Follow up - When God is Silent

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. (1 Samuel 28:6)

Last week we looked at five reasons that God may be silent in your life:

#1 – To bring us to repentance

In other words, there may be something in your life that is blocking you from being able to hear God's voice.  This was totally Saul’s issue:  Saul was sorry he sinned, he felt bad about it, he made great proclamations about it, but he never repented to the Lord.

Psalm 66:18 says,

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear, (Ps 66:18)

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That was Saul’s problem- he would not humble himself before God.

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)

It’s important to understand that as Christians, we are not condemned for sin; we stand righteous before God because of our profession of faith in Jesus Christ, not our good behavior. However, un-confessed sin will hinder our fellowship with God.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)

In other words, if I look at my life and think “Oh, I’m good, I don’t have any sin,” …I’m lying to myself! So if you are not hearing from God, ask yourself the question; “Is there any un-confessed sin in my life?” Idols? Lied? Cheated? Stolen? Angry? Bitterness? Lust? Am I one with my spouse? As God brings things to mind, quickly ask for His forgiveness.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

#2 – To teach us obedience

Maybe God isn’t showing you His concealed will because you haven’t obeyed His revealed will.   In other words, if God has put something on your heart; to take part in a ministry, to reach out to someone, to give to the kingdom…  then DO IT, because He might be waiting for you to obey what He’s already told you before He speaks again! Matter of fact – Jesus modeled obedience to us:

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 6:38)

...if Jesus did the Father’s will, shouldn't we?

Sometimes my kids want to do something, and mom will say “Have you done your chores?”  If they haven’t, there is no talking about the NEXT thing until they do the CURRENT thing!

#3 – To root out the rocks

Silence might be because God is seeking to reveal something in YOU that you cannot see. When a farmer first obtains a piece of land, he first has to do the work of removing all of the rocks, stumps, and other debris from the field before he can plant his crops. If not, that debris will break his machines, and hinder his crops.

Some of us have debris from the past that has undermined our lives for years.  These things that are buried in us need to surface, but sometimes they'll only do so after we sit still long enough to let them break through.  God doesn't want us to proceed with His plan until that debris is removed, and sometimes that takes long periods of silence for the Lord to root those hard things out.

 Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation! (Zech 2:13)

#4 – To teach us the art of silence

Have you even noticed that when you are with someone you don’t know very well, silence is awkward?  You feel you have to talk and fill the space. But when you are with a close friend, someone you feel totally accepted and comfortable with, you can sit with that person in silence.

"When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible—with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation." (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest)

Silence shifts the emphasis of a relationship away from words and transactions to a place where no words are necessary.

Question:  Are you that comfortable with God?

I think of our Selah events: SILENCE, EXPECTATION, LISTENING, ADORATION, HEARING

We are always going/ doing / talking – sometimes we need to sit before the Lord in silence

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone and keep silent, because God has laid it on him; (Lam 3:25-28)

#5 – To bring us to a place of knowing Him

Saul’s problem was pretty simple, according to 1 Sam 16:

But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul… (1 Sam 16:14)

And now Saul was in a bad situation, and he was looking for an escape route.

What Saul WASN’T looking for was a relationship with God. I firmly believe that had Saul gotten on his knees, repented to the Lord, and declared:

“Lord, regardless of whether we win or lose this battle; regardless of whether I am king or David is king; regardless of whether I live in a palace or a cave; I want to be right with you – forgive me!”

I believe God would have heard that prayer!

In the same way there are many today who come to God like Saul did, they are experiencing the repercussions of sin in their life. There are armies gathering:  financial issues; relationship issues, wreckage from disobedience; Now they are face-to-face with an army of Philistines – and they come before God saying “help me God! Fix this problem!  Get me out of this mess!”

And nothing happens, all their prayers go to voicemail, and then they wonder; “why didn't God answer? Why didn't He help me?” The answer is simple:  God is more interested in having a relationship with you than in fixing your problems!

Don’t get me wrong, its not that God doesn't care about your problems; He does!

Its not that God doesn't have a solution for your problems; He does! But God knows this: He could fix every one of your problems; give you back your health, put money in your bank account, get you off drugs or alcohol, restore your family relationships; But unless something permanent changes in you, those Philistines will be right back on your doorstep!

Look – God takes care of His children – but before He takes care of you, you need to become one of His children! If you are not hearing from God, the first step might be a relationship!

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. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
(Rom 8:10-11)

Solution? Simple – become born again!

If you’re here today and you have an army of Philistines outside of your door, God will deal with the Philistines, but first He would like to change YOU!