Adventures in Hearing God’s voice

Adventures in hearing God’s voice

We reached Pouk around 10am that morning. As soon as we had unloaded our stuff from the tuk-tuk, I had a quick word with the director of the English school that we were staying with about our meals, and we grouped up as a team to pray. This was our short outreach, and we planned to be in Pouk for only 5 days. We were there with the students to give them an opportunity to practice what they had been learning for the past 4 weeks in the DTS (Discipleship Training School). I had taught a week on hearing God’s voice, and I was anxious for them to begin practicing. So with nothing on our agenda except to ask God what His heart for the area was, we began to pray and more importantly, we began to listen. Usually, when students arrive they are so sure that they cannot hear God’s voice. I love to just sit back and watch God reveal how much He loves to speak to them…especially when it comes to His heart for the lost.

It’s not fancy, it’s not magic, it’s simply being in a relationship where sometimes we talk, and sometimes we listen. So many people I meet have never even thought that God would speak back to us when we pray. Well, He does, but it’s our choice if we listen or not.

At first, no one wants to go first and share what they think God has said to them. It’s almost too easy. They think, “That couldn’t be God.” After each student gives me the same, “I am not going to be the first one to sound stupid” look, I put a little pressure on. “Ok, guys, I don’t care how dumb it sounds, I want you to share what you heard, even if you don’t fully understand what it means.” I started with Chanty, “What did you hear?” “Ummmmmm…I saw a picture of a house,” she replied and began to describe in detail a house with a bamboo railing upstairs, and what the roof looked like. “I don’t know what it means though.” Next to share was a student who heard, “plant rice.” Another student heard that we were to help an old lady. I just listened and wrote each thing down. When I felt we had all the words God wanted to speak to us, I sent them out to walk and pray over the area. I stayed behind to cook lunch, and an hour later my team came bursting in the doorway! “We found her! We found the old lady! We found the house! We’re going to help her plant rice!” Amazed, I inquired what had happened. “We walked far out into the village and saw the house first, exactly as Chanty had described it. The old lady was there, her husband had left her, and she was raising her 4 children by herself. We asked her if there was anything we could do to help her, and she asked us if we could help her plant the rest of her rice that afternoon.” Even more fun than the opportunity to serve this lovely woman was that each student knew God’s heart for her, that God knew her struggles, that God described her to us. I’ve never seen people so excited to go do hard labor for free.

Planting rice…not for the faint of heart.

The mud was ankle deep, the stagnant water, hotter than a bathtub, the girls were scared the water had leeches. It was the heat of the day when we started. Only Chanty had done it before and had to teach the rest of us the correct method. We were quick to catch on though, and planted with such joy, while Chanty shared why we came to Pouk village. She shared with the old woman and her 3 friends as we all planted together how only the love of God could compel us to be out there. 3 eternal hours later, we finished the field. The fact that none of us passed out in the heat, is a miracle, as well as never getting attacked by leeches.

We planted the whole field on the left

It was not comfortable, but it was worth it to meet those women where they were at. I was so challenged by how God had asked us to get uncomfortable. Maybe that’s why we don’t always like to listen to what God is saying. It may get uncomfortable, but I am convinced that God will do what it takes to make Himself known if we say “yes” to being used.

I could see the students were learning not just about hearing God’s voice, but how to live life together with God. We are not just working for Him, but we’re working with Him.

Love can look like…planting rice

The next day of the outreach was quite similar, and yet very memorable as well. When the students met to pray and ask God what to do, a student saw another house. Another student heard the word “party,” and another wanted to bring buy some fruit to give away. They went out, while I stayed and cooked again. They came back beaming once again! We found it! It was just like the words and pictures we saw! They had gone to a different area of the village where they saw the house in the picture. They had already bought a bunch of fruit to give away, and immediately knew to bring it to the house. When they arrived they met a group of people gathered for a rest during the heat of the day. The fruit was well received, as was the message the team brought with them. They shared their own stories of meeting God, hearing God’s voice leading them to their house that day.

One lady they met wasn’t able to walk for the pain in her legs, so the students asked if they could pray for her. “Yes,” replied her open heart, and she was healed. She walked home that day, and all the people at the house declared that they wanted to follow Jesus.

“I will not die but LIVE, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.”    Psalm 118:17

• Posted in: Uncategorized
• Tagged: Cambodia, DTS, God's Heart, Healing, Hearing God's Voice, Jesus, Loving the poor, Miracles, Missionary, Missions, Serving God, Siem Reap, Visions, YWAM