 Okay, good morning everyone and welcome to our class on the Minister's Foundation. Just so glad that all of you could join the class this morning. Before we begin, can we just pause for a word of prayer? So again, one of you please lead us in prayer, please, anyone? Nobody wants to pray? Can someone unmute your mics and lead us in prayer, please? Sonia, can you lead us in prayer? Sonia, Paul? Yes, Pastor. Loving Father, we come before you in the name of Jesus. We want to thank and praise you for this day, Lord. We want to thank you, Lord, for this opportunity that you've given us to come together and learn more about your word. We thank you, Lord, my God, that you are present here. We ask Holy Spirit that you enlighten our minds, Lord, and open our understanding. We thank and praise you, Lord, Pastor Selena. We thank and praise you for the gift of teaching that you have blessed her with, Lord. We pray, Lord, Holy Spirit, that you would empower her this morning for another powerful session, Lord. We thank and praise you and we commit this time into your hands. In Jesus' mighty name, we pray. Amen. Amen, amen. Thank you, Sonia, Paul. So we are looking at the guidepost, the nine guideposts that will help us to understand or discern God's plan and purpose for our lives. So we looked at three of them. The first one was, you know, a way that we can understand God's plan and purpose for our lives is through the instruction in God's word. Then we looked at how we need to recognize the seeds in our life. The third thing is the steering within. And the fourth that we began looking last week was the grace of God. So we'll continue looking at the grace of God and which enables us to understand how we can know God's calling and how we can fulfill his plan and purpose for our lives. So what is the meaning of grace? In the New Testament, grace signifies three things. What are the three things? Anyone knows? The word grace in the New Testament signifies three things. Thank you, Lucy, divine favor, divine enablement and divine... Yes, thank you, Getru. Yes. Thank you, Lucy and Getru. So the word grace in the New Testament signifies divine favor, divine enablement and divine character. And we saw that God has given every believer the grace. And to each one grace is given according to the measure of Christ's gift. And we also learned that there are different measures of the same gift. For example, if all of us, some of us are called into writing or leading worship or being leaders, each one of us are given different measures of the same gift that God has called us to. And this is not that because God chose partiality or favoritism. It's because depending on the responsibility that we have, the level of responsibility that God has called us to, to the extent he increases the measure. But we need to know that even though we all, in the same category of gifts that we have, we are given different measures, we need to understand that the measure Christ gives us is more than sufficient for us to fulfill the calling and the purpose for our lives, which means that we look at our own lives and not at other people's lives and feel jealous about them. So if you are a writer or a worship leader or basically a leader per se in whichever area, then you don't look at other leaders and jealous of them because of the level of grace that God has enabled them, has given them, but we need to just be content knowing that God has given the measure of grace that we need to fulfill the calling and the function that he has bestowed upon our lives. We also saw that even though we are one body in Christ Jesus, that we are all different members, there are many members though we are part of one body. And we also saw that all of us as members in Christ's body do not have the same function, which means all of us are not called to preach, all of us are not called to be missionaries or apostles. We have all given different, different functions in the body of Christ. Some of us are called to be preachers, some teachers, some apostles, prophets. Some of us are called to be helpers, administrators, counselors, writers, whatever. We all have different functions and we are all needed in the body of Christ. Even as we fulfill the functions together, we are interlinked and intertwined and we need each other to help run the whole body of Christ or the smooth functioning of the entire body of Christ. And the gifts that God has given us or the talents, the skills that he has given us, it helps us to fulfill the function that God has called us to. So if your function is to be a youth pastor, then maybe you have the skills or the gifts that is required to fulfill the function of ministering to teenagers or to youth or if you are called to be a pastor, then to fulfill that function, God gives you the gifts that enables you to fulfill your function as a pastor. Or if you are called to be a teacher or a chef or a pilot, then God gives you the gifts that you need to fulfill your function. Now when we say that God gives us the gifts to fulfill our function, we need to remember that our function is not just in the body of Christ but also we are called to work in this world. So we have different functions. Some of us can be teachers in schools, lecturers, chefs, doctors, engineers, whatever we are called. So we're not talking about just spiritual functions, but God has also called us to function in this world and He gives us the gifts to fulfill that function. But even as He has given us those gifts and the functions are not spiritual in nature, but yet we are called because we are part of the kingdom of God to bring in kingdom values, kingdom ethics, kingdom principles in the workplace, wherever God has placed us, whatever function that He has given us. So this is a brief background or recap of what we did last week. We'll continue on with the same guide post that is to recognize the grace of God given to you. So now you can ask this question, how do we discover the gifts that are in us? How do we know what the gifts that God has given to us? So one way we can discover our gifts is to experiment, try out things. For example, I love music, I love singing, I love worshiping God. So I tried learning the guitar, though I sing well, I tried learning the guitar, but I realized that I was not musically inclined. It took me a lot of effort and I was just not moving past. And I could just see some people who don't even go for music classes, they just take all of the guitar, just learn some chords and they just gifted in that area, just displayed. So I tried it out for more than a year and I just realized that my gifting is not in that area. So you can experiment this way, try out different things, and if your heart is in it, you really enjoy it and you're doing well, then maybe your gifting is in that area. But if you're not able to make much progress, then you can try something else. So one way you can discover your gifts is experiment, try it out. I've also seen people who say, hey, I don't think I can teach children, I'm not, you know, I don't think I can minister to children or be part of children's ministry. I always tell them, you pray about it, you sense a leading, you know, just come and try, you know, just be a co-teacher and see how it works. And you know, many of them have told me after, you know, just experimenting and trying this, and you know, we never knew that we had a gifting to teach children, a calling to teach children, and we're just enjoying it. But some of them have said, no, I tried it out and I really don't think I see myself fit. Okay. Sunny Moses, the notes are, the PDF copy of the notes are posted in the Google Classroom so you can go and click the PDF copy and you can access it over there. If you don't, I cannot access it on the Google, in the Google Classroom, you can go to apcwo.org and go to publications and English publications and you will find this book fulfilling God's purpose for your life. But if you are following, those of you are following the notes in the publication, you will notice that there is a lot of extra content that I'm giving you. So you will have to just write down those. John Blessie, can you please answer? Thank you. So a lot of what I'm saying is not there in the publication. These are extra notes that I'm giving you so you can just follow and you can make your own notes. I hope that's okay, Sunny Moses. We'll move on. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Sam Daniel. That's really helpful. I appreciate that. Yeah. So all of these things what I'm saying is extra notes that you will not find in the publications. So which you just have to write down or maybe you can access the video of this lecture, which will be posted in the Google Classroom after by the end of today or by 5 p.m. today. Okay. So we'll move on. So the first thing you can do to discover your gifts that God has given us to experiment. The second thing is sometimes God can use a prophetic word to help us find the hidden gifts that are in us. You know, in 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 6 Paul tells Timothy stir up the gifts that is in you, which is given to you by prophecy and to the laying on of hands. So sometimes a prophetic word. Sometimes people can identify or see that gives in you or God. We will also look at how God orchestrates circumstances, circumstances and situations in our life, which will help us to identify our gifts. But here we also another way that, you know, God can that we can help discover the gifts that God has placed in our lives is to a prophetic word. But we need to understand that why prophecy reveals potential. Sometimes a prophetic word can also lead us astray. Okay. So we need to be very careful. You know, if you receive a prophetic word, we just don't jump into it and dive into it and do what is required. Dive into action mode, but we pray, we wait on the Lord. We also go back to the Word of God, which is our standard and see if that is in alignment with God one wants us to do. So for example, you know, if just say Johnny, you know, gets a prophetic word from someone and says that, you know, hey, Johnny, the Lord is telling me that you're going to start or you're going to get into restaurant business. Okay. So Johnny is very excited. He gives up his job immediately. He goes to the bank. He takes a five lakh loan and he opens a restaurant and then, you know, probably, you know, one month down the line or two months down the line. He's probably the only customer and he is the only one who has to eat his own food on the menu card. Okay. So what did Johnny do wrong? Yes, he got a prophecy, but you know, the Word of God says in 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 20 and 21 that we should not despise prophecy. But test all things. So if you receive a prophetic word, it should be tested. Okay. So before Johnny could jump into restaurant business, he should have tested the prophetic word. And, you know, he should have waited for a sign from God or Holy Spirit prompting him speaking to him or the Word of God leading him to do things. Just receiving discernment and God's knowing women is God's timing, what to do, how to go about starting it. But if you don't receive any sign after you've prayed and waited on the Lord and, you know, just shelf that prophetic word for some time, which means just wait. And time will be a good test to see whether the prophetic word is a true word or not. Okay. So these are some of the things that you could do to, you know, discover the gifts. Of course, you also know the steering in your heart, the seeds that God puts in you. We will also look at another guide post, recognize the circumstances that God offers traits in your life. So even through those things, we know the gifts of God in us. Okay. Now let's look at Ephesians chapter three, verses one, seven and eight. Can somebody quickly read Ephesians chapter three, verses one, seven and eight for us, please. For this cause, I call the prisoner of Jesus Christ to point him out. If ye have heard of dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you. How that by revelation you've known unto me the mystery. Whereby when ye eat, ye may understand my knowledge in mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made unto the sons of the... Sorry to interrupt. Can you please read only verse one and verse seven and verse eight, please. Thank you. For this cause, I call the prisoner of Jesus Christ of Gentiles. Verse seven, wherefore I was made a minister according to the gift of grace of God, given unto me by the official working of his power. Verse eight, unto me who I am less than the least of saints is the grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Amen. Thank you very much. So here in Ephesians chapter three, verses one and verse seven and eight, we learn some important things. Paul says he has become a minister of Christ Jesus. So how has he become a minister? He says, according to the gift of grace of God that is given to him. Okay. That's verse seven. He says, Paul says, I became a minister and how did he become a minister? According to the gift of the grace of God given to him. So what you and I become in life, whether we become a teacher, a teacher, a pastor or businessman is determined by the gift of the grace of God given to each one of us. So Paul says, I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me and by the effective working of his power. Now we need to understand that our function and the gift of grace and the power of God are all connected, which means our function means what is God, what role or responsibility that God has called us to. There is a function of being a pastor, a teacher, a preacher, a businessman, whatever, you know, your function also corresponds to the gift of grace and to the power of God. So your function, your gift of grace and the power of God are all connected. The power of God is going to flow in and through your life when you are in the place in the function that God wants you to perform using the gifts that he has given you. So if you see that you're in a place where you're not experiencing the power of God, you're not experiencing the move of God, there is no progress, there is no growth, you're not doing well, then you need to really ask, are you in the right function? Because if you are in the right place, in the right function that God wants you to perform using the gifts that he has given to you, then the power of God will be powerfully manifested, which means you will excel, you will be the head, you will not be the tail, there will be growth, there will be progress. And of course, you know, it's not going to come very easily, there's going to be a lot of hard work and there's going to be a lot of challenges, there's going to be a lot of difficulties that is part of the calling, that is part of the function, but you will experience the power of God. But if you're not in line, you're not in the right place, you're not in your right function, you're not using the gift of grace that is given to you, you know, then the power of God will not be operative in your life, okay? So we must discover our gifts of grace because they define our function and this is the area where God's power will flow through our life to make everything effective for his kingdom and that is when, you know, life will be more meaningful and purposeful. So, you know, just giving you an example, I was sharing last week how, you know, I didn't want to be full-time in children's ministry, I wanted to do counseling with drug addicts and alcoholics, but when I realized that, you know, how God is orchestrating situations, circumstances, people in my life are opening doors of opportunity and he's given me a love for children, you know, and a burden for them and I got into the function of being a children's minister. I realized that, you know, God was just enabling me with the skills that I needed. Of course, when I was in Bible college, we never had a course about children's ministry, it never taught us how to minister to children, effective pools, child psychology, nothing, but I just see over the years how God has given me the skills, the talents, the creativity that I need to run children's program, the creative ideas, it's just a heavenly download, you know, that comes and I just see the power of God just so beautifully manifesting in and through the ministry that I am doing and I'm so grateful to God that, you know, he enabled me to be in the right place, you know, get into the right function and to use my gifts and the skills that, the gifts that he has given me and of course he aids me with the skills and the power to do what he has called me to do. Okay, we'll move on, verse 8, Paul says that he is less than the least of all the saints but the grace was given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. So what do we understand from what Paul is saying in verse 8 of the vision, chapter 3, he's saying that the grace of God is always given to you for something. Okay, so here he says it was given to him to do something and what is that something that he should preach the gospel to the Gentiles. So the area in which God has given you the grace are also the areas in which you will find God's power working effectively in your life. While God has grace and gifted every believer, you know, there are some specific offices that he gives only for a few people and that we read in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11 where we see that, you know, Christ himself appoints specific function to specific people and those specific functions are the function of an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, a pastor and a teacher, the fivefold ministry offices that Christ himself will specifically give, you know, as a function for specific people. But having said that, we need to know that God has given all of us the measure of grace. He's also gifted each and every believer. He's also given us specific functions. He's also given us functions in the body of Christ, but there are specific offices or specific functions that God has given to a few people and those are the fivefold ministry offices that of an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and a teacher. So just to sum up this whole guide post on recognize the grace of God given to us. So all that you've been saying thus far is that we need to recognize the grace of God given to us. Your gift of grace reveals God's potential and his purpose for your life. The way that you are designed reveals what you were designed for and God's gift of grace needs to be nurtured, developed and used to fulfill his purpose. Now we need to remember that, you know, because God has given us grace in certain areas, it doesn't mean that life is going to be one whole happy joyride, a wonderful journey where we can just sit back and just press the grace button. No, look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 10. Can somebody read that please? 1 Corinthians 15 verse 10. Sorry, yes, go ahead. But by the grace of God, I am what I am and his grace towards me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Amen. Thank you. So here we see that, you know, Paul says he is what he is because of the grace of God and he says that even though he has the grace of God, what has he done? He says he has labored more abundantly than anybody or everybody. Okay. So he says the grace of God was abundant in his life, but even though the grace of God is abundant in his life, he had to labor more abundantly than they all. And he says yet not I, but the grace of God that is given to me. Okay. So what do we learn from this? Is there are going to be times when, you know, even though God has called us for a specific ministry office or a specific function, the experience, greater measure of grace, we have the gifts, the skill. You know, it's also times when we have to sweat it out. There are times when we have to, you know, press through some difficult times. There are times when we've got to make some sacrifices. There are times when you might have to shed some tears. It's going to be difficult. There are times when you have to work harder and longer than other people and you've got to labor harder. But, you know, the empowerment that God, but, you know, God empowers you to labor to work hard and he gives you the grace. Paul says he labored even by the empowering of God. So God, which means God empowers us to labor to work hard. Okay. So God does not just want us to sit back, you know, enjoy the whole ride and just press the grace button. No. It says Paul says, you know, he labored even by the empowering of God. That means God empowers us to labor to work hard. So don't be afraid to work hard. Don't be afraid of hard work. You need to put in hard work and maximize the grace of God that is given to you. Okay. So that is the last point about grace plus work. So this is about the guidepost on recognizing the grace of God given to you. Any questions on this before we move on to the next guidepost? Something. Yes. Get rude. You know, I had a children's ministry. I had a word of God prophesied and it was confirmed. And I had it for like five, six years. And then there was so many, so many problems in management and I couldn't travel personally. And then I stopped it. That means I didn't follow God's instructions. Thank you. Get rude. It's not that you did not follow God's instructions. There are seasons in our life that God takes us through. We look at that one of the guideposts is recognizing the times and seasons. So you need to recognize it, you know, that is the season that God wants you to be there. That is what God wants you to do, continue doing. Sometimes you can understand. We will look at it. You know, we need to pray and ask God, God, is this the right season of life? This is the right place that I'm, that you want me to be here in this season of life. What is the next season of life? Prepare me for the next season of life. So maybe God wants, you know, to move you to some other children's ministry, some other area where they require your expertise. They require your skills. They require your talent. And you have done sufficient work here, maybe five years. Then you, when you understand that God is going to move you, you understand times and seasons. Then, you know, God will enable you to raise up a leader, to, you know, to raise up other people who can take care of the work that you have begun here, so that God can take you and move you to another place where, you know, God requires your skills, your talents, your expertise, your abilities, so that he can enhance or further the progress in some other place or, you know, start a new work. So I've seen that as a pattern in my life as well when, you know, before I joined APC and took over the school outreach ministry, you know, I was in a previous place where I was doing children's ministry and I had to move out of that place. But, you know, God raised up leaders. We had written the curriculum. We had established the work and, you know, it was, it was in good hands. And so I could move out and the work that we started still continues even today. And now I'm here in this place, you know, doing Catalyst. And I'm also praying and saying, God, I've been here for a good number of years. What is the season of life I am in? What is the next season of life? What are you preparing me? You know, and God is showing me things. He's helping me to see things, discern things. So I'm working towards that. I'm praying towards that and then preparing towards that. So I think it's important for you to do that as well. Thank you. Thank you, sister. Thank you. Yes. Anyone else has any questions? Okay. If there are no questions, then we move on to the next guidepost. The next guidepost is to recognize the leading of God's spirit, leading of the Holy Spirit. Another way that God communicates his plan and purpose to us is by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit reveals the plans and the purposes of God to us. Let's read Romans chapter 8 verses 14 through 16. Romans chapter 8 verses 14 to 16. Can somebody read that, please? Please, our sons have died. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, above Father. The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Amen. Thank you. So here we see, you know, that as sons of God, as God's children, we have the privilege of being led by the spirit. The Holy Spirit will lead us. He will direct us. He will show us the way that we are supposed to go. And what 16 says, the spirit himself bears witness with our spirit. So the Holy Spirit will bear witness with your spirit in your inner being. In your spirit, man, the Holy Spirit will bear witness, which means he's going to testify or he's going to speak. He's going to testify about the truth. He's going to tell you, hey, this is right. This is wrong. This is what you should be doing. This is not what you should be doing. So he will bear witness in your spirit, man. So the Holy Spirit is going to bear witness in your spirit. And that way he's going to lead you into the plan of God. Okay. So in John chapter 16 verses that into 15, we see that, you know, when the spirit of truth has come, he will guide us into all truth, but he will not speak on his own authority. But whatever he speaks, you know, it says the Holy Spirit, we will hear the Holy Spirit speaking to us. So the Holy Spirit is going to speak to us. Okay. As we read in John chapter 16 verses 13 to 15. So can somebody read that please? John chapter 16 verses 13 to 15. When he, the spirit of truth has come, he will guide you in all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak. And he will tell you the things to come. He will glorify me, for he will take off what is mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father are our mind. Therefore, I said that he will take off mine and declare it to you. Amen. So Vivek Nanda says, is there any difference between spirit and the Holy Spirit of God? Yes. So, you know, sorry, not Vivek, Vicky. So Vicky, you know, in scripture we see wherever there is a small s, for the word spirit, it's referring to the spirit of man. So if you see a small s it's referring in the scripture, it's referring to the spirit of man. But wherever you see a capital s for spirit, it's referring to the Holy Spirit. So there are some places where the Holy Spirit is mentioned. There are some places where the spirit of God is mentioned, with a capital S which is referring to the Holy Spirit. spirit. And there are there are some places in scripture where there is just a spirit is mentioned with if it's a capital S it is referring to the Holy Spirit. And if it's a small S then it is referring to the human spirit. Okay, does that help? Does that help Vicky? Okay, so we read in John chapter 16 verses 13 to 15 that the Holy Spirit is going to speak and who is the Holy Spirit going to speak is going to speak to you and me. So when you know God reveals his plan and his purposes for us or we can say it in this way for us as human beings to understand when God speaks his plans and purposes about our lives the Holy Spirit hears it and the Holy Spirit is going to speak it to you and me which means the Holy Spirit is going to reveal the plan and purposes of God to you and to me. And we read in John chapter 16 it says you know he will the Holy Spirit will tell you things he will show you things ahead of time. Isn't that wonderful? So you might be in one season of your life now but the Holy Spirit is willing or God is willing to reveal to you what is going to happen in the next season of your life and why does God want to reveal what is going to happen in the next season of your life so that you can be prepared, you can plan you know mentally, physically, emotionally be prepared for the next season of your life. Okay, so the Holy Spirit you know he will tell you he will show you things ahead of time and how is he going to do it he's going to bear witness in your spirit man. Now for example you know just take for example the Holy Spirit bears witness in you that you just sense in your spirit that you just hear or you just sense it's just an impression you know that there's going to be a change coming in your life in 2024. I'm just giving you an example and not prophesying over all of us okay. So you know the Holy Spirit just bears witness in your spirit and saying hey there's going to be a change coming in your life and you just feel this okay and then you're not very sure about it so you begin praying about it and then you ask God and God tell me what is this change that I'm just sensing in my spirit man what is it and as you begin to pray the Holy Spirit will clarify and you say and the Holy Spirit will say you know you're going to get a new job and in the new job it's going to involve a lot of traveling okay so here the Holy Spirit is telling you just minimal things but specific things he says you're going to get a new job and the new job entails you for a lot of traveling so you know he's telling you ahead of time what is happening when it happens so you're going to prepare mentally emotionally be prepared get things ready think about your family your wife your children and lo and behold 2024 comes and you find yourself you know into a new job and you know just a week into a new job your boss calls you and says hey you know I wanted to travel to such and such a place and your work job entails you to do a little bit more of traveling so you're okay with it and then you're in a spirit man you're saying oh thank you God thank you for preparing me for this thank you for you know head of time enable me to you know prepare emotionally mentally for this new job and you're excited and you tell your boss yes and you're just flourishing in your new job so you know the Holy Spirit will tell you ahead of time because he wants you to prepare you for the next season of life so if some of you are bachelors you know studying he'll prepare you for what is your next season of life you know what job you need to take or marriage or family or you know if you're going to have children you know or if God is asking you to move out of your secular job getting into ministry he's going to prepare you it's not going to be all of a sudden you know but God prepares us we will look at how you know God takes us to the preparation process so you know he would the Holy Spirit would reveal things ahead of time he will show you things so that he can get you ready for the plan and purposes of God but what should we do we need to listen we need to inquire of God in ask God and we need to listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling us okay now how many of you listen to Radio City this morning anyone here listen to Radio City this morning some of you saying no ways I don't listen to Radio City okay so none of you listen to Radio City this morning but did you did you know that thank you you know but did you know that Radio City was on all the time yeah the only thing you didn't do was you didn't tune into Radio City but Radio City is is online all the time right the same thing you know the Holy Spirit is trying to bear witness with your spirit but we need to tune in you know to want to listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling us so the Holy Spirit is ready to reveal the plan and the purposes of God for our lives but we need to tune in we need to be willing to hear and to listen what God is telling us to do okay so you need to tune in and you need to say or we need to tune in and we need to say God what are you saying what are you saying about my life what are you saying about the direction in my life you know you can also ask God saying God is everything okay in my life am I doing what you want me to be doing you you know do you want to bring about any change in my life and even as you ask all of these questions it's good to ask God you know time and again sometimes you're wondering what to pray in our prayer times you can pray all of these things say God show me what is the seed in my life what is the gift the grace that you've given me what's the function that you've called me to so you have so many points to pray for I'm teaching you also some of the prayer points what to pray so you can also ask God you know but what are you saying about my life what this where are you leading me what's the direction in my life you know God is everything okay in my life is there something that you want to change or there's some change that you want to bring about and then even as you ask God these questions you know listen you know and even as God reveals it we need to obey and prepare ourselves and get ready to do what you know the Holy Spirit is leading us speaking to us and showing us things to come okay let's look at for more insights to gain more insights let's look at 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verses 9 and 10 can somebody read that please 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9 and 10 but as it is written I has not seen nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him but God revealed them to us through his spirit for the spirit searches all things yes the deep things of God Amen thank you so God has these wonderful great things that he's prepared for you and me and the Bible says he reveals them to us and how does he reveal them to us he reveals them to us by his spirit so sometimes the leading of the spirit you know is something that we can not fully understand and you know it's not something that we can explain to others so somebody says how did you know that you know God was telling you that you're going to there's going to be a change you know you're going to get into a new job there's going to be involved it's going to involve traveling and you're saying you know I really don't know but I just sense in my spirit I can I can just and you know I just knew in my spirit and I was and I knew for sure so you know how can you know we discern when the Holy Spirit is you know bearing inner witness with our spirit sometimes it's not fully understandable like Jesus says in John chapter 3 verse 8 the wind blows where it wishes to hear the sound of it but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going okay so you know you can feel the wind blowing on your face your head or moving you or pushing you can feel the force of wind but you cannot say where the wind is coming from and where it is going so you cannot explain the dynamics of how the wind you know is going or everything about the wind you just know it's it's blowing and you know it's the wind so many times the leading of the Holy Spirit it's like that what I mean is you know you sense it you feel it but you can't explain everything about it you know so when somebody asks you how did you know the Holy Spirit is speaking to you what were you feeling so you just say sorry you know I can't explain it but I just know that the Holy Spirit is bearing witness inside me I can't explain it but I know it is there okay so we can't explain everything but we just know we sense and we know for sure that it is the Holy Spirit leading us and guiding us now how does the Holy Spirit speak to us there are a few things here and we will also look at it and study about it in detail when we look at the next publication you know receiving God's guidance so one way the Holy Spirit speaks to us is he bears witness in us spirit man okay we can just there's a deep in in a impression we can just feel the strong deep inner impression in our hearts something inside us is telling us the Holy Spirit saying do this don't do that this is right that is wrong okay and sometimes if you don't expect you're praying about something and you don't experience an inner witness the Holy Spirit which means the Holy Spirit is basically trying to say hey there is no change there is no change as of now that God wants to reveal about your next season whatever you're doing just be faithful just grow just progress so your you know some of you might be saying you know I learned I need to go and ask the Holy Spirit what's the next season and I'm not getting anything I'm not sensing anything there is no inner a witness what should I do so sometimes there will be no inner witness because and we need to realize that you know the Holy God wants us to be in this place or in this specific function for some more time when the right time is come he will reveal us what is the next season and he will move us and prepare us for the next season okay but if there is a inner witness the Holy Spirit telling you something to do then you need to obey it and do what he says sometimes there can be a discomfort inside you when you're praying about something which means it's a warning sign don't go there don't jump into that that's not the right relationship that's not a good business partner that's not a right person to take on your team or that's not the right place to go or that's not a specific right function that God wants you to get into or the right job so when you experience you know discomfort when you experience no peace then it's a warning sign that you need to take okay then secondly there's a quickening of the word of God so you know when you're reading scriptures you know sometimes God speaks to us not sometimes most of the times he speaks to us the scriptures or you know scripture passages or words or phrases can just sleep out of the pages of our Bible so to say it can be a rebar word that just comes into our spirit it begins our spirit and God is instructing us to the scripture he's guiding us the scripture to do something or he's telling you what is right and wrong the third thing is you know the Holy Spirit reveals God's plan and purposes to ideas impressions pictures dreams and visions we already saw this the life of Joseph also you know just two pictures and dreams and visions the Holy Spirit can reveal the plans and purposes of God we look at we study all of this in detail in the next publication okay so the Holy Spirit speaks to us in several ways and sometimes you know it can also come to prophetic words but we need to you know even as the Holy Spirit speaks to us in different ways we just need to be sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is asking us and leading us and guiding us okay we'll stop here it's time for a break and we'll come back after the break thank you everyone see you after the break