Believers: Does Jesus Personally Talk to You?

by leavingwt 55 Replies latest jw friends

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  leavingwt

  Some of my Christian co-workers have related to me how Jesus has spoken to them. One of the comments that I remember specifically, was this:

  "Jesus put it on my heart to [take a certain course of action]. . ."

  The insinuation in some of these comments is that Jesus had communicated with them directly/personally. It was something beyond a general Bible message from a reading of Scripture.

  I'm not asking anyone, so as to offer criticsm, nor would I like critical participation from non-believers. I'm interested in your personal experience in this regard.

  What has been your experience?
• 

  HappyGuy

  Jesus talks to my dog and my dog tells me what Jesus said.
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  leavingwt

  HG,

  I'll put you down as, "No."

  -LWT
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  snowbird

  I've never heard Him speak; I just felt His Presence on one occasion.

  Sylvia
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  leavingwt

  Sylvia -- Thank you. That must have been heartwarming and awe-inspiring.
• 

  Chalam

  Hi LWT,

  Indeed! Jesus talks in various ways, through situations, through people, godly and ungodly. Also, He has spoken to me through movies, music, books, Christian and secular. Also, quite often I hear from Him when I get out into creation, in the garden etc. What is important is that God talks through His Son, the Spirit of Christ.

  Here's some passages to get you in the swing :)

  Hebrews 1:1-3 (New International Version)

  1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

  John 14:15-26 (New International Version)

  15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

  22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"

  23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

  25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

  1 Corinthians 2:14 (New International Version)

  14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

  Romans 8:8-11 (New International Version)

  8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

  9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

  Acts 10:18-20 (New International Version)

  18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

  19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."

  Acts 13:1-3 (New International Version)

  1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

  Acts 8:29-30 (New International Version)

  29 The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."

  30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.

  Blessings,

  Stephen
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  snowbird

  It was the most reassuring experience I've ever had!

  Sylvia
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  leavingwt

  Stephen -- Thank you. Indeed, it sounds as if you have regular, meaningful conversations with him.
• 

  fluke

  I've wanted it many times...

  But alas, no I have never had the privelidge...

  A friend of mine has had him talk to her, she is NOT xtian and will never claim to be, though her account makes absolute sense, she considers herself a 'lightworker' in essense...

  I belive that the Jesus that is 'real' is a lot different to the Jesus from the 'bible' that was put together by Constintine to control the masses in the roman take over...
• 

  Chalam

  Hello LWT,

  Well, I do hear from Him for sure. I believe He talks to everyone.

  To honest, I am not listening half the time, too busy with my own thing :(

  Sometimes He raises the volume, the intensity so to speak.

  I had that on one or two occasions in a dramatic way when I was away from the Lord.

  Most of the time He is pointing me in the right direction, encouraging me, teaching me, just like the perfect Father He is.

  "Jesus put it on my heart to [take a certain course of action]. . ."

  Indeed, I agree, the Holy Spirit can speak quite often in this way.

  I remember a few years ago when I came to faith not being sensitive to those things "put in my heart". I had spent 20 years makes sure I didn't listen to those things so it was hard for me!

  One thing was to take a printer back I had taken from a place I used to work at. The feeling would come back, time and time again. We were having a talk about "legalism" one night at the house group and one dude shared his story. When he became a Christian he said he had a load of stolen stuff in his room, road signs, all kinds of paraphernalia. He would turn up at a place and say "this is yours" and make a hasty retreat. I still didn't take the hint from the Spirit. I had no peace with that printer until it finally broke down and I threw it out.

  Another situation, I felt I shouldn't get a Christian book The Fall of Lucifer (Chronicles of Brothers), "it's not for you" was the message. I went ahead and bought the book after much debate in my mind, had God really spoken to me about not buying it? Anyhow, I never got past the first chapter. I now understand why the book wasn't for me. I feel I have the green light on reading it now, it just wouldn't have done me any favours back then.

  Another great way to hear from the Lord is through His people, especially those with the gifts of the Spirit, words of knowledge, visions, dreams etc. Ask your Christian friends if then have the gifts of the Spirit 1 Corinthians 12 1 Corinthians 14 If you get any "words" you will need to weight them up. Often as not those words only are confirmation for things you have already sensed spiritually.

  Anyhow, you are going to have to get born of the Spirit to get in regular communication

  John 3:5-8 (Contemporary English Version)

  5 Jesus answered:

  I tell you for certain that before you can get into God's kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit. 6 Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God. 7 Don't be surprised when I say that you must be born from above. 8 Only God's Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants to. You can hear the wind, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going.

  Well I have probably overloaded you already, my apologies in advance!

  Blessings,

  Stephen