Saturday Open Heavens Devotional - Is God Silent?

Memorise: Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: Isaiah 59:1.

Read: Isaiah 59:1-3

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. Continue...

Some seventeen years ago, I preached a message titled: “When God Is Silent”. In that message, I said that when people think God is silent, He is actually speaking but they are not listening. God also seems to be silent when people don’t want to accept what He has to say. God seems to be silent when people have made up their minds on the kind of response they expect to get from Him without which they would not listen to Him. God is silent when a covenant with Him has been broken as it was with King Saul. Saul wanted to hear from an agent with familiar spirits and also from God. God goes silent when He sees that He is not the only counsellor or source of guidance you have. If you have prayed to know God’s mind on certain issues and it seems God is silent, turn a searchlight on yourself. When your desire stands between you and God, it may appear God is silent. His apparent silence is actually speaking to you that there is something you have to give up. When God is silent, there may be an idol in your heart as stated in Ezekiel 14:3:
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?”

When God is silent, sin may have created a barrier between you and Him according to our Bible reading of today. When God is silent, your request may be borne out of a wrong motive(James 4:3). We need to bring down the glory of God for our prayers to be answered. The descent of God’s glory brings deliverance because the Lord of the glory is strong and mighty in battle; the Lord of hosts is His name. When I was a lecturer at the University of Lagos, there was a student who urinated in the examination hall. The invigilator was embarrassed and decided to rush the boy to the campus clinic, but the boy objected and asked for his pastor to be sent for. My office phone rang and the caller briefed me on what had happened. Quickly, I got to the place and commanded the demon oppressing him to lose his hold on him in Jesus’ Name. God answered immediately and he was set free. He went to change his clothes, returned to the examination hall and finished before everybody else. The shortest way of calling God’s attention when it seems He is silent is through intense praise. God dwells in the praises of His people. God’s glory announces His Person and presence; it is a revelation of His power and awesomeness. No enemy can stand His glory. Call on Him today, listen to what He has to say and praise Him intensely.

Action Point: Think over what God has spoken to you about and see whether you have ignored some. If you have, make restitution and you will hear Him clearly for a sense of direction.

Bible in one year: Acts 18:18-20:16 and Song of Solomon 5:2-9