On the Holy Spirit

[Dandelion]

Regarding hearing the Holy Spirit, for most of my life, I really did not understand this, or give it much thought.
As a Roman Catholic from a lower middle class background, growing up in the 60s and 70s, I prayed, I had faith, but I did not understand that there could ever be communication between us that I could, in any way, acknowledge.

When I became Lutheran, at 47 years of age, I realized that it might be possible for some, but, still, it was not something I was experiencing.

I think my big breakthrough was during a time I was in group therapy, in a program called, The Wildflowers, as a part of Restoring the Heart Ministries. I had been born into an abusive family, and married into one, as well. At the time, I was 54, and had just gotten divorced, and taking care of my mom, who had had a stroke.

What happened was that we were taught what is called, theophostic prayer. This is a way of asking God into our difficult memories, experiences, and feelings. I highly recommend it. There is also a type of prayer that is called Emmanuel prayer, which uses happy memories to ask God into our thoughts. The sessions are facilitated by a well trained counselor. At the Wildflower meetings, the counselors are trained for a year, in these types of prayer.

We are taught to hear what God is telling us. It changed my life, in that, it opened a door to the Holy Spirit, that I couldn't see before.

It says in the Bible that Jesus is the Good Shepard, and His sheep know His voice. Well, it really is like that. We learn to discern His voice in our head, from other sources and thoughts.

I believe it is a continual process. There are still many times I am not sure if I am correct in knowing that it is God speaking to me.  For me, continual prayer throughout the day, is key.
Knowing Scripture, I believe, is also helpful, as I have that as a base to help me discern who God is and how He thinks.......for as much as my little self could possibly really know. We have to learn
to hear what people have to say, but to give the Spirit the greatest priority. Like a strainer, that sifts out what it not wanted or needed, I guess. Quiet time, perhaps not from the outside, but at least, inside of our being, also helps.

Asking the Holy Spirit for help and to reveal himself in regard to various issues is important.

After I learned a bit, the Holy Spirit used snips of my past memories to show me what I did not or would not allow myself to understand, in the years I lived under so very many lies, in my
dysfunctional past. I think, often time itself reveals if we were correct in knowing if it was the Holy Spirit.

There is no formula, other than seeking. In the Bible it says that if we seek, we will be given. I think that is key here, as well.

Matthew 7:

7Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

9Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

I am always utterly amazed, when I realize I did hear from the Spirit. Maybe that is why the Holy Spirit is thought of as a wind at times. We must learn to 'catch' His thoughts to us, illusive though they might seem. Like everything from God, it is a gift. Nothing I do could make it happen. I humbly say, that I am just in awe of the times I am given the small, but oh so significant wisps of the Holy Spirit.


My  :2c: contribution to this discussion.

D.

[rosered]

  Lovely Dandelion   :HeartThrob:  Amen

[MusicLover123]

  Lovely Dandelion   :HeartThrob:  Amen

I'll add to that too. Really helpful Dandelion, good thoughts from you to think on.

Quick question, though. When we "hear" the Holy Spirit, what does it sound like? Is it, like, another voice in your head with a different sound? Is it your own sound of voice in your mind, but just with Godly thoughts? Is it a "coincidence," where you stumble across something, or hear someone say something that you have been asking for?

Also, is your username based on The Wildflowers therapy group that you visited beforehand? I reckon a Dandelion is a flower, correct?

[Dandelion]

Ha. Actually, I loved dandelions as a child. I grew up in NYC, and there were many dandelions growing in the cracks of the streets, in the park, playgrounds, and so forth. My mom would bring me to the park. She would sit on the bench, and only speak to me to tell me it was time to leave. I made friends with the flowers, the caterpillars, the other insects, and so on. I would wander around, pretending in my mind of fairy lands, adventures, pretend friends, and so on. I would do this for hours, sometimes. So, I guess the dandelions reminded me of me. A little girl, trying to grow up, between the hard concrete, and rocks, etc. People thought of them as a nucence, but they were really beautiful flowers. Sort of like the ugly duckling, I suppose. So, I thought of myself, as the dandelions. I only formulated this, years and years after, though. I didn't know then, why I loved dandelions. I never thought of myself as being in a dysfunctional situation, but, my heart knew.

I guess, those of us who grow up hurting, feel like a 'wildflower'. We know down deep that we are beautiful, but no one seems interested in us....we are just 'out there', left to try to put the pieces together, ourselves, with no one to value us, and make us feel wanted.

As for the Holy Spirit speaking to me. I call it being 'zapped', sometimes. A thought might pop into my head, and when I know it wasn't something I ever thought of, I now begin to think it might be my friend, the Holy Spirit.  :dsunny: Or, maybe I will be reading a Bible verse, and a thought will come to me. I don't hear it in my ears. The words, sentences enter my mind. As I said, at this point, the clue is often that I know that I never thought that before. Or maybe it will be a suggestion, or something I should do. Sometimes right away, sometimes the next day, etc.

I don't know. Maybe, if I had to say, it is as though someone interrupted my conversation with myself, with a thought I knew was not my own.

Someone 'jumped into my conversation, with myself'.

I think, where did that come from?

Sometimes I think, is that you God? Sometimes I even say it, out loud.

You ask me questions I never really formulated into concepts, before. Interesting.

There are definitely times I feel 2 very conflicting thoughts. That can actually rattle me. I try to discern the Spirit, but sometimes I struggle with the 2 for long periods of time.

I will tell you this, whenever I hold onto something tightly, I am much more likely to feel the conflict. Things dearest to me, are the areas I struggle the most, with knowing where or who they come from.

For me, people are most often my downfall. I love them, too much, often. Not that I let them lead me astray, in the sense of doing bad things. I just give certain things, too much importance.

I think, sometimes, God wants me to close a door, but I want to keep it open. Yet, other times, he tells me to keep holding on, and to not give up, even though it might seem hopeless, at times.

Best to hold things of this world with an open hand. That is one way to hear God, best, I think. He has said this, in the Bible often, in various ways.

These are my thoughts. Who is to say what I am really experiencing? Maybe I am totally wrong. Maybe it is all in my own head. I certainly have no great handle on this. There have been times, usually over a long period of time, that I come to believe it was God. On very rare occasions I feel it is amazingly clear. Please don't think of me as someone who has any 'answers'. When we are face to face, we will see clearly.  I am just sharing my experiences.

The great 'I am'. Even just the slightest whisper from Him can turn your whole life around. Now that, I am sure of!       :cloud9:

D.

[jugghead]

Hey Dandelion, you hit the nail on the head in how I hear His Spirit, everything you described is how I would describe it if asked by someone else ....... so what do I add to this thread ...... only one thing

"DITTO"

[rosered]

  I love you sis  D!! 
Your are so tenderhearted   , that is pliable  ,purposed and of great use to Gods glory  :HeartThrob:!!

  You have described us all in that  trusting   God  and just being   content  selves .  :dsunny:

My  handicapped Son Nathan gives me dandelions  every year  , He picks them and hands them   ''gifts'' to me .

I have many dried in a little glass jar  wild flowers  of days and years gone by  as a   gentle reminder    to enjoy the moment  as precious .

I also consider them  a blessed flower  and have for years and hold a special  place in my heart  for always .


  This life must hold meaning   as Gods Word is fulfilled  ,  in each and everyone whom has ever lived and died   , to have  experienced it  in so many different  forms  and ways  that   surly   returns   to God  with substance   ,with value and never Void .
Love is what  purposes and expresses   this   and God is  the Spirit  of Love .   All truth is built  upon this   meaning I do believe .:HeartThrob:

  We were made/ created by God  to  Love and be loved  but sometimes the pain  and suffering   turns us around /  in error and  we  stumble  and  fall  from grace ,

but it is the Spirit of Life that lifts us all up ''out of death''  and sets us back on course   into  that narrow path that leads to an abundant life in Christ .   
Experiencing Gods grace is the higher   realm of thought  and reason and gives purpose and meaning to  all those little things that mean a lot ...

Dwelling on the things above  , an outlook  that is set far above the body of death is the Life in Christ  and able to see the  whole  Forrest  at times  and not just the trees  before us .
 
I was blessed the first time I  read   JESUS   healing of the blind man and  he saw men as trees walking  [trees of knowledge of good and evil  or trees of life ]    and the Lord sent him to a quiet place of refuge  out of the village  of many voices   and the alone time to hear Gods voice   meaning  to me ...

  Mark 8 The Blind Man at Bethsaida

22When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then He spit on the man's eyes and placed His hands on him. "Can you see anything?" He asked.

24The man looked up and said, "I can see the people, but they look like trees walking around."

25Once again Jesus placed His hands on the man's eyes,

and when he opened them his sight was restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him home and said, "Do not go back into the village."
   Jesus is the Voice of reason  and Life itself  that has always pleased  the heavenly Father  as we learn of Him ..

[Dandelion]

Love you, too, Rose!


:HeartThrob:

D.

[marie glen]

Hey Dandelion, you hit the nail on the head in how I hear His Spirit, everything you described is how I would describe it if asked by someone else ....... so what do I add to this thread ...... only one thing

"DITTO"

     A-men!!  :iagree:

[MusicLover123]

Hey Dandelion, you hit the nail on the head in how I hear His Spirit, everything you described is how I would describe it if asked by someone else ....... so what do I add to this thread ...... only one thing

"DITTO"

     A-men!!  :iagree:

Hey Marie Glen, you hit the nail on the head in how to give a good reply, everything you described is how I would describe it if asked by someone else ....... so what do I add to this thread ...... only one thing

"DITTO"

[jugghead]

Imitation is the highest form of flattery

I'm flattered Connor

[MusicLover123]

No worries Rick. You gave a good reply, so I decided to flatter you :)

[MusicLover123]

Wow MG! Pretty cool story! Also, thanks for the other replies Rose and Ross. Some helpful things to think about...

I don't really want to start a new thread about something I just had, so I'll write about it here. It was a dream, it lasted roughly 10-15 seconds. It felt that way at least.

So, I am in my bedroom, with it being night time. I am laying in my bed, and I hear the words "Warrior of Carol, truly a Patron." Now, I know no one named Carol, and why a Patron? The voice sounded similar to the narrator off 60 minutes, but not exactly. It sounded really boomy and with echoes as well. It did not sound like someone in front of me or near me saying this, but all around me.

Then, I look to my right, and there is a bright light shining on the wall, with a shadow of a "tree" inside of it. I could not see the source of these objects, but only shadows of them. The spacing and distance felt and looked much greater than in real life.

Then, I look at myself, and I am naked, but covered in blankets. I take my hand and went to place it on my chest, but it went "through" it. You know in movies how they portray ghosts as they can take there hands an put it through themselves? Sort of like that, but my body looked the same as it did now.

Lastly, I said "Lord, I just want to go home with You." I look to my left, and all of a sudden, I feel pressure on my back. Specifically in the middle-right area. It then gets more intense and grows in more areas. Then I wake up.

Not sure what to think of it. Thoughts?

God Bless!

I guess God was wanting me to wait to find out a good interpretation. Alright, I just looked up on Google what some things mean, and here is what I found.

Some links I used

https://biblehub.com/topical/s/shadow.htm
https://biblehub.com/topical/l/light.htm
https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/wall.html
http://www1.cbn.com/biblestudy/interpreting-common-symbols-in-spiritual-dreams
http://wailingwomenofprayer.org/biblical-dreams-interpretation/
https://preacherwin.com/2011/03/16/blankets-as-a-sign-of-gods-grace/
https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/b/bed-bedroom.html
https://av1611.com/kjbp/kjv-dictionary/pierce.html
http://www.biblenews1.com/hands/handb.htm
http://www.biblemeanings.info/Words/Body/Hand.htm
https://www.thesymbologist.org/body.html#Heart
https://www.charismanews.com/opinion/58203-do-you-understand-the-prophetic-realms-of-sound
https://zulu7772013.wordpress.com/what-does-it-mean-to-hear-god-speak-understanding-the-voice-of-god/

"Carol" and Warrior - it might have to do with singing(carol(s)) and a call for battle. Also means manly/champion Look at this verse for example:

Zephaniah 3 NIV
17The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing."

Patron - patron Saint.

Been looking into Spiritual Warfare recently too, so might be what God wants me to get into.



Trees are like people. A servant of God will bear fruit, be healthy and nourished, and be firm and strong in any condition.

Shadows are like protection, reflecting an image, place of hiding, and a connection to someone/something(without the light there is no shadow)

Light is things like existence, purity, brightness, not unclear, an example/model, not a burden. Thinking also related to fire and pruning.

Wall means security and safety, and related to cities(temple of God?)

Nakedness means intimacy with God. Or ashamed.

Shirtless = Self-righteousness: (male or female) self-justification; legalism; shame; temptation. (see also, coat, shirt, clothing.)

Blankets mean God's grace and safety/covering.

Bed means safety and peace. Same with bedroom.

Left = Spiritual: weakness (of man;) God's strength or ability demonstrated through man's weakness; rejection.

Right = Natural: authority; power; the strength of man (flesh;) the power of God revealed through flesh (i.e. Christ or the Church;) accepted

Bright/Fire Orange = Power: force; energy; energetic; danger.

Pierce, with the hand piercing my chest(heart?) might mean it affects me deeply?

Hand means power, personal strength and authority

Heart is the emotional center, and the thoughts and intentions.

Putting the symbols from my dream is a whole other thing to do.