Words about the WORD - Clint Chapman - Maranatha Fellowship

Over the years of being in the ministry I have had some people approach me about how to hear the Lord speak.  So in this article I want to share one of the ways that I have taught some in the body of Christ about listening for the voice of the Lord.  

First of all, John 10:27 says “the sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.”  There are some keys in this verse, and they are listening, hearing, and following. 

Matthew 7:7 says “ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.”

I want to share with you my approach to praying to the God as Father, and it starts out as the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:9. Jesus was teaching how to pray to the Father.  “Pray, then, in this way;  Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debt, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” 

So as I am at my altar I first say Father, holy is Your name.  I may spend from 5-10 minutes telling the Father how Holy and good He is to me and I will thank Him for all His many blessings.  I then move on to His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven because I am at the altar to make an exchange from heaven to earth.  (An altar is a place of spiritual exchange.)  Give me this day my daily bread.  I am saying Father I am here to receive something from you today.  Speak to me; I am listening.  Give me direction and I will follow.  His words will be my bread.  This is where we can receive wisdom, knowledge, revelation, and direction.  And forgive my sins as I have forgiven those that have sinned against me.  I get quiet after this for a moment, and I am searching my thoughts for anyone that I have offense against.  If we have bitterness and unforgiveness in our soul, it will be very hard to hear the voice of the Lord.  I then finish with asking the Father to lead me away from temptations, and deliver me from the evil one. For You, Father, are the kingdom, the power, and glory forever.  

This whole process has probably taken from around 20-30 minutes for me.  I then with a pen and paper get quiet and listen through my thoughts.  His voice comes in my thoughts, and I begin to write down anything that I feel He is speaking to me.  Over the years these quiet times have been more than words, they have turned into visions, and as I have asked for dreams, the dreams have come.  I hope this will encourage those who are asking, seeking, and knocking on the Father’s door. God Bless.