13 Jan Drawing Near to God #6

Drawing Near God Overview

In this powerful message from the ‘Drawing Near to God’ series, Pastor teaches how to distinguish God’s voice from the countless other voices competing for our attention. Drawing from James 4:7-10 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, he explains that everything is created from voices – including the voice of God – and believers must learn to hear His voice above all others. The sermon addresses spiritual strongholds that act like military fortresses in our minds, echoing negative thoughts repeatedly until they weaken our faith. Using military analogies and personal experiences from the Vietnam War era, the pastor emphasizes that Christians must prepare mentally and spiritually for life’s battles. He explains that drawing near to God involves more than worship and church attendance – it requires actively taking captive every thought and allowing God to separate light from darkness in our lives. The message provides practical steps for overcoming mental warfare through meditation on God’s word, stepping out of life’s chaos to focus on Him, and remembering His goodness and faithfulness.

Drawing Near God Outline

• 0:00 – Introduction: The Blessing of Review: Opening thoughts on revisiting the ‘Drawing Near to God’ series and the importance of meditation.
• 2:30 – Preparing for Difficult Times: Discussion of world corruption and the need for spiritual preparation using military analogies.
• 5:45 – Setting Our Minds on Heavenly Things: Teaching from Colossians 3 about focusing attention on things above.
• 8:20 – Drawing Near Through Humility: Exposition of James 4:7-10 about humbling ourselves and God drawing near.
• 12:15 – The Power of Voices and Words: Explaining how everything is created from voices and the importance of distinguishing God’s voice.
• 18:30 – Faith Comes by Hearing: Teaching on Romans 10:17 and the necessity of hearing God’s word consistently.
• 22:45 – Be Still and Know: Exposition of Psalm 46:10 about stepping out of life’s traffic to hear God.
• 28:10 – Pulling Down Spiritual Strongholds: Detailed teaching on 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 and overcoming mental fortresses.

Scripture References

James 4:7-10, Colossians 3:1-3, Romans 10:17, Psalm 46:10, 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, John 1:1-3, John 10:1

Key Takeaways

• Christian meditation involves repeatedly washing ourselves with God’s word, unlike Eastern meditation that seeks emptiness.
• Everyone has a breaking point, but we can prepare spiritually just as soldiers prepare mentally for battle.
• We must learn to distinguish God’s voice from all other voices competing for our attention, including our own thoughts.
• Spiritual strongholds are like military fortresses that echo negative thoughts repeatedly until dealt with through God’s weapons.
• Drawing near to God requires humility – when we humble ourselves, He lifts us up and draws near to us.
• Faith comes by hearing God’s word consistently, which means we must be diligent to keep our focus on His voice.
• God still separates light from darkness in our lives today, just as He did in creation.

Drawing Near God Notes

This sermon powerfully addresses one of the most critical challenges facing believers today: learning to hear God’s voice above the cacophony of competing voices in our world. The pastor opens with a profound truth about biblical meditation, contrasting it with Eastern practices by explaining that Christian meditation involves repeatedly bathing ourselves in God’s word rather than emptying our minds.The military analogies throughout this message are particularly striking and relevant. Drawing from his personal experience during the Vietnam War era, the pastor explains how soldiers who weren’t properly prepared mentally suffered devastating consequences. This preparation principle applies directly to our spiritual lives – we must prepare our minds to handle life’s battles by drawing close to God before crisis hits.The teaching on voices is revolutionary in its simplicity yet profound in its implications. Since God created everything through His word (John 1:1-3), everything has a voice – our jobs, possessions, circumstances, even our own thoughts. The pastor illustrates this with everyday examples like a rattling car or the latest technology calling out to us. Learning to distinguish God’s voice from these competing voices becomes a matter of spiritual survival.The exposition of James 4:7-10 reveals the divine exchange at the heart of drawing near to God. When we humble ourselves, He lifts us up. When we draw near to Him, He draws near to us. This isn’t merely positional but practical – it affects how we hear and respond to life’s challenges, including medical diagnoses or financial pressures.Perhaps the most powerful section deals with spiritual strongholds from 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. The pastor explains that the Greek word ‘ochuroma’ describes military fortresses with guard posts that communicate constantly with each other. These strongholds in our minds work similarly, creating echo chambers where negative thoughts repeat endlessly, weakening our faith and spiritual strength. The weapons to destroy these strongholds aren’t natural but supernatural – mighty through God.The teaching on Psalm 46:10 provides practical steps for hearing God clearly. ‘Be still and know that I am God’ means stepping out of life’s frantic pace to focus entirely on Him. The Message translation’s phrase ‘step out of the traffic’ paints a vivid picture of deliberately removing ourselves from chaos to receive His perspective. This requires intentional effort – like a live fish swimming upstream rather than floating with the current.The sermon concludes with the profound truth that God is still separating light from darkness in our lives, just as He did in creation. This isn’t something we accomplish through willpower but something He does as we yield to His process of transformation, preparing us as a pure bride for Christ.

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