Hearing God's Voice:
In the beginning of creation God had a vision for Adam and Eve. There was destiny and potential. Unfortunately, for them, they failed to realize Gods best for them. A number of spiritual factors played into this but one of the most significant is that they chose to listen to the wrong voice. Through the millenniums of time the devil uses the old tricks! He loves to introduce doubt and confusion as it pertains to the Word of God. Did God really say that and if He did, did He really mean it? Gen. 3:1- Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. "Really?" he asked the woman. "Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?"

We have a challenge before us! We need to discover what God has said about this new life in Christ. What is His vision? What is the spiritual potential He sees for us? If theres a lesson to be learned from Adam and Eve it's to fully embrace what God says and not allow it to be stolen from us.

Receiving God's Vision:
Most revelations of God's vision are first of all unbelievable! They often far exceed the potential of human achievement. Many times when God approached his people to share his vision nothing like it had ever been heard of before. God told Noah it was going to rain and that he should build a boat. Can you imagine what could have being going through Noah's mind at that time? Remember it had never rained on the earth before! WOW! Now go ahead and believe God! Well. Noah did and as a result he say Gods vision for him and his family realized. They were saved and the world was lost.

The "God Vision", that most illustrates salvation, and new spiritual potential is the Exodus. The vision was so big, so beyond anything imaginable! These Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt for over 400 years. Slavery is all knew! Egypt ruled the world! How could they ever escape? Who was there to help? Where was there an army strong enough to defeat the Pharaoh? Where would they? How would they get there, after all its desert everywhere?

Well, God had a vision and God had a man that would receive and embrace that vision! The vision's history now! God did deliver Israel from the bondage of Egypt and He did settle them in the land of Promise. It took a bit! First of all He had to wait until there was a generation of people who would simply take him at His word. The first generation of Exodus Israelites baulked in unbelief. They refused to believe the voice of God. Instead they chose to lean on their own human understanding. They reasoned God right out of His own vision. Humanism always accomplishes this. It just has away of reasoning God right out of the miraculous. Remember seldom are God's visions realized without miracles.

Attitude For Receiving:
The fullness of God's Greatest Vision was kept as a secret in His heart until the fullness of time. The vision starts to unfold with an angelic visitation to a young virgin called Mary. Into her ears comes the audible manifestation of God's redemptive vision. She was to mother the long sought after Messiah. Is it possible to really put ourselves in her shoes? We should try! Can you imagine how this must have sounded! A virgin to conceive! How would this be? Well, the Holy Spirit is going to come upon you! How many times has this happened and when was the last time you ever heard of the Holy Spirit coming upon someone. And then to be told the child would actually be conceived by the Holy Spirit! There's lots of opportunity given to hear the same voice Eve heard, "Did God really say?!"
        Lk.1:26-38 - In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgins name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." 34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God." 38 "I am the Lords servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

How Mary responded is awesome! It's the kind of response that enables God to see His visions fulfilled in and through people. It"s the same attitude required in our day. Nothing less will really please the Lord. Mary displays a genuine receivers attitude. Its simple yet so full of trust and faith! . "May it be to me as you have said." This is what the Lord waits to hear from us. As you continue through this series you may very well discover something you've never seen before in the same light. It could very well be that promise of God you've wanted for so long! How will you respond?

Before we move on Id like us to look at a portion Scripture that has the potential of revolutionizing our spiritual lives. 2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Let just walk through this slowly and see what can receive from it.

(1) First of all is this Scripture relevant for us today? Yes it is! Why? Because its talking to those who are "in Christ".
(2) Every promise God has made is "Yes" for us in Christ.
(3) We are to say, "Amen" to the promises of God. (Amen means, "so let it be".)
(4) Whenever we agree with Gods Word it brings glory to Him.
Are we ready to receive Gods voice speaking to us as Mary did?

Knowing the Word of God:
Without faith its impossible to please God. Faith simply believes what God has said. It takes God at His Word and courageously refuses to doubt. Faith sees God not the situation. Why is the Word so vital to us? Faith feeds on the Word! It gets its roots around and refuses to let go. If we don't what God has said regarding any given situation theres no place for faith to take root. Take time in the Word of God. Take time studying the promises of God. Memorize them and then when you need them the Holy Spirit will remind you of them.

How Are We Praying:
Are we asking for things that God has already declared done? Just listening to your own prayers can be very revealing! Once we know the Word of God and have heard His voice of promise lets not keep on asking! Lets start saying, "Yes Lord, so let it be just as you have spoken."
Note. I want to say something here of importance. In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed three times for the same thing. Jesus always prayed in faith! He prayed through! He prayed until He heard an answer. Once the answer came, the pleading was over! So keep asking until you've heard the promise of God but once you've heard, then you start thanking and praising God. To keep on asking after having been told, is not being in agreement with God!

Prayer Suggestion: Father in heaven I come to you in Jesus name. I want you to be glorified and in order for that to happen I need to be in agreement with your vision for my life. Help me to be a receiver of your Word. Help me to put into action what I hear you saying to me. Give me hears to hear and a heart that responds in love and faith. Thank you! In Jesus name Amen.