Those Unidentified Inner Promptings, Part 2

Today on Insight for living from Chuck Swindoll formally when you and I know the bonds of affliction await us.

We are frightened but not with the spirit of God brings a sense of reassurance's could this not explain the relentless courage and determination of the martyrs and the missionaries of years gone by. It was the spirit of God. They were bound in the spirit in the midst of these threatening fears of us have never heard an audible voice from. Instead, God speaks to us through his word Bible and occasionally we hear what the Bible once called God's still small voice. So here's the question, how does the Christian determine the difference between the still small voice of God in our own wishful thinking today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll continues a message. He started last time. In this portion of our study will search for biblical direction on how to interpret the guidance from God spirit Chuck titled his message those unidentified inner promptings show you for biblical examples of the work of the spirit, and one is found in first Kings chapter 19. Not only did they happen them, but they still happen today you like to take notes. Let me give you this. First let me give you a title for this first prompting and then will analyze it from first Kings 19 here it is in times of extreme desperation in times of extreme desperation. The Spirit prompts hope and encouragement in times of extreme desperation.

You might even add the word loneliness spirit of God prompts hope and encouragement. First Kings 19 is an interesting context. It is sort of a climax of Elijah's life. If not, 18, Elijah has been the one who stood before King Ahab and pronounced the drought and it didn't rain for 3 1/2 years.

Elijah was the one who commanded the the fire of God to fall on the on the altar that was flooded with water and it fell to the amazement of the prophets of bail and that they were slain. Elijah is the one who has witnessed the power of God giving him survival in the midst of a dried up brook in the dry wilderness of his world.

He has known the presence of God and on the heels of these great occasions of of victory when we were when he was most vulnerable. Jezebel, the wife of Ahab the King threatens his life and it hits and where he is and prepared to be hit and is devastated. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, may the gods do to me and even more if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time out before you feel, easy about all of this and wonder why Elijah made so much of it. Chances are good you've never had your life threatened if you have ever had your life threatened where it is a serious threat in somebody tells you within the next 24 hours you will be history that you understand the feeling Elijah had specially when it was someone in authority who had her henchmen all around and was a wicked woman to the core. She says to Elijah, you're as good as dead in an unusual moment of depression and desperation and loneliness full of doubt, know we all have such moments, he ran deep into the woods and he sat down under a tree and he asked the Lord to take his life. Apparently, the thought of suicide did not enter Elijah's mind is another subject, but he does say verse four. It is enough. Take my life, for I'm not better than my father's, so he's at the bottom, a more pathetic picture of personal heartbreaking loneliness cannot be found in the Scriptures than here. What does God do God doesn't shame him. God doesn't rebuke him God ministers to recess to him. Verse 11. Go instead of the mountain before the Lord will the Lord's passing by in a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces and walks before the Lord with the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord wasn't in the earthquake after the earthquake there was this fire in the Lord wasn't in the fire after the fire. Look closely, there was a sound of a gentle blowing pause right there. The old King James Bible says that there was a still small voice, the new King James renders it in a similar manner but gives this footnote, a delicate whispering voice. The new international version of the Bible says after the fire came a gentle whisper.

Got the picture. Elijah wrapped in his desolation, loneliness and doubt and despair. Standing here looking at the fire feeling the earthquake.

This enormous wind is deafening. And the Lord is in none of it and all of a sudden I take it that dies away and there was this spring's speaks to us very reliable. Old Testament scholars named Kyle and Dale each write this, it was not in the Tempest that Jehovah was and after the Tempest and earthquake. It was not in the earthquake that Jehovah was and after the earthquake, fire. It was not in the fire that Jehovah was and after the fire was still gentle wrestling, it was in a soft, gentle wrestling that he revealed himself to Elijah and what is it Elijah does. He wraps himself in his mantle. He senses the supernatural presence of God, and he moved toward the mouth of the cave.

He doesn't run from God.

He moves toward him want to be fair here want to be careful. But I want to be fair with the Scriptures. There have been times in my life. When the Lord's promptings have been just as real as Elijah is here. I didn't hear a voice I did not see a vision but I felt his presence as real as if I could touch him.

It was magnificent. I didn't pray for it. In fact, I felt somewhat distant.

At the time. Now it's here it's important to remember that not every evidence of the Spirit of God is public or loud or large sometimes best ministry to us is when we are all alone. Take time to be alone.

I hope that you have at least one hobby that you can do all alone. I hope that you reward yourself on occasion you cannot do it. Of course every day, but that you somewhat regularly reward yourself with walks in quietness do you take time for the walk in the woods. There is a sense of gentle blowing that you hear the forest as therapeutic. Don't be afraid of. Sometime it is all that's needed for the scales to be removed from your eyes and for you to see through the harassment and the noise of your day and you come to terms with things the Lord was in a gentle whispering.

I took a walk in the woods a few weeks ago. It was cold snow was about and I stood and leaned against a tree. I was knee-deep in snow. I stood there for 56 minutes. Listen is wonderful.

Scripture says be still and know that I'm God. Elijah was still and that was all he needed to be touched with the living God. Acts chapter 20 is the next stop. The first was in times of desperation and loneliness. Let's give this another title in times of threatening fears the spirit of the Spirit prompts a call determination and courage in times of threatening fears. The Spirit prompts a calm determination encourage my thoughts have to do with acts 2020 verses 22 down to about 27, a quick word about the context Paul will not see the Ephesian friends any longer. Any anymore. Not until heaven. This is his swansong.

These are his elders man with whom he has had a close relationship for an extended period of time.

It's a moving account because he saying goodbye and goodbyes are frequently emotional, especially if you're close to the people you're leaving. And especially if you won't see them again. What I find interesting in verse 22 is that he is bound in the spirit. I would love to know what that mean 2022 and now behold bound in spirit.

I think it means bound by the Holy Spirit captured in thoughts of surrounded by the presence of unable to get away from the reminders of I am. I am bound one on one with the spirit in this. I am on my way to Jerusalem.

Not knowing what will happen to be there except the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city look at this, saying the bonds and afflictions await me as a premonition of fear ever have a not every premonition comes from God. But we know this when the verse 23 says it was from the Holy Spirit. He solemnly testifies to me saying you're in for trouble, Paul no matter what city you enter you're going to encounter intensified trouble and that's exactly what I he was bound in spirit. He was en route to Jerusalem. He was sure the trouble awaited him. But don't stop reading this threatening fear could have seized him and and sidetracked him Holy Spirit is told in bonds and afflictions await me, but I do not consider myself, my life of any account is dear to myself in order that I may finish my course of the in the ministry, which I received from the Lord Jesus to solemnly testify of the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom will see my face no more.

Therefore, I testify to you this day that I'm innocent of the blood of all men, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God and that he warns them about the future of the church at Ephesus. Normally, when you and I know that bonds and afflictions await us.

We are frightened but not with the spirit of God brings a sense of reassurance. Could this not explain the relentless courage and determination of the martyrs and the missionaries of years gone by when you read their lives. You say shaking your head. I can't imagine how they endured such a thing having they live with themselves after they even sleep at night. It was the spirit of God. They were bound in the spirit in the midst of these threatening fears, could this not explain the courage and determination of the reformers who, though they would lose reputation occupation status. Imagine that for their convictions, they would be excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church for their convictions, they would be burned at the stake. In some cases for their convictions and they considered their lives were worthy of death, to die in such a glorious manner for the Lord you read the stories and you realize how shallow and superficial. Many of us live our lives, how could they do that they are bound in the spirit I say to you again. I can't make it more clear how to make it clearer than that. There was just that prompting. I am here. I am aware of what you're going through.

I know of the threats I tell you I will take you through them. The flame will not hurt you. I only design by dross to consume and buy gold to refine and with that assurance were able to go on. Praise God for his spirits working no warning here is one thing to presume and to be foolish and to be daring and to dance to close to trouble in the energy of the flesh. This has nothing to do with. But when the spirit communicates his presence in a true sense of his. His incredible power that he it is remarkable how fear leaves. That's what happens here with Paul Turner for March 20 – 27. Let me give you this this subject and then will will look at it rather quickly asked, 27, one of the most adventuresome scenes in all the New Testament if you love sailing you will love.

Acts 27 if you like life in the open sea and the challenge of going from point A to point B in a store, you are weird, but you will love.

Acts 27 because that is what this is all about. I read a story in Sports Illustrated recently of a man just like that and plan to travel across the North Atlantic from New York all the way across to Europe. By the way you did make. And that's another subject.

They haven't found it, but his friends are so convinced that he made it they say you show up you see them Sunday. On Sundays, would float up to the shore. Are you you'll find a way you'll he's a survivor I certainly will. But this is that kind of scene acts 27 in this account. Dr. Luke is present which is why he says we all the way through the account. He's the writer of acts and he's including himself with Paul. As a crescendo of danger intensifying as each mile passes in the sea; this in times of potential disaster. The Spirit prompts.

Enter reassurance and outer peace in times of potential. Let's call it danger and disaster. The Spirit prompts reassurance, enter reassurance and outer peace. You will I think you'll love this account. If you're not familiar with it, will enjoy for people. How interesting, as it unfolds.

When it was decided we should sail for Italy. They proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustin cohort named Julius remember the century, it will see him several times on the ship and embarking in the end at Dravidian's ship which was about the sale to the regions along the coast of Asia. Sorry don't have a map in front of you. It's very exciting when you study exactly where they went. We put out to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus of Macedonian of Thessalonica and the next day we put in at Seiden and Julius Azar centurion Fran treated Paul with consideration allowed them to go to his friends and receive care and from there we put out to sea, and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were contrary, you get the picture at the storm is building your exactly right. That's exactly what's happened and when they had.

We have sail through the sea along the coast of solution Pamphylia. We landed Myra enlighten Lycia and there.

The centurion found in Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and he put a subordinates of the chain ships and when you have sail slowly for a good many days and with difficulty had arrived off tonight us since the wind did not permit us to go farther.

We sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salamone and with difficulty sailing past it. We came to a certain place called Fairhaven's is that a great name for a harbor Fairhaven mission want to get a hot cup of coffee and what shipwrecks there near which was the city of let's say you and will and when considerable time in past and the voyage was now dangerous. You got the picture is like a crescendo in this musical score. The up this the Windows building of the crests of the waves are getting greater and the currents are getting stronger and the sales are flapping or straining under the a groaning under the wind when considerable time and pass the voyage was now dangerous, since even the fast was already over. Paul began to admonish them look at what he says may not perceive that the voyage will certainly be attended with damage and great loss is called a premonition in human terms not only of the cargo when the shipment also of our lives. I since were in first gear danger, but the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship that he was by what Paul said because the harbor was not suitable for wintering the majority reached a decision to put out the sea.

From there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix a harbor Crete facing Northeast and Southeast and spend the winter there and one a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had gained their purpose.

They weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete close inshore but before very long. There rush down from the land of violent wind called Yurok Hilo and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along were in for trouble K were out of control and running under the shelter of a small island called Claudia we were scarcely able to get the ships boat under control, and after that had hoisted it up they use supporting cables and undergirding the ship and fearing that they might run aground in the shallows, they let down the sea anchor and let themselves be driven along the next day as we were being violently storm tossed, they began to jettison the cargo and on the third day, they threw the ships tackle overboard with their own hands and since neither son nor stars appeared for many days in no small storm was assailing from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned. Have you ever been in a situation anything like that. Maybe not. My brother went through the hurricane Andrew in South Florida lost his home most of his home in the process and he he listened to 150 mile an hour winds throwing timbers through this hall like skiers and ripping chunks from his ceiling and from his roof and throwing it against the garage is four blocks away. Both cars damaged. He said the good thing about it was that all the fences got blown down. The next day we got to meet her neighbors thought was a pretty optimistic way to look at everything, but in the midst of all of this, they were hiding in the bedroom.

The only room of the home that was really touched. He and eight other members of his family. Or, you know, every passing the passing of every hour you are moving closer to what may be your death.

And I mean imagine this and then on top of everything else there at sea and are starting to lose cargo. The party lost control and are afraid of losing life at the picture at Stepanek. That's the disaster. The potential disaster so 21 when they had gone a long time without food all stood up in their midst. Watch this.

This is men you want to have followed my not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss and yet now I urge you to keep up your courage.

How could he say that it is the work of the Spirit of God that gives this kind of courage. It doesn't come naturally and gave them a sense of inner reassurance and outer peace is much more on this topic that Chuck Swindoll wants to teach us. He's titled today's message on the Holy Spirit.

Those unidentified inner promptings so please keep listening with a few minutes remaining. I want to remind you that insight for living offers a wide variety of Bible study tools so you can dig deeper on your own. For instance, shall be glad to learn that each sermon Chuck delivers in this study is paired with online study notes.

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When Chuck Swindoll study called flying closer to the flame continues on Monday on insight for living. The preceding message those unidentified inner promptings was copyrighted in 1993 and 2003 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2003 by Charles R.

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