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By Billy Holland

Columnist

Have you ever wondered if God is listening to you? One of His many divine attributes is that He is Omnipresent, which means He is everywhere simultaneously. His presence constantly permeates the atmosphere, whether it be on earth, in heaven, or throughout the universe. This is how He knows everything that happens and every word that is said. He knows every tree that falls in the forest and every thought that has ever been imagined, as well as the motives and intentions of every heart.

I enjoy taking walks to have the privacy to talk to Him. It gives me comfort and peace to know He is there, even though I do not hear Him reply in a literal voice. Like you, I’ve discovered that sharing with Him is easy, but difficult to hear and comprehend what He is saying. Sometimes I will stop talking and listen to Him in the quiet. As Psalm 46:10 talks about being still and knowing that He is God, we are encouraged to stop letting stress make us afraid and learn how to rest in His presence. A key to developing a strong personal relationship with God is to have a holy reverence for who He is, and this begins with being broken before Him.

Since Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ,” we know that hearing always precedes obedience. Faith can arise when instructions are revealed. However, if we are without the desire to understand, we are without a vision to accomplish His will. We can obtain libraries of knowledge, but the gift from heaven that changes lives is the passion to hear God’s voice. The next step is deciding just how much of our will we are going to surrender. During the Welsh Revival of the early nineteen hundreds, a song that was heard frequently by those who were seeking a closer walk with God was, “Bend me lower, lower, down at the feet of Jesus.” Yes, spiritual awakenings can become a widespread excitement, but the emphasis is on the individual entering into the holy of holies with God on their own. This spiritual metamorphosis happens through a personal conviction of the Holy Spirit, who opens the eyes of the conscience and understands what it means to be saved by grace and become a servant to Christ as Lord and King.

The greatest need in Christendom today is not necessarily more religious seminars, programs, or conferences. It is for men and women to be broken before God and to realize their great need to be focused on His constant presence. Once broken, we will be empowered with divine supernatural energy, wisdom, and the anointing from heaven will be overwhelmingly evident. The fragrance from Mary’s alabaster box could not be released until it was broken. To accomplish His desires, we will need to allow the Lord to break us so the inner fragrance of His presence can be released. It is then we will have revival in our souls and be able to relay and express His compassion to others.

I heard a story years ago from a minister who said one morning he climbed a mountain and was sitting on a boulder contemplating the majesty of God when nature revealed a profound message about the Christian life. He noticed something very interesting about the grass with fresh dew on it. The blades that stood tall and extended to the sky had no droplets of refreshing water, but the blades that were bent to the ground had several droplets on them. The bent grass reminds us that seasons of spiritual refreshing often come when we bow before Him in a state of gratitude and humility. It’s the attitude of descending that enables us to experience the reality of His majesty.

Psalm 51 is one of my favorite chapters, and verses 16-17 declare, “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” The life that stands tall and arrogant is not in the spiritual position to bask in the presence of His glorious presence. When the dew drops of heaven fall upon the calloused and distant heart, they roll off, leaving that soul to remain dry and discontent.

To read more about the Christian life, visit billyhollandministries.com.