Can You Hear Him Now? Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit—Not the Show!
Let’s start with Elijah. 1 Kings 19:11-12 — Elijah’s just had a fire-from-heaven moment. Now he’s in a cave. Depressed. Hiding. God tells him to stand on the mountain…
“Then a great and powerful wind tore through the mountains… but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake… but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire… but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still small voice.”
God wasn’t in the show. He was in the whisper. Today’s church? We’ve got lights, lyrics, livestreams— But can you hear the Lord? Smoke machines but no Spirit. Tongues with no transformation. Dancing in aisles but dead in discernment. Shouting loud but walking in sin. The Holy Spirit is not a feeling. He’s a Person. Not hype. Holy.
You Need SPIRITUAL Eyes & Ears
“He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says…” —Rev. 2:7 “Unless you’re born again, you cannot SEE the kingdom.” —John 3:3 Just because it sounds good doesn’t mean it’s Spirit-led. Just because it looks powerful doesn’t mean it’s pure. You must discern. You must see. You must hear.
To SPEAK in the Spirit means…
Your words are surrendered. Your mouth moves when God moves. You speak truth in love, not just noise in emotion.
To WALK in the Spirit means…
You crucify the flesh DAILY. You follow peace, not popularity. You obey conviction, not culture.
“Walk in the Spirit and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.” —Gal. 5:16
You Live From the Heavenly Realm
“You are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” —Eph. 2:6 You don’t pull power from earth up. You walk in authority from heaven down. But to tap into it, you must let go of: Flesh patterns Emotional attachments Church performance over Presence Tap in—don’t tune out.
The Old Testament Spirit Came ON People (For a task, a moment, a mission…) Samson: strength Bezalel: creativity Gideon: leadership David: worship and war But now? The New Testament Spirit Lives IN You
“You are the temple of the Holy Spirit.” —1 Cor. 6:19 He teaches He convicts He comforts He whispers He reveals the mind of God
But be warned: Not every spirit is holy. Not every shout is Spirit-filled. Not every platform has Presence.
“Test the spirits.” —1 John 4:1
The Lie: “If it looks spiritual, it must be God.” The Truth: “If it bears fruit, it must be God.”
“You will know them by their FRUIT.” —Matt. 7:16
And what’s the fruit? Galatians 5:22-23: Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self-control Not foam at the mouth. Not fake fire. Not showmanship. FRUIT. You can’t fake sensitivity to the Spirit. You can mimic the sound, But not the surrender. You can copy the move, But not the motive.
How to Grow Sensitivity:
- Stay in the Word
- Fast and pray
- Shut off noise
- Obey the whisper
- Ask daily: “Holy Spirit, lead me.”
Application:
This week, before you react, ask: “Holy Spirit, is this You?” Before you speak, ask: “Am I in the Spirit—or in the flesh?” Before you move, pause: “Am I being led—or just emotional?” Don’t be church-loud and Spirit-deaf.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, open my ears to hear You. Open my eyes to see You. Remove distractions, break pride, silence the flesh. I don’t want hype—I want holiness. I don’t want noise—I want the whisper. Teach me to walk, live, speak, move, and love in the Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.