Then I Heard One Speaking To Me

Today’s Word Of Encouragement From Wayne:

“The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. Then I heard one speaking to me”

Ezekiel 43:5-6

If we truly want to hear the voice of our Lord speaking words of life to us, beloved priest of God, then let us allow the Holy Spirit to lift us up and bring us into the inner court where we will assuredly behold the glory of the Lord filling the house. For it is here, in God’s presence, as we minister to Him that “Then I heard one speaking to me.”

This word from Ezekiel perfectly mirrors what we are told about ministering to the Lord in the New Testament book of Acts. The apostle Paul (then still known as Saul) was with the “prophets and teachers” at the church in Antioch and “while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:1-3).

Do you notice, by the way, that Luke mentions rather casually “ministering to the Lord” as if everybody already knew what this was? There’s no big or small explanation here about what ministering to the Lord is, for Luke obviously assumed his readers knew what ministering to the Lord is. Oh, that this would be true in God’s church today! Not only that, but the example of ministering to the Lord was being set for the entire church by all who were in leadership at the church in Antioch, the “prophets and teachers.” So, yes, once more, this is a necessary truth for the entire body of Christ to realize, to obediently, humbly, and joyfully step into, our being “a kingdom and priests to our God” (Revelation 5:10).

So, to be specific, it was “while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting,” while they were before God’s presence ministering as God’s priesthood, in the very act of ministering to the Lord; it was then, at that moment that “the Holy Spirit said.”

O praise our gracious God that He speaks to us from His presence. I believe a big part of our hearing God truly speaking is in our drawing near as priests in His presence, purely to minister to Him. In this divine abandonment to God, where we as sheep are directly attending to our Good Shepherd, we are as close to our Lord as can be at that moment and so we are in the best place possible to hear Him.

For me, this same principle holds true for hearing from God’s word in insight and life. I practice reading the holy Scriptures in God’s presence, as a minister to Him, ministering to the Lord with praises, stillness, and reflection upon His word. And He always shines His light on His word, the light of Christ, “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6), even as we saw a couple of days back.

Draw near to the voice of God in His presence today. Behold His glory. Let His glory fill your house. Minister to God, purely for Him, and you will hear His voice speaking life and direction to you. Hallelujah!