“AS THEY MINISTERED TO THE LORD AND FASTED, THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID…” —ACTS 13:2
A group of believers in the early church at Antioch met to fast and pray. While using their respective gifts, doing what God had equipped them to do, and sincerely seeking His will, the Holy Spirit spoke to them.
This is significant!
We think we need to go to a cave or isolate ourselves in nature in order to hear the voice of God in a dramatic fashion. We know about Moses and the burning bush, and Saul/Paul’s dramatic encounter on the road to Damascus. But those encounters are the exception.
For most of us, most of the time, when God speaks to us it is while we are going about our daily business, exercising our gifts, and keeping our hearts open to the Holy Spirit’s prompting.
Those encounters are just as significant.
One of my most dramatic spiritual encounters occurred while I was pulling weeds.
During a difficult trial, I was frustrated and anxious and taking it out on the backyard weeds. As I yanked and pulled and threw dirt around, I told God I just didn’t know what to do anymore, that He would have to handle everything because I certainly couldn’t.
And He spoke.
He reassured me about my circumstances. He gave me guidance. Peace flooded my soul, and I knew He was in control. That was a very pivotal moment in my life and ministry.
These believers in the book of Acts were “ministering to the Lord.” They were attending to the Lord, worshiping either through praise and prayer or their deeds. They had fasted. Their hearts were eagerly seeking Him.
As we do the work God has set before us a specific job, task, responsibility, ministry, studies, or wherever He has placed us—we can expect to hear from God.
How does He speak? It could be through a person, through His Word, a message, circumstances, the small, still voice of the Holy Spirit—or any way He chooses. Just be sure to listen.
