The Candle of the Lord: Learning to Listen Before You Move

Proverbs 20:27 (NKJV)

"The spirit of a man is the lamp (candle) of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart."

One of the greatest lessons God has ever taught me had nothing to do with making more money.

It had everything to do with learning not to let money become my guide.

Human nature has an incredible ability to train itself.

If we're not careful, we subconsciously begin trusting our paycheck, our savings account, our investments, our credit score, or our ability to borrow money more than we trust the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.

Most people don't realize when this transition takes place.

They simply begin making decisions because they can, instead of asking whether they should.

Just because you have the money doesn't mean God is telling you to spend it.

Just because the bank approves the loan doesn't mean Heaven approved the assignment.

Just because the opportunity is available doesn't mean it's your opportunity.

One of the greatest disciplines I've had to develop is learning to slow down before making major decisions.

I don't buy things simply because I have the money.

I don't start projects simply because I can afford them.

I don't move because everyone around me thinks it's time.

I've learned to take myself through a process.

First, I pray.

Then I meditate on God's Word.

I ask myself, "Does this agree with the character and principles of Scripture?"

Then I become quiet.

I listen.

I wait.

I seek a multitude of godly counsel.

I learn from men and women who have already walked the road I'm considering.

Only after my spirit has peace do I move forward.

That process has protected me more times than I can count.

## The Key Is Understanding the Candle

Many believers spend their lives asking God to speak louder.

The problem usually isn't that God isn't speaking.

The problem is that we haven't learned where He speaks.

Proverbs tells us,

"The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord."

God has chosen to illuminate His direction through the human spirit.

The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit.

He doesn't normally lead us through panic.

He doesn't lead us through pressure.

He doesn't lead us through impulse.

He doesn't lead us because everyone else is doing something.

He leads us through the inward witness.

That witness becomes clearer the more we obey God's written Word.

Many people want supernatural direction while ignoring the commands God has already revealed in Scripture.

It doesn't work that way.

The written Word prepares us for the inward word.

Learning to obey what you can clearly read prepares you to recognize what you quietly sense.

Jesus taught us to love God and love our neighbor.

Here's a question I've often asked myself:

If I cannot obey the visible commands of Scripture that everyone around me can see, how can I expect to accurately hear invisible direction from the Holy Spirit?

Obedience sharpens discernment.

Disobedience dulls it.

The Kingdom isn't merely learned through information.

It is experienced through obedience.

## Noise Is the Enemy of Discernment

One of Satan's greatest strategies isn't always temptation.

Sometimes it's simply distraction.

Noise.

Constant activity.

Social media.

Breaking news.

Opinions.

Pressure.

Comparison.

Fear.

All of these compete for our attention.

When your life is filled with noise, it's difficult to recognize the still, small voice of God.

Learning to hear God's voice is much like tuning a radio.

The station has been broadcasting the entire time.

The problem is learning to tune your heart until the signal becomes clear.

Listening is an art.

It requires patience.

It requires humility.

It requires surrender.

## Twenty-One Acres

Years ago our ministry entered into a building project involving twenty-one acres of land.

Everything looked wonderful on paper.

It seemed like the obvious next step.

Yet something inside me wasn't settled.

There was no fear.

There was no logical explanation.

There was simply an inward witness that said,

"Not yet."

At that time the final decision wasn't mine to make.

So I continued praying.

Eventually God worked everything out.

We sold the property and were able to retain the mineral rights.

Looking back, I now understand what my spirit sensed long before my mind could explain it.

The candle of the Lord was giving direction.

Selling Our Commercial Property
We also owned commercial church property.

Over time the surrounding area began changing.

There were increasing problems with vandalism.

The season had changed.

Again, something inside me knew our assignment there was ending.

We sold the property.

Afterward we began leasing a building.

For years people asked,

"Pastor, when are we going to build?"

"What church are we buying?"

Those were fair questions.

Many people had faithfully sacrificed for years believing we would eventually construct another building.

They deserved honesty.

When I became Senior Pastor, however, my vision was different.

Not because I lacked faith.

Not because I was afraid.

But because I refused to let money replace discernment.

Just because we had the money didn't mean we had God's timing.

Earlier in my life I had made decisions too quickly.

Failure became one of my greatest teachers.

I also spent years learning from my mistakes, But when you become wise, you start to learn from the mistakes of others.

One lesson kept repeating itself:

Good opportunities are not always God opportunities.

I knew it wasn't time to build.

I knew it wasn't time to take on another major loan.

That decision wasn't popular.

Some members left.

They wanted to see construction begin immediately.

I understood.

I prayed with them.

I honored their commitment.

I thanked them for every sacrifice they had made through the years.

Today I don't regret waiting.

Because we listened, we stand completely debt free.

Paul wrote,

"Owe no one anything except to love one another." (Romans 13:8)

There is tremendous freedom in obeying God's timing.

## The Wealthy Man Who Waited

I once heard the story of a wealthy businessman with a heart for foster children.

He wanted to build a facility costing around $400,000.

He could have written the check immediately.

Most people would have.

Instead, he prayed.

As he listened, he sensed the Lord saying,

"Don't build yet. Hold a conference for foster parents. Encourage them. Teach them. Strengthen them first."

It didn't seem logical.

The building appeared to be the greater need.

Yet he obeyed.

More than two thousand foster parents attended.

By the end of the conference, over seven million dollars had been donated to support the ministry.

Then something even more remarkable happened.

Someone heard about his vision and donated a building worth several million dollars.

Imagine if he had rushed ahead simply because he had the money.

He would have missed God's larger plan.

The issue wasn't finances.

The issue was obedience.

## A Washer and Dryer

Not long ago a family in our church needed a washer and dryer.

Several generous members donated money immediately.

The need was real.

The resources were available.

Most people would have gone shopping that afternoon.

Instead, I waited.

Not because I didn't care.

Not because I lacked compassion.

But because I've learned that compassion should always be guided by wisdom.

I prayed.

I meditated on God's Word.

I listened.

During that process I met a man from India who owned a washer and dryer company.

He was Hindu.

He repaired appliances and sold refurbished units.

As I prayed, I sensed the Lord saying,

"He's part of your assignment."

The Lord impressed upon my heart to build a relationship with him because there would be future opportunities to help single mothers and families in our church through that connection.

Then something unexpected happened.

Before we ever spent the donated money, someone contacted us and donated both a washer and a dryer to the family.

We didn't finance one.

We didn't purchase one.

God had already prepared another answer.

Listening produced provision.

## The Difference Between Reacting and Responding

Most people react.

Spirit-led believers learn to respond.

Reaction is driven by emotion.

Response is directed by revelation.

Reaction asks,

"What can I afford?"

Wisdom asks,

"What is God saying?"

Reaction looks at money.

Faith listens for the candle.

## Before You Buy the House...

Suppose you're thinking about buying a home.

Most people immediately ask,

"What interest rate can I get?"

"How much can I qualify for?"

"What will the payment be?"

Those are important questions.

But they shouldn't be the first questions.

Begin somewhere deeper.

Ask,

"Lord, is this the right house?"

"Is this the right season?"

"Is this where You want my family?"

You may still buy the house.

You may still take the loan.

But now your decision is rooted in obedience instead of impulse.

The same principle applies to starting a business.

Changing jobs.

Making investments.

Launching ministries.

Entering relationships.

Moving to another city.

Money can tell you what is possible.

Only God can tell you what is profitable in His Kingdom purposes.

## Learning the Art of Listening

Listening is an art that many people have lost.

We have become experts at researching.

Experts at comparing.

Experts at calculating.

But we often neglect the most important part of the process.

Listening.

The candle of the Lord still burns.

God still leads His children.

The Holy Spirit still bears witness with our spirit.

The question is whether we have trained ourselves to recognize His voice.

That kind of discernment doesn't happen overnight.

It develops through daily obedience.

Every time you obey something God has already revealed in Scripture, your spiritual sensitivity increases.

Every act of forgiveness sharpens your hearing.

Every act of humility sharpens your hearing.

Every act of generosity sharpens your hearing.

Every act of obedience cleans the lens through which you perceive God's direction.

## My Prayer for You

My prayer isn't merely that God blesses you financially.

My prayer is that you become so sensitive to the candle of the Lord that money never becomes your master.

May you never confuse opportunity with assignment.

May you never confuse ability with permission.

May you never confuse resources with revelation.

Money is a wonderful servant.

It is a terrible master.

The greatest wealth you'll ever possess isn't what's in your bank account.

It is your ability to recognize the inward witness of the Holy Spirit and courageously obey Him.

Because I've learned something after many years of ministry:

Some of the greatest miracles in my life didn't happen because I had enough money.

They happened because I had enough patience to listen.