Frustration Trying to Hear God's Voice and Use Vision

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lisa Shuey on December 29, 2010 at 10:37am

Bradley, I am a very right-brained individual, but I am married to a pure left-brained engineer.  He has had a much more difficult time grasping these concepts and experiences.  I am sure that each of us has a very unique and individualized experience.  I am not claiming to be an expert in these things.  I just know what I have experienced.  I realized that I had been hearing God for years, but had not realized that.  For me, it was simply a paradigm shift of perspective.  I was looking for something specific and was ignoring what already existed.  Reading a variety of books and changing churches made a huge difference as well.  We went to a church that did not support this type of experience on this level.  We started going to a church where others regularly experienced this and were role-models and supporters as I took my journey.  Much of my husband's journey has been piggy-backed on mine.  It has taken him significantly longer to to recognize when the Spirit is talking to him.  He tries too hard.  He expects something literal and tangible, and it is often a gentle impression, like a feather floating down and landing gently in your mind.  For me, I sometimes feel as if I am being "wooed."  Then, when I settle down and spend time with Him, knowledge or impressions gently unfold.  Sometimes in prayer.  Sometimes in scripture.  Sometimes it happens days later as I drive down the road, thinking of something else.  I know I have a journey ahead of me.  I am just at the beginning.  Perhaps you need to give yourself permission to take the process one baby-step at a time.  Maybe God wants you to fully realize and experience your "weakness." Only in your weakness can  He exert His strength and control.  As I have to tell my husband, "You have GOT to let go."  Yet, that is the very thing he cannot figure out how to do. God has not abandoned you, and He sees your effort.  HE has a plan and he is perfecting you through it.    A BIG part of the process is learning to YIELD.  I had to be assigned to "Be still" at least half an hour a day.  No music.  No prayer.  No thought.  Just quiet waiting for what God had to say.  I found it to be nearly impossible to quiet my mind.  But that is what it took to finally hear that still, small voice.  Do not give up on God and your faith.  Faith is a muscle that must be exercised.  Your's is being strengthened right now.  Be courageous!  For Him, Lisa

Permalink Reply by Bradley Sanders on December 29, 2010 at 5:40pm

Thank you for that insight Lisa I will try to use your advise as best I can. Did you have any advice on actually visualizing Jesus and seeing Him with the eyes of your heart. I gave a brief description of what I understand the experience to be like but maybe you could tell me if its different since your more right-brained. What recommendations do you have so I can finally see myself standing in the presence of our Holy Lord and Best Friend?

Permalink Reply by Lisa Shuey on December 30, 2010 at 3:52am

Bradley, 

The funny thing about me is that I experience EVERYTHING visually.  When I sing a solo, I am seeing the music in my mind's eye, literally reading the words and notes and seeing the pages turn.  I dream vividly.  When I see something that is a beautiful part of creation (a flower, a rainbow, a baby), I am instantly overwhelmed by the visual sensory stimulation.  I cannot remember numbers well.  I cannot remember road names or even peoples' names.  But, I literally never forget a face, and I never forget the way to someone's house.  Once I have been there, I have a visual memory, regardless of road names.  As strange as it may sound, when I see something that is supposed to be part of a matched set, yet is mismatched, it is physically painful for me. 

So, perhaps, on a very basic level, you need to practice being visual.  I used to day dream the majority of my teen years.  I could paint vast landscapes in my mind.  I designed houses and filled them with items, all in my mind.  For you to begin, just Imagine how basic items look...not so much for the function, but for the beauty.  This is a difference between  my husband and I.  When he enters a room, he does not see it, unless he needs to.  He sees the function of a room...a chair for sitting, a bed for sleeping, a table for eating, a desk for working.  I do not see the function alone.  I see the beauty of each individual piece in the room and how it fits into the visual picture.  Is the room in harmony?  Is it comfortable and inviting?  Is there balance?  Is there contrast?  I also have powerful memory involves my other senses.  The smell of crayons and playdoh sends me straight back to childhood.  Listening to orchestral music can move me to tears as it puts me in another place and time. So perhaps you need to practice using your senses.  If you have never been visual, it may simply be that you need some practice.  

 

Permalink Reply by Bradley Sanders on December 29, 2010 at 5:43pm

Lisa I would like to ask you to pray for me and see if God might give you revelation on what might be slowing me or blocking me from hearing His voice. Thanks and God Bless.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Shuey on December 30, 2010 at 4:08am

Okay, as to this part of your question.  God often wakes me in the middle of the night for revelation, and here I am at 3 AM.  When I prayed specifically for you, in regards to what may be blocking you, I got an immediate response.  I saw the word "SIN" in bold letters.  Well, that can be a pretty broad label, and I asked for something more specific.  Then I felt that the sin related to the issue of forgiveness.  Although it could be related to someone else, either you needing to give forgiveness or be forgiven, it feels as if you need to accept forgiveness for what you hold against yourself.  It feels important to tell you that God has made you the way that you are.  You are left-brained for a reason.  There are plenty of biblical characters who were far more left-brained than right-brained.  There is a place and purpose for us all.  It almost seems as if you have cursed yourself...asking yourself, "What is wrong with me?  Why can't I do this?  I am a failure.  If I were really a believer, I could do this."  And so on.  It is as if you sit in judgement of yourself.  The Holy Spirit is waiting on you to accept who you are, just as you are.  You will have unique visions when you deal with these issues.  It may not be as you expect.   But I think you will be surprised.  Praying for you.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Bradley Sanders on December 30, 2010 at 4:36am

I am so thankful that God has given me the opportunity to speak to someone like you.  I have tried praying to God to repent of any hidden sin I subconciously have not forgiven myself for or havent asked for forgiveness.  I asked to cleansed of this through the blood of Christ and that I accept God's forgiveness, forgive myself, and forgive anyone I had a grudge against.  Is this feeling that I'm cursing myself a revelation or just a thought that crossed your mind?  I'm sorry to bother you with this, but I need to know what I need to forgive or be forgiven for so that I can forgive myself.  If I am asking to much I understand or maybe I am not approaching God in the right way.  I'm not sure.  All I can tell is that because of you I just feel that I am so close to gaining everything I have been seeking and I'm just coming up short of it.  Thanks so much for all your doing for me.  Besides helping me have a relationship with God, your an example of all the goodness God will send me if I need it.  God Bless you.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Shuey on December 30, 2010 at 10:58pm

The part about cursing yourself was just a thought that crossed my mind.  In another book I have been studying, "Deep Wounds, Deep Healing" by Dr. Charles Kraft, and in the Elijah House materials, there is information about judgements and curses and bitter roots.  All of this information had been a bit overwhelming for me, but, lately, I feel that it has become much more clear. Because of what I have been studying,  I am curious if this might be a judgement that you formed of yourself deep in your childhood.  Often times, when we are very young children, someone in a position of influence (a parent, another relative, an older sibling, a teacher, etc.) may make a comment off the cuff, not meaning much by it.  But, in our impressionable, young mind, that comment may take root and remain there for the rest of our lives.  For instance, I wonder if someone in your past said something like this to you:  "Bradley, you just have no imagination.  Bradley, why can't you be creative?  Bradley, I am disappointed in this picture you drew."  Does this ring a bell in your memory??  Then, as a child who knew no better, you believed that adult.  This idea took root deep inside you.  You formed a judgement against yourself.  You believed you could never be creative.  You had no imagination.  You would never be able to  express yourself, etc.  This became a judgement, or, in other words, a self-made-curse. 

Permalink Reply by Lisa Shuey on December 30, 2010 at 11:05pm

Okay, I had to move to a new box because the other one kept bumping me out!!  Please allow me to continue. Without meaning to, you stopped believing you could be creative or imaginative.  You have lived comfortably in your left-brained, logical, literal world...until now.  So, how do you fix this?  If this IS the case for you, you need to go back and give that younger version of Bradley permission to be a creative and imaginative (even visual) person.  You need to forgive whoever made that limiting comment to you.  You need to see that Jesus never, ever held that judgement against you and recognized the real you. You need to forgive yourself for believing that lie from the evil one.  And then you need to recognize that you may have been missing out on a huge part of your real self, a part that may have been repressed and hidden, afraid of criticism or mockery.  This may very well be your block.  Once you have done these things, you may find total freedom to explore this newly uncovered part of yourself.  I will continue to listen to the Spirit on your behalf.

Permalink Reply by ANTHONY MACKLIN on December 29, 2010 at 8:15pm

Hello Mr.Sander have try working with a spiritual personal trainer,they will work with u for three months perhaps this can help u to overcome some of the blocks u r facing  i was face with the same problem having a personal trainer can make a big different in helping u to achieve your goals, contact the school and set yourself up with a trainer. i believe u want regret it have a bless 2011 n hearing the voice of God.

Permalink Reply by Emma Beatrice Roberts on January 1, 2011 at 3:43pm

Bradley, it's not about physically seeing visions, as if the back of your eyelids were a movie screen.  It's about using the eyes of your heart, or your imagination.  What pictures is the Holy Spirit impressing on your imagination?  Also, do you journal?  I'm not very experienced at hearing God's voice, in fact I haven't even finished going through the material, and I wouldn't feel confident journaling on anyone else's behalf!  However, I can share that when I tune into the Holy Spirit's flow and journal, I often find God prompts me what to write as I write, or maybe a split second before.  So far I've experienced this more than pictures, although I have had pictures from time to time in the past.

Can you visualize, eg can you picture a scene in your imagination, or an object eg your couch, your house, or even your cat if your have one!?  Can you imagine what the colour red, or yellow, or purple looks like?  If not, you may have shut down that part of your natural abilities, either as a child due to painful memories, or even as an adult due to wrong teaching that visualization is new age/demonic.  That would cause a blockage to Godly use of the imagination.

(Edit) Oops, replied without having read the other comments!  I'll leave it up anyway and trust that there's something there the Holy Spirit can use :-)

Permalink Reply by Lisa Shuey on January 1, 2011 at 6:15pm

Emma, I am so glad you responded to Bradley as well...it was confimation to me that you said much the same things...without having read what I said!!!  I had not even thought about the block that would come along with the teaching that visualization is new age/demonic.  I had been told that myself in the past.  And it could definitely cause a block as well.  So, on my part, I am so glad you joined the discussion.  I think we can all learn from each other.  I find the spontaeous journaling a very freeing activity as well...the words just seem to pour out of my mind.  I love being able to go back and read it later. 

Permalink Reply by Brian Devereaux on January 1, 2011 at 9:32pm

Hello Bradley, I just want to encourage you, I believe the Lord is saying that He wants to speak with you and show you things even more than you want to hear and see Him. He's very patient and will work with you in this. You want bread, He will not give you a stone instead.

When journaling, I have found that if I connect with my heart by writing my thoughts, starting the conversation, hearing His response is easier. I would start with words of thanksgiving and praise to Him, then when I'm quiet, keep my thoughts still and then wait for a reply.

As far as visions, recently while working in the kitchen,  I "imagined" a situation where my wife and I were speaking to an acquaintance who then spoke a  prophetic word over us. I later shared this with my wife and to my surprise she said Lord speaking the same things to her that I had heard in my "imagination". So after doing this for awhile, I'm still learning, trying to be careful not throw something out thinking it was my imagination.

be blessed in 2011! Brian