Stepping In Faith

Hearing The Voice of God: Part One

• Stepping In Faith • Season 1 • Episode 20

Share episode

Do you ever wonder why it feels so difficult to hear God's voice? Perhaps the challenge isn't that God has stopped speaking, but we've never truly learned how to listen.

In this profound exploration of spiritual communication, Walter and Shanea dive deep into the art of hearing God's voice in a world filled with distractions. They challenge the common misconception that divine communication is reserved only for pastors, prophets, or other spiritual leaders, emphasizing that every believer can and should develop this intimate connection.

The couple offers powerful insights on what it means to position yourself in the “secret place”—not simply a physical space, but a spiritual posture of openness and receptivity. They reveal how drawing closer to God’s presence brings greater clarity in recognizing His voice. You’ll also discover that true stillness goes beyond the absence of noise; it’s about quieting your inner world to make room for the gentle whispers of the divine.

Walter and Shanea don't shy away from addressing how our one-dimensional view of God limits our spiritual perception. They explain why the Holy Spirit is essential for interpreting God's voice, as spiritual truths can only be discerned through spiritual means. The discussion includes practical wisdom on distinguishing between what feeds our flesh versus our spirit when discerning if something is truly from God.

This episode is an invitation to move beyond religious ritual into authentic relationship – where hearing God becomes not an occasional event but a consistent reality.

Ready to transform your spiritual connection? Listen now, then share with someone who needs this message of hope and spiritual empowerment.

Ready to dive deeper? 🎧 Join us on YouTube for the full video podcast where we explore faith, love, and relationships through a Christian lens. Whether married, single, or seeking spiritual growth, our episodes offer practical advice and profound insights to strengthen your walk with Jesus. Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss a powerful episode. Let’s grow together in faith and purpose!
👉 Watch the full episode on YouTube now!

Walter:

Welcome back to another episode of Stepping in Faith, where, together, we explore the importance of having a relationship with God and how that relationship with God can impact the relationship you have with others. I'm your host, walter. I'm joined here alongside my lovely wife.

Shanea:

Shanea.

Walter:

This is episode don't know 20. Episode 20. 20. You got that right out, huh. So we are believers and welcome back 20 episodes. Eight more episodes to go before the season ends out. Yeah, eight more episodes. How do you feel about that, babe?

Shanea:

It's actually been a blessing, because I didn't think we was going to make it this far.

Walter:

You didn't think we was going to make it this far.

Shanea:

No, wow. No, I didn't think we was going to make it this far. You thought we was just going to quit in midway. I don't know. So it was hard to start. It was Just in general it. It was hard to start. It was Just in general, it was really hard to start, so I'm actually very proud of this.

Walter:

It is only by.

Walter:

It's only by the grace of God, the grace of God that we have been going this long, because there has been moments in time and you know I don't like to be in front of a camera or anything, I like to be behind the camera Same. So you know I don't like to be in front of a camera or anything, I like to be behind the camera same. So you know this ain't me at all. But to God be the glory. The greatest thing is that it's been being a blessing to others, so, and it's been blessing us. Hearing how it's been blessing others and then hearing the stories of different people in the comment section has been been amazing so you okay yeah, okay, my eye is jumping a little bit, I can't tell

Walter:

it's cool, you were just asking me what was wrong okay, so uh, I guess do you want to open up in prayer? Did I pray last week?

Shanea:

I don't remember actually I don't remember anything that happened last week.

Walter:

I think I prayed.

Shanea:

Did you?

Walter:

Yes.

Shanea:

You sure?

Walter:

Positive.

Shanea:

Okay. Maybe, I don't know, you sure.

Walter:

I did pray. It's your turn, I remember now. I did pray.

Shanea:

Okay.

Walter:

I had a little bit of a long-winded prayer.

Shanea:

Okay, I don't remember, but it doesn't matter.

Walter:

So we like to open up in prayer and sometimes we forget who prayed last, but I believe it was me, and my wife is an amazing prayer warrior, so we're going to let her open us up in prayer.

Shanea:

Sure, holy Spirit, we invite you into this place. We thank you, holy Spirit, for providing us with guidance and understanding. We thank you, father, for allowing us to be a vessel and a voice to others, to spread your word boldly. So we ask, father, god, that you will open up their ears and their eyes to hear and see your heart. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray Amen.

Walter:

Amen. That was a short prayer.

Shanea:

Was it.

Walter:

Yes.

Shanea:

It was a good prayer.

Walter:

It was short, though. Okay, is it quiet?

Shanea:

Yes, it was a good prayer. It was short, though, okay.

Walter:

Is it quiet on the set?

Shanea:

Do you hear stuff?

Walter:

Maybe I hear the lights, I hear something.

Shanea:

I don't hear anything.

Walter:

I hear everything. It's my engineering ears from back in the day. So what is the name of this week's episode? Hearing the voice of this week's episode hearing the voice of god. No pun intended. Hearing the voice of god. How did this come, come up? Do you remember how this came about? Um me hearing the voice of god in the bathroom, possibly.

Shanea:

I think you were in the shower, yeah.

Walter:

Possibly.

Shanea:

I think you were in the shower and you called me upstairs.

Walter:

I did yes, to tell you about what God was saying to me. Yes, I do that a lot.

Shanea:

Yes.

Walter:

You did. Let's not start that, because they're going to say we're arguing. Lord, have mercy, listen, before we even get started on this episode. Please stop bleeding on us. Please stop bleeding on us. And Micah says something that's so true. Micah Turnbull, yeah, he's a prophet, and one of the things he said is you need to be mindful of what you say about other people, because whatever you say when you speak, negative things the enemy literally will come and vomit that up.

Walter:

Demons will come and vomit that up on that person that you're speaking out against and, unfortunately, especially within the body of Christ, there are people who are very religious and they are very judgmental and they are very judgmental, and so I would say please don't speak on things that you know nothing of.

Walter:

My wife and I, our marriage, is not up for discussion. We are here doing what God has told us to do, and it's simply because of that. That's it. We are absolutely fine with our marriage. I love my wife, you love me, babe. I'm just saying I'm happy, I'm very happy. You may not understand our chemistry sometimes because of the type of relationship we have, but we like to have fun.

Shanea:

Yeah. So sometimes, sometimes we just sarcastic, yeah, Like why are you all? Why are you all in my business?

Walter:

I'm a very sarcastic person in the first place. I have a very sarcastic family and my family. I remember us growing up and they would just poke fun at each other.

Shanea:

Oh yeah, and especially I'm from up north, so we clown each other all the time. I come from a whole area of just clowning, so please don't blame on us.

Walter:

Please get healed. We have episodes, I believe, that we touched on healing, bleeding, all of those different things. Please listen to those episodes because I've seen some of the comments in the comment section and it has not been good.

Shanea:

The assumptions is ridiculous well, that's because people um you interpret things from your, your own, your own perception, that you have your own perception of what um things are or aren't, based off of your experiences true so if you're used to experiencing trauma, you're going to see trauma everywhere you know.

Walter:

Which is not good.

Shanea:

No, it's not.

Walter:

It's not good at all, so things will trigger you.

Shanea:

If you're watching something or you're hearing something and it's triggering you, you got to go to God and say God, why is this triggering me? Yeah, and what you're saying might be true or it might not be.

Walter:

Most likely, it's not. You just got to be careful, and I don't understand this.

Shanea:

But my thing is, what even compels people to just comment?

Walter:

It's the generation that we're in.

Shanea:

And I think it's because people don't respond back to people that they feel like they can just comment Like I can't see your comment, yeah, it's like.

Walter:

And the thing that we're saying, and the reason we're saying this, is that itself in itself can become a distraction to others, or you can allow the enemy to distract you from what God is wanting you to hear Exactly. And this is not for everyone. This is for a remnant.

Shanea:

We're not here for the majority, we're here for a remnant.

Walter:

We're not here for the majority, we're not. We're here for the remnant, literally. So please stop, please stop um spewing um hate and negative words on our marriage, please. We're asking that you stop that. If you don't have anything positive to say and if you don't feel like this is for you, you could simply keep scrolling like you don't even have to comment it.

Shanea:

I've seen one comment and it was like the first few minutes I thought they were arguing and I couldn't even continue to watch this, so I might not watch it at all. And it's like well, why do you even comment? Why you know?

Walter:

what people be doing.

Shanea:

Why are you here?

Walter:

don't let the enemy distract you, because we're not going to stop having our relationship the way that we have it, and I love my wife, I respect my wife, I submit to my wife, um, and I honor my wife, and so and also this is this is our house, this is our couch.

Shanea:

Yeah, we are. We have invited you into our home every single week. Yes.

Walter:

Because God told us to.

Shanea:

Yes.

Walter:

It was. It was a struggle.

Shanea:

We have invited you so welcome. For that disclaimer.

Walter:

Let's get started, babe. I saw a comment and there's been quite a few comments that, especially on that one about marriages and a lot of people want to know the million dollar question is this person that I'm with for me or not?

Walter:

And I think this episode is especially important and I hope people listen to it. Hearing the voice of God Now, this is. There is also the different ways that God speaks, but we're not talking about that this week. We're literally talking about hearing the voice of God. So one of the things to think about is this right here, right, sometimes we believe that hearing the voice of God is limited to pastors or prophets or apostles or leaders, and we don't understand that, if we are believers, we should be able to hear God's voice for ourselves. Because how do we go throughout life without hearing the Father, how do we go throughout life without communicating with Jesus, without allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal truths to us and revelations to us? And so sometimes, babe, what do you think about that? Because I'm about to go someplace and I'm about to dive right in.

Shanea:

What do I think about what what? I just said because I'm about to go someplace and I'm about to dive, right in.

Walter:

What do I think about what? What I just said, our idea of it only being the pastor or the prophet that can hear God's voice.

Shanea:

No, I think you're right. And when I was going through the comments, people were like, what you're saying is heresy, this isn't in the Bible and where is the scripture at for what you're saying? And's like well, why do you go to church? Because they don't just quote scripture. Your preachers don't just quote scripture, they don't. They give you the interpretation of the word, which is what we did, is what we do? What we do is give you the interpretation of the word, because we we have the spirit of the lord in us that can help you have the holy spirit that and that's one of the ways that you speak to is through revelation right.

Shanea:

So because we we have the holy spirit dwelling in us, he can interpret, he can help us interpret what the word is saying, because the bible is a mystery. You can't just read scripture without the holy spirit yeah, because it's we.

Walter:

We talked about this in one of the earlier episodes and this was from Apostle Selman earlier on. There is the historical aspect of the Bible, there is a theological aspect of the Bible and there is the Spirit, and so a lot of people they believe the historical. We have evidence showcasing that different events in the Bible has taken place, but they only get as far as a theological perspective Bible school, seminary and all those things. Yet the meat of the word lies in being able to interpret the scripture by way of the Spirit. Without that, you are missing out on what the Bible really is. At that point you're at most just reading something and going based off of a man's interpretation, which could be challenging, because we know that, depending on where you are are you can if your soul is tainted, you could misinterpret from a tainted soul or even a tainted spirit.

Walter:

So, um, this is good. Right here, I can't see you're fine no, it's okay, it's just bothering me. We speak against the enemy. It's just just distractions. What time is it 1124?

Shanea:

Yeah, it's almost.

Walter:

It's not one, two and when, like so we're talking about hearing the voice of God and we're not going to get sidetracked. But so there's also sensing what's taking place in the spirit, so you could see through visions. Sometimes I'll see through visions. Sometimes I'll see with my actual eyes what's going on. Sometimes, through dreams, I can sense it, I can hear. There was times that I prayed and I could hear the demons screaming in my ear as I was going through battle and warfare, as you kind of go through different things.

Walter:

But you know my wife she can feel what is taking place.

Shanea:

God has given me a very sensitive gift of discernment. Where I can smell, I can smell. I have certain smells, like in the bible, and and I think I'm probably jumping ahead a little bit but um, in the bible they said jesus christ, he, you know, he has a smell, he has a scent.

Walter:

Um, and if you ever smell the scent of god, it is amazing yeah, it's like it's unexplainable sweet aroma, right they're probably gonna think we're crazy, but it is an amazing scent but there's sense.

Shanea:

So, like if I don't know. This sounds crazy, but I know I'm not the only one. Who, who smell, who has a sense of smell? I think, um, even um, stephanie ikey. She talks about it in her dream book, about the different ways God speaks, or the different what's the name of her? Book. It's called the Power of your Dreams. Okay.

Shanea:

And I think she kind of breaks down how God can speak to you. And so I'm a feeler. I have a very sensitive gift of discernment. Feeler have a a very sensitive gift of discernment which and I use all my god has given me um a gift that I can sense things through all my senses. So I I sense stuff through my actual physical body, so like if there is a, so I can like sense the presence of the enemy or I could sense the presence of demons yeah, um, because something will start.

Shanea:

I'll start twitching, or not because I have demons, but because of the atmosphere, right, and so, um, or I'll get like poking or stuff like that, or I I can smell. I'll smell different smells, like vomit or tobacco or different perfumes or certain weird smells, and I'll ask the Holy Spirit and he'll tell me exactly what it is. And then I'll go and I'll I'm like, has anybody else ever had this before? And I'll look and I'll find other people that's going through the same thing. I can see well, sometimes with my natural eye, but with my spiritual eye I don't even know.

Walter:

Don't go too deep, because this is something we're going to dig into later on.

Shanea:

But I can see visions. So I see visions, I have dreams, and God speaks to me audibly and through scripture.

Walter:

And so these are just the different ways that God speaks to me audibly and through scripture. And so that's, these are just the different ways that God speaks to us. And so, getting it started off, I want to start off here. What if there and this is something that I want to I want everyone to think about what if the reason we struggle to hear God isn't because he isn't speaking, but because we haven't learned how to be still or how to be close? And so, to really dig into this, let's look at 1 Corinthians 2, verse 10 through 15. We're also going to look at 1 samuel 3, 1 through 2, and john 15, verse 4 through 10. So can you get to, uh, first samuel 3, 1 through 2 for me, and I'll get to first corinthians. We're going to get into a few scriptures tonight.

Shanea:

Uh, let me see you want me to go to what I? I'm sorry.

Walter:

First, samuel, 3, 1 through 2. And I'm going to go to 1 Corinthians, 2, 10 through 5.

Shanea:

Okay, first Samuel 3.

Walter:

Yeah, and they're doing something outside or whatever. So First Corinthians, 2. And let me get to that. We always read NLT. Sometimes my wife will read New King James Version, but this is in the NLT.

Walter:

It says but it was to us that God revealed these things by His Spirit, for His Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own spirit. And we have received God's spirit, not the world's spirit, so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it. For only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. So, and actually let's go into this, for who can know the Lord's thoughts? Who knows enough to teach them? But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

Walter:

So many times people question how to hear the voice of God. Well, it starts by having a relationship with God and having the Holy Spirit At the core of it. You have to have the Holy Spirit that dwells in you, because it's only through the Holy Spirit that you can interpret what the Father is speaking, and so this is what 1 Corinthians is talking about. 1 Corinthians 2. Paul was saying to the church of Corinth that in order to have an understanding of what's going on in the spirit, it is by way of the spirit of God, and if you don't have the spirit of God, when we speak of things of the spirit, it will sound foolish. So even when you are trying to interpret something that God has given to someone for you, or something that you're reading in the scriptures, it sounds foolish.

Shanea:

Right, Because they don't. They don't have anything helping them interpret.

Walter:

No. And it's only by way of the spirit Right. What's wrong? Nothing. Okay, so first Samuel three one through two.

Shanea:

Meanwhile the Lord speaks to Samuel, meanwhile the boy Samuel served the Lord by by assisting eli. Now, in those days, messages from the lord were very rare and visions were quite common, uncommon. One night, eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of god had not yet gone out and samuel was sleeping in the tabernacle near the ark of God. Suddenly the Lord called out to Samuel. Yes, samuel replied what is it? He got up and ran to Eli here I am, did you call me? I didn't call you. Eli replied Go back to bed, he said. Then the Lord called out again Samuel. Again, samuel got up and went to Eli here I am, did you call me? I didn't call you my son you're a little too far oh, I'm sorry.

Shanea:

I didn't know what you wanted me to stop. I'm like he gonna tell me you want to stop, no verse uh one through ten but that's okay. You said one through ten, I mean one through two.

Walter:

I'm sorry, oh okay so we're gonna go back to there, but a few things I didn't touch on right.

Shanea:

Okay.

Walter:

Okay, because I don't want to move too quick and I know a lot of people talk about, a lot of people ask us about this, so we're going to try to take our time through it. So, before we even get to you positioning yourself, let's start here. We know that we need the spirit to understand the voice of God, right? So, going back to 1 Corinthians, 2, 10 through 15, what it shows us is that God reveals himself through the Holy Spirit.

Shanea:

Okay.

Walter:

Right. And the natural man can't comprehend the things of God. They're spiritually discerned. So when hearing that, what comes to mind with you? Because I think that's such an important aspect? A lot of times when people are questioning things, they're trying to explain it with their natural mind.

Shanea:

Well, God's ways are higher than ours.

Walter:

Which is, I think we have that scripture. But yeah, his ways are not our ways. He's not a man he's not going.

Shanea:

We're not wired to think like him because of the fall of man right because of the fall of man, but that's why we have the helper the holy, which is the holy spirit, which is his spirit, by way of Exactly, and so if we are allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us, then we will know the mind of Christ. That's what Paul said We'll know the mind of Christ, we'll know his will for us, because the Holy Spirit is truth, so he will reveal it to us. Yeah.

Shanea:

He will reveal all truth to us.

Walter:

So you can't do this without the Holy spirit, because man doesn't have the mind of christ so at this, in this, in this simplest form, a lot of times, um, what takes place is and this is something that god was dealing with me on in 2023, beginning of 2023. I told you when he said that there are many that, uh, confess with their mouth, but they don't believe in their heart, and so what happens a lot of times is, when you confess with your mouth and you believe in your heart, you be, you do get saved. But what should? What should take? Whether it takes place immediately or at some point, you have to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Shanea:

Yeah. And when you say confess with your mouth and believe in heart, when we're talking about heart, we're talking about your mind.

Walter:

Your subconscious, your conscious.

Shanea:

So, like all your decisions that you make, they should represent what Christ stands for.

Walter:

What is a conviction we see with? I think it was Peter in Acts when he was teaching, and the Bible says that it pierced the heart of men and they came to him and said what must we do to be saved? Yeah, so it's getting to that point and I think the unfortunate thing is especially in america, which we're going to see a shift in in these coming days.

Shanea:

um, especially in america, it's all about the numbers of people giving their life to god, but it's not really a major focus on a heart yeah, so I think, and even when we touched on this, when I looked up what heart means so in hebrew, they're really just talking about your mind. So, basically, when peter was um, peter was speaking and acts, he like blew their minds. Yes, their minds were blown and they were like what it wasn't like, it wasn't their heart, heart, heart, right. It was their mind, their thoughts. He blew their mind.

Walter:

Yeah, and when we're speaking and touching on the heart, we're referring to the subconscious. It's the deepest part of man. Because we know our heart and we have an episode on this but we know our heart is nothing more than a muscle. Yeah, but it's that. So we go back to that because a lot of times, unfortunately, people don't receive the Holy Spirit. Yeah.

Walter:

And the Holy Spirit is what allows change to come forth. It's the power of the Spirit of God, because if we look at the scriptures, when we look at Jesus, the Bible says that Jesus received the Spirit of God without limits. Yet after Jesus was baptized, the Bible says that the spirit of God descended upon him like a dove and he was immediately ushered into the wilderness by the spirit of God to receive to fast for 40 days and 40 nights and be tempted by the enemy, and so he was immediately ushered into a wilderness experience by the Holy Spirit, and the Bible says that once he finished that experience he left with power.

Walter:

So many Christians don't experience that. Right. And this is what leads to you being able to hone into hearing the voice of God. Yeah.

Walter:

So that's why we say the natural man can't comprehend the things of God. They're spiritually discerned and the Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth and the revealer of all truths. So we just have to come to a point of understanding in the West. Right, it's impossible for you to understand God through logic. We need the spirit of God. Yeah. We need the spirit of God. Now this goes into reflection. I like this. Are we trying to understand god with our head, with the help of the holy spirit?

Shanea:

well, many are trying to understand with their head. That's why they keep asking well, how, how do I? Know, how do I know? How do I know?

Walter:

it's just annoying. It's just annoying. But so here's the thing, and I don't even think, because it shifts some stuff in here. But there's some stuff I wanted to really touch on. It's not in here, so we're gonna go back and I don't like that. But to god, god, be the glory, let me see. So we touched on this. We have some notes here, right, and you may not have the notes. I'll send them to you, okay.

Shanea:

And I know app has just been trying us.

Walter:

So one of the things I want to touch on is this, right here, before we go any further. Okay, and we're going to do some. I'm going to do some reading because it's important to dig into this. So we talked about this earlier or late last week or late last week. We look at God as one-dimensional instead of multi-dimensional, which causes us to confine God and his power to stories of the old or old folktales, and so many of us use the Bible to box God in, meaning that it's hard for us to imagine a God that moves outside the confinements of the scripture. So whatever God has done was done in the Bible, and while we say we believe God can do miracles or that God still moves, in reality we don't. It's just a myth.

Shanea:

It's a folk tale.

Walter:

Yes, so when you dig into one-dimensional right, it generally means something that has only one aspect or lacks depth or complexity. So in character or ideas it's used to describe something or someone overly simple or shallow. For example, a one-dimensional character in a story might lack personality or complexity. So we think god is one-dimensional and because of us have we.

Shanea:

Even when we approach christianity, we approach it from this perspective it's religious yes, religious versus relationship exactly, it's religious and traditional and that's why you're not seeing the miracle signs and wonders to understand that god is still the god of the old and the greatest miracle that you could ever see is a changed life.

Walter:

Yeah, is the power to overcome sin, which is what romans touch on so much with Paul, with his letters to Rome. The greatest power of the Holy Spirit is the power of a changed life.

Shanea:

Yeah, but a lot of times in church you don't see that because everyone's trying to be perfect and put on this front and then, when they're at home, their true selves come out, and so they don't change. They're the same person. This person at home is the same person going to church.

Walter:

Yeah, it's unfortunate, but it's the reality. And so now what we have to do, even before we get to everything we talked about right, when we talk about 1 Corinthians 2, verse 10 through 15, we have to understand that God is multidimensional. So what that means is having many aspects, features or layers, something that is complex, rich and not limited to just one perspective. So when you look at it from a character or idea, a multi-dimensional person or concept is complex, and God is very complex and with depth, variety and different sides. So that's like when you think of a character in a movie. It shows their vulnerability, it shows their strength, their humor and fear, and it makes them into this multi-dimensional, complex person. But we have to understand that God is multi-dimensional, he's not, he don't fit into your box. You can't put God into a box, and so that's our biggest issue. We serve a multidimensional God, yet treat him like he's one dimensional, which limits our ability to hear the voice of God.

Walter:

And I don't know if it has it in here, but that comes from and I may be jumping ahead. I did jump ahead, but okay, I had to put that part in, so let's continue. So we was just talking about 1 Samuel 3, 1 through 2. So the reason, and I'll read that again real quick to refresh the memory of the listeners Are you still there at 1 Samuel? Yeah.

Walter:

Read verse 1 through 2 again for me please.

Shanea:

Meanwhile the boyuel served the lord by assisting eli. Now, in those days, messages from the lord were very rare and visions were quite uncommon. One night eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed uh go to verse three. I'm sorry the lamp of god had not yet gone out and samuel was sleeping in the tabernacle near the ark of god that part.

Walter:

There we go, and then verse four suddenly the lord called out samuel I feel like we're in church right now, but this part we've read this so many times right, the greatest thing about this is that what the scripture shows us is that samuel was in the position of the most holies of holies. He was in the deepest place that one could be of the tabernacle.

Walter:

He was beat like, literally interchords all the way, like at the ark of god, right at the. Essentially, one could say that samuel was at the feet of god, yeah, right. And so by him being positioned in the whole, the most holies of holies, right, he was able to hear the voice of god clearly. So this is good. God did not, god didn't call out to someone randomly walking by, he called the one who was close. So when we think of the ark at this point, we know that the our bodies is the temple of the holy spirit, right, it's the temple of god, the temple of the spirit of god, and the ark was the temple of the spirit, or it was what held the spirit of God. The tabernacle was what held the spirit of God. And so our ark, at this point, is the secret place. And so when people say, how do I hear the voice of God? You have to position yourself in the secret place. So when saying that, what comes to mind for you as far as how to do that?

Shanea:

Positioning yourself in a secret place, hearing the voice of God. That means being in the place, being in close proximity with God, being in the presence of God, and that only comes by spending time with him in scripture, because you can hear his voice in prayer and in meditation, maybe meditating on the word or just sitting silent and listening for him.

Walter:

And I'm going to say something that's going to be a little bit. It may be a little bit controversial, Yet I just have to be honest. I would recommend against jumping into your Bible first. I would recommend praying first, because a lot of times we jump into the Bible and we don't know what we're reading. And people will tell you to jump into the scripture and read the scripture, but you don't know what the scripture, what, what the scripture means. And when it comes to studying the scripture or studying the Bible, I tried doing it without the Holy spirit. It was very complicated.

Shanea:

Yeah, I think the thing is is anytime you want to try and build a relationship with someone, you don't go read a book about them. No, I mean, you can go read a book about them. No, I mean you can go read a book about them, but then you always you, you already have this presumption of who they are, and so now you kind of, and so now you've kind of capped you know them at their abilities because you only see, you know what, what, what people in the bible have told you.

Walter:

You're experiencing them through or you're experiencing that person and we can just speak to God. You're experiencing God through the encounters of other men with God.

Shanea:

Exactly so, like you have your own form perception of God, so now you're kind of like blocking ways of communicating with him because you only think that he communicates with you in a certain type of way.

Walter:

And it's so important we're not saying don't read your scriptures because, we stay in our scriptures. We're saying that we would recommend I would recommend praying first, seeking God through prayer first. And God led me to the scriptures, and God led me to the scriptures.

Shanea:

Yeah, no same. Like I said in the previous episode about how, after I converted that, the things that I would do where the Holy Spirit would reveal to me, I would just look it up in the Bible. It would just be there. And more recently, like the other night, when he will reveal to me, I would just look it up in the Bible. It would just be there. And more recently, like the other night when he was speaking with me and he told me something and he's like, look this up and I'm like, oh, this is exactly what you just told me.

Walter:

And that's the other thing that happened. God would speak and say something to you, and you will come across a scripture that confirms what God was always saying. So when people ask, how do I know this is God, god never deviates from his word.

Shanea:

No.

Walter:

So God's word is always going to match with God's word. So God's word is always going to match with God's word. So God's rhema word is always going to match what God's written word is what we're saying.

Walter:

So, when he speaks to you, it's always going to match with the scriptures. And then you know, I think I have this in here but, just in case, this is something that I would say is another nugget, and I believe we have it in here and if we do, we'll go over it again and I'm going to try to be mindful of time. So, galatians 5, people, we talked about this and we spoke about this before. Galatians 5, verse 16 through verse 24, right? So for those who are saying I want to know if this is God, is it flesh or is it spirit, do whatever you believe you're hearing. Does it lead you to the things of the spirit or does it feed your flesh? Does it benefit the spirit of God or does it benefit your flesh? Does it benefit the spirit of God or does it benefit your flesh? That's already a cheat code, and we see here, verse 16 through verse 26, the stark difference between the two. What are your thoughts on that being a cheat code that they can use, babe?

Shanea:

I think that because people's wants are not God's wants.

Walter:

So but it's a clear, it's a so here's a, it's a clear difference, right Like okay, let's say relationship. I really want to be with this person. I really want to be with this person. I'm attracted to them. I love the way they look. I love the way they treat me, so I want to be with them. I want to be with them so bad, because I love.

Walter:

I to them I love the way they look. I love the way they treat me, so I want to be with them. I want to be with them so bad, because I love them. I love spending time with them. I love these things about them. I love the way they make me feel. I love the way they touch me. I love this. I love that, that's flesh, that's not spirit.

Shanea:

People will say well then, what's the difference? What am I supposed to feel?

Walter:

If God is that goes to, and I think we may have this in here. Let me see, I'm looking at the scripture because I like to give people scripture. Babe, do we have that what I?

Shanea:

don't know what, you what, I don't know what, I don't know what. I can't see your brain right now.

Walter:

So and we're gonna keep going. But, um, I want to give you this real quick. So, uh, what's the scripture? When david was and we had that last week, right, we touched on that last week david and samuel, and so it was literally when dave, when samuel was looking for the king and david saw, I mean, and samuel saw the, he saw david's older brother. Yeah, he fit that, he was tall yeah, he was tall, dark and handsome surely he's king? No, god told samuel that I don't judge by the outward appearance.

Walter:

Men judge by the outward appearance, but I judge by the inward. I judge by what's in the heart, right. So the cheat code is if you will only focus on that person's outward appearance, I would take that back to God, because God is never going to put something in you that's going to cause your flesh to rise. He's going to always. It's going to always be something within that person.

Shanea:

It's going to be like. It's going to be something inner. It's going to be something more beautiful, something pulling you from the inside and then out. And so it wouldn't be. I'm attracted to this person. Yes, you should be attracted to this person, but not in a way that you are looking at, not in the way that your eyes can see them physically. It's not a physical attraction.

Walter:

No.

Shanea:

It's an inward attraction and it's really hard to explain, but it is, but it isn't. It's like you know how you meet people and you're just like dang, we just clicked, you know, we just really really clicked and I don't know. But it's something about him, it's something about her and I just really can't put my finger on it. And it's not because they're pretty or they're handsome or they're fine or they look good it's really something else.

Walter:

And I just really don't know what it is and it's confusing me and that's uh, and what we we're referring to is first samuel 16, chapter 16 and verse 7, if you want to read that, and it just says but the lord said to samuel don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Shanea:

Right Humans always look at the outward appearance. That's why they tell you hey, if you're not initially attracted to this person, then you shouldn't be with them.

Walter:

And that's not necessarily the case.

Shanea:

That's not true.

Walter:

So, moving on, abide in me and I in you. I was, I was taking the notes down for this episode and that's what I heard. Abide in me and that's, I believe that's John 15, four through 10.

Shanea:

Okay.

Walter:

And this was Jesus speaking. Okay. John 15, verse 4. And he says this is NLT Remain in me and I will remain in you, for a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing. Yeah, me and my words remain in you. You may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted when you produce much fruit. You are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you, even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commands, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in His love. Part of and we have an episode on this part of drawing near and abiding in Him is remaining obedient. Being obedient.

Shanea:

Yeah, following His commandments.

Walter:

Following His commandments. That's how you show you love Him. That's how you remain in him. So when we talk about actually wanting to experience and hear the voice of God, part of that being the case is actually being in a space. What is that? A plane, I?

Shanea:

don't know, it could be a train.

Walter:

Okay, so part of actually experiencing all of this is through obedience, consecration, holiness, sanctification. We sound like a broken record, but Jesus is saying it right then. And there you were saying, ooh, what was you getting from that?

Shanea:

as you was reading, I got ooh when verse six where it says anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. I just thought about the lake of fire. I thought about hell.

Walter:

It sucks.

Shanea:

I mean that's you. Don't want that to be the case's you don't want to be that.

Walter:

You don't want that to be the case. I don't want to be a burnt branch and so here's the thing, and because saul came to mind and that it was like that was dropping the spirit, saul, paul, that people would use that because he did hear jesus when he was in the midst of what he was dealing with, yeah, but it's like. Here's the thing. God may interrupt your life, like he did, sauls, but clarity and relationship come from, come from remaining. It didn't stop there. That wasn't like the end.

Walter:

All be all when saul was converted into paul. No saul. Paul had a lifelong pursuit. He was consistently pursuing God. He was consistently pursuing Jesus Consistently. And that's where it comes to beginning to hear the voice of the Father. Hear and recognize the voice of your Lord and Savior is through consistent pursuit. It's through consistent pursuit.

Shanea:

So the thing is, remaining is a daily decision, not an emotional moment. Right, you have to do it, even when you're scared, even when you're tired, when you're hungry, when you're sad, when you're angry. It's hard to do.

Walter:

Religion is based off of emotions or based on emotions. Relationship is based upon a decision.

Walter:

No matter how I feel, I'm still your husband. I've still been called to be your husband. I'm not able to be moved by how I feel. No matter how I feel, I've still been called to love you as Christ loves the church. No matter how I feel, I've still been called to approach you in such a way to where I die to self. So that's not based upon what you may or may not do. I mean, I feel like doing it, but that's what.

Walter:

God has called me to. The problem comes in place when we get caught up in our feelings and our emotions. That's very soulish. That's why the Bible tells us to be angry but sin, not Right. You can recognize that the emotion is there, but it's the difference between recognizing it is there and being moved by it.

Shanea:

Right, you have your emotions, so you can. They are levels of discernment, you know.

Walter:

So fruitfulness and hearing comes from consistency. You got to show up every day. The disciples walked with Jesus for years before they became friends.

Shanea:

Yeah, and this is a hard word to hear because people are just like I just want to know do I get with this person, do I move to this day, how do I know? And it's like not an easy question, because you have to literally sit in the presence of god and know his voice.

Shanea:

Um know, how he speaks to you, and you can't do that unless you spend time with him, and it's not, you know, you pray. You get up in the morning, you pray, you thank god, and then you pray before you go to bed at night.

Walter:

No, we, we grown now and you can go ahead and read the next point.

Shanea:

What's the next point, segment?

Walter:

four, because you're already digging into that.

Shanea:

Oh, stillness unlocks sensitivity. Yeah, it's true. That first point says what Be still and know that I am God.

Walter:

Psalms 46 and 10. Psalms 46 and 10. Be still and know that I am God. Psalms 46 and 10. Psalms 46 and 10. Be still and know that I am God. I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world. Be still and know that I am God. This is what you're talking about just now. The stillness.

Walter:

That's what people don't understand. It's very important to get into that place of stillness. Uh, isaiah 40 and 31, and this is all nlt. But those who trust in the lord will find new strength. Now I I don't want, let me do new king jane version, because that's what I'm looking for. New king. It says uh, nlt. New I mean mean the New King James Version. Isaiah 40, verse 31,. It says but those who wait, on the Lord shall renew their strength.

Walter:

They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.

Shanea:

Wait. You have to wait and it's hard to do, because we live in this world where it's just go, go, go, go, go, do, do, do, do, do, or you get no results Right. And so when it's time for us to get into our word, when it's time for us to spend time with the father, we're on his time, not on our time, and so it can be very hard and difficult sometimes to sit still, because we're taught that we're taught this All of our relationships are transactional, everything's transactional. It's like you know, if I do more work, I'll get more results Right. If I spend more time here, then I'll get more results here. And it's not like that with God, and so we can get real restless when we're waiting on God, because we're like dang, I've been sitting here for like 15 minutes.

Shanea:

I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. Okay, I've been and I'm like dang, what else am I supposed to be doing right now? I don't hear anything. I don't hear anything. Okay, I've been and I'm like dang. What else am I supposed to be doing right now? I don't know. You feel empty or you feel like like what you're doing it's pointless.

Walter:

Yeah.

Shanea:

Because you're not getting the results that you think you should be getting because of your experience in the world. But it's like God's ways are not our ways and we're on, we're not, we're not. We're on his timeline not ours.

Walter:

It's understanding that strength and revelation are renewed. In waiting, the key thing is being still and waiting, waiting on God, understanding, like you were saying, god is not on your time. No. God is on God's time Right.

Shanea:

We serve him, he don't serve us Exactly, and that is also just one of the issues that we have here.

Walter:

And so we'll say this and we're going to try to move on, because I think we I don't know this may have to become a I don't know what time did we start because we already heavy in um.

Walter:

I want to say this right uh, excuse me, stillness isn't just physical, it's spiritual. It's about being tuned into god instead of your thoughts or environment. Yeah, and that only comes by being, from being still and waiting upon the lord. Yeah, that comes from silencing your thoughts. I think there's a scripture in here that touches on that. Later on and this is probably going to be a two-part segment that we jump back into next week and then also possibly dive a little into how god speaks as well but, um, yeah we touched on that so I think we touched on really being still, not being distracted.

Shanea:

And being still means being in a place where you can, where the Holy Spirit guides you into the wilderness. The wilderness places you in a place of isolation, and isolation is silence. There's nothing else around, it's just you, right? If you think of the wilderness, there's.

Shanea:

there's no one there, but you and the trees, and the air and maybe a few furry animals, but at the end of the day, it's just I know you ain't over here thinking about a Cinderella movie or something like that. No, I'm not thinking about no Cinderella movie, and none of those movies are good. They're all trash, they're trash, they are, they're trash, they are.

Walter:

There's a movie that is good, but people might get mad if we spoke on a series, so I won't say nothing. Okay, they say it's demonic, jesus a series, so I won't say nothing. Okay, they say this demonic jesus, give us strength.

Shanea:

We are so closed-minded, we're so religious, but what I was saying was it's um being isolated, and it's hard for people to be isolated, and that's why people don't experience god. That's why people don't experience god. That's why people don't can't hear god, because they're used to trying to take god into the world. They're, they're not willing to go into the wilderness to experience, to experience him. They just kind of want to stay on the outskirts, just like the children of israel. They wanted to experience god, but they still wanted to stay in Egypt.

Walter:

Here's the thing, everyone, and this is what just came to me. Thank you, holy Spirit. So, in order to get to a point, like you know, when you think of Peter and I think we have that in here as an example, yeah, matter of fact, let's we this, we're skipping over around, we'll come back to god is always speaking and we'll come back to the one dimensional. But touching on what you're saying, matthews 14, 22, 22 through 31, and I'm gonna read this, or, babe, if you want to go there, matthew, chapter 14, verse 22 through 31, nlt. But what was coming to me is that the wilderness experience and going through that process of learning the voice of God in the wilderness, where it's just you and God, or you and Jesus, right, you and the Holy Spirit, you in the Holy Spirit. It places you in a position to where you learn how to hear and recognize the voice of God in the midst of chaos.

Walter:

And so what happens a lot of times? Everyone is you. What's the word? You forego the wilderness experience and now you have the chaos of life, distractions, what may have you, and you're trying to hear the voice of God, but you never learned how to hear the voice of God, which comes from being in a space of the wilderness where everything is silenced, there's nothing around you. That's what you learn how to communicate with the father. That's what you learn how to walk with the father. Right, you have to go through the wilderness experience first, and because we are in a society that's it's almost like a microwave society. Yeah, the enemy wants to keep us busy.

Shanea:

Yes, and distracted. So the wilderness season is a point for you to let go of all of these distractions. Right, and that might be. You might have to quit your job, you might have to stop talking to people, you might have to stop talking to your family, you might have to stop doing all these things that you decided that you wanted to do. Right, in order to hear the voice of God, so that when you do come out of this wilderness season and you step back into the world right, because those same distractions are going to be there, but now you have the power to overcome these distractions and you can hear god's voice through the distractions because you've spent so much time with him.

Walter:

Yeah, and that's where this is and everyone can read. It is verse 22 through 31. And for time's sake, it's just really well, let's read it.

Shanea:

What Jesus walks on water. I'll read it so. This is Matthew 14, 22 through 30. Immediately after this, jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

Shanea:

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble, far away from land, for a strong wind had risen and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o'clock in the morning, jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear they cried out it's a ghost. But Jesus spoke to them at once. Don't be afraid. He said. Take courage, I am here. Then Peter called to him Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you walking on the water. Yes, come, jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. But then, but when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. Save me, lord, he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. You have so little faith, jesus said. Why did you doubt me?

Walter:

So the thing that you know that really stood out when I this is what came to mind as I was putting the notes together is the storm represented chaos, and so a lot of times with us and we just touched on the importance of the wilderness so you can recognize God's voice of the wilderness, so you can recognize God's voice.

Walter:

Yeah, digging into even a greater area that we struggle in is being able to focus in on God's voice in the midst of the storm in the midst of the chaos, and the thing that we can kind of look at Peter with as an example is that the minute he started focusing on the chaos around him, he started to sink, and that's what happens a lot of times with us in life, so we have to be careful. Um, I know we're pressed for time, but I think this is going to be a two-part segment because we still got a bunch of stuff to get through. Uh, so next week. This sucks, but it's just we. We. I don't want to keep them for um, because we always we we got to get through. God is always speaking, um, and yeah, we got.

Shanea:

We got like four or five more segments and then we got it.

Walter:

We got to get through, uh, watching to see what god will say, which is a really good point. Um, it's some stuff that I want to get to the people that's really important. So here's what we'll do. Um, because we are pressed for time, I think we're going right into an hour a little over an hour now. Um, next week we're going to finish this out, but what we're going to also touch on is some of the ways that God speaks to us, which I think would be really good for everyone.

Shanea:

Yeah, because, like I said in the beginning, there's so many different ways that he can speak. He also speaks to me in numbers.

Walter:

Yeah, there's different ways that he can speak. He also speaks to me in numbers.

Shanea:

Yeah, there's different ways. There's a. There's a a numerous amount of ways that God speaks to you.

Walter:

So what we'll do is we'll, and if you haven't gotten um Joshua Giles book.

Shanea:

What's?

Walter:

the name of it. When, when God speaks. When God speaks, the latest one probably should get that. Yeah.

Walter:

So yeah, so we'll finish next week Definitely. Get that everyone, because there's some important things that Joshua Giles is talking about. I think that the remnant need to know, need to be mindful of we in this season we really need to uh press into the voice of god to hear what god is saying yeah, uh, to his people, to the nation, uh, to those in america, to those in the surrounding countries. What is it that god is saying? What is it that's taking place in the spirit?

Walter:

because there's a, there's things taking place in the spirit yeah, we're in some tumultuous times right now and it's um very important that we know the voice of god don't be deceived god can see god and recognize that this is god and this is not god yeah um because there's a heavy level of deception that is coming, that's already here, but um and there's some things that you're about to face that's going to be very trying, especially, uh, for those here in america, and so you want to be in a position to hear god and have wisdom on how to prepare for, for the days ahead and, and please, you know, once again get the book that my wife recommended with Joshua Giles. We will probably put a link in it in the bio, to have you pick that book up.

Shanea:

Yeah.

Walter:

It's very important. He's one of the very few people that we listen to, that we know like God is with him. A lot of the things that God had been dealing with us on he confirmed. Emma is another one.

Shanea:

Yeah, Emma Stark.

Walter:

She's another one that's heavy Once again, when everybody else is saying something left and we know what we've been hearing God say. For some time now, both parties have been on one accord.

Shanea:

And remember, just because the majority says it doesn't make it true.

Walter:

When you look at the prophets in the Bible, they always, the words that God gave them, always went against the majority. That's why the people didn't like to hear them when it came.

Shanea:

Absolutely.

Walter:

It wasn't a good word that they would bring majority of the time.

Shanea:

No, and we're talking about a remnant, so it's not going to be the majority, but if it resonates with you, then I would say that's a good thing.

Walter:

Yes, yes, and I would say prepare Stock up.

Shanea:

Yeah, God has been showing us some things. That has also been confirmed through Joshua, through Emma, through other men and women of God that we speak to.

Walter:

So, for those that resonate with, please prepare. Ask God to give you wisdom. Hear me saying what I'm saying. Without me saying what I'm saying, stock up, stock up for what's ahead.

Shanea:

Don't buy any big purchases right now be mindful re-route your money get stuff invested in things that and only god can give you wisdom on this.

Walter:

but there's people, and this is why we're referring you to giles, because, um, he's, he's an anointed man of god. He's an anointed man of God, he's a leader, and God has given him a grace to provide wisdom on how to approach the days ahead. And this is not fear. This is just the reality of what has always taken place. When we look at the Bible and we see the different encounters, there was always moments and times of judgment there was always moments and times of restructuring.

Walter:

There was always, and in order for restructure to take place, in order for new things to be birthed forth sometimes old things have to be done away with. Broken have to be broken down, things have to be broken, and this is a very uncomfortable period to go through when you're going through those things.

Walter:

Yet, you know, for those who know God, for those who have a relationship with God, this is what we press in even the more, and we trust in God that even in the midst of chaos, he will keep us, that he will protect us, that he will provide us with the wisdom on how to move forward. Like when we look at Joseph. Joseph was really in a period we talk about how Joseph rose, but we don't understand that Joseph rose because there was a famine that was coming. Joseph was placed in that position because of the famine that God wanted to use him to not only preserve the children of Israel, but to preserve almost over half of the world.

Shanea:

Right.

Walter:

So for even believers, you're not just called to other believers. That may not be what God is just calling you to. God may be calling you to be a Joseph. Yeah. Which is why it's so important that you hear the voice of God, because what is it that God wants you to do that you're not hearing him tell you that he wants you to do? To preserve others, to keep others. Not only yourself, not only your family, but to keep others.

Shanea:

Yeah, and I think it's hard too, because people are so used to this prosperity teaching and it's really just very selfish based and you know, when God speaks it's really always for correction and for preparing you for a new season or a new way of life.

Walter:

He will prosper you, but it won't. But it's not how it's. It's not how people portray it to be. I'm sorry, everybody has not been called to be a multimillionaire or a millionaire. No, you can find um security in whatever you make.

Shanea:

Right and a lot of times, many people won't be able to handle that and God's not going to give you something that's going to make you sin.

Walter:

And you don't want the warfare associated with it. No, you don't want the warfare associated with it. And so we're saying this and this digs back in, or it kind of ties into hearing God. Cause, even now it's important that you hear God. Don't just go by what we hear. God, hear God. We're not your, I'm not your God. I'm not my wife's God, my wife is not my God. We, both still have to hear God.

Walter:

You know your leaders they're not your God. Your pastors they're not your God. God is your God, that's why it's important. As believers, you know that you can hear the voice of God. And so, babe, is there anything you want to add before we?

Shanea:

No, because I don't want to go on and on, and on.

Walter:

Okay, so next week we will finish up on hearing the voice of God and we will actually also explore or touch on how God speaks. Don't know how far we're going to go with it, but we'll touch on how God speaks. Give a few examples of how God has spoken to us and some examples in the Bible of how he spoke. So you want to do the ending you always do.

Shanea:

Thank you guys for listening. Oh my gosh. No, we appreciate you guys for sticking around with us.

Shanea:

Uh, for these last 20 episodes so we do appreciate you and we thank you for being obedient and listening to god's word and what he has been speaking and sharing with us, um, and so, honestly, we just really appreciate you and we thank you and we are so glad that you're here with us, joining us on this journey, and so, yeah, I don't have anything else to say except for thank you, like, subscribe, share. You know that whole thing, or don't Comment all that good stuff.

Shanea:

Comment Because, at the end of the day, like we're not trying to get you to bring us more followers, Whoever this is for, they get to. Yeah, it's going to get to whoever needs to get to.

Walter:

Yeah, if you feel like this is something that you know someone needs to hear.

Shanea:

Absolutely share it with them share it with them if anyone comes to mind, you should totally share it with them, even if you don't even talk to them anymore.

Walter:

Just share it yeah, this is all about the remnant and we don't know how many that's going to be no, this is all about saving God's children, building a community of people who really just desperately want to experience and encounter God. Yeah, and who's done with the norms or the religious?

Shanea:

Or they know there's something more and they just haven't experienced it because they haven't come in contact with the right people.

Walter:

Yeah.

Shanea:

So yeah, so.

Walter:

We appreciate you all, of course, and we will see you next week. Bye-bye, goodbye.