sensitive (adjective): quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals or influences
As a Christian, there are so many things God uses to speak to us, to warn or prepare us for something that is about to happen. Since God is not a conventional God, He doesn't do things according to human understanding or timing. Sometimes He doesn't reveal the purpose of something until it happens and He reveals things in parts. Our role is to be sensitive to His Holy Spirit to spot these signs, whether for warning or preparation. I feel there have been many moments in my life when God has signalled something to me about my future but because I don't pay attention, I miss it. When I think of being spiritually sensitive, I am reminded of many parents in the Bible who were entrusted with the responsibility of raising someone that God was going to use & other individuals who made decisions in line with God's plan without knowing the end:
Samuel & Eli: Eli was sensitive to the situation and recognised that God was the one speaking to Samuel therefore he was able to advise him on how to respond.
Rahab & the spies: Rahab accommodated the spies who came to Jericho even with the threat of death because she was sensitive to the situation and ended up saving her life and that of her family, including helping God's people to claim the land God had promised to them .
David & Saul: David knew better than to lay his hand on the Lord's anointed and when presented with what seemed like an opportunity to kill Saul, he didn't take that step.
In the New Testament, Colossians 4:2 tells us to be vigilant in prayer and in 1 Peter 5:8, we are warned to be sober and vigilant, because our adversary walks about, seeking whom he may devour. It is so important to be vigilant and watchful because God loves us and will never want the enemy to have the victory so He will always seek to give us the information we need. We may not get it in the format we expect but the message will be in there. Spiritual sensitivity takes us beyond the realms of the physical and allows the Holy Spirit to give meaning and understanding to what God says. In order to gain this spiritual sensitivity, we must always communicate with God and LISTEN & WATCH out for unusual activity that does not seem relevant to what may be happening in our lives.
In my own life, there have been times when God has given me a heads up on things that are about to happen and I have neglected to pay attention to them because I did not understand. In the book of Daniel, the king specifically requested for young men who 'possessed knowledge' and were 'quick to understand'. Getting to the point of understanding, once you possess knowledge, is crucial because you can start praying into those situations to thwart the plans of the enemy or apply Godly wisdom to fulfil God's purpose for that situation. Gaining knowledge is key to gaining understanding and this can only come from God. In Hosea 4:6, God admonishes His people because they lack knowledge and have rejected it. Neglecting to spend time with God means we miss out on key information that is useful to us.
The enemy is relentless and will always seek to distract us so we miss what God is trying to tell us. In my next post, I will focus on what the Bible tells us about watching and why it is important to do so!
God bless you!
Comments