Speak It Out Loud

Something shifts when you stop keeping God’s prompting in your head and finally say it out loud. We’ve both felt it: you’re praying Scripture, or you’re in a normal moment at work, in a store, in a conversation, and the Holy Spirit puts a clear nudge on your heart. 

We dig into why speaking matters in the first place. God creates by speaking, Jesus is the Word from the beginning, and the Bible keeps showing that God’s purposes often move forward through ordinary people who open their mouths. We talk about how declaring Scripture out loud can change spiritual atmosphere, bring peace, and help faith become concrete. We also connect this to spiritual warfare and the armor of God in Ephesians 6, where the sword of the Spirit is not just information on a page, but the timely, spoken word God is saying right now.

Discerning when to speak and when to wait, refusing the enemy’s fear-based shutdown, and treating this like a skill you can grow through practice. We share a real story of sensing a prompting in a gas station, driving away, then turning around to go back and speak. No shame, no hype, just partnership and the joy of obedience. 

If you want to grow in hearing God’s voice, prophetic encouragement, and speaking with courage, press play, then share this with a friend and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Transcript

Welcome And Why We Gather

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Welcome to the Hearing God Podcast. I'm Anthony Moore, and I'm Dan Lamus. For over a decade, Anthony and I have been diving deep into weekly conversations about the prophetic, the mystical, and the matters of the heart. And we invite you into these weekly conversations. We hope you feel like an honored guest at our table. So pull up a chair, settle in, and let's get started. Well, here we are. Here we are. It's excellent. And it feels good. Yeah, it is. It feels good to be here.

SPEAKER_03 0:34

Yeah. Feels really good. Well, uh, so how's it going, Dan?

SPEAKER_00 0:38

It's going good. It's it's going well, you know. I just I guess I wanted to just uh say here at the beginning of this recording, um, that I'm just really grateful for the fact that we get to do this.

SPEAKER_05 0:51

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:52

Some folks like to listen to it.

SPEAKER_05 0:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:54

And really grateful to be able to share and to know that um God's working in the midst of it.

SPEAKER_05 1:01

Yeah.

A Life Marked By Hearing God

SPEAKER_00 1:01

And just, you know, for just being able to uh being able to have this opportunity to share with you, Anthony, and to continue our conversation. But just years and years ago, uh, I just remember, remember um hearing it was actually at Times Square Church in New York City, uh, David Wilkerson was preaching. And uh I remember him speaking, we were just guests in in the in the guest section of his that massive auditorium. Yeah. And him saying, you know, um, the Lord really reassured me that any of you who are here, even visitors, you are not here by accident. God intends for you to hear this message today. He spoke all about um as time continues on, that the most important thing that any believer can do is learn how to hear the voice of God. Right. And I remember that was just like a moment where I really planted a flag and said, God, that is gonna be the highest priority for me, is knowing how to hear your voice and listening for your voice. So anyway, all that to say, I'm grateful today to be able to do this with you.

SPEAKER_03 2:07

And in I in the same, I would say I I would agree. Like this has been, you know, this is very much in line with the passion of my life and the not just the passion, but the calling of my life. And I just, you know, the thing, the thing is, is there's a there's this tension of, you know, there's a bunch of elements in my mind when I think about hearing the voice of God. It's like that is a daunting task to help people with that. And yet also God wants to talk to people. Right, yeah, right. And he is talking, he is talking to people, and yet there's this element of there's this element of stewardship that is like in the middle of that as well, like as leaders and you know, fathers and pastors of not only of this house right here in the valley, but and even the locations that we serve as well, but also, you know, the region and then you know, whoever is listening on this platform. I think there's just a lot of there's a lot of I mean, there's just there's a lot there to to consider. There's a lot that I sort of just you know, uh, if I think about it too much, it gets a little overwhelming. But I'm just happy that we get to sit uh, you know, once a week and have these conversations and chew on what what we're chew chew on what we're chewing on and you know where the Lord has us. I feel really grateful for that. And I really feel like, you know, this this whole podcast was meant to just invite people into, you know, the to sit at our table and have uh, you know, hopefully chew on some things that we're chewing on, and you know, hopefully we are provoking, right? Hopefully we are comforting, and and in the end we get to Jesus. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:05

So wow, and you know, it's it's really fun. I've had a few people um who have come along and said, Hey, I was listening to this on your podcast. Could we talk about that? Right. And we've been able to meet up, whether by video or or in person or whatever. And that's really fun. And just would love to say to anybody listening, your conversation with us matters a lot too. For sure. Please, please feel free to reach out and say, share what your insights, share how you're what you're learning about hearing God's voice and and learning how to share it, all that kind of stuff.

Why Speaking Scripture Shifts Atmosphere

SPEAKER_03 4:38

Yeah. And this, and this podcast, I think, will only, I mean, again, I there's a lot of different ways that people do podcasts. We're just talking. Yeah. You know, uh, this is like if you're if you're doing, if you're driving somewhere, if you're, you know, working in the yard or working around the house, and this is on in the background, that's awesome. We love that. Yep. And you and you, you know, you hear something that that piques your interest, you know, that's I think mission accomplished. I think. So absolutely we're just we're happy to do this and really feel like that's we're help. I feel like I genuinely believe we're helping people with this comp conversation. Yeah. Because I think I do too. Yeah, anything, anything like we can, you know, pull the veil back, because I think there's a, you know, even from you know, being a part of the church that we're a part of, there's a lot of like there's like there's this lot of stuff that we're um, you know, polish. And there's nothing wrong with polish, actually. It's actually quite good. Yeah, yeah, right. It's excellent, right? There's a lot of but one of the things that you miss is the is the processing behind the scenes. Right. Right. And this is what a little bit what this is supposed to be is because that stuff actually happens, right? You know, we'll wrestle through, you know, different topics, we'll chew on different topics, you know, things that the Lord's showing us. And, you know, whether that's in, you know, morning meetings or uh side conversations or coffee meetings, we're we're chewing on these things. And oftentimes people don't get a window into that. Right, exactly. And this is this my hope is that this is actually people feel like they're actually getting a little window into how we think and why we think, and you know, our our own journey throughing through the things, you know, the all things hearing God, all things prophetic, all things, you know, heart level, uh mat the matters of the heart as it relates to our connection with God. So yeah, yeah. Anyway, awesome, very cool. Yes. It's all it's all good. So I, you know, um, you know, as we were just chewing on what or processing what we would talk about today, I thought um there's something that, you know, as I was sitting with the Lord um and just kind of asking him, like, what what what's on your heart for for today? Uh he he brought back to mind, and maybe this is jumping the a gun a little bit, but he just here's here's what I'll do to summarize it. He brought back to mind this moment that I had a few weeks ago where um I was in the midst of teaching a class, and the and I began talking about it, was it was related to prayer and praying the scriptures, and this awareness happened as I began to declare the word of God out loud, something happened in the room. Okay, right, and it was it was, you know, you you may have heard a term like this, like the room changed, or there's something shifted in the room, or the room shifted, those kinds of things. It was almost like the atmosphere changed into like it was like the presence of God came into the room. Now, okay, break that down however you want, because God was already there, but it was like the tangible presence of God was very tangible in the room as I was praying and declaring scriptures in the room in the midst of that session. And to the point where there was like, and it wasn't just me, other people were aware of that as well. You know, there was there were some tears, there was uh just a witness to the to the tangible, you know, peace that that comes oftentimes with the presence of God. Right. Um, but it was like this whole scene um came back to me as I was sort of chewing on this, and I thought, well, this is a you know, uh, maybe we've I'm sure we've covered this topic, but it would be good to circle back on this element of like why out loud matters, like why why saying things aloud matters. Um and just to just to let that crack the conversation open, I don't know, just like maybe maybe like throw it over to you and say, like, from uh we know this is scripture, and I think we're gonna use some scripture. I think we're gonna use like it's good to use scripture. Like we we were, you know, we're chewing on uh you know Ephesians 6, like the you know, the the armor of God. Um and like why we're gonna get there. Right. But let me let me just maybe throw that over at you and say, why what what does it mean? What do you when you when you're what when that how does it hit you when we say you know, the word of God declared aloud, yeah, right, and why the allowed matters.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

Yeah, yeah. Well, you know, it's um making yourself a servant of the word of the Lord, you know, making yourself a servant of the the reality that God wants to speak. You know, scripture says we that man lives uh by every word uh from the mouth of God. Yes that comes from the mouth of God. Uh God speaking like the thing he speaks and the fact that he's speaking that from the beginning, even right, yes, that's right. Yeah, I was thinking about that uh about today, uh, is even you know God speaking things into being. Well, couldn't he just think it into being? Right for some reason, God speaking it was important in the process, and so that continues on through his people, through us. And so when you describe that scene in that in that that that classroom, where you're teaching almost a method in a sense, right? Uh you're you you're you're giving an example of like this, and you begin to pray scriptures over the room, in the room, over the group, and then the the the sovereign God is also the surprising God, and his tangible presence begins to be known in the room as you do that. Well, to me, it really is about being available and being a servant uh of the word of the Lord and the voice of the Lord. Yeah, you know, um so God bless our ears that we could hear your your your you but also God, we're available to speak, we're we're available to be used so that others will hear your word. And so um there is that uh there's that thumb in the back that you see so again and again throughout the Bible, where God calls people who might be reluctant, others not, to go and actually speak his word for him.

SPEAKER_06 11:48

Right.

SPEAKER_00 11:49

Um it isn't just to show up carrying the word of the Lord and it's just going to kind of by your presence, it's just gonna kind of ooze out of you somehow. Yes. It does involve, yeah, I need skin in the I'm gonna have to put skin in the game here. And it's it's amazing that God would do this, but he but he actually partners with us and him moving in a room becomes somewhat contingent on whether we will open our mouth and actually speak.

SPEAKER_04 12:21

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:21

You know, agreed. And you when you're in that moment, you you really can't backtrack and say, well, it really doesn't matter. The fact is it does matter that we stand up and speak that.

SPEAKER_06 12:34

Right.

SPEAKER_00 12:34

And uh, you know, this is a bit of a a little bit of a stretch, but I don't think completely that, you know, if if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved. There is this mystical and powerful way that God uses what we speak out loud.

SPEAKER_04 12:58

Yes.

Confess With Your Mouth Matters

SPEAKER_03 12:59

Yes, yeah, and I was I was thinking about this too, is like I was thinking oftentimes, and I've used this multiple times, I'll be chewing on something, uh, and I'll come across and I'll, you know, whether it's with you or whether it's with someone else, I'll say, I need to say this out loud.

SPEAKER_00 13:19

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_03 13:20

Right. And just in like whether it's uh a whether it's uh a thought that I'm processing or a a dream that I'm trying to work through, or just, you know, I'm I'm in the middle of a thought and I need to put a little marker on. I just I but there's a what what I'm trying to get at is that there's a legitimacy, it almost becomes real because I've said it out loud. Because oftentimes what happens is you get and I think people know, you know, if you're if you're any kind of like I guess if you're any kind of thinker, you'll you you spend the course of many days. Like again, I am classic for this. Like I get caught up in my own thoughts, I can get wrapped up in my head, and I could be driving somewhere and just thinking about stuff, right? Just the swirl of that that happens. And I could think about great things, I could think about not so great things, I could think about good things, bad things, all that all the stuff, the angsty things of life and circumstances. And but yet when I actually shift into doing this thing and I say this thing out loud, for some reason it feels more real. Right. Right. For some reason there's a legitimacy, it becomes a thing when I say it out loud. Okay. It goes from the the ethereal into the tangible when I when I say things out loud. Because then all of a sudden, more than you know, more than one person, you know, is is you know, there's a some kind of agreement that's brought there.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

So well, that's very interesting. I mean, that that's an interesting dynamic because it it if I'm hearing you right, it's it like pulls your thoughts into focus. Yeah, it does. Like you're like you you actually speaking out loud the thing that you've been hearing, God say. Yeah, draws every all these other things. Well, I could think about this, I could think about that. It pulls it all together into this one stream.

SPEAKER_04 15:30

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 15:31

And that's that's a very interesting, that's a very interesting dynamic. Um yeah, I just remember uh as a kid, you know, hearing and reading uh Old Testament prophets and different times, some of the scenes where either the prophet was obedient and said the thing he was supposed to, yeah, or he didn't say a thing God had told him to say, and he ended up suffering terrible consequences. The fear of the Lord's really on that.

SPEAKER_05 16:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:02

Uh and I remember thinking, wow, God, like that's huge, that's a huge risk for these prophets.

SPEAKER_02 16:07

Like, like there's a there it it matters, it matters like what you say.

SPEAKER_00 16:12

Yeah, did they say that specific thing God said to them and they chose not to, and they thought it was for a good reason, maybe, and God really held them accountable to no, I gave you that thing to say specifically, and you saying it accomplished my purpose. Right. And the fact that you chose not to say it the way I told you, right? Now there is going to be, there's gonna be uh, what do you call it, consequences for that. Yeah. And I I remember thinking at the time, wow, it is like God takes it very seriously when He says to a man or a woman, here's a word that I need you to share, um, or speak over your life, or whatever it is. Um like that, like God takes that quite seriously. We we tend not to, we tend to think it's almost we have this tendency to think it's almost prideful for us to assume it matters that I speak that thing out.

Fear That Tries To Shut You Up

SPEAKER_03 17:06

Right. And I think uh you know, I just as we're in this in the middle of this, I was thinking that, you know, why why is it why does it matter? What's the meaning behind it? Right. And and again, like we can, again, and have been like you and I, I'm sure, I know I have been at times perhaps a little too flippant or dismissive with the things that I say out out loud. But I think what's where's the you know, why does it matter? What's the meaning? Where's the, you know, does it really affect things when I say them out loud? Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, is it really, does it really, you know, again, we can unpack, you know, blessings and curses, why it matters, you know, again, yeah, right? Those, those kinds of things. But I think here's here's where where I was going with it. Like, it matters that we say, you know, specifically for the sake of this con conversation, it matters that we say what the Lord is asking us to say out loud because yes, it began with him. Saying things out loud began with right with God. Yeah, right. So it's so it's like, and again, Genesis 1, John 1, right? Like in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, right? So we so we at the very beginning we see God revealing himself as the word, right? So all the other small W words find their meaning and their power because he was already in the beginning. Right. And so so that's and again, like Yeah, that is the way the kingdom comes, right? And I think that's right. And so I think that we, you know, we've used phrase like words create worlds, right? And you know, that hits people all kinds of funny different ways at times, but but really the the the the potency, dare I say, or the the impact that saying things aloud affects, like it can it contains power for good or bad, simply because the spoken word was there in the beginning. Right. Right. And the declare the declared word was in the beginning, right? And so it it's like um it's like uh it's like um encouragement or generosity. Like we're we find power in the the in a generosity or an encouraging word because God's an encourager, right? Yeah, uh, and because God's uh God's extravagantly generous. Well, the thing, same thing. We find we've we've discovered power in the spoken word because God's a speaker, right?

SPEAKER_00 19:59

Yeah, that is very powerful.

SPEAKER_03 20:00

That's I and so that's what I want to get at. So that's in essence, is it is sort of very core, the foundation of why this matters. Right. I think is actually because this is this is a shadow, like you and I operate, like you and I declaring things aloud, right? Even specifically, the word of God releases power because God is a speaker.

SPEAKER_00 20:23

Right. Wow. Like I I love this conversation, Anthony. And it's I I'm finding that that uh that it's it's a little it's a little shifting, a little jarring for me, but I actually love it. Because almost always we're talking about how do you hear God more effectively. Right. It feels like what we're talking about today is are you available for others to hear God? Yeah, yeah. By you speaking up. Yeah, for sure. And that this, I mean, it's an exciting, exciting part of our conversation. And I'm my mind's like, okay, I'm riding the surfboard here because I feel like it's really powerful. I'm saying, God, really, really come and guide this conversation. Um, because it is very powerful. I love that. God is a speaker, He transforms things, makes things, changes things by speaking. Yeah. Um, our freedom prayer ministry that that we practice here at our local church, and people find freedom is based on Jesus coming, meeting them where they're in pain and speaking the truth to them. Yes, yeah. And that's how people are healed and set free. Yeah, we believe so strongly in this.

SPEAKER_03 21:33

Um well, I was just even thinking as well, just in in line with that, I was thinking when Jesus is talking about we, you know, if you're grew up in the church, you know the parallel what the it's not really a parable, but it's what Jesus talks about when he talks about faith, right? He says, So if you have the faith the size of a mustard seed, we will you will what you will say to this mountain be moved. Yes. And it, you know, it will be done, right? So

SPEAKER_00 22:00

that's like even Jesus is in the midst of it he's he's very sort of like almost he assumes that we get the point about yes about the declared about making the declaration right right so it's just like so that and again I just wanted to sort of lump that a lump lump that on that yeah well just person personal testimony uh me me feeling as a you know as a 19 year old young man uh had had been in Bible college for a year uh at the time that was the plan that that's all I would do I would be in this like discipleship Christian development course for a year then move on to go study music at a university in western New York State um and during that year I felt like God was beginning to call me to be a pastor and to shift the plan and stay in Bible college. Right. And I remember seeking God for weeks and just looking for his final sort of word on the whole thing. And he took me to Romans chapter I believe it's Romans chapter 13 where he where there's this logic about uh how how how can how can the nations hear unless someone preaches to them.

SPEAKER_06 23:15

Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:16

And how can someone preach to them unless they're sent.

SPEAKER_06 23:18

Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:19

And I felt the Spirit of God calling me through through that scripture of just uh that that preaching is a huge priority to to the nations being reached with the gospel. Yes. And yeah and I feel like he was saying to me if I don't send you and you don't go preach there's going to be people who won't be reached for my kingdom. And that was a that was what convinced me that yeah you I need to go and I need to preach but the preaching part of it was absolutely essential. Like I had to settle because I was pretty introverted guy. I still tend to be that way. No and I wouldn't speak up I wouldn't speak up about anything I would yeah people would ask opinions around the room and didn't matter what we were talking about I usually wouldn't offer an opinion.

SPEAKER_06 24:05

Right.

SPEAKER_00 24:06

And God had to train me in those years of Bible college to begin to speak up because there was power in my opinions and even speaking his word because I was the one speaking it. Doesn't mean that I was something amazing in myself but God blessed the fact that I was willing to let my voice be used to speak his word. Right. That wasn't an easy process for me but it was a sacrifice of love. And there may be people listening right now to us talk who feel like I hate speaking up in a group I know um I my place in life is that I think a lot I don't have much to say I don't usually share my opinions about anything and I'm just comfortable with that. Well I just want to say to you the thumb of the Holy Spirit's in your back just saying I've given you your voice because it needs to be heard.

SPEAKER_04 24:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 24:57

And there's certain things God wants to say in certain situations and certain groups of people that need to be said by you. Not because you have made yourself something but you are God's design and he has appointed you in a certain way by giving you your voice your voice is attached to who you are and there's things he will ride in on because you say them out loud to people and that's not pride it's not arrogance. It's design it's design it's design absolutely yeah that's so good.

SPEAKER_03 25:30

And I was just thinking like you know we we oftentimes and again I you know you're in ministry long enough like you there is this thing in the culture that I feel like I'm it's my life's missage or like it's my life's mission mission gosh uh it's my life's mission to to like fight against and it's this this fear that rises up in people and it is from the pit of hell.

SPEAKER_00 26:02

I'm gonna have to say something.

SPEAKER_03 26:03

Right I'm gonna like that I I am afraid of saying whatever it is out loud and I'm just see like in that in those moments right all I can see is the enemy and his grip on that person's heart and their mind. Right because they've lost sight of because fear in their mind is is greater than whatever God's trying you know what I'm saying? Yes. Like if the enemy if the enemy can shut you up if the enemy can shut me up by by making me afraid of of the sound of my own voice right the like if he can make me afraid whether I'm gonna you know I'm gonna screw up or whether I'm my whether I'm not you know I believe I'm not eloquent enough. Like how many you know the Bible's very clear on what what God can and cannot use in your eloquence. Like he's very much like you know take Moses for an example right like God is very frustrated with Moses uh because he was like I can't speak right mo you know and God's like just open your mouth and I'll fill it go and tell for you go and tell the problem is I can't speak right right and again God in his kindness works in that but that but I don't God God compensating or whatever right he's he's got okay well you can't you know plan A is not a work like we've got we've got other options right but plan A was for Moses to go and declare right and Jesus again like you're Jesus again in I think it's like somewhere in John in the upper room discourse like don't be afraid when you're brought before uh you know leaders and judges and you know open your mouth and I'll fill it right yeah so he says it again almost as an echo to what he was talking about Moses Jesus's own exhortation to every believer is open your mouth yes and I will fill it right and right what the what what he's saying there is like he's he's just saying like he isn't saying open your mouth make sure it's really good and if it's really good and I approve then I will then I will then I will bless the thing that you said right he just simply says open your mouth and I will fill it right and so don't worry about it. Right. So when we begin to worry about the things that we're going to say then that creates a pathway for fear all the things that would derail us like when we begin to worry about those things right and again like that's my heart for people it's like you know it's hard not to be like you know I just see that in people I see the wrestle in people I see the the fear and the anxiety I see the the the tenseness that comes that rises up in people when we ask people to pray or say something out loud.

SPEAKER_00 29:09

Am I gonna have to pray out loud am I gonna have to share a test am I gonna have to talk about right to do it in my life.

SPEAKER_03 29:16

And I think the enemy in a lot of ways that are so like so um insidious and maybe even subtle like he's crept into the heart. And I'm not saying that I'm any better and there are times again legitimately there are times when uh fear has shut me up. And so it's not like I've arrived anywhere. I just say that when I've you know I am so passionate about this this thing about declaring aloud praying aloud you can't prophesy you know uh or I suppose you could write it down but like oftentimes we're prophesying out loud right but you the idea of like letting the enemy the the it doesn't change the truth that fear ultimately shuts us up. Right.

Discern When To Speak Or Wait

SPEAKER_00 30:04

Right yeah well you know I'd love to connect something for people who who are trying to process this and see what might be in here that they can apply to themselves is you know I would just coach you to not be quick to draw big conclusions about you know I should never speak up and that's always better or I should always speak up that's better. Right. Like I just want to I just want to coach and say from situation to situation the Holy Spirit is going to help you to know this is a moment where you need to speak up here's what I want you to say and and in that moment for you to try to reason with the Holy Spirit which sounds funny but we all tend to kind of do it. Like well it's not usually good for me to speak up so I'm not gonna do that. But like take it moment by moment the Spirit's going to guide you there are moments where I might want to be quick to speak and the Holy Spirit says just hang on for a moment and it's it would be bad for me to speak up at that point. And that's easier to understand than the fact that if God's prompting me to speak and I don't because I think it would be wise not to that's just as that's just as damaging to that situation.

SPEAKER_06 31:24

Right.

The Sword Of The Spirit Is Spoken

SPEAKER_00 31:25

Like God's relying on me speaking up. Right. And I think what we're saying to people is your your voice because it's attached to you and given to you by God God does take it seriously and he will employ you as a speaker in a situation and when that happens please take it seriously by the grace of God there's something hanging on this moment. Right. I need to speak up so it's worth pushing through the fear yeah the insecurities even breaking convention like maybe maybe in a situation I wouldn't normally speak up here and God's saying well I need you to in the situation absolutely be be free enough to say I can break my own convention here. And and I guess what I wanted to attach it to really quick is is that when when we we referenced Ephesians 6 with the listing of the all put on the armor of God. Perfect yeah the only offensive weapon in all that weaponry is the sword of the spirit right which which scripture says which is the word of God.

SPEAKER_03 32:29

Yes and and oftentimes people misunderstand that to mean it's the it's the it's the physical thing that I'm holding here by like chapter and verse.

SPEAKER_00 32:42

Yeah right yes a bible a scripture verse right that I could turn to and speak.

SPEAKER_03 32:46

Right. And it's maybe the the difference is before you know before the pitchforks and the and the torches come just to clarify the Greek word there is not logos which we'd we would equate to the written word of God right more generally speaking um but we would but the word there is rhema right it's its root is rhema which is the declared word of God. Right right so so it is it doesn't you're not throwing away the scripture here right and again like even we were we were just we've mused up before that when Paul is writing that the scripture that existed was the old testament right so even the scripture that he was talking about is different than what we might think might think we're gonna quote Romans chapter 12 whatever exactly and that hadn't actually been written a thing yeah so but the point but the point I think that we that I wanted to make is yeah is really is not it's not just that it's written. Right it's like the thing God is speaking.

SPEAKER_00 33:44

Yes like like the sword of the spirit yes which is the thing God is speaking.

SPEAKER_03 33:49

Right. Which is which is to say that out of all the volume of what has been written there is a specific timely word that needs to be declared aloud.

SPEAKER_00 34:00

Right right so what God is saying saying right now and and you know so a person you or I someone listening hears a word from the Lord in a situation and they know spirit saying I want you to speak this out and it's going to bring a difference in the situation. Yeah then yes the Ramo word they've heard now needs to become the Rhemo word they speak out. Yes and there's that's that is the sort of the spirit and now now the thing that that I really it hits me is that so this is a it's a warfare tool which can dismantle what the enemy's doing. Yes it can maybe help someone hold the the listener hold their ground when you speak a word from the Lord right in this moment it can strengthen this person to keep holding their ground it can bring healing where the enemy's maybe been binding this person in a sickness and it all comes down to am I willing to speak this word of the Lord.

Practice Speaking God’s Word

SPEAKER_03 35:03

Yes so it's it's um it's just this beautiful uh it it's just this beautiful ownership of who who that we are new creation in Christ uh we are God's design um and it's it's so much more it's so much more than my discomfort or not right um yes it it's it's so much more yeah right all the the hangups and again God is able to accomplish so much and I think that the the in like there's a massive over invitation over every individual every individual believer. Yeah thank you I was thinking about that right there's just this massive invitation it's like the Lord is like he's he's walking us all on this journey and again I just as I say Dan and I haven't certainly haven't arrived we've just we're just maybe a little further down the journey um but it's really this massive invitation for people to hear what God is saying to them and then release that word in a way in a way and it's it's through the releasing of that word that that that God works through right it got God works through every believer that God can you know you know maybe the most timid the timid believer hears what God is saying and musters up the courage to declare something aloud and God rides in on that. And God rides in and the power of God is released through that believer which is the church like it's plan A. This is by design this isn't anything revolutionary but it's like God is God is I mean it is revolutionary but you get what I'm saying. But the the the the whole thing the whole scenario points out is like then then what happens on the other side the most timid believer musters up the courage says a thing out loud what happens on the other hand uh the other side is life it's the kingdom of God advances right through through that person whether that's through healing as you were saying through freedom as you know through uh through encouragement through strengthening right that's the sort of like the mechanics of what's happening you know it's the best we can wrap English around what's happening in the eternal and so just to say that that that right there like if God will work through me in that way I'm like well I want to do that right I want to do more of that yeah I want you know again in the ways in the small ways that I can I can begin to grow in the partnership of having the Rhema of God come to me and then move through me. Yes right the declared word of God come come to me and then move through me I just think that that's like yeah like why why wouldn't we like if we could catch if every believer could catch a bigger vision of what's actually happening. And I think yeah the fear makes that vision small because fear turns us inward towards ourself. Oh I'm not able or I'm not capable or that's not me or I'm afraid or I'm anxious or uh I can't do that. It's like we get that you know we hear that in the we hear that just as we were saying in the story of Moses we get that in in Gideon you know even uh even in first samuel with the calling of Saul like we we see this over and over again the human sort of the natural human inclination is to to let fear turn us inward and view our own uh uh and trust our own assessment of our own abilities right right or inabilities right and so yeah but God is actually you know say he's he's doing something grander he's doing something more um he there's something bigger going on right like that god god is trying to get believers to expand their vision yes while fear you know and the tech the tactics of the enemy are trying to shrink and reduce and diminish your and my role in the plan of God this is really cool.

SPEAKER_00 39:42

I'm wondering what do you think of this is just a little bit could be a hairgrain theory or it could really be awesome. Do you think that part of the training process for hearing God's voice effectively is being willing and taking the risk to speak his word.

SPEAKER_03 40:00

Yeah is that part of the training a hundred percent like and that's why like again like talk to our you know talk to our friend Amy Howard who just says like all like when it comes to prophetic equipping and activations it's like never pretending but always practicing. Right. Right and so this this is the element this is the part of the deal is that in the in the reps right every moment to moment that's what we mean just mean by reps like we we put ourselves in position so that those things can happen wow yeah and we allow ourselves that's when that's when growth happens right right so if somebody's been listening to us for some episodes and and I'll tell you something that's very incredibly humbling is when somebody tells me I've gone back and listened to all your guys' episodes I'm like well thank you that means a lot I mean that's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 40:53

Certainly not an assignment for everybody but that's always a bit like wow thank you God that's awesome. Yeah but if someone is listening and thinking I'm trying to grow in my ability to hear God's voice um you know I think it it it's even fair game to make that a bit of a project. Absolutely and and if you're asking God I would love to speak yeah I would love to speak your word to some people could you train me to do this and and as you're looking for opportunities you feel prompted to share a thing to even approach a person a stranger or a friend and say I'm learning to hear God's voice by by speaking when he asks me to speak it. Do you mind if I just try it with you?

The Gas Station Turnaround Story

SPEAKER_03 41:33

Yeah like it it may totally it may hit may not but can I just try it out on you I'm learning well I'll just tell you just to just to in the in in light of what you just said yeah like I would say that that happened to me in the last few months right it was a it was outside of a normal church context where this stuff sort of is like is there's a whole lot that's just understood. Right. Right and we're even asked people in the in the c in the flow of a Sunday people come to you or I and it won't be a surprise to hear something prophetic right come out of either of us. Yeah. So but this was this is exactly you know I was in a gas station right here's here's my here's my story. Here's here's the story of how this most recently worked with with Anthony uh so I was in a gas station and the person behind the counter uh felt like God highlighted that person to me. Okay. And so like a good believer I bought my stuff got in my car and drove away. Oh man I spent there so and so so here's what happened. I went and and I felt like again it was like I drove out and I just felt the conviction of God come and I drove out one driveway back in the other love it and I pulled up and I was like all right here we go and so I walked back in and I said I here's how I started hey here's uh God talks to me sometimes and I believe that God talks to me and here's the things that I felt like God had said about you and I just said what I said yeah and there were no like you know it wasn't like a salvation moment or anything but what it was was but what I was like happy about was like okay I'm actually happy that I I felt encouraged yes because I actually took a brave you know I stepped out in faith and and did that thing. And again that's a muscle but yeah here the the part of the point is is that if I do that more then those things will become easier to me. Yes that's right yeah and if we allow that space in our mind for God to speak to us and through us in those contexts right it's gonna happen more. Right. Right. And so just to just to say like I'm just like everybody else like I drove I like felt like God Was talking, wanted to say something through me, right? Allowed fear to for a point to to get me out the door into my car, start the car, put it in gear and drive out the driveway. And yet not all was lost. Yeah, not all was lost. And so there's there's moments of redemption. And so but just to say this is a this is real. This is real. And again, like I I felt like, you know, I walked away from that situation, felt feeling like, you know, hey, that was a win. I was I felt encouraged because I was obedient. I took a risk. Yeah. I felt the pleasure of God in that moment, sort of on the other side of that. Yeah. And so there was a lot of win.

SPEAKER_00 44:42

What I love about that is I don't hear any shame in you retelling that at all. Like and I just want to encourage everybody in the process. Like, like it's not about shame or God actually loving you.

SPEAKER_05 44:58

Yeah.

No Shame Just Partnership And Joy

SPEAKER_00 44:59

That that you went back, like you could have driven away that day, and God still would be loving you, and it wasn't necessary for you to take under pain. So everybody listening, like please don't hear this conversation as you know, you should be ashamed of yourself if this isn't easy for you or whatever. It's it's not about that, it's entirely about partnering with God's will being done and his kingdom coming in very ordinary situations, yeah, and his great joy over involving you by getting you to speak up about something. Yeah, and and he takes great joy in that. So we just we take great joy over you. If this is a hard thing for you to hear or even imagine yourself doing, we just say, you know, we very much understand that learning is awkward, yeah, and it means taking some risks, but it isn't at all about shame or measuring up. Yeah, it's really about you experiencing deeper joy and the joy of the Lord in your participation with him. Like how amazing it is it that you're appointed to be who you are. Yeah, God has sent you to where you live or where you're traveling, he's sending you today, and you're there to partner with him, and partnering with him is saying what he gives you to say. Totally. Like, how amazing is that? Yeah, and I just want to encourage everybody, it is amazing, and it's an adventure, and it's about God's mission being accomplished on earth as it is in heaven. It's not about you measuring up to something.

SPEAKER_03 46:31

Totally. And that that reminds me of uh just like in line with Romans 12, I think it's 12, 6, right? So is Paul's talking about a few gifts there, but it's like if you prophesy, prophesy according to your faith, right? Okay, right. So, and again, like we know you know, you can draw the line from that statement, prophesy according to your faith, to what James says about you, I'll show you my faith by my work. So when you prophesy, you prophesy, and you a demonstration of your faith is in the speaking, is in the speaking. Yeah, and so just to just to say that to encourage people, like you don't have to, and again, I have never done this, get up on a soapbox somewhere in a public forum and just start to declare. And probably I would say that may not be even be advisable, right? Unless the Lord is asking you to do it. Right. But really, the point is, is that we're all on this journey, right? We're still, we're still all of us are on this journey. I don't care who you talk to, the most spiritual person that you can come, you know, you can that you can sort of like bring to mind, right? The most, the most the the whatever champion of the faith, right? Paul, when he was writing these things, was on a journey of growing in hearing God. Right. And so I just say like, I say that there's there's no there's only one super Christian, right? And it's Jesus. And every one, every single one of us, whether you're you're new to the faith or you've been walking with the Lord for uh for like 60 years or more or whatever, or you, or you have a favorite book by A.W. Tozer or Saint Augustine or one of these, these every one of them while they were alive were in this process of growing and learning to hear the voice of God more clearly in their life. And so, so it's like if you feel like you're just beginning, way to go. Yeah, like absolutely sell like we like I just cheer you on and say, like, keep going, keep risking, keep keep taking small risks, yeah, because a small risk is better than no risk at all. Agree, right? And so just to say, like, I I think, you know, as it feels like we're we're kind of coming into a uh uh the landing of the plane here a little bit, but just just my encouragement to you is it matters like there it's and it's in it's invitational, right? It matters profoundly that you and I, you know, whoever's listening, and me and Dan, it matters eternally and profoundly that we speak aloud, yeah, right, that we declare aloud, yes, that we say things aloud. And there is a there is, you know, and I believe like ultimately as the Lord frees us along the way, that we're gonna have more and more freedom in the things that we say aloud, right? As he frees me genuinely, like I am free, but I'm becoming more and more free in that sanctification process. Yeah. So he's gonna free you, he's gonna free me to more and more step into these moments where we say things aloud, we pray aloud, we declare the word of the Lord aloud. And so just to say, keep going, hear the invitation, don't hear like it's you know, it's tough at times to both grasp the gravity of the thing that we're talking about and not feel feel like the weight of that. That's not what we're saying. And that's it is an invitation, right? It is an invitation, absolutely. It is not a it is not a you know, there's nobody's carrying a stick here. Um, but it's just like so it's the it's the profound nature of that, and that it's it's an invitation to everybody to as we surrender our lives to Jesus and Jesus works in us and through us, it's going to come out in these ways, right? There's going to be an expression of that.

Prayer Of Freedom To Speak

SPEAKER_00 50:53

And so you got me excited to honestly, yeah, makes me excited to hear more people speak up and share the word of the Lord. As you're talking about, wow, like we need a good dose of that. Yeah. So any of you, yes, we would love to hear what the Lord is saying to you. Yeah, absolutely. We welcome that. And and we're excited for any any ways that you take this up.

SPEAKER_03 51:15

Yeah, for sure. So maybe I don't know who prayed last time, but uh let me let me let me just let me maybe maybe I'll maybe I'll pray. Happy to have you do it, man. And then we can call it. So if you've made it this far, way to go. Yeah, yeah, let me let me receive a blessing. Yeah, just receive a blessing. So just Father, we come before you. And Lord, I thank you. Lord, I want to thank you, Lord. I just want to acknowledge you as the speaker, like you're the original, like you, the Jesus, you are the word, right? And so, Lord, I thank you for that. God, I thank you for what you've modeled to us about encouraging us and exhorting us, commanding us to say things aloud. Like, and so I just thank you for your word. I thank you that you are the word. And God, in this moment, Lord, I pray, Lord, for everyone listening, God, I want to say in faith, and also I just know this is true, that you're you have us on a journey. Yes, Lord, we are growing and you are excited about that, like you're happy about that. There's joy in your heart over every believer growing in the knowledge of God and becoming more like you. Yes. And so, Holy Spirit, we thank you for your work in our life. We thank you for your presence in our life. And so, God, I say in this moment, Lord, would you free us all up to declare things aloud? Lord, would you free us all up from the fear of performance? Yes, free us from uh the condemning voice, free us from like we surrender our our right to criticize ourselves. Yes. And so, Lord, I pray that you would come, Lord, Holy Spirit, would you would you free us from the lies of the enemy, from from lies that we have been believing about who we are and even our own ability to speak? God, so I just say, Lord, uh, Lord, would you would you speak value to everyone listening? The value, like eternal, would you speak the value of what who we are, who you say we are, and expand our vision, Lord, for what you can do through us, Lord, even by growing in this area of the things that we say aloud. Lord, so I pray for great grace, Lord. I bless every listener, Lord. And I just bless uh, Lord, just speak a blessing over all of us in Jesus' name. Amen.

Share The Podcast And Closing

SPEAKER_00 53:43

Amen and amen. Love it. Well, that's a wrap on this episode. It's been a privilege to have you as an honored guest as we all learn to hear God better.

SPEAKER_03 53:55

If your time with us has been encouraging and you think this conversation will be helpful to others, we would love it if you could share this podcast with the people around you. Until next time.