HAS GOD GOT YOUR ATTENTION?

God speaks primarily in four ways—through His Word, through His Holy Spirit, through another person, and through the circumstances in our life.

Often through a combination of fasting and prayer, our minds become clearer and our hearts are more sensitive to God. Sometimes while praying ,God’s Spirit will remind us of a Scripture or a truth in His Word that we can directly apply to a situation.

Ideally, we should be so attuned to His voice that we hear it as soon as he speaks, unfortunately we are not always spiritually alert. God has a number of ways to help us take notice.

Rom 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Conviction is known in the Bible as Godly sorrow. God’s Word tells us that Godly sorrow is what leads us to repentance.

Romans 2:4 (NLT) Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? – TO REPENTANCE (ESV)
A Restless Spirit

One of the simplest ways God gets our attention is when we become restless.
If you have an uneasiness in your spirit, if you are not moving in the confidence and peace of God, then you need to come aside and get clear direction from the Lord. You may even want to fast and pray for a few days until you can get clear direction. That uneasiness is one of the ways God uses to gain our attention.
When King Ahasueruas was unable to sleep, he ordered the royal record books be read. As a result, he discovered his life had been saved by Esther’s uncle. In wanting to honour Mordecai, the king unwittingly set in motion a chain of events that caused Haman’s planned annihilation of the Jews to be exposed (Esther 6 & 7). The Jewish nation was spared because the king was alerted when God gave him a restless spirit.

God is not a God of confusion and indecision, but rather a God of peace , order and excellence.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Isa 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Unanswered Prayer

Our prayers may not be answered because you are not praying according to the will of God or even if what we pray may itself be the will of God, the Lord may refuse to answer that prayer as a way of forcing us to examine ourselves.

1Jn 3:22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

Disappointment

God will sometimes use disappointment to get us to listen. God allows setbacks to keep us from charting our own course rather than doing His will.

Tragedy, Sickness, and Affliction

While we must never look at someone else’s situation and presume why God allows suffering, we should regard our tragedies and afflictions as reasons to ask the Lord, “What are You trying to say?”

When King Hezekiah became prideful, God used illness to alert him to the problem. 2 Chronicles 32:24

2 Samuel 14: 14 All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.

At any given moment, God knows exactly where you are in your journey and precisely what it will take
to get your attention. So, be alert. Notice if any of God’s methods are occurring in your life. Ask Him what He wants to tell you. Then, listen—not simply to hear, but to obey. God wants to communicate because of His love for you and His desire to give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

God uses people to speak into your life

Sometimes we tend to cry fowl and blame people for hurting us with the things they say, or the comments them make, when actually it could be God using people to get our attention.
The problem is we don’t always like people to pass comment or give advice; as it often attacks our sense of pride.

2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
2Ti 3:17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Psalm 16:7 I bless the LORD who gives me COUNSEL; in the night also my heart instructs me.

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will COUNSEL you with my eye upon you.

Proverbs 15:22 Without COUNSEL plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

1Co 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Jn 16:8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

WHEN GOD SPEAKS AND GETS YOUR ATTENTION – REPENT, SUBMIT AND SURRENDER TO THE LOVING SANCTIFICATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT