There shouldn’t be any segregation between the sacred and the secular. All of us have different callings, but God is involved in every aspect of our lives. However, in the midst of our busyness, many of us have neither listened to Him in the closet nor allowed Him to speak to us in the boardroom.
Once we have used the prayer of consecration to find out God’s will for our lives, we can walk out in faith confidently with a firm footing, because our Heavenly Father will continue to journey with us and help us to adjust our strategies along the way. The key is to continue to be led by the Holy Spirit, which will require us to be familiar with His voice.
John Powell’s book “He Touched Me” offers the following answers to some of the questions that we may have: –
How does God communicate to me? Through the Bible and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
How does He disclose who He is after I have revealed myself to Him? Primarily through the Bible, the teaching of the Holy Spirit and constant guidance in the different aspects of our lives when we get God involved.
Do I have to wait for a long time to see what God will do? No, He will speak to you because it is a dialogue, but being silent about the matter and saying “no” to us are also answers from God.
Can God put a new idea into me? Definitely, if we are open to and willing to try the new idea.
Can God calm and touch my turbulent emotions? Yes, you will experience peace as you focus on Him, all that He is and all that He has done. Of course, we are to take time to meditate on His word in order to keep the peace in our mind.
Can God stimulate certain memories stored within the human brain when these memories are needed? Yes, He will bring people, places and connections that you have forgotten.
A good spiritual habit is to take time to be in the presence of God through contemplative prayer, and to recognise His voice in the closet before we tap into His guidance in the office or the boardroom.
Sermon Series: From the Closet to the Board Room (Part 1) – Listening to God
在内室寻找智慧
马太福音6:6你祷告的时候，要进你的内屋，关上门，祷告你在暗中的父，你父在暗中察看，必然报答你。
生命中需要作出许多重大的决定，而我们多么希望拥有所罗门王的智慧！不要灰心，因为你可以利用 神的智慧，但这必须从内室开始，你家里的内室，你在里面安静的与 神同在，聆听 神的声音，这样你就会继续在会议室聆听到祂的声音。
在神圣和世俗之间不应该有任何的隔离。我们每个人都有不同的呼召，但 神与我们生活的每个方面都有关系。然而，在我们忙得不可开交的时候，我们中的许多人既没有在内室里听祂的声音，也没有让祂在会议室对我们说话。
一旦我们以分别为圣的祷告来寻找神对我们生命的旨意。我们就可以凭信心跨出坚定的脚步，因为我们的天父会继续与我们同行，一路上帮助我们调整策略。关键是要让圣灵持续地带领我们，这需要我们熟悉祂的声音。
约翰·鲍威尔的书《他触动了我》为我们可能会遇到的一些问题提供了以下的答案：
神如何与我沟通？ 通过圣经和圣灵的激励。
在我向他展示我自己之后，祂如何显示出祂是谁呢? 主要是通过圣经，圣灵的教导和不断的带领，在我们生活的各个方面，当我们得着 神的参与时。
我是否需要等待很长时间才能看到神会如何做？不需要，祂会和你说话，因为这是一场对话。神的答案可以是对这件事的缄默，也可以是对我们说“不”。
神能给我一个新的想法吗? 肯定的，如果我们对此持开放态度并愿意尝试新的想法。
神能让我平静下来，抚平我纷乱的情绪吗？是的，当你专注于祂，专注于祂所是和祂所作的，你就会经历平安。当然，为了保持心中的宁静，我们要花时间默想祂的话。
当需要某些记忆时，神能从人类大脑所储存的记忆中激活那部分记忆吗？非常肯定。祂会让你想起你遗忘的人、地点和联系。
一个良好的属灵习惯就是花时间与 神同在，藉着冥想祷告，在内室中认识祂的声音，然后在办公室或会议室寻求祂的引领。
讲章系列：从内室进到会议室（第一部分）- 聆听上帝的声音