was a Cessationist, “Well, I never heard God speak to me!” I answered him saying, “I bet you that you are wrong! Have you ever experienced something like this… You wake up in the morning with some message on your heart and you happened to open your Bible to a significant passage about it. Then, you turn on the radio in the car later and hear a message on the topic. Then you arrive at church and hear a sermon on the very same subject. Later that day, you talk with someone elsewhere, who does not attend your church, telling you about it again. Is that all merely a coincidence?” He replied to me stating, “That kind of thing has happened to me before. I believe that was God!”   I responded saying, “You see! God does speak to you!”

I have seen how God used Christians in the prophetic who were even firmly Cessationist and would attend even staunchly Cessationist churches. What would some Charismatics say if they heard that these people never spoke in other tongues their whole lives? These Cessationists (if they really were such) who prophesied often held to a different model of this type of ministry to explain these experiences but it is still the same. They might simply say something like that they were just sharing something on their heart. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit continues. God put that message in their hearts whether they knew it or not. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. – John 10:27 (NKJV)
 

Other possibilities

The voice you may hear probably may not be actually audible but thoughts come into your head, speaking ideas unlike your own. Did you hear someone in your head saying “you”, speaking to you personally? This may be God but there are other possibilities also. There also is the world, the flesh, and the devil. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, – 2 Corinthians 11:14-15a (NKJV)

Perhaps the voice you heard was not God but something from your memory of recent experiences. Did you recently watch the same on television? The word you received was it Jesus Christ speaking to you or is this just simply something you wanted to do? Could the devil be seeking to deceive you? Not sure? Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; – 1 John 4:1a (NKJV)

Does what you are hearing resemble the nature of God as seen in the Holy Scripture? Realize that God’s ways are above ours. Be aware that God is full of love and full of power but God is also full of surprises. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. – Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV)
 

Is this Charismatic? Did I just become one of them?

Do you say, “I don’t need to be a Charismatic to notice God answering my prayers.” You are right but if you do perceive God then this you will likely see more even if God does not multiply these experiences in your life. This would simply be you opening your eyes to the presence of God being active in your daily life.

If you tell people what God is doing in your life they may be surprised if they are not accustomed to this and you might be startled if they refer to you as a “Charismatic”. If you fear and never want to be considered by other Christians as Charismatic then stop reading the Holy Bible, cease praying, and never ask God for anything. Be also certain that you completely ignore all that God is doing.

It is your choice if you want God active in your life or not, yet He is the LORD and you cannot hide from Him on the day of judgment.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, – Romans 1:20 (NKJV)
 

What you should do

Repent and trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as your Lord and Savior to receive the free gift of eternal life. Then, listen for God.
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. – Romans 8:9 (NKJV)

Open your eyes to what God has already done in your life and how He guided you, even though you might not have been aware of Him.
See how He continues to reach out to you in love even right now. Stop presuming that your model of the way God moves must be His.
God only limits Himself by His own nature and by His Word which tells us about how active He is with us in our lives. God is not limited by your mere personal interpretation of the Bible.

‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ – Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)

But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? – Luke 6:46 (NKJV)
 

 
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