“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice CAME FROM HEAVEN, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but FOR YOUR SAKE.” (John 12:27-30) This voice came so we would KNOW that GOD SPEAKS TO US! Just ask and accept this by faith!!!
Just imagine with me for a moment of growing up in a home where your father never speaks to you!!! That would definitely not be normal. “…as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom WE CRY OUT, “ABBA, FATHER.“ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and JOINT HEIRS (beneficiary) WITH CHRIST, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” (Rom. 8:14-17) WE CALL GOD OUR FATHER, ABBA ,”daddy”
It has been normal in my personal life for the Lord to speak to me. Two days after I was saved, the night I was sanctified, while I was praying at the altar the Lord spoke to me to go home and get rid of all my drugs and alcohol, and specifically how to do it. “My sheep HEAR MY VOICE, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) One of the most memorable times of the Lord speaking to me is when I was teaching high school at our alternative school. Many of the student are court ordered to attend do not want to be there. I learned that we just have to be creative and learn to tolerate their “outbursts,” including foul language. In my first week I was giving an assignment and they were not very happy about it and let me know in a very verbally assassinating way. As they began working on the lesson, I was very frustrated, and said to the Lord “how am I going to get through to these heathens?” and very clearly the Lord spoke to me and said “Bill, Be at peace and be still, I will be exalted among the heathen.” I started coming to school a little earlier and anointing and praying over the door post, the chairs and the tables. God made a difference in that school setting and favor came upon me from the students.
“GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD AND PROCLAIM HIS GREATNESS. LET THE WHOLE WORLD KNOW WHAT HE HAS DONE. SING TO HIM; YES, SING HIS PRAISES. TELL EVERYONE ABOUT HIS WONDERFUL DEEDS.” (1 Chronicles 16:8-9)
-Bill Stockham